Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-11-13

communicated to the surrounding lum-
Der, else the disaster would have been in.
creased many fold. While the engines
were returning from this fire, another
alarm was sounded. Repairing to the
scene of the new confagration it was dis
covered to be barn on Arndt st. In &
short time the barns of Anderson,
Lohmiller, and Birdsall, and the store
house of B. F. 81 Fl. L. Sweet were
wrapt in flames. The firm of B. F. &
H. L. Sweet had about S3,50O worth of
finished stock in their storehouse. The
barns were not insured. The loss is
about $500; insurance, $500. The en-
tire fires of the night were incendiary.
THE steamer Falcon, belonging to the
Charleston Steamship & r. r. Co. which
left Baltimore on the Sth of November,
with a full cargo and seven passengers,
COllided with the three masted schooner
5. G. Tyrou, off Barren Island, ten miles
south of Sharp's Island, on the 9th inst.
The schooner was ice laden from the
Kenebec River foc Baltimore; she stove
in the steamers hull and destroyed
her upper works. AS soon as
the vessels could be parted the
captain of the disabled steamer
steered for shoal water, being then in
twelve fathoms. Before proceeding half
a mile the boat sank in seven fathoms
of water. The life-boat had been made
ready, and in this the women and chill
dren were safely sent off to the schooner
Before the lIfe-boat could return to the
Falcon she had gone down, but the Off
GERS and crew, twenty-five in number,
having climbed into the rigging, were
rescued. All were taken to Baltimore
Passengers lost all clothing except what
they had on. The Falcon was valued at
$4,000. Her cargo, valued at $4,000,
will be partially recovered.
The steamship Champion. from New
York to Charleston, was run into by the
ship Lady Octavia, and sunk off the coast
of Delaware on the 18th inst The news
of the disaster did not reach New York
until the 8th. 1t appears that during a
heavy fog the bark Lady Octavia struck
the steamship amidship cutting her to
the waters edge. She filled and sunk
in FIVE minutes. The collision took place
80 miles eastward of Cape May and Hen
lopen, just before daylight, at which time
considerable fog lay on off the shore
The ship, Lady Octavia, was much dam
aged and could not proceed farther on
the voyage; accordingly, a signal of dis
tress was hoisted and the flag shown for
the tug. In response one of the large
Delaware Bay tug boats came to her and
gave her a tow. Thirty-five lives were
lost including the first mate and five wo-
men. The steamer sank in five minutes,
and the bark was only able to pick up
twenty-five people out of the water
The Champion was one of the first
iron steamships launched in this cOun-
try, having been built in 1859, at Will
mington, Del, for the late Commodore
Vanderbilt. She had been frequently
overhauled and repaired, and was CON
sidered in excellent condition. The
steamer rated ~; her original tonnage
was ,452, but Of late was 1,419; she had
two masts, and was built in four com
partments, and was brigantine rugged.
Her length was 234 feet, breadth of beam
81 feet, depth of beam Al feet, depth of
hold 20 feet She was equipped with
beam engine. The Champion original
ly ran to Panama, and was sold by Com
modore Vanderbilt to the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, from which she
was purchased about twelve years ago
for the Charleston line. Her last voyage
was the 266th she had made in the SER
vice of the latter company. The vessel
never met with any serious mishap be-
fore, and vas considered a remarkably
lucky ship; her value is variously esti-
mated at from $25000 to $25,000 She
was partially insured against fire but
had no marine insurance.
News reached New York on the 8th
inst that the we'll known whaling schoon-
er, Florence, lately employed by Capt.W.
I'll. HOwgate, of the signal service bu-
reau, in the polar investigation under
command of Capt. Tyson, had been lost
in the Cumberland Straits, to the east of
Hudson Bay. She parted her chains and
went ashore during a gale. Nobody was
lost. The crew landed safely, but suffer
subsequently greatly from exposure
They stripped the vessel, made tents of
the sails and stayed near the wreck for
three days, when they were rescued by
passing vessel, which took two of them
to Peterhead, Scotland, from whence they
came to this country. The remainder of
the crew are expected in Scotch vessels
at Peterhead. The Florence was owned
by c. A. Williams, of New Bedford. On
one trip to the South Shetland Island she
made, in 1872. 100000, by bringing fur
sealskins. Her captain received $4,000
as his share. She was less than hun
dred tons burthen.
THE Austrian bark, Rebus, arrived at
New I 9Ora on the Sth inst. and brought
news of the loss of the schooner Petrol
and fifteen of her passengers and crew,
including the captain. She also brings
six survivors, all that were left of com
pany Of 81 persons. Captain Ivancick.
of the Rebus reports that when 81 DAYS
out from the trestle, he espied the float
ing hull of a dismasted vessel, full of
water. That was on the third of No
vember, in latitude 80 degrees, north
longitude 66 degrees 40 minutes west.
The wind at that time blew a gale from
the north and a strong sea was running.
The weather was bitterly cold. Some
persons were on the hull signaling for
help, with strips torn from their gar
ments. Notwithstanding the danger at
tending the effort, the boat was lowered,
and after a battle with the elements and
at great risk of life to all concerned, The
six persons on the wreck were saved.
They were all that survived and they
were ali passengers. The schooner
Petrol. Captain Fisher, sailed the 25th.
CRIME