Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-04-16
The burning OF she steanser
- Sea Bird.

The following is the statement of Albert |
@. Chamberlain, who was a passenger |
on board the steamer Sea Bird, which was |
burned on Lake Michigan, about SIX miles |
from the shore at Waukegan, on the morn |
ing of the 9th 'li To-
When we were OFF, about as near as
l can reckon, eight miles southeast
of Waukegan,. i was awakened from a
sleep by an indistinct rumbling noise.
When l opened my stateroom door, l
found everything IL, the direst confusion.
The tables had been set for breakfast, and
everything was ready for an early meal.
The Mortified Passengers were rushing in
haste to the forward Part of the boat. No
tongue can possibly describe the horror of
the scene at this period. Men, women and
children, many of them with scarcely any
clothing. upon them, rushed toward the
forward opening. AL sorts of fearful cries
saluted my ears. The screams of the ter
rified women rushing past en- dishabitle, the
cries of the childreB, the heavy impreca-
tions and shouts of the men, joined with
the cracking OF the flames, the noise of the
engine, and the roar o.. wind and water
altogether-combined such scene Of con-
fusion that L never had expected to be
witness of in this world. Looking round. /
ptICtlNtu tnbt Tic dttCl paw Va tAC SobAA
was filed with smoke, and noticed now
and again quick, angry forks of flame
shooting through it.
The flames made such extraordinary
headway that it did not seem to me five
minutes time before the whole hurricane
deck was afire. The lower decks were, as
yet, untouched. Ia. ...,t-..-
Upon reaching the forward deck, and
noticing the condition of things, l went
down 10 the lower deck TO see what
chance there was for safety in that direc-
ton. Here found portion CO the crew
making great noise, shouting to one an
other, and trying to get a horse overheard,
with the assistance of which, i suppose,
they intended to make an effort for the
shore. Finding that could not live here
on account of the smoke, descended again to
the upper deck and helped the second mate,
Leander Packard, tear away as much as
we could of it in order TO stop the progress
of the flames toward the bow. at this
time it was quite broad daylight, and l
should judge between 6 and 2 o'clock.
There was very heavy sea, and 1t seemed
to be increasing III volume. stood among
the crowd that was hudoled together near
the forward part of the bow, and 1t was
while sanding here that noticed Captain
Morris without hat, and in his shirt
sleeves, talking with some OF the men. lie
appeared to be quite calm, and formed a
! remarkable contrast IN appearance To the
frightened and panic-stricken men gath
cred about him. aJ
made my way through the crowd as
far to the forward part OF the bow as pos
sible, knowing that that would be the point
which the FIRE would reach last.
4 hoI inn, r~a1 bet. in
! to the water, and must have soon persisted
| from the cold. a..t .
wac now on the deck forward of the
pilot house, on the starboard side, and
from the direction in which the wind blew
was entirely sheltered from the flames.
AS soon as the cry OF IRE was raised,
and it was found to be making such rapid
Roadway, there was a simultaneous cry
| from many: Head the boat for the shore. "
La carrying out this order, the helmsmaD,
either through the excitement of the Occa-
sion, or becsuse the after machinery OF the
wheel had already received damage from
the fire, put the rudder hard aport. This
| kept the vessel turning around but she
had hardly made more than one circuit
when the engines stopped working, and
by TINS time the hurricane and upper decks
had completely burned of. ,.
About one-half hour alter had lett my
state room, there were not more than ten
men remaining on the wreck.
By this time had worked my way to
the most forward part of the vessel. l
pulled down the hslyards FROM the flsg-
staff and doubled them twice, intending to
run the cord through the staple OF the
| post and lower myself down.
The men below me, who we're holding
on to the sides OF the bow, were dropping
| oil one after another, overcome by either
| the hest or cold.
The last act Of the second mate was to
take down the flagstaff and jump over
board with il. SID
! During al this time there were dead
bodies floating around the vessel, AID many
live persons could be seen battling with
the waves and desperately clinging to
chairs and pieces Of the wreck.
At this time we We're about eight miles
! from land. The wind was blowing from
the east, and We tioated slowly toward the
shore. r
Shortly after the mate jumped over
board my seat on the forward post became,
from the approach of the flames, intolera-
BILE therefore lowered mysef over the
bow of the boat, holding on To the pro-
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with my feet. st-..r .r Ia 1900
AS near as can Judge, about three
| quarters of an hour after / bad reached
the forward deck, was surprised, on look
! ing around, TO find but one other but my
self upon the wreck. This other individ-
| ual, who think was one of the crew, sat
on the rim running round the boat just
forward of the gangway. The sides OF the
vesse, were burned right up to where he
had placed himself and the heat soon be-
came untearable. He cried out 10 me to
throw him rope, saying that he could not
swim or he would jump into the water. l
| told him could not help him "a my rope
was not long enough. Shortly after this,
I he jumpe6in the water, swan to the bow
of the boat snd caught hold OF rope a
| few feet below where stood. de hsid on
| to this for some three or four minutes, and
then, completely benumbed, let go, and
saw him no more. Then hauled up the
rope and reevcd il through the anchor
chains below the ring to which l had the
halyards hitched After fastening it in
this manner, coiled it twice found my
chest. In very few minutes found that
the upper end OF the rope wRs burning. l
reached up my hands and blistered them
somewhat in tryip., TO put the fire out.
| Seeing that this was of no avail, and
that the rope was likely to burn out of the
ring, which wss beyond my reach, l took
the other end, which was coiled round
my body, and fastened it in the
anchor chains below the level OF the fire.
| The two anchors over my head were
gradually settling into the wreck, and
began to fear new disaster from this
cause. just theu Fespied sail between
| the wreck aud the land. / placed my
feet against the side of the vessel end COM
menced waving my cap as signal OF dis
| tress, and to let her people know that
there was survivor on the wreck. This
vessel turned out to be the schooner Cor
nelia, Captain Yates, and it would appear