The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-10-28

CuAASu Ou A1hC hufNu, On C'kAhoW OeJN =
tine Like Superior steamer, the X. q. Co
burn, laundering and carrying down to a
watery grave at lesst 40 OF her passeng ers and
crew. A rumor Ct the disaster reached De
troit on Tuesday evening, and the arrival Of
| the Keweensw On Wednesday morning cone
| 6rmed it, as she brought with her 10 persons,
picked up in the yawl OF the lost vessel by
the Canadian bark Robert G skin at O'Clock
on Sunday afternoon. The Coburn Was on 8
voyage down from Du'uth 10 Buffalo, and
passed Presque Isle light a. 5.45 on saturday
afternoon, having as 3 cargo wheat, -four. and
| some silver ore.
Account from the First Boat.
From the state ents of the men first rescued
| it appears that the Coburn proceeded on her
voyage from Presque Isle down ward Saturday
evening, snd that everything went well WITH
| her until about o'clock ON sunday morning.
| The wind and sea we're both heavy, and of
] the bay q cross sea WIS touad, vhch 1as
especially dIsagreeable, but the steamer be-
baved huo,J throughout 1t all curing the
night, and made good Roadway. Towards
morning, by reason OF the character
/ which the sea assumed, it was
| found necessary TO put the helm nard
| over and keep it so, which occasioned
| heavy pressure upon the ruddtr. At aoO at
1 o'c Ock the press uTe displaced the rucder
and il was lost. The boat rapidly became
uumar ageable and itil into the trough OF the
sea, in which she rolled iesriully. The cargo
| became disarranged and shifted from side 10
side, finally listing her over on her beam ends
and bursting tae gangways out Soc then
| took water on board in immense quantities,
and it was evicenl that she could not last
long.
Cap. Conden, OF Buffalo, who had arranged
to take position on the Coburn on her next
trip; John BridgeOn, q gentleman from
OTosso, who came down partly as q passeun
gar, a. was also to perfO. m some labor JAS.
McQuinn, of Hodge & Cnrstie's establish
meni here; John Gray, OF Nesaunee, and SIX
colored men, deck hands on The Coourn, took
possession Of one OF The yasl boats, While
another boat was occupied by other per-
sons, and a number preferred 10 risk their
lives en- The hurricane d OK, knowing Tat the
cabin would part iron the hull as she vent
down There were about 80 officers
and men on the beat when lost, and,
these survivors thought, aoou 10 passengers.
One OF the boas was stove in and
RET dtred useless bY heavy SEE, ard
vet the various boats remaining couid have
accommodated mere persons than trusted 10
them, some Voluntarily remaining on the bur
ricaue deck ana refusing 70 enter the bOals.
Wien the steamer sunk, az W Q O'Clock
IN no morniIg, the boats Sc IN to have
got ceaI Of tie wreck, and tue CABIN h0ated
ID with the people On II, as had been ex-
pected. But from that time forward the per
SONS who we're IN tue yawl knew nothing OF
what happened 10 Their late associates. By
toe xertioDs Of the men IN rowing end bail
lag, and by the skill Of Captain Condor, VITO
Is an experienced ard skillful seaman, the
boat was kept mead on to the sea, aud lived
through il unul iour in tie a!ternC on, when
picked up BY the Canadian schooner bound
mp.
Account of the second Re-cued Crew.
On Sunday evening eli BIT men OF the K.
G. Ioburn, who were rescued 10 yawl boat
ny the palk Zack Chandler, at 5 P. NJ Of
Inday. the Is a, arrived IN this city by the
propeller Idaho, from MackiDsc. Among
,lem was Mr.. W. L Hause, the second mate, a
-esman OF many years experience on tie
Lake Superior route, add who WAS evident y
f. collected spectator OF what took place on
&c Coburn during Saturday night and on
sunday morning. rnat evening he gave TO a
reporter OF IHE TRIBUNE a detailed and psins
iuly interesting account Of the loss Of the
steamer.
TIE PASSING PREsoUE ISLE.
lie ststss that tney ran By Presque Iale
light ar 5:45 on Saturday evening, and pushed
on, having an aounlant supply OF coal or
tauon was thai the weather would be Il little
rough, but nothing serious was sut.cipat ed,
as the Coburn was g stauncn, new boat, ard
perfectly aoie 10 weather almost any gale 20
long As no accident Deitl her. By IL O'clock the
sea was ruuuipg pretty high, but The boat was
behaving finely and making good progress
though ner speed mao been slsc6ened and sne
was not running al her full rate.
THE NATE GOES TO THE WHEEL.
At O'Clock Mr.. Hsuse came on ok and
shortly afterwards went into the wheel house
10 assist the man at the helm. at the request
OF CAPTAIN DrmoEt. he wind was cumlug
from the southwest AID tine vessels head was
out towarcs II so tnat she dld not roll, but
pitched violently: he sea meanwhile hao got
10 be as great as the second mate had ever seen
il on LAKE Huron. No damage was, however,
anticipated, as the steamer was doing well
and Iney were steadily approaching lard,
near which smoother water would be found
THE RUDDER IS LOST.
At about 4 o'clock Mr.. hsuse noticed sud
denly tnat the steamer uss 'alling Oh into the
trc ugh OF the sea, ard on working the wheel
TO brig her head up TO 1t. he found that il
reyClved so easily that it was at once evident
thst something Was wIorg with the stee ring
gear. A. first 1t was supposed that the chains
had parted, but an inves igation soon showed
thai the rudder was gone and that the vessel
was comparatively AZ the mercy OF the waves
In the trough OF The sea she soon rolled fear
fully, and continually listed f" over to
one side, sinking this side in the water every
time the sea rolled her in that direction
DEsPERATE SITUATION OF TIE VESSEL.
Some wafer already commenced to get In,
and the two mates went below, and with the
crew commenced to throw out caro- from
that side on which the list existed, hoping 70
s,raigEten her. Holes Eere cut through the
bulwarks both forward and aft, and q mr. and
other articles were thrown through them, tut
| apparently with not much efiect, and Mr.
Hanse thinks that the wheat in the nold had
shifted TO one side and buried her down.
Another danger arose The water poured
| in in great quantities through the noles winch
had been GU, and finally got through the 6Te-
mems gaDgwaY into the hold 10 spite OF every
tfort, and Notwithstanding the holes cut we're
temporarily stopp. d up by plsc ng planks and
timber against item, the heavy seas burst
these taeteLings away and delugs the deck.
The smokestack was rolled out, and there was
danger tnat be boat might catch fire.
no HOPE OF SAVING HER.
The desperate condition Of things was re-
ported to tie Captain, and be and biz
officers concluded that the steamer
was certsin 10 be lost, and tha. it would
| be best to learn the condition OF the