Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-27

of the river is Situated a iishennan's village
consisting OF about POO shanties. The ice
upon which the village is located cracked
of in a body and drifted out to sea rapidly,
carrying 800 fishermen with it. Capt. BOu-
let, Of Bay City, who left the mouth of the
river at IL O'Clock, states that at that time
the foe had drifted out at least i've miles,
and was still drifting out. Later intelli-
gence is to the effect that the wind changed
this afternoon to the west, driving the ice
to the east shore Of the b Y. Intelligence
from Sebawang, a small town on the east
shore, states that about fifty of the fisher
men got ashore near that place. A party cot
ashore and reached Bay City late last eve
ming, and reported that about 200 of the
men estaped to the land at various points
along the shore, leaving from 70 10 100 still
on the peFilous ice craft which, at last ad-
vices, had commenced to break up.
Two men-H. ]. Smith and John POr-
rier, of the Village Of Banks-are known
to have been drowned while struggling
over the broken ice in the effort to reach
the shore. The party still On the ice are
in extreme peril, as their craft is breaking
up and the weather is bitter cold.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
EAST SAGINAW, Mich. Feb. 23.-InfOr-
nation from the ice-raft, with its cargo Of
200 or more fishermen, is still meagre,
though, from all information received up
to the latest hour, no lives have vet been
lost. During the winter a large number of
fishermen, forming community of 400 or
500 shsnties, cOngre9ate on the ICE, form
ing a village extending from the mouth of
the Saginaw river to a point twenty miles
out. The shauties are generally ON run
nerS, and are moved about the same as
sleighs, drawn by horses to suit the con-
venience Of the occupants. They are
usually eight feet square, and scattered
hither and thither about the bay, and with
the smoke curling up from the Stove-pipe
chimneys, present 4 cheerful appearance.
There are the usual quota Of saloons
incident to modern villages, and in fact the
other appuTtenances, except the Common
Council and Aldermen, these being con
sidered by the fishermen as ornaments that
can very easily be dispensed with.
On Sunday night the ice commenced
breaking up, and on Monday morning,
under a strong gale from the southwest, the
large field Of ice. several miles in extent.
commenced moving out into the bay, drift
III -lldl-lAt tbWasi0 AAl' NAAeAAAAN ANAAtlNAo-
The first authentic account of the breaking
up of the ice by an eyewitness, was fur
nished BIZ William Sharp, who escaped
from the ice Monday morning, and reached
Bay City Monday night. Sharp was some
miles down the east shore Of the bay in the
morning, with his horse and sleigh, buying
fish. He heard some Frenchmen near by
halloinS, and, looking up, discovered that
the ice had separated between himself and
the shore. lie drove rapidly to the east
wand in the hopes Of finding place where
the ice had not vet separated. After going
three miles in this way he came to his own
shanty, where he put some OF his most
valuable goods into lis sleigh, and again
started eastward. Near Fish Point, Sharp
saw a place where the ice-lOe had closed
into the shore, except that there was a
space of some rods where the ice had
crumbled and lay in smaller cakes. There
were fourteen men near this spot, all anxi-
Gus to 90 ashore but afraid to venture.
They got upon Sharps sleigh, aud he started
toward the shore, going from cake to cake,
at the imminent hazard each moment of
falling through into the water. The men
remained on the sleigh until they were
near the shore, when they left it and
scampe-ei off without an offer to assist
Sharp in getting his horse over, tho worst
part Of the trip. he succeeded, however,
in getting OFT safely. and then drove on TO
Bay CITY, which he reached about Z o'clock
at nieht, having driven about 10 miles after
getting Of the Ice.
Reports concerning the number on the
ice are very contradictory, the number be-
ing originally, as near as can DO aScetalned
from cOtiicting reports, about 200, Of which
but very few are known by name. They
arv mostly French and hali-breeds. 4 large
number escaped to the main land, but there
are still on the raft between - and 100 per-
sons, men AMI women. They are tempo
rarily we'll provided for, aud there is no
danger as long as The ice does not break up.
The ice ,Gss evening was about eight OK ten
miles out, and the shantieS could be plainly
seen with a glass. There had been but lit
tie sea during the day. and the ioo appeared
10 b, moving slowly toward che shore. The
arc that the ice will drift in
This evening, and Lut little apprehension is
telt for the safety Of the men.
The man Sharp brought OF fourteen men
with him, aud thought that large number
of Others escaped at the same time.
Arthur Stevenson arrived tiiis evening
from the ice. He, with . party Of seven
others, were On what may be termed the
middle field Cf the ice, which drif;ed north
east to the main ice and stopped. These
men left the ice this morning, jumping
from one cake TO another, reaching land
safely By a circuit0us route about 10 A. NJ,
having Travelled five or six miles. Reports
from the west shore are that the men can
be seen on the ice, which is badly broken
between them and the shore.
STILL. ANGTTEh Il
BAY CITY, M.Cli., Feb. 24-The ice |
yhich di.trd away yesterday forenoon sep
irated into several sections and drift ed in |
lilerent directions. That which bore th4 |
Teater number swung 10 the east shore, and |
IN on il, estimated at 200, escaped. Absdt 1
this afternoon, Arthur Siayenson arrived |
rom the scene, AID gave the particulars Of
his adventure. He was on what may be
ermed tine middle field, which drifted
northeast until it struck the main ica some
listance from the east shore This morn
nc Stevenson and party Of seven
STARTED FOR TERRA FII,NiA.
They unhitched their horse and compelled |
lin to Jump from one cake to another, the
zen drawing The sleigh after them. By |
rayeling Ive or six miles, their hazardous
ourney was completed by reaching the
hore at 10 A. VI. On shore, it was sup
-osed this party had perished. As far as
stevenson knew. all the men on the ice
Tere OFF safely, but a report from tho west
hore Of the bag late this evening says 4
sw men and hats can be seen on the ice
7hich is badly broken mp between them
nd the shore. 1t is useless TO attempt their
ascue-
The two men, Smith and Fourier, re-
O1ed drowned yesterday, are safe. 1t was
{ one time supposed that they and many
Tiers were drowned, but, As Ear as known,
n, with tie exception Cf those ON the west
hOua have esraupd safely