The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-08-23
THE TERROR OF DEATH.
Men Made UncantrnIlnble by Dan nger...Th
Bui MINK of the st. CLAIRE.

Men Made UncantrnIlnbleb by Dnnger...The
BuIninx Of the st. Claire.
J. B. Sutphin, of Minneapolis, was
on board the propeller st. Claire, which
was destroyed by fire off Fourteen-Mile
Point. Lake Superior, and is one of the
five (and the only passenger) who es.
capped with their lives.
The St. Claire left Duluth with four
passengers and q crew of fourteen men.
At Ontonagon another man was added to
the crew, and twelve or thirteen more
passengers were taken on board. At
about two A. NJ, when eighteen miles
from Ontonagon, and seven and one-half
from land, fire was discovered in the
hold, near the engine. The captain at
once aroused the passengers and crew,
and unavailing efforts were made to con-
troll the flames. In five minutes from
the first alarm the entire vessel was
wrapped in sheet of fire. An effort
was made to LAUGH the yawl, but the in.
tense heat prevented, when the vessel
was headed to the windward, to drive the
flames aft, and all hands went forward
to the bows, where the metallic ifeboat
hung. It was Immediately launched,
but had no sooner touched the water
than sixteen or eighteen men jumped
into and about it, swamping it instantly.
There were no ladies on the vessel.
Most of the men were provided with life
preservers, and if reason could have pre-
vailed might have been saved, but the
great ma iority of them were filed with
fear and frenzy, and the ifeboat would
no sooner right than their wild struggles
to climb into it would again upset it,
and every time the boat turned over
some poor fellow, thoroughly chilled and
exhausted, would lose bis hold and dis
appear. The water was intensely cold,
and the unfortunate men suffered terri
bly from it. The captain and several
others maintained their presence OF
mind, and endeavored to calm the fears
of the drowning men, assuring them
that if they would but remain quietly in
the water for few moments they could
ride safely in their life preservers, the
boat could be bailed out, and they could
be taken in and saved; but reason had
lost its sway, and the poor fellows would
hear to nothing. They kept the boat
turning over until, one by one, chilled
and benumbed, they were unable to
longer retain their hold upon it, and
passed out of sight, dead or dying. At
last, after having been in the water two
and a half hours-it seemed an age to
them-the only three who survived,
Capt. Rhymas, First Engineer Daniel
s. Stringer and Mr.. Sutphin, righted
and bailed the boat, and got safely into
it. When the boat was first launched
the first mate, Thomas O. Boothman,
and wheelsman, Thomas Fortier, had
thrown hatchway overheard, and with
another man had climbed upon it.
Toward these men the three in the
lifeboat turned, and took in the mate
and the wheelsman. The third person
had perished from exposure. The party
then consisted of five, and with one
oar, and paddles obtained by splitting
up the seats, they made for Land, which
was reached, through heavy sea, at
half.past ten A. N. They landed at
fishing shanty, near Sleeping river, got
good breakfast, procured a sailboat
and ran down to Portage On the fol-
lowing day tug vert ort and recovered
fourteen of the dead d bodies.