The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-10-15
Sinking Of the Propeller Lac la
Belle.

lSlnklh8 OF tne FropeII0f Lac 10
Belle.
MILWAUKEE, October 14.-A private
dispatch from Racine, says o boat with
eleven men Just came here from the pro,
pellor Lac 10 Belle. She foundered about
twenty miles of this point, at six O'Clock
this morning. The passengers think all
the boats are safe, and but few II any per.
sons lost. She belongs to the Ehgelmann
Transfer Company.
SECOND DISPATCH.
MILWAUKEE, October 14.-.Another
boat load from the Lac Ia Belle, has arrly.
ed at Kenosho, including the captain, 8.
w. Thompson, and the purser, VIM. San.
derson. The Lac Ia Belle sprung leak
at midnight. and went down at Q p. N.
She was heavily loaded with flour, grain
and pork.
THIRD DISPATCH.
MILWAUKEE, October 14.-A Racine
dispatch, dated at 10 o'clock, says anoth-
or boat load came ashore all right. There
are two loads yet to hear from. The
other boats have probably come ashore
out Of reach Of the telegraph. The Ra-
cine dispatch reporting that some landed
on raft is an error.
STATEMENT OF THE SECOND ENGINEER.
The Second Engineer of the Lac Ia
Belle, who was in one Of the boats which
has arrived here, gives the following &C.
count Of the disaster: They lett Miiwau.
kee at 0 P. N. last evening; about midnight
the steamer sprung leak and made water
rapidly; there were about twenty-five pas.
sengers on board, including seven ladies
and three children; the crew worked hard
all night TO prevent the vessel sinking and
threw considerable of the cargo over.
board, but all 10 no purpose; finding the
steamer about to sink they prepared 10 take
10 the life boats, Of which there were
five. Into ono oi these five Of the ladies
we're put with good crew to manage 1t;
the men were, however, tired out, having
worked all night with nothing to eat, and
suffering from cold. When Tue last boat
left the steamer saw five men lett on her;
when she went down, saw four OF them
In the water, one Of them clinging to a
piece OF timber; think they must have
been lost as we could give them no as.
sistanCe without danger Of swamping our
boat. Two Of the five boats drilted
southwark toward Kenosho.
W. SandeTson, Clerk Of the Lac Ia Belle,
says: We left Milwaukee at 0 o'clock
on Sunday night, having on board nine.
teen full passengers and two children,
with crew OF thirty.two men, all told.
About midnight, when about twenty five
miles off Racine, the sea running heavily,
we shipped heavy seq amid ships which
put out the fires and stopped the engines.
II was blowing hard from the north, and
when the vessel lost headway the wind
swung her around and the heavy sea
strained open her seams, through which |
the water rushed with such force that
in spite Of all efforts OF tho crew |
It gained rapidly upon us, and at about
$50 A. NJ. 1t became evident the steamer
would go down. There were five boats |
In all, two liie'boats, a yGwl and two small |
boats. We got all the people into these
boats with the exception Of FIVE or six
men, who refused TO leave the vessel and
who, think, were drowned when she
went down. had in my boat seven
persons: Peter Weller, NJ. Warner and
wife, Robert Fogg, Louis Oenhstein, Re. |
becca, Campbell and myself. We landed |
six miles south of RacineS at six o'clock |
this evening, having been over twelve
hours on the water. During the forenoon
propeller with two smoke pipes passed
quite near us, but made no re.
sponse to our signals, although l |
am confident she saw US. Two OF
Of the five boats have arrived here, mine
and one commanded by the second engi-
neer. My boat as stated had seven per
sons in all on board. The engineers boat
had ten Of the crew including the first
and second cooks and night watchmsn,
one passenger and boy, twelve persons
in all. The Capt's boat which Is report.
ed arrived in Milwaukee, had four persons
aboard, she was very small boat. One
of the other two boats with ten people,
was seen by the engineers boat, making
north toward Milwaukee. Sanderson
thinks they were picked up by schoon-
er, If not they will land somewhere be.
tween Racine and Milwaukee. OF the
fifth boat, which, according to statements
of Sanderson, must have contained thir.
teen persons, there is as yet no tidings.