The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-18

~" OoA 10y AOVOA
AN APPALLING STEAMBOAT DIS
ASTER.
Collision Of Two Propellers on
Lake Huron.
Reforted Loss or Nearly One Hum
dred Lives.
Correspondence of the Chicago Times.
DErEorr, Mich, Aug. lion Wednes-
day night about half past So'clock, the
propeller Pewabio, Capt. Geo. Mckay, on
her way down from Lake Superior to this
port, when abreast of Thunder Bay Is
Land, Lake Huron, about six miles from
the light, collided with the propeller Me-
teor, Captain Wilson, upward bound, by
which the Pewabic was Immediately sunk.
The bows of the Meteor which are long
and sharp struck the Fewabic almost at
right angles, under the pilot house, open
ing her to the width of IL or Is feet, and
cutting her down to the waters edge.
There were at least ITO persons on board
including the crew. Within four minutes
of the collision the Pewabic sunk, carry
ing down with her from 20 to 100 persons.
The boats were running at the rate of IL
miles an hour and the crash was awful. A
number were killed by the crashing tim
bers. But few Of the passengers of the
Pewabic had time to jump from her decks
to those of the Meteor, ere the wreck of
the Pewabick sank entirely ont of sight
beneath the seathing waters. The sight
was terrible and, heartrending as the
cries and groans OF the unfortunate
passengers rose upon tho rolling swells of
the surging pillows. The Meteor remained
near where the wreck sunk until merning;
in order to pick up the floating bodies.
The Mohawk, passing down, was signalled
and promptly came to the rescue As
soon az it was light the boats cyuised
around among tbs Boating debris to pick
up passengers, but 90 long a time had
elapsed that none were found. The Mo-
hawk, with the survivors of the Pewabic,
came on to this city. The books, papers,
etc., Of the Pewabic having been lost, it
is impossible to give the names of all the
passengers ON board.
erATnHsr OF OBADIAH O. WOOD.
About half-past eight or nine O'Clock on
Wednesday night, while off Tunder Bay
Island, several miles ahead We des-
cried tho Meteor coming up. It was rain
ing at the time, yet the night was very
bright. The passengers all went forward
to SEQ the Meteor. The Meteor ap-
preached It soon became evident that
she would collide with Us. The passen-
gers became frightened and ran to the af-
ter part of the Pewabic for safety. Capt.
Mckay gave the order to have his helm
put aport, and the Pewabic had just COM
menced to swing when the latter, whose
helm had been bent to starbOard, ran into
us, striking us almost squarely in the vi
cinity of the pilot house, and cutting us
down to the waters edge. The confusion
among the passengers at the time was in
describable. They were perfectly panic.
stricken.
Many escaped by jumping on board the
Meteor, while the balance went down with
the wreck, which sunk in less than five
minutes after the collision. Some of the
persons employed on the Pewabic, who
had retired, escaped to the Meteor with
nothing on but their night clothes. Both
boats were going at full speed. l was
standing in the saloon when the Meteor
struck us. / ran to the after part of the
boat and intended to jump on board the
Meteor, but found the distance too great
to make the attempt. I then got on the
hurricane deck with the same object in
view, but had scarcely reached that place
before the Pewabic made fearful lunge
forward and sunk. / was thrown forward
with great violence. and struck against the
smoke pipes, and the next instant found
myself in the lake among portions of the
wreck. The cabin having broken to pieces
I swan to q lite-boat that / saw partially
drifting, and attempted to get into it, but
was washed off by heavy sea and current
towards the Meteor. Entangled in the
bulwarks of the latter steamer was the
broken flagstaff of the Pewabic, to which
1 chung until rescued by rope being let
down from the Meteor. Capt. Mckay, of
the Pewabic, remained perfectly cool and
collected, doing bis utmost to save the
passengers by preventing apanic, lowering
the boats, &C., but as his steamer went
down 80 quick he was unable to do as
much as be otherwise could have done.
The Meteor remained all night in the Vi
cinity of the catastrophe, and picked up
those of the survivors who were aleat on
pieces of the wreck. About 6 O'Clock on
Thursday morning, the propeller Mohawk
came alongside. The rescued passengers
and those of the crew who were saved,
we're transferred and brought to this city.
Nothing was saved from the Pewabic.
The evening was tolerably clear one, al
though it had been somewhat frainy and
the lights Of each steamer were discerned
BY the other ut . distance Of six miles.
4 moderate breeze prevailed and the
water was rough. The course of the Pc
wsbic vas On tho side towards tho shore,