East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-09-13
THE LOSS OF THE ELGIN.


THE LOSS OF THE ELGIN.
Our exchanges are literally filed with
details of this most APPALLING cslami-
ty, and the full accounts present "chap-
ter of horrors" fearful and dreadful to
contemplate.
The steamer Lady Elgin on Friday
morning last left Milwaukee on regular
charter from the Independent Union
Guards from that city, and brought about
three hundred excursionists, gentlemen
and ladies, into Chicago, where the party
passed the day in Interchange of hospi-
talities and socialities usual to such occa-
sions. On her return she left as stated
on her regular trip to Lake Superior,
taking about fifty cabin passengers for
Mackinac and pleasure points north,
added to the excursion party.
No accurate list or number of persons
on board can be given, but it is nearly
as follows:
Excursion party (about) 800
Regular passengers (estimated) 80
Grew of steamer 35
Total, 3S5
The evening of Friday set in with q
wind moderately high, though not such
as would have deferred the Elgin from
leaving; yet it is still likely she would
have lain by but for the return excursion
party, who had made no calculations on
remaining over. Soon after she left,
however, and scarcely could she have
got outside, heavy thunderstorm came
up about midnight, accompanied by an
increase of wind, which grew to perfect
gale. In such commotion of the ele
ments the collision took place, the sea
running high, and the gale increasing
throughout the night and almost the en-
tire of Saturday.
The collision with the schooner
Augusta, occurred about 2 o'clock n. NJ,
when the Elgin was about 16 miles out
of Chicago, and about 10 miles from
Winetka, at which point most of the
passengers and the fragments of the
wreck were driven ashore. The schooner
struck the steamer forward of the wheel
house on the port side, while going at
rate of eleven miles an hour.
The following is the statement of
Lieut.. Hartsulf, of the L. s. Army, who
is stationed at Fort Mackinaw:
az was on board the steamer Lady Elgin when she
collided with the steamer Augusta, oslocp in my
berth. Immediately jumped from my berth and
saw the schooner floating away. Did not think any
serious damage had been done at first but soon dis
covered that the steamer settling ] immedi
ately left my berth, which was in the after cabin
and ran toward tho pilot house, where found Capt
Wilson the hurricane deck. / asked him if he
thought there was any danger; md he replied he
thought she would float. He told me where there
life-preservers the hurricane deck and went
and passed them down TO the passengers in the cabin
till they about exhausted, vince took one my
self and waited on the hurricane deck While there.
quito number came on the deck, only few Of
whom were females; hut how many came mp could
not say, MS il was very dark From quarter 10
half an hour after she struck she broke up, the
hurricane deck floating of and the hulk going TO the
bottom with tremendous noise As she broke |
jumped with my lifcprescrver-a board six eight
feet long and about one wde-nto the water, which
was Mt this time only few feet below US and pulled
| with all my might to escape from the mass Of the
! wreck After the confusion Ind somewhat subsidized
/ heard tho voice Of Capt. Wilson cheering and en-
couragng the people on the wreck telling them that
the shore was but few miles Off and that il they
kept calm and obeycd his directions they might all
| be saved heard him in this manner for perhaps
ten minutes, and then J had separated so far from
the hurricane deck, which the Captain and large
number were. that heard no more. All around me
were numbers Of persons noating on pieces Of tho
wreck until II became daylight. When II became
so light that could some distance, discovered
n large mass Of the wreck little distance 10 the wind
| ward of us, covered with people i then got
| quite large piece Of wreck which was floating
! me and which contained no other person. and no
| person got on after | did The large mass 10 the
wndward Of which have Just spoken, now began
to separate. then left the piece was on, and got
on n large piece Of the hurricane deck, which
there were four other persons-dont know who they
were On this fragment remained until we reached
within about quarter Of mile of the shore, when
our raft broke up and two OF the four IL with me
were washed on ana drONnc0. a moment attof
the remainder Of our party were washed OF by n
heavy sea- and one more Of little party drowned.
Nv remaining companion contrived TO regain the
raft and Il again took life preserver which found
ahoat, and this loatod to the shore just below
the bluffs From the time was swept from the rift
until reached the shore, was several times buried
deep under the waves. When close in 10 the shors
was thrown from my life-prcseryer and went 10 the
bottom. and, although the water not moro than
three four feet deep, was exhausted as TO be
unable TO rise, md crawled for distance under
2 the watcr until reached dry land
early in the morning discovered fragment of
! the wreck n short distance from which n
woman and three mon. She was much exhausted
that she seemed unable to keep from dropping Ia
Z Sleep although the cxertons of the three were
continually in use 10 prevent IL. She was finally
drowned while remaining on the wreck being unable
| TO keep her head from the water. Her body re-
NAMED on the fragment Of the wrec. as long as II
, was in sight saw many pieces Of the wreck con-
tanning from two 10 four persons capsized. almost
9 invariably drowning n that were on them. To
avoid the capsizng Of frail bark, instructed
the msn with mo TO sit ii TO keep the edges
\ under water. This prevented capsizing, and nj
r the same time enabled 10 float faster We having
: in this way passed many Of The other RATS | snv
J woman nlonc floating dining table, and, O
short time after discovered her, the table oapsized
: and she disappeared under the water. for several
seconds hu finally reappeared on The surface cling
! ing TO tho table, and eventually, NY great cxeriions
she rcgaincd her seat upon the table. When las