The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-07-01


started toward the upper cabin, and
Mr.. Chase went at once to the Misses
Patchep, saying to them that they
had better go overheard now, !as it |
must be done. and if they went at
once they-mfgtTt get away from the
boat. so as not to be drawn down |
with her. Guided by Mr.. Chase, they |
with several other ladies went out on
the boat aft, and he led the way: into
the water. AS he rose to the surface
after jumping in, he saw that nearly
all the ladies mad also jumped in
One of the life-preservers on one of
the Misses Patchen had become dis
and was on her shoulder,
instead of under the arm, and Mr..
Chase adjusted this. Very soon the
steamer went down, and at once Mr..
Chase and the four or five ladies in his
immediate vicinity were caught in
numerous small eddies, whirled about
and partially separated: Mr.. G. does
not think any were taken down by
the boat of those near him. The wa
ter, which had been.Very comfortable,
became cold after the disturbance by
the sinking of the steamer, and sew
eral of the ladies were taken with
cramp. Not long after, too, furious
gale sprung up, and scattered the
floating sufferers in the darkness.
Mr.. Chase drifted off almost, watch
ing the light on the bark, and hearing
the distressing cries for help from
those in the water. A door came
floating by, and one of the Misses
Patchen was got partly on it, so as to
lie on it pretty securely. The gale,
however, soon got up a sea, and rem
dered slight security still slighter.
Sometimes Mr.. Chase could see the
hark's light, and sometimes it would
appear to go out. but this, he thinks
may have been owing somewhat to
his being blinded by the water dri-
wing in his face. Finally, a large
piece Of the upper deck foated near,
and MFR. Chase succeeded in getting
on it. Then came box of bread or
biscuit, and this he got on his raft.
A chair came next, and this was Sc
cured. Various pieces from the wreck
came by, and Mr.. Chase worked in
dustriOusly in tying these together on
his raft with pieces of cord that had
come up on fragments of the cabin.
The increasing sea threatened to tear
in pieces the portion of the deck he
was on, but the canvass covering on
the upper side held it together. The
cries for help were growing fainter
and fewer as one after another grew
weak and then sunk forever. No one
was in sight. Mr.. Chase heard still
the cries of some stouter than the rest,
and one voice especially cheering Mrs.
ChittingtOn. Mr.. Chase was growing
weak himself and the rolling sea made
him sea sick. He vomited, and be-
came almost unconscious, but finally
recovered. He then fixed the chair on
his raft, and as the sea went down
partially, he got into the chair, and
putting his feet on the bread box. was
enabled almost to keep out of the wa
ter. Very soon after getting into the
water, one of his feet became entan-
gled in a lady's dress, and to free him
self and her, he had pulled off his
boots. A vessel, evidently sail YES
sci passed by, hut too far away to
hear any outcries. Mr.. Chase, how
ever, was becoming more comforta-
BILE, and being we'll convinced that he
could float all day if necessary, was
not greatly disappointed at this. FL
nally the R. N. Rice's lights We're
seen coming down directly toward
Mr.. Chase, and he watched anxiously.
Nearer and nearer she came, until he
calculated that if she kept her course
ten minutes longer she would be
alongside his raft. Just then, how
eyer, she suddenly headed off, ran a
short distance in anew direction, then
changed again and finally lay to.
Then Mr.. Chase knew that she had
discovered the wreck, and was wait
ing for daylight. Finally boat from
the Rice came up and took him off.
Mr.. Chase arrived at his home in this
city before his family knew of the
terrible disaster. He is yet suffering
from the chilly wetting ana sea-sick-
ness, but otherwise is not injured be-
yond slight bruise on one knee from
a piece of timber which struck him
from the wreck. Mr.. Chase, when
picked up, had floated a mile or SO
away, and had kept himself from
drifting further by means of slip oi
board, which he used as paddle. II
was just twenty minutes to 1 O'Clock
when Mr.. Chase first went to the en-
gine room after the collision, and he
thinks the boat sunk in ten or twelve
minutes after. .----
John H. Garrett, wife and little
daughter, of Detroit. stepped. into the
luke as the boat was settling, all hav
ing lite-preservers about them. Mr.
Garrett rsse to the surface, but did moi
afterward see his wife and child. He
was picked uD by the steamer Rice
He represents the scene as one of grea
confusion and terror. When the
steamers lights went down all wal
darkness, and the air was rent will
the cries and shrleks of those in tht
water. Voice after voice ceased, ant
when light appeared he saw but twt
others Of the whole party that tool
the water with him in sight. Mrs
Garrett was formerly Miss Sallie A
House, of Lockport, N. Y. The Httl
girl, Mabel, was five years old.
Mr.. Albert Iddings, who is amoni
the lost, was the youngest son of Mrs
Iddings, widow of the late Hiram
Iddings, of the late firm of Edwards
Iddings & Co., grocefs, Water st. TIL
deceased was quite young, only abDu
twenty, was q very promising younJ
man.. beloved by all, and dotted upo
by his heart broken mother and he
bereaved family. On Saturday eve
ming, just before the Star left on he
il fofaH a