Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-04-04
A FEARFUL NIGHT,
The Stsry OF the Survivor OF "a CnIifor-
min Disaster.

inc ktSfy OF inc survivor OF ~ CnlifOE.
MIN Disaster.
From the Sacramento Record, March IL.
A shocking accident occurred Sunday
esening on the tule overflow between
Washington and Davisville. Yolo
county, which resulted in the death of
three persons, and the narrow escape of
another frrm destruction. Ever since
the partial destruction ofthe California,
Pacific Railroad, travel between this
city and Davisville and Woodland,
Yolo county, has been conducted by
means of small boats, which made daily
trips between Washington across the
river and Davisville, over the vast ex-
panse of water that now overs the
II to twelve feet deep, ana being open
to the wind, Is greatly disturbed even
by light gales, and made exceedingly
difficult, as well as dangerous, to navi-
gate.
Sunday afternoon quite a stiff breeze
from the southwest blew ACROSS the in.
land sea. This breeze would be about
abeam of boats passing hitherward
from Davisville. At about n quarter
to B P. n. the wrecked party left Wash
ington for Dsvisville in IL boat belong
ing to "A man named Lewis. but which
WAS in care of z boatman named King.
The party consisted of VIM. A. John
son, Mrs. S. W. Huff, and a lad, to-
gether with King, the boatman. The
next heard of them was yesterday morn
ing, when King, nearly exhausted by a
night of perilous exposure, appeared in
Washington with the dead body of the
boy and reported that the others were
dead in the overflow. The sum and
substance of the boatman's story is rs
follows: The boat, a small one, was
going under sail and pretty neal the
wind. King was looking out for the
sail and Johnson handling the rudder,
the sea being short and chopping.
By some mishap the rudder was I'M
shipped; the boat lurched then, of
course, a gust of wind caught the sail
and capsized the frail craft IN water
from four to five feet deep, and about
three miles from land. The woman
was got on the bottom of the boat /;
the boy drIfted off about 30 feet, but
was caught by King and also placed on
VIC otvci vi Nv bcht ooIihNoll hol
ing on to the stern, alternately wading
up to his neck OF floating, according to
the inequalities of the ground under
meath. KING held on as he could. The
woman slipped off and was again plac.
ed ON the bottom of the boat, only to
fall off again and again. When she
fell off the fifth time it was impossible
to recover her, and she sunk. The wa
Ter was cold, and so was the wind, which
doubtless SO benumbed the woman that
she was unable to do anything for her.
self.
For some tune the boat continued to
drift hopelessly about, Johnson holding
on the stern, his strength giving way
with each passing moment. Finally he
called ont to the boatman "Jim, |
can't hold out any longer!" "Hold
on Bill. for Gods sake! Well get help
by'm-by !" was Kings urgent reply.
II must co. were the last words of
johnson; his benumbed and weary
fingers let go of their last hold on life,
and his body sank to the bottom. The
boat continued to drift all night. with
King and the boy on its bottom, the
Ginning Wlnus piercing inc n-urro" OF
their bones, and rendering it doubtful
if either would live to tell the story Of
the wreck. The boy died before morn
ing, but the body remained upon the
boat until it drifted to land, shortly
after daylight, a short distance above
the town of Washington, whittier it
had been driven by the prevailing south
west wind.
Yesterday boats We're cruising in
search of the bodies, but the heavy
winds prevailing caused such rough
sea as to make the work too dangerous
to prosecute thoroughly. 1t is not
probable that they will be recovered for
several days.