Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-07-21
Steamer Champlain Wrecked.

Ear Y Friday morning, the steamer
Champlain was wrecked at Steam Mill
;av. Lake Chtmpllin. 1t is the first
serious loss sustained by the Chlmplain
Transport ,tion Company. She had been
running on the regular line for week in
place of the Vermont, which was having
repairs N tdc ana she WAS on her WAY
from Ticondcroyt.
The Free Press SAYS:
The Ch,mpain WAS one of the best
boats built on the Luke. she WAS seven
Years old, and valued at 81 j0.O00 Her
.enylh was 2t2 feet. breadth "a ft. s in.
nj depth II it. in. She WAS built n
| Marks Bay. under supervision of Capt
Proctor. for the Rutland Railroad Comma
~, with the special view of Transporting
railroad ears across the Lake and wa
thrlStcncd the 20 ,keS Ame>,' and came.
nto the control of the Vermont Central
Company wien they leased the Rutland
road. She WAS afterwards purchased bl
he Champlan Transportation Ccmplnv
md year ago last winter WIS thoroughly
"verhnuled. and fitted up in the best man
ner t'ra passenger boat, and her name,
changed To the "Champlain." She was :,
side wheel steamer with independent en-
yinc>. She WIS commanded by Cant
Geo. Rushow.an old and experienced sell
man. Her pilots We're John Ellridye, l..
rockwell and Alexander M,rqur, -Eld-
ridgr being at tn, wheel at the time of the
accident. He is considered one of thu.
best pilots on the Lake.
CAPT. EI'SHLowS STATEMENT.
The Cllamplain left Wcstport at mid
night of Thursday. the night being almost
us bright a> day. Here she changed pilots
MIR. Rockwell going off and Mr.. Eldridce
coming on. At the time Of The accident
twenty minutes past twelve). which oc-
Cured close to the New York shore nj
Steam Mill Bay. about three miles north
OF Westport, | was asleep, and WI,
awakened by the shock. On coming ON
The deck found that the vessel was on the
rocks. about 40 feet of her bow on the port
side being out of the water. Immediately
got the passengers forward. who all be
Ilavcd well, and landed them and their
baggage on the shore, which WAS easily
done. | then sent Pilot Rockwell to in
ercept the Adirondack on her up trip, to
take oft the passengers. She came ALONG
side about > Il. m. The steamer meanwhile
kept settling, and her ern was soon sub-
merged in about thirty-six feet of water
did not see Pilot Eldr,lge after the ac-
ci,lent, but was informed by Trombly. tn.
engineer. hat he saw him going up the
mountain about daylight with his valise
and coat on his arm. There were sixtv-
three passengers ON board, among them
Judge Palmer and Hon. Smith Nj. Weed
of Plattsburgh, and Jacob Cole of Brook
lvn. with their families. The only persons
injured was Il ltly passenger who wa,
thrown out of her berth in one of the for
ward state rooms, who lost Il tooth: and y,
man named Dewing, who had his hand cut
by breaking the glass of one of the state
room doors. | cannot account for the ac-
ciden', us Eldridge was Il trustv pilot. had
been in the employ of the company about
twenty years. and had been on duty I'm,
fifteen minutes. The regular course of
The vessel Ii not forty rods at this point |
from the shore.
The Scntenct says that Eldridse, the
pilot, knew every rock in Lake Champlain
1t Is supposed that he left because he did
not have the heart to face those whose
lives he had put in peril AS so N as the
vessel struck, Capt. Rushlow ordered the
fires extinguished and the lights put out
us far as practicable, after the p,ssen-
gers had got off. The crew behaved with
that admirable discipline for which the
Lake Champlain steamers are noted.
At the time of the accident, Valentine
G. HUT. baggage master. was in his Office
The baggage Office is situated at the
place where the vessel parted. Broken
tmbers and large spliniers flew all about
The baggage master. Causing him to per.
form many agile acrobatic and gymnastic