The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-07-02

lcaPEgvReF ofthe Mefhlhg 500 stsles

~ ~ ~ WAat -
cie of fdends.\ A.
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN vIGER.
capt Yfgef, ofthe Mofhih1 Star. stsles
that he was on the hurricane deck at the
hmefof the collision, standing at THE win
dow OF the pilot house, Men were at each
corner Of the wheelhouse, outside, watch
ing the lights. Several lights had been
passed, but nothing was seen Of the Cort-
land until the steamer was so close on her
that collision was inevitable. A hard north
erly Wind was blowing, and a pretty
heavy sea was on. A few of the passen-
gers were up, though most had gone 10
bedNe There were thirty .fhree passeheers
on board. Some little confusion ensued
When the steamer struck. The. bark was
struck forty of'ifty feet from The stern.-
The Mutnihg Star sunk IN FIVE minutes hf-
ter the accident. The boat was loaded
with about eighty tons Of iron and a Hight
load of other freight. aa.uurnQ gCit.I.
Captain .Niger declined Giving further
particulars before he appeared before the
dirSctq51 Of the company 70 state the case
? t~sTArtMExF or bouaAb m'nAUsHfRd 31s
i Mr. Mclaughlin, one of the pilots .ofthe
Morning Star, was at the wheal at the time
OF the collision, and gives the following
account: He could see what he would eell
o "dim bright light once IN along while.
Surprising il to be the lighf Of vessel
steering the same course, ,he. aimed to
steer one side Of her. All at once he saw
the canvas of q vessel and heard Abelll
The engine alarm was at ouce given and
the helm put hard TO sturboard, but tile
boat struck. The steamer was running nj
her accustomed speed, the wind was blow
ing hard, nin was falling, the lake was
quite rough, and the night was. very dark.
The captain sent a mate below to see il the
boat was taking much water The report
WINS brought that the steamer was filling
fast. Tn boats were ordered out and the
steamer sank inntve minutes. NOT h8f.n.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. M'KAY.
\ Capt Mckay, of the II. n. Rice, gives
The following account: At about a quarter
before three o'clock Sunday morning, the
mate heard cries from two persons but a
few rods 90 tho starboandl The night whs
very dark. He supposed that the decklond
OF some vessel had been washed or and
that a couple OF sailors were floating upon
It, The boat was stopped aud swung
round, drifting into a large quantity Of life
p~reservers, mattresses and iurniturea The
floating parcels indicated that an accident
AANA hhHIAhNa W III 0iNNlllbNAN IWO
boats We're lowered, manned aud sent out
to pick up an that could be found. The
bark L. H. Cotton was also near BY md
assisted in. the rescue. lie stood on
the deck with q glass scanning the hori-
zon and directing the boats until all had
been done TO save lives which II was posi-
bic to do. The Rice 'cruised around until
q quartor past seven, and then sailed for
Cleveland The lake was strewn with stuff
hon the wreck for ten miles o rmore. AZ
five miles from. shore picked mp, q boat
lOad of persons who had come nom the
wreck. AT o'clock he started with the
Rice to 90 back, at the request Of some of
the passengers, and sailed some ten miles,
when he returned az the request of the
same persons all being convinced that
nothing could be done.
When the hurricane deck parted from tile
steamer, the ladies who were upon il
rushed TO the after part and chung to the
flag staff. This caused that part to sink,
and the pressure upon the pole broke 1t OFF,
and the helpless ladies were precipitated
INTO the lake. Some it is feared, wero
drowned.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. THos. HARBoTrLE.
Capt Thos. Harbottle is an old lake cap
tain, residing in Hamilton, Ontario. He
vase passenger on board the Morning Star,
n N smoking on the aftor-deck whom
the collision occurred. He heard the bells
OF the Star give the signal for stopping, and
then Tor backing, and almost Simultaneous
y telt the shock of the collision. He went
at once, and saw that about twenty
feet OF the bow Of the Star, on the cabin
deck, was carried away, and about two or
three feet Of the bow nj the wnter-line He
went at once to the hurricane deck and
hailed Capt Niger, who was standing on
piot-house, telling him thut the bow of.
the boat was carried away. Capt. Niger
responded: "Who are you2" He answer
10y giving his manic. Capt Viger then
the boat to be put around, with her
stern 70 the waves, so that she would take
in less water The boat settled rapidly.
and went down, Capt. Harbottle thinks, IN
five minutes after she struck, going
down bow foremost, Theyawl was hunch-
ed from the hurricane deck, and Capt. Har-
bottle, with some twenty others, mainly
members Of the crew, jumped into il They
had only one pair of oars, and were kept
busy bailing, as the sen wished in upon
them constantly. About 4 O'Clock, they
were picked up by the II. N. Rice.