The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-04-17
The Sea Bird Disaster - The Lost
from ManitoWoc,

The past week has been a sad one for
hlanitowoc. A calamity, the recital Of
which could not be listened to without a
brill OF horror, had it occurred in some
Instant part of the country, has been
brought to cur very doors. Other great
lisasters have occurred on Lake Michigan,
INVOLVING even more serious loss of life, and
Nlanltowcc has happily escaped. But
when the waters closed over the wrecked
end burned Sea Bird last Thursday, score
pf hearthstones in our midst were made
1esolate. and gloom and depression settled
upon our entire community.
The FIRST dispatch, received here about 8
clock Thursday afternoon, announcing
pnly that the Sea Bird had burned of
"aukeean early that morning, caused un-
hpeakable anxiety and distress, for large
list OF passengers, many Of them the heads
OF families and among our best citizens, had
embarked on the ill>fated steamer. Sub
pequent kilograms we're vague and unsatis-
Factory, serving only to confirm the first
tho Sea Bird bad BEEN burned, and
probably many lives were lost-and
ht 6 o'clock the wire, from some cause,
refused to work, and no me- messages
could be received or transmitted.
1t would be hard, indeed, to describe the
excitement and anxiety that prevailed.
The mental anguish aud torture of suspense
suffered during that long night, by those
who had near and dear ones on the burned
steamer, no pen can describe. The telc-
graph Office, and the sidewalk in front OF
it, were crowded until late hour by an
eager and excited, yet patient throng, who
iii it was evident that nothing more would
be learned that night, wien they turned
aw with Leavy hearts During the night
the wire was put in working order, and the
first message that flashed over it on Friday
morning brought confirmation of the worst
fears OF the most despondent. OF between
seventy and eighty, passengers and crew,
on board the doomed vessel, only two
we're saved Ouly two. and neither cf
thcsc w.s from Manitowoc. But there
was st i'll left the hope, realized, alas, in
but few instances, that some might have
left tho boat at Milwaukee or Racine and
the intelligence, received later in the day,
that JAMES II. LEONARD had been SO mi
raculousiy rescued near Evrnston, revived
the hope that others fright yet be saved.
As the days wore by and no tidings came
this last hope gave place to the conviction
that all, save these three. were lost.
The following. from this place and viciui-
ty arc believed to have been lost with the
Sea Bird
JAMES A. HODGES, Clerk of the Sea
Bird. Was born in Taunton, Mass, and
was 40 years of age. He came to Wiscon
sin in ls49, and was employed as warehouse
clerk BY Messrs. Kellogg & Strong, at Mil
waukee, with whom he remained until the
spring of 1857, when, in company with Mr..
Peter Johnston, he came to Maritowoc,
and the two, for the six years following,
carried on general receiving and forward
ing business on the North Pier, under the
we'll known firm name of Johuston &
Hodges. In August, 1862, Mr.. Hodges
withdrew from the firm to join tie army,
and enrolled himself as a private in Com
pany X, Twenty first Regiment, of which
he was soon made the First Sergeant. lie
served with his regiment at Perryville and
in other actions, and at Stone River was
captured by the enemy and confined in Lib
by Prison. Upon being released, his
health was SO much impaired that he was
transferred to the Invalid Corps, and was
selected by General Sweet, Commandant
OF Camp Douglas, as his Private Secretary.
in which capacity he served until the expi.
ration of bis term of service. In july.
1866, he was appointed CLERK of the new
steamer Orion, aud remained on her until
the close OF the season of 1867. This
spring Alr. Goodrich transferred the Orion
to the East Shore Route, and placed the
Sea Bird on this. At the request of Mr..
Hedges, who wished to be with his family.
to whom he was much attached. as often
as possible, Mr. Thombs, clerk of the Sea
Bird, changed positions with him. OIL
unquestioned business capacity and expert
eDce, his place will be hard to Gil by his em>
Pioyer. Frank, genial and warm-hearted.
sociaiiy, and gSnerous to a fault, no one
could make his acquaintance without DC.
coming his fast friend forever after. He
was one of the very few men who have no
enemies. and will be sincerely mourned by
all who knew him. He leaves wife and
four children, the eldest Is year, of age,
who reside in the Second Ward.
GEORGE w. EMERY. Was born in the
State OF Maine, and was So years of age |
DIR Emery came to Manitowoc in 1856. |
and engaged in the grocery and provision
business, opening store on Commercial
street, and subsequently on York street.
In 1862, attracted by the promisi ns pros
DeCts of the I,kc C,ror;or ~ou;r. L. 1