Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-20
THE ONTARIO DISASTER.
FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF The
WRECKED FLEET,
interesting Statements Of SurVNOru-Af-
fecting Scenes and Incidents-Oes-
perate Efforts of Men and Women
TO Escape Drowning.


to Escape Drowning.
SAcKErr's HARBoR, \. Y, November
l9.-Mr. Lewis, engineer of the tug Sey-
mour, says that about eight O'Clock the
wind increased to gale, and Captain
Logan of the tug Brecker came along
side the Seymour and called out,
"Some of our scows are sunk" it was
then showing hard.
Thos. Smith, a fireman on the dredge
Gordon, says that the tug Brecker came
along side the Gordon at 9 o'clock, strik-
ing her stern, and springing
a plank, broke spar and cracked three
plankS, which then commenced to open
and let in the water so fast that it was
impossible to keep her clear; had on 80
pounds of steam. The Becker came
along side again at u o'clock and called
out, 1--WE are swamping;" wanted to put
out line when Mr.. Arnold said, Jump
aboard the Gordon and let the tug go,
which they did, and the Becker went
down along side the dredge. Smith
then went down forward, where the
hosting and booking chain came through
and took some old clothes and tried to
stop the leak, but the heavy sea render
Ell ali efforts futile; then came on deck
Richard Arnold asked him how the leak
was, when Smith replied that he could
not stop it, although he had bettered it
a little. Mr.. Arnold asked him if he
could use some of his under clothing
which were finer and would work to
better advantage. He said he thought
he could. He then went again and did
the best he could until the water rose
in the forward hold and pressed him
against the deck and put out
his lamp. He then cut a hole in the
floor OF the fire hole and used pals in
baiiing out. The boat then careened,
and the water came into the engine
room. Then Mr. Arnold told me to blow
the whistle for the tug Seymour TO come
10 our aid, but could not see her turn
ing around as coming. Then he said,
"BlOw again, which | did twice, but was
Obliged TO leave the engine room, as the
water was then waist deep. Then Mr..
Arnold saws, tom, we are gone" |
says, "Yes, we are gone" We then
started for the stern OF thesdredge. Pa
trick Eagan pulled off a dOOrand handed
it to Mr.. Arnold, who took the door
from Eagan's hand. Smith sthen said,
"COme with me, "and started for the tow
line of the Seymour, and went ID or 20
feet on the line. He was too heavy and
returned to the dredge. When he got
back he called out for Egan and Arnold,
but could get no answer. They were
gone, carried off by the sea. then got
hold of Mrs. Palmer's hand, and her
husband had her around the waist. She
said, George, We must 60" He tried
to cheer her to hold on few moments
longer, but a swell came and carried
them both away. / could not hold
them any longer. VIM. Hogan was
carried away about fifteen minutes af
terward, and then Sam Logan. ] had
Just spoken to him, asking him if
he could hold out tall daylight, bnt
got no response. This LETT three, Charles
and Neal Hanthan and myself. Charles
IIanthan said: Il cannot hold on any
longer" / told him to hold on all he
could. | took hold OF his collar and
helped. Neal IIanthan was standing
between him and me. 1t was now get
ting daylight, and Seymour came astern
on towards us. a heavy line was
thrown to us. hauled in the line with
one hand, holding the slack in my teeth,
and holding the plank with the other
hand. | made the line fast around them,
and then ] went aboard on the line, and
the other two We're hauled to the side
together and rescued in an unconscious
condition, one frothing at the mouth.
q. f. Strah, of the tug Ritter, says:
At about s o'clock We were towing
alongside OF the Derrick when the haw-
ser men commenced to call out the
scows were breaking loose; told the fire.
man we would drop back and for him
TO haul i'm the hawser did not get the
dawser in; then called to the men OF
the Derrick to let 20 the hawser;
they could not let 90; ran ont OF the
pilot house to let 20 the hawser and
could not, as the line was jammed; the
tug was about Capsizing; went back to
the pilot house, got an axe and cut the
hawSer; then. ran alongside the
Gordon twice to get the lines;
could not get near her without
danger of sinking the Gordon or our
selves; ran back again and the tow was
gone. 1t was about 9 O'Clock. Kept in
sight of the balance OF the tow until
about 10 o'clock. The tug Becker was
around without lights; it was showing;
the Becker crossed our bow and called
to us that they were in a sinking condi-
ton. told them to hold on and would
get alongside. They started off before !
could do so, and that was the last saw
of them. STAYED around until 2:l0;
then the fireman came and told me that
the water was up to the CRATES, and |
told them We would board the Seymour.
We ran along side, and could have got
aboard, but didn't see the men get off,
and she fell oil again. | told the fire.
man TO tell the engineer the next time
we got alongside To jump, which we all
did, aud let the tug adriit This tug was
found the next morning all right. Two
of the three dredges have been found
near SoduS, and the scOws are scutted
along the south shore OF the lake.