Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-18
MANY LIVES LOST AT SEA.
a Steamship Crowded with Passengers
In a nj

\ Steamship Crowded with Passengers
Founders In . Gale.
A report has just reached CollinswOOd,
Ont, by the hands of Captain John
Daucey, Of the tug Minnchaba, sent from
Parry Sound by ]. G. Miller, which gives
details of the loss of the steamer Asia, of
the Great Northern transit cOmpany's
line, which left on Wednesday evening
last for French river aud Sault Ste. Marie.
The report from Parry Sound is this:
Captain II. NJ. McGrcgOr reached here
yesterday by tug from Owen sound and
reported passing the wrcckaSe of a steamer
off Limestone Island. He picked up aud
brought with him 4 trunk, door and .
FELLOWSHIP marked steamer Asia. About
10 this morning an Indian boat reached
here from Point au Barry, about 35 miles
distant, bringing d. A. Thinks, Of Mani
tOwaning, and Miss Christiana Morrison,
from near Owen Sound, supposed to be
the only two survivors of the ill-fated
steamer. Thinks makes the following
statement: 81 went Oh board the Asia at
Owen Sound about midnight on Wednes-
day in company with J. II. Thinks and II.
3. Gallagher, both of ManirOwaning. The
steamer was crowded, all the state rooms
being full and many passengers lying on
sofas and on the cabin floor. All went
well until about eleven Thursday morning,
when the storm struck us. l was in my
berth at the time. My uncle, J. II. Thinks,
jumped up and said the boat was doomed.
Dishes and chairs were flying in every
direction. We left the cabin and found
difficulty i'll getting on deck. The boat
was rolling SO heavily l got a life preserv-
er and put it on. The boat went into :.
trough of the sea and would not obey hor
helm. She rolled heavily for about twen-
ty minutes, when she was struck by a
heavy sea aud fOundered, going down with
her engines working, about half past
eleven. The Asia was making for French
river aud had men, horses and lumber
mems supplies for slianties there.
81 saw thrco boats loaded. was the
first. About eight persons were with me
at first. More got in until the boat was
overloaded and turned over twice. Per
SONS were hanging on to my life prcserver,
which got displaced and threw it Off l
then left the boat and swan to the cap
tain's boat, which WAS near by. and asked
John McDOugall, the purser, to help me
in. lie said it was Of little use. but gave
me his hand and got in. There were
eighteen in the boat and by that time
there was 4 large number in and clinging
to the boat had left. know nothin. Of
the third boat. Our boat rolled over and
l remember missing McDOugall few
minutes after. People were hanging Oh to
spars and other parts, of wrcckagc. Our
boats were full of water and tho sea was
constantly breaking over us. One of the
first to die On the boat WAS the cabin boy.
lie was dying, aud being supported by one
of the men. 4 wave washed him overheard.
The next to 30 was a boat hand. could
see him padding round in tho water for
nearly one hundred yards. Our number
was now reduced to seven, five of whom
died before reaching the beach-Captain
Sauaze, who was the last to die in my
arms about Thursday; Mr.. John Little,
of Sault Ste Marie Mate Mcdonald and
two others. names unknown. The boat
finally stranded near Point Aubarrie
about daylight on Friday, with Miss Nor
risen and mvself tho ouIv survivors,"