River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-12-06
The Inflated steamer Huron.

E.rly on the morning Of the cath dur
ing the prevalence az a fearful gale, the
United States Man -Of-waT Heron went
ashore off Cape Hatteras on the North
Carolina coast and was almost Immediate
IL ground to pieces On the rocks. The
crew consisted Of l39 persons of whom lO5
are missing and certainly persisted. -Four
officers were saved and thirty Of the crew.
The commander G. p. Ryan and Lieuten
ants SimOns and Palmer are certainly lost.
The cause Of the disaster was thick wealth
er. \ fresh gale blew directly on shore.
Fore and after sails were set. The reef,
fore sail and main sail were carried away,
the lib stay bent, and the fore storm stay
Between l snd 80 A. m. the boats were
washed from the bOIt-davits. The first
cutter was lOwered.whi swsmped, about
ten minutes later.
HISTORY or THE IIL-FATED VESSEL.
A Chicago Tribune special of the cath
from Washington SAYS: The destruction
Of the United States war-steGmship
Huron off Cape Hstteras this morning
has cast a g-eat gloom over this city.
Many of the officers were from here, and
all Of them were fsvOrably known. The
Huron was built in 1875 ny John Roach
It Chester. Pa, and IS said 10 have been
one OF the hest vessels Of her class in the
service. She was one of the ten slOOps-
of-war constructed under Secretary Robe
sens administration. There are some
who say that the vessel was not seaworthy.
The prepOnderance Of opinion. how
ever, Is that it was.
No correct details al .ne cause Of this
disaster have reached here. Naval en-
gineers are OF the opinion that the en-
gines must have given out, the rud-
der become useless, 50 that nothing could
prevent the gale from driving the vessel
upon the breakers. II appears that the
sails were useless, as the mssts were car
rled away. The latest dispatch says that
tour officers and thirty men have been
saved The dispatch is not clear whether
Capt RYAN the commanding officer, Is
among the saved.
The Huron was an iron vessel of 81
tons, and cost S465 ,024. She carried four
guns. among them one sixty-fOur pound
er. and was scheduled At a speed of ten
and half knots. The lest report Of the
Secretary cf the Navy dezsribes the Hu-
ron as a third rate, built of iron. with fall
steam power. in commission, and Of good
report. Repairs were made upon 1t IN
1876 and the vessel should have been IN
perfect order The history Of the Huron
since she has been commissioned Is in
substance Il E: She reported for duty
first at NOrfO s, Dec l., 1915, and in the
spring was or cred 10 Hampton Roads.
In March she -ent to Port Royal. and in
April to Vera Cruz. She was employed
in the Gulf for some time carrying coal
and provisions In August Of that year
She was stationed at Portsmouth and on
the New England coast twice. Since
then the Huron hiss been one Of the
North Atlantic squadron, and started
Yesterday 70 make a cruise in the West
Indies and the Gulf.
The Huron was at the Washington yard
during the strike. She had a new blade
put in her propeller this summer, and sub
seguently took a trial-trip UP the Hudson
Within 2 few weeks there has been new
inspection of her boilers and machinery
and the report received at the Department
pronounced everything II good condition
The Huron left her station in Hampton
Roads yesterday under peremptory order:
from Admiral Trenchsrd, in command Of