Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-04-13
eIsvIsC OF TINE STEAMER SEA-
BIRD.
Additional Particulars Of
the Catastrophe.
Vet Another Survsvor..-A Wan
Comes Ashore after BEING
Etxhucem E3Ours or the
vvheef.Ek ouse-

.
Comes Ashore after Befng
Eighteen Hour. Or the
vvheei.FE ouse-
His Statement Of the Particu-
lars of His PeriIous Trip.
From, The Chicago Times Of the llth II I.
All daY ] yesterday the excitement regard |
inc the fearful disaster ofthe burning oflhc |
Sea Bird continued undated.
AT TIE SCHOONER.
The Corpelis was moved early in the day
from Lombard street to the dock Of the III.
iroia Central Railroad. Here abe vas viz
tied by many curious people, and her gal
liant captain and crew piled uncsasinely
With questions which they answered quite
good naturedly.
Capt. Yates says that he would have
cruissd ir the vicinity Of the wreck oil day
II he thought there had been the slightest
chance Of picking up any men, but, after dill.
gent search, and from what the survivors
told him. no thought further stay ing in the
neighborhood useless, SO he made sail for
Chicago.
Mr.. J. II. Leonard, of Manitowoc, Wis,
one Of tho passengers of Inflated steamer,
reached Evanston yesterday morning, after
perilous aud painful drifting about on the
, lake for over l2 hours, with nothing be-
, tween him and eternity but few fragile
: boards. Mr. Leonard was on his way 10
. this city with bis wife. but she persisted in
the flame lie struck the shore three miles
: above Evanston, about 10 o'clock at night
/ and thence made his way 10 the village,
where no was Hospitality received by
The proprietor Of the Evanston Houss
The Times reporter visited him las. eve
ming and heard the following statement, cor
roborative Of what has heretofore been pub
lished, and detailing his experiences and suf
ferngs during the day.
STATEMENT ov J. u. LEONARD.
On "Wednesday morning, with ny wife,
. | embarked on the Sea Bird at Mantowoc
!. for Chicago. During the day nothing Of
, interest occurred. but about midnight stif
. breeze arose in the east, causing the boat TO
= roll heavily on the sea, and rendering stop
r, page at intermediate ports extremely dtf-
n cult. | retired about 9 o'clock, Wednesday
IN evening, and remarked at the time to my
wife that it vas . terrible evening, an asser-
!" ton which she acquissced ia with IN appre-
% hensive shudder. On Thursday morning
arose at ESQ, and went out on the deck
- cabin to get the air. The boat was rolling
a as in the night, the lake was extremely
4. rough, and the Wind high. On the guards
!, ] met the first mate, an catered into con
. versatlon with him relative to the distance
! from Chicago, the weather, and the proba
N DE hour the boat would reach the city. II,
informed me that we were then of the clay
banks, between Lake Forest and Waukegan
and about % miles from Chicago.
IL III nothing happens" said he, I'VE vii
lr. reach Chicago about 10 o'clock."
,et ! repeat his exact words above, bscaus,
TO the They now have n strange igni6csnes
J then returned to my state-room, whes
r. my vito was still absd A few moment
al later heard the als N Of ire, and, rush
an ing on. to ascertain ne Cause Of the alarm
"A | discovered the after part Of the boat Il
flames. and rapidly involving the cabi
nd winch had just left. then made an .,
ng tempt to reach my wife's room, but the in
v. tense heat compelled me 10 withdraw.
h. called out to my wife TO get out. | got nj
response. The rapidity with which tn
70 il,c extended drove the passengers forward
ST. The scene at the time was of the most har
In rowing character. Women in night dress
nd es aud frightened men rushed iranticall,
:. about seeking agencies OF escape. Som,
jumped overheard with planis, others will
so chairs, and no sooner had they touched tn,
OF water than their agonzing shrieks told o
ith their inability to keep above the treach rou
=, element. When the heat compelled me,
too jumped into the water in the direction
Of plank which was floating around. By
vigorous swimming reached it, and, fortu
nstoly, | soon olambered on . part Of tn,
ne paddlewheel box with which the wavel
o. brought me in contact. The piece was jus
he large enough TO sustain me, and for abou
:. twelve hours was hsaved aud tossed about
!, l prayed for relief, but none came, not
'"' sail could see anywhere. From my posi-
The ton ! could hardly discern tho shore an,
65. for hours knew not whittier | was going
Of was chilled almost to death, and the win,
~ blew with a piercing severity. My hand
"' were numb, and could hardly sustain my
req self. saw about ~ persons Jump into tn
m water. Most Of them sank immediately
n, think there were about % women on board
:. When the excitement was at its height "
'' attempted 10 launch the small boats, but th
We flames compelled us to desist.
NJ STATEMENT by HENRY nESNEBraY.
~ Our reporter mad al interview with Hen
he nebury yesterday morning, from which i
IL learned the el,ang additional particular.
-. Of TIC catastrophe as witnessed by thu
mau ! agree with Mr. Chamberlain in
!
y hoard the steamer There were nine or Ten
la. lsdies aboard, and as near as can Judge.
>, ten children. We stopped at Racine at {:
- oclor k in the morning, but | canno, ss,
Vt whether any person got aboard here.
TUE ORIGIN OF rHs FIRE.
81 o. Thursday morning I arose at 5 o clocl
W or Whereabouts. had not been up more
h than an hour and three quarters when
" saw smoke in black volumes curling over
-, the main deck on the port quarter and jus,
below the ladies cabin Shortly after this
" bright blaze sprang up. just then 10,
ms 81 tubs packed IN straw which were near
g. the flames took tire and burned away very
J., rapidly. II was then that gave the alarm.
When the bell began to ring, several Of the
crew hurried TO where the fire was, and the
passengers, thoroughly frightened by the
.. a~fu. cry Of "hre." came rushing from
their berths and state rooms in hot haste
10 The fire now progressed 90 rapidly that I
no feel quite sure II must have been under
CO way some time before il vas discovered. II
h. did not seem . minute before the hau o.
had full possession Of the cabin overhead :
" and the after-spacs Of the boat seemed to
ii- be all afire in less than Ave minutes.
At LADIES AND cnILDRsu BURNED.
lit The celebrity with which the flames
re- spread into the ladies cabin leaves little
or doubt IN my mind that many Of the ladies'
persisted in the flames. REQ ,llect hearing
one OF the hands cay that some Of the 20.
be mon were burned to death. I cannot ses
how they could have possibly escaped. The
W crew, and in fact every one, nov appeared
panic stricken. A few of u. tried 10 get at
10 the small boats oft, but il was Of no use !:
~ sba't the smoke-stack every thing was in
tn flames.
fno ONLY CHANCE.
ne now collected my thoughts and tried
= to keep as cool ~ possible and take Q calm
view of the whole matter. l came TO the
conclusion that the boat must certainly be
y destroyed, and, therefore. TO stay By her
u would be toolishrcss. Somehow or anoth-
: err felt that would be saved About 10