The Portland daily press., 1882-09-18
LOSS OF THE ASIA.
One Of the Great Northern Transit
Cos Boats.
ONE HUNDRED PERSONS FIND a
wATERY GRAVE.

CoLL1NawooD, Ont, Sept. 16-The follow
ing report has just reached here from Bsrrie
Sound which gives the details of the loss OF
the steamer Asia of the Great Northern
Transit Company's line, which left here
Wednesday evening last for French River and
Sault Ste. Marie. Capt. McGregor reached
here yesterday by tug from Owen Sound and
reported passing the wreck of a steamer off
the Limestone Islands. He picked up and
brought with him trunk, door and pillow
sip marked Steamer Asia" About 10 this
morning an Indian boat reached here from
Point au Barrie, 30 miles distant, bringing D.
A. Thinks OF Msnitonaning and Miss Chrisy
Ann Morrison from near Owens Sound, sup
posed to be the only survivors of the Inflated
steamer; Mr.. Iinkls says, II went aboard the
day in company with w. Ell. Thinks and j. b.
Galiagher, both of Manitonanng
The steamer was crowded, all her state
rooms being full and many passengers lying
on SOFAS on the cabin floor. All went well un-
til ebout IL o'clock Thursday morning, when
the storm struck US. l was in my berth at the
time My uncle, I. H. Thinks, jumped up
and said the boat doomed. Dishes and
chairs we're flying in every diieetion. We left
the cabin and found difficulty in getting on
deck, the boat was rolling SO heavily eos a
I'LL preserver and put it on. The boau went
into The trough of the sea, and would not obey
der helm She rolled heavily for about twen-
ty minutes, when she was struck by heavy
Soa, aVd went uOWn Win n0r engines WORKING
The Asia was making for French river and
had men, horses and lumbermen's supplies for
shant'es. / was in the first and there were
about eight with me at first but more got in un-
til the boat was overloaded and turned over
twice. Parties were hanging to nv life pre-
server which got displaced and threw it off.
then left the boat and swan to the captains
boat which was near by and asked John Nc
Doagall, the purser, to help me in. He said
1t was hut little use, but he gave me his hand
han, k<.K, h.,u = A1....,
and by that time there was larger number
within and linging to the boat had left |
know nothing of the third boat. Onr boat
rolled over and | remember missing Nc
Dougali few minutes after. People were
hanging to spars and other wreckage while our
boat was full OF water and the sea constantly
breaking our us,
One of the first to die on board was the cabin
boy. lie was dying, and being supported by
one OF the men, when wave washed him over
ooard. Inc next to go was boat hand, who
Jumped could see him padding around in
the water for nearly hundred yards. Our
number Was now reduced to seven, five of
whom died before reaching the beach Capt.
Savage died in my arIns about midnight Thurs
day. Mrs. Little, of Sault Ste Marie Mate
Mcdonald and two others, names unknown,
also died. The boat finally stranded near
Point An Barrie, about daylight, Friday with
Miss Morrison and myself the only survivors,
put the bodies out on the beach, and pried
the boat OH with an oar, but did not bale it ont.
Mrs. Morrison and went down the beach
all night, About a. m. Saturday, an Indian
came along and engaged him to bring us to
Parry Sound. He would not bring the bodies
Steamer Northern Belle of the same liue
which reached here this morning has been
furnished with ice, ETC., and has left for the
bodies. Mrs. Morrison and Mr.. Thinks are
being well cared + b ,re and the doctor thinks
neither will suffer materially from their long
exposure. There were probably about 100 per
sons on board the Asia