The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-13
Rirhmunh pispatrh.
THURSDAY MoKNE>a.. =. SEPT. 10. REQ
THg DISASTER ON LAKE MICHIGAN.
"st@ e. PartiCuiars.-Surra of the
Aaved--A ffecting IaCidents.


farther details of the loss of the steamer Lady
Elgin. on Lake Michigan. The following is the
STATEMENT OF THE STEWARD.
Frederick Rice steward of the Lady Elgin,
states that about half an hour before Inc coi-
lsion, he called the porter, and directed him
TO trim all the lamps. The passengers were
dancing a the time and the lamps were trim
med at their request. The whole boat was
lighted up brilliantly. In few minutes, the
wind and sea increased to such an extent that
the dancing had TO be suspended. The lights,
however were not turned down, but remained
burning brightly. Between aud half past :,
the schooner struck the Elgin on the larboard
side, about midships, running her boWsprit
through the com mpanion- way, and through the
deck in 20 the cabin. The hull of the boat was
crushed in below the water line, letting the
sea flow directly into the hold The bilge IN
lection was started, but the water speedily
exiinguished the fires. In twenty minutes
after the collision, the engines stopped. Capt.
Wilson called TO one of the engineers 10 start
the engine. His reply was that there was no
steam.
Everything that could be was done TO stop
the hole. Mattresses were put into ii, aud
planks spiked over, but without avail. The
captain then ordered the boats to be got ready,
and directed five or six men to take tbs large
boat round to the hole, and see IL the hole
could not be stopped from the outside.
Twelve men first jumped in TO the boat. Mr..
Rice, by order of the Captain, next Jun ped in,
placed himself in the stern, and with the oar
used every exertion to get round to the hole.
The passengers crowded the guard ready to
leap in and the steward TO prevent them from
sinking the ooat showed il off as far posi-
BILE. AS the boat swung round the stern of the
steamer a sea struck Ii, and carried II a long
distance off. There was but one light oar In
the boat, and with this il WAS found Impossi-
BILE 10 get II back. The steward then called for
oars, believing that he would be able to Il I've
OF SIX more people If he could get back 10 the
steamer. One oar was thrown, but those in
the boat could not get it. They then put the
boat before the wind, the sea making a clean
breach over her every minute. With great ex
eTtions, however, they succeeded in rsuching
the shore at the 70 OF of a perpendicular clay
bank One of the men succeeded in climbiU e
up the bank, and let down rope by which the
others were drawn up. They proceeded TO the
house OF Mr.. Gage, who, with his family, did
everything in their power 10 relieve the sur
ferers.
The lights of the steamer were very distinct
ly seen by those in the stewards boat until
they were q least mile distant, when they
suddenly disappeared, The steamer went
down about twelve miles from land.
Mr.. Rice describes the scene on board the
steamer 81. one of the widest excitement and
terror. Passengers ran hither and thI ther, with
alarm. Women screamed, and chung To their
husbands or ompanions in frantic terror. For
considerable time after the boat left the
wreck, the terrific shrleks of the passengers
were heard ABOVE the bowling tempest.
A short time after reaching the house of Mr..
Gage, (Which was after ) O'Clock in the morn
lDg,) 4 man came In Win WORD Lhat another
boat had come ashore and sWampeG. Mr.. Il Ce
and his companions, with Mr.. Gage, has tened
to the beach, where they found eight persons
struggling in the surf. They succeeded in
rescuing four OF them; the others were
drowned. These four, with those in the stew
ards boat, were all that are known by the
steward TO have been saved
STATEMENT OF Mr.. SMITH.
Michael E Smllh, of OntonagUn, was among
the number st the saved He gives the follow
ing statement of the disaster. He was on the
noat with Captain Wilson:
l was asleep in the mates room at the time
OF the accident. The watchman came III and
told the frst mate that vessel had run into
the steamers port side. just forward OF The
wheel-hOuse and Atove "a hole in her The
mate and myself went directly on deck-fouud
Captain wilson there. The steamer had on
board some l5U or leo head OF cattle. The Cap
tain ordered the cattle 10 be thrown overheard
They were thrown over by the crew.
The first and second mate went IN the life.
boat 10 stop the leak. They found the hole so
low that they conld not get a. it. The steamer
was listed over, but they could not get at the
leak
The Captain ordered all the passen gers to
get life -preserverS think the most OF them
did. He then ordered the crew to take axes
and break open the state-rooms SO that none
should be lett IN them; l think that nearly
every passenger got out, although pulled one
out as we i,oated by the state-room
A short time after this the Ell CINE fell thro Rt
the bottom of the vessel; l should think III
teen minutes after the schooner struck her
the hull went down Immediately, leaving IN,
hurricane deck floating; Il great portion OF tn,
passengers were on the hurricancs deck wher
| the hull went down; the most OF them umpel
| off very soon, thinking that IL would sink; th,
| hurrIcaDce deck BOON separated INFO fy,
| pieces there were twenty five on the part Oh
| which l was; the Captain was on this; Their
| were some military from Milwaukee, aud sil
or seven ladies the other four pieces went OF
| with a number on each.
| We held up cabin doors for sails and cam,
| down smoothly as far as Winetka. Whel
| within few rods of the shore the raft cap
! sized; some of us got back on it-among then
| lhe Captain and myself, the Captain got one o
! the ladies BACK big sea came, and washe,
us off. The Captain was the last man OF
| the float; l heard him cheering the pa ssen
| gers another sea came. washed him on, aut
| he drowned
or the twenty-five who were on the fioat
| only eight were saved.
| EAfter the life boat launched. q yaw
| which was aft was launched. Two boats ger
! launched from the hurricane deck | kney
| only two men on the raft-the Captain an
! Mr.. Waldo, the clerk of the National Mine a
| Ontonagon.
When it became light in the morning, tn
| four RATS were ia sight, and great many fioa
| ing on pieces of the wreck. The Captain call
| ed to each OF the RATS, and inc uired if hi
| Sou thern friends were aboard. Tney answer
| ed from each that they We're not.
| About forty other persons succeeded IL
| reaching the shore by means Of floats, raft
| and pieces Of the wreck. These were take
| hy the train yes terday morning to Milwaukee
| The greater part of them were OF the excur
| siou marty from Milwaukee.
| Some twenty five or thirty citizens went I
the scene OF dIsas ter on Saturday morning b
| the xpress tram, which reached Winetka a
| 10 O'Clock. Upon arriving at the beach abou
| hfty persons were seen floating on RATS an
pieces OF the wreck near the shore, but una
| bic to reach il on account of the raging sur
1 Z hair ON Y he Al
on shore were without boat or other means O
| succor, except rope provided by the studen I
from Evanston. With this they brayeiy en-
| Tered the surf. and wadiug as Tar possi be
| would succeed in throwing one end OF 1T l.
| the struggling victims.
| The life boat in which were the two mate.
| came in below Winetka. One of the boat
| from the hurricane deck started with twel,
| passengers, eight of whom were saved. Tn
| boat upset twice. A lady and child I. no wer
| on this boat were washed away once an,
| picked up. They were washed off the secout
time and drowred OF the eight saved on thi
| boat seven belonged i'll Milwaukee.
| BODIES RECOVERED.
Four dead bodies only had been recovere
| when the Chicago party returned home. The
| were the body OF MIR. lngraham, of London
| England; the body Of an unknown woman
about As years OF age, with small gold ear
| drops; the body Of n boy, about twenty year
OF age. aad the body of stout red haire
| man, we'll dressed iii black pan taioons, gate
| shoes, etc.
| Not less than a hundred persons were washe
| from the floats to which they clung an
| drowned within twenty yards of the shor,
| before assistance could reach them.
1 For five miles along the shore, the surf wa
| filed with fragments OF the wreck. Furni
| ture, doors, the piano, carcasses OF cattle, an
| fragment ts torn from the boat, told the fearfI
tale of destruction and death. Some OF 10
Chicago party traversed the beach the eniir
| distance between Winelka and Evanston, bu
| could find no persons auve nor discover An
| of the bodies of the dead, additionai " thos
| they had succeeded in rescuing.
1 Capt. Wilson WAS undoub btedly among IN
| lost. He was last seen early on S...urda
morning, upon u raft, with about forty oiner
The raft was capsjzed, and only eight OF the