Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1880-09-01

N"o"SSN III
rescuing the passengers aud crew
who were in the water. The tup
urayhng, Capt. +. NJ. Van Liew.
oil this city, was at Black River.
some seven miles away, and was
at once headed for the burning
boat The Grayling arrived in
time to be of considerable service.
and succeeded in rescuing five
women and six men from the water,
and then conveyed passengers to
the shore, and afterwards brought
some of the passengers to this
city The steamer Metropolis,
Oh hearing Of the disaster, left
this port, and returned about ll:3O
o'clock in the evening, also bring
ing number of the passengers.
Mrs. A. B. Clough and son. of
Marine City, was on board the
steamer, on her way home, and
from her we learn the following:
When it first became known that
the steamer was on fire, the Off
GERS seemed to exert themselves TO
do all they could to save the lives
OF those on board, and to extin-
guish the fire. Mrs. Clough took
her boy, a lad of six years, and
went to the after part of the steam
er where she remained, with some
others until driven down by the
heat to the main deck. DR.. Archie
Stockwell, of Port Huron, was
near her and at her request prom
ised to render her all the assistance
in his power. She procured life
preserver, which was taken from
her by some unknown man, but
she received another, which she
succeeded in placing upon herself,
and took all the care possible of
her boy. Another little boy of
about six years, appealed TO her to
save him as he had lost his father
and mother Mrs. Clough and the
doctor took the little fellow in
charge, and after going over the
railing down to the main deck,
they four chung to the side of the
boat, standing on the guard. The
four remained in this position some
time, Mrs. Clough holding her
boy by the hand, and supporting
herself by thrusting her arm
through the window of the oil
room. At length a rope was
thrown to them from the tug Vul-
can, but they failed to catch it, and
the doctor then went into the
water, seized the line and was haul
ed on board the tug. Mrs. Clough
was at length compelled to aban-
don her position, as the fire had
got into the oil room and it was
getting too warm To be endured.
AS she stood here she could see the
white head of an old man below
her, clinging to the end of one of
the tenders. The old man was
saved. She moved back past one
Of the tenders and chung as best
she could to the side of the vessel,
meanwhile taking care of the two
title boys,-the father and mother
IF the little stranger with her hav-
ng been taken on board the tug,
md he crying piteously to them
rom his perilous position. She
to hold to the Inflated
,oat till a yawl came to her relief,
nd she handed the little boy down
o the boat, then got into the boat |
Ierself and assisted her own boy /
own. Mrs. Clough and the two
oys were the last persons to be
aiken from the burning steamer,
'hile Capt. Conner, who was for
,ard, was the last man to leave the
oat. The presence of mind and
he GOODNESS with which Mrs.
Tough was possessed, was some
ming remarkable, and is seldom
xcelled by the coolest and brav-
81 of men.
Miss Sadie Van Arsdale, OF Che
oygan, was one of the passengers,
nd after securing life preserver,
ne jumped overheard and chung
, a cot, which she found. Anoth-
r lady, Miss Mary II. Barker, of
ackson, was also cliDging to the
ot, and at one time Miss Barker
ginced signs Of being compelled
, let go and perish, but Miss Van
rsdale nobly chung to her com
anion in distress, and. by raising
81 head above water and placing