Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-09-27
TERRIBLE DISASTER,
The Propeller 4sia Founders in
Georgian Bay.
Only Two Survivors Out of One
Hundred Passengers.

The steamer Asia was lost in a storm on
Georgian bay, on Thursday, Sept IA, and Of
100 persons on board only two are known to
have survived A dispatch from Colling-
wood, Ontario, says: ID. A. Thinks and Chris
ty Ann Morrison, supposed to be lie only
survivors of the wreck of the steamer Asia.
have arrived here. Thinks reports that he
boarded the Asia near Owen sound. i'm com
pany with J. IL Thinks and H. b. Gallagher,
of Nanitou. The steamer was crowded All
the staterooms were full and many passen-
gers We're lying on sofas and the cabin floor
About IL Thursday morning n storm struck
her my uncle, J. H. Thinks, jumped up
and said the boat was doomed Dishes and
chairs were flying in every direction. We
left the labiIi and found diiiic,iits in getting
on deck, the boat rolling so heavily. l got
fe-preserver and put it on The boat fell
into the trough of the sea, and would not
obey the helm, She rolled heavily for about
twenty minutes. when she was struck by
heavy sea and forndered, and went
down with the engines working about half
past II. The Asia was making for French
river and had men, horses and lumbermcn's
supplies for the shanties. l saw three boats
loaded. | was in the first boat About eight
were with me, At last more got in, till the
boat was overloaded and turned over twice
The people clung TO my life-preseryer, 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
Dougall, the purser, TO help me in.
He said it was but little use, but
gave me his hand When | got in
there were eighteen in the boat BY that
time there was larger number in and
clinging to the boat | had left | know
nothing Of the third boat Our boat rolled
over, and missed McDougall The people
were hanging on TO the spars and other parts
of the wreckage. Our boat WIS full of
water and the sea was constantly breaking
over us. One of the first to die ON the boat
was the cabin-boy. He was dying, and being
supported by one of the men, when a wave
washed him overheard The next to go was a
boat hand who jumped out / could see him
padding round In the water for nearly
n hundred yards Our number was now
reduced TO seven five of whom died before
reaching the beach Capt Savage, who was
the last to die, expired in my arms about
midnight Thursday. John Little, of Sault
ste Marie the mate Of the NcDenaid and
two Others, names unknown, also died The
boat finally stranded near Point au Barrie
about daylight Friday, with Miss Nor
rson and myself only surviving ! put
the bodies out on the beach and pried the
boat off with an oar, but did not bail IL out.
Miss Morrison and went down the beach I'm
boat to Derrick, about two miles distant,
and laid on the beach all night About
o'clock SATURDAY. morning an Indian came
along, and l engaged him to bring us 10
| Parry sound He would not bring the
| bodies"
There were probably about 100 persons on
| board the Asia.
The propeller Asia was built in the Welland
| canal by NJ. simpson in July, 1873. She was
| owned by the Northwestern Transportation
| Company, her capacity being 656 tons and
! her value s94 2C0 She was classed AL 55 and
hailed from the port of st Catharines.