The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-03
The story OF the Disaster, from He
ginning To End.


Tuesday, the day of the horrible catastrophe,
was tho anniversary Of Queen Victoria's birth
day, and the great bulk of the people closed
up their houses and went of for day OF limo
cent enjoyment. Several train loads took their
departure for the lake shore at Port Stanley,
others to Windsor and Sarnia, and about 1000
went TO Springbank, being carried thither by
the three excursion steamers owned by the
Thames Navigation Company. The day was
pleasantly enjoyed in the customary recreations
of a rural picnic. and, toward O'Clock, the
homeward rush began. The rotten Victoria
was tho first boat up. and the rush to get on
board and reach the city before supper-tlme
WAS tremendous. Several people protested
against the Captain of the craft allowing so
many people TO board her, but he was deal to
al entreaty, and allowed all who could find a
place whereon TO hang TO come
along. Grooming under the weight
OF some 600 people, who kept moving III
masses from one side to another. the boat had
a hard time oil it. The main deck was packed
80 tightly that it was with difficulty that one
could elbow his way yet at times the mass OF
humanity would, as 1t were, CONCEAL together,
so as to leave small vacant space, sometimes
on one and sometimes on the other side
of the deck. The hurricane deck also
was crowded, but here there WAS none
OF that swsying back and forth, which
marked the crowd below. A few adventurous
spirits sought the seclusion OF the boiler-deck
and the engine-room, where they smoked their
cigars and watched the movement OF the ma
chinery. All went well, or, at least, presuma-
bly,, until bend III the river was reached,
about 200 yards below the Cove railroad bridge,
and there the day Of pleasure turned into q dies
ir@. About O'Clock some persons arrived in
the city with wet and generally used up
appearance and spread the intelligence Of what
huH lhss m d
kinds began to spread like wildtre, but it was
not for some minutes that the full Significance
of tue news was realized. Then the general
stampede for the river banks, in which the en-
tire city seemed TO join. Every road leading
to the fated spot had its line OF people Of both
sexes, hurrylng thither IN q state of frenZled
anxiety, some sobbing HISTORICALLY and ques-
tioning every one in their flight as to the fate
OF friends aud relatives, whom they knew to
have gone down the river. AS each one ar
rived OH the river bank overlooking the wreck
and saw the CHASTITY upturned faces Of the dead
who had been taken out and laid upon the sod,
or looked out upon the shattered hulk which
lay in fragments on the water they gave vent
10 piteous ordinations Of grief: "My Godl
such sight L have never looked upon!' said
one. "This is dark day, Indeed, for Gondonl"
exclaimed another. 'My wife and child! Where
are they2" ooh, God, restore my little ones!"
were prayers heard on all sides. On tho wreck
strong in their noble purpose, were working
like heroes in recovering the bodies which lay
underneath the shattered boards and tmbers,
and, as one after another were brought to the
surface and carried tenderly to the green
sward to add to the CHASTITY row. the
crowds pressed forward eagerly TO scan
the features. Their faces Lie with
strange anxiety. Here was some be-
reavsd father or brother, clasping the limp
form OF a beloved daughter or sister. giving
vent to their emotions in walls OF anguish
there some mother or sister lamentlng over
the corpse of son or brother, like Rachel
weeping because they were not. Here and
there knots Of men worked vigorously to
restore To life some beloved relative,
practicing all the arts known TO them,
rubbing the hands and applying clothes
heated at a neghboripg fire, but all
to no purpose. Vitality would not re-
turn, and tho sorrowing friends gave up in de-
SPAR. Meantime the work OF rescuing went on,
and the list swelled and swelled until it seemed
as If the end would never come. IA dusk
deepened into the night the scene became more
weird and terrible Fires were Lit upon the
bank shedding q lurid and ftful glare over
the water, aud showing the dreadful outlines
ia their most sinister aspect. Tho work
OF recovering the bodies Was entered into with
heroic spirit by those who arrived early on
the scene. Merchants, lawyers, workmen aid
all Glasses plunged into the water, and, borne
up by RATS, began TO hand the hfeless forms
OF the drowned ones out to those on the shore.
Reconciliation was tried with all who were res
cued within one-half hour but only in one or
two instances were tks efforts successful.
During the silent watches OF tho night, and by
the lurid glare Of wood-fres and petroleum
torches, the work OF rescuing the bodies Of the
drowned was carried on