Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-03
SHINING OF THE OGDEEsBURGH.
Collision with Schooner SnOWbird---
All ON board Saved.

Another disaster occurred on the lake,
not, far from this port on Friday night.
The propeller Ogdensburgh, Captain L. NJ.
Tyler, belonging to the Northern Transpor-
,ation Company, left this port about eight
o'clock, bound for Ogdensburgh. She had
on board two female and three male pessen-
gers, and $500 bushels of wheat, nearly
half of the freight being from Detroit, and
the rest from this city.
Between eleven and twelve o'clock,
when about eight or ten miles of Fa rport,
Captain Tyler saw a green light towards
shore, and took it for the starbosrd light OF
propeller passing up the lake on the in
side tack. He put the Ogdensburgh's helm
to the starboard, and made out into the
lake. Red and green lights v.re soon seen,
and the Captain saw that a vessel was rap
idly approaching him. Thepropeller head
ed out still more into the lake, but the
schooner changed her tack in the same di--
rection, and in a twinkling struck
the propeller q heavy blow on
the starboard bow, by which she
was completely cut open, and she sank in
very short time.
This schooner was the Snowbird, Cap
tain Wicks, from Oswego, bound up the
lakes with a load of hard coal. She was
running before strong North east breeze.
and theEake was rough. On seeing the
lights of the Ogdensburgh, Captain Wicks
put his helm hard port, which ran the
vessel directly into the propeller, instead
of clearing her. After colliding, the Snow
bird came around to the starboard, having
made perfect circle, and ran up the lake
before the wind, arriving at this port, on
Saturday morning, with her bowsPrit
shivered, bit slightly injured in the hull
As soon as the propeller was struck she
commenced sinking, and Captain Tyler
ordered the three boats to be lowered ,at the
same time heading the Ogdensburgh to-
wards the shore, in the faint hope that she
might reach land or shoal water before she
went down. Sheffield very fast, the water
settling towards the stern and raising her
bow nearly out of the water. The passen-
gers and crew had little time 10 gather
their effects, but were satisfied to bestow
themselves in the small boats, which they
did. All the passengers, with the exceP-
ton of one man, and of the woman who be-
longed to the propeller, were put into the
first boat, manned by a suitable crew, aud
they pushed off. The second boat followed
suit with most of the remainder of the
crew and the other passenger. They start
ed for the Fairport lighthouse which they
supposed to be a vessel.
By this time the propeller had settled
with her main deck to the level Of the
water. The deck hands, engineer, watch
n; IN and Captain, who had remained on
the sinking craft, jumped into the last boat,
and ffOated off as the propeller sank. The
point where the collision occurred was sup
posed to be some ten or twelve miles in the
lake. and nearly abreast of Fairport. The og-
depsburg settled down stern first, and sunk
about twelve o'clock. After pulling for
some five hours, the passengers and crew
safely reached the shore near Grand River.
After waiting until daylight they all
crossed the river to Fairport, and Captain
Tyler and Mr. Wilson, one of the passen
gers, left for this city on the morning train.
All the others from the wreck remained at
Fairport.
The Ogdensburg was one Of the small
class of the Northern Transportation Com
pany's propellers, and had been on the
line about twelve years. She was consid-
cred a good boat in every respect. shewas
insured, as was most of her cargo.