Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-07-18
The Sad Disaster on Green Lake, Wis.

OUR quiet little village was to-day the
scene of disaster that quickly turned the
reioicings of the morning into mourning,
and filled many households with the deep
est grief.
hartford is the shire town of Green
Lake County, and that village is located
at the northern extremity Of the beautiful
sheet of water from which the county de-
rives it's name. Among the arrangements
for the celebration of the nations birth
day was picnic on the eastern shore of
the lake, projected by a temperance
society in the town Of Ripon, six miles
distant
The morning opened cloudy, with the
appearance of rain, which it was hoped
would be dissipated as the day advanced,
and the streets soon wore an aspect OF
gayety-the rural population turning out
in holiday attire, and all looking forward
to happy day across the lake, at Cullen's
Point. The little steamer made hourly
trips, and the sail-boats and other small
craft dotted the water at various points.
Many uneventful trips were made, and
numbers transferred to the picnic grounds.
The clouds continued to thicken, how
ever, attended with the peculiar, close at
mosphere that frequently portends Sc
we're blow; when suddenly, at about ten
O'Clock, the storm broke with great fury
upon the lake. The wind blew a gale,
twisting limbs from strong oaks, and the
rain came in binding torrents, rendering
it impossible to see objects twenty feet
distant.
E. B. Pierce's sail-bOat, containing
twenty persons, was at this time nearly
mile from shore. 1t was running very
smoothly when the squall struck it, with
only the main-sail set, and the ill-fated
passengers had no apprehensions of dam
ger until they suddenly, without warning,
found themselves struggling in the water.
The boat rolled clear over, making al
most a complete circuit, and resting on
one edge, while it's late occupants clung
to its sides and rigging for such support
as they could obtain, until rescued by the
steamer. Six of those who were thus
, precipitated into the water were never
seen again.
They were as follows: Mrs. Carman,
| wife of the Clerk Of the Circuit Court, q
| lady much beloved in this community,
and her sister, Mrs. Russell, of Princeton,
who was here on visit, having daugh-
| ter ten years of age with her, who was
also drowned; Mrs George Harding; lit
| tie Mantle Allen, the eldest child of the
Methodist minister and good Jennie
Olin, aged IA, the daughter of one of our
most respectable citizens, the Rev. l.. D..
Olin. She was a great favorite in the
village, and will be sadly missed.
The other victims of this disaster, so far
as known, are Mr.. Bloxam, wife and child,
and Mrs. John Baird These persons were
in another sailboat-the "Ripon Grip
owned by a gentleman in Ripon, and man.
aged by Norman Warner. They saw the
rain approaching, and deserted the sail
boat for row-boat in order to go ashore !;
but the wind, rising soon after, swamped
their frail craft. Had they remained in
the sail-boat they might yet be among the
living, as it reached land in safety.
| 1t is feared that other persons may have
been lost, as several small boats have
drifted ashore without any occupants.
None of the bodies have yet been found.
A general search will be made for them
tomorrow, but the result is uncertain, as
the lake is very deep in some places, and
it is feared some of the bodies will never
be recovered.-DarJord (Was.), july 4,
Cor. Chic0go Tribune. .@