Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-10-05
Miss Morrlson's Thrilling Story Of the
Wreck Of the Steamer Asia.
PARRY SOUND, ONT, Sept.

Wreck Of the Steamer Asia.
Parry SOUND, ONT, Sept. VI.
AZ the Coroner,s inquest over the remains OF
khe victims of the Late Asia disaster hisS
Christey Ann Morrison, the only lady survivor
of the wreck, gave substantially the Following
testimony:
81 took passage on the Asia on the evening
of the 18th. During the night the boat rolled
heavily and seemed to be overladen ana very
much crowded with passengers. The night
passed quietly however and there wassno dis
turbance except what came from sea-sIck chli--
dren OCCUPIED an upper berth IN STATE
room and was quite wakefult Rfrd ing stop
at Pressure Isle. On Thursday morning when
Iarose the sea MAS heavy And Iva qaaaLss sea-
sick The first intimation had Of danger was
about II o'clock, when the mate fold me they
had thrown overheard number. Of horses and
that the remainder of the FREE ght i woli ~ have
to follow. The boat was rolling sog mucn
that put on my tfe-preserver, and sat by the
cabin door until the wafer came into the CABIN
Then by catching hold of the door and railing
/ managed to make my way to he-upper deck.
The boat then seemed to be settling fast. Inc
life-boat was near and lowered myself into
the water, and the Captain caught me and held
me till the mate came and helped me into the
boat. At that time there were twelve persons
aboard, all strangers except the mate, ana
Miss McNab my roommate. Several persons
from other boats came to our boat as their
own craft upset. They seemed to be destitute
of oars, none of the boats being thus supplied
except our own did not see any person
left on the steamer after we left her
side. The boats ran along together Tor
a time and then the sother two upset. They
upset three times, and every time they righted
some OF the passengers were missing. When
they righted for the third time all had disap-
our boat. Twenty minutes after our boat cap
sized. 1 held on to the ropes and when she
righted was in again. after we ligfted l
heard some one say that three were gone. Our
boat eapszed three times and each time some
were missing. After the number wasredaced
to seven the boa did not capsize
any more and the storm began
to moderate. After dark wei saw a
lighthouse, which the mate said was Bying
Inlet light. When we saw the light all cheered
up consi lerably, but soon after tne of the
strangers died. The only members of the
crew that kneWIin our boat were the Captain
and mate. After the stranger died two others
died almost Immediately together. They Just
seemed TO perish. They did not seem to have
sustained any internal injury. did not hear
them complaint Of any injury. About mid
night the mate sqccumped, and about ten
minutes after him the Captain Died. At the
time they died the sea was quite calm, and
the wind was moderate. Shortly after day
break 1 and Mr.. Tanks landed. The bodies
were still i'll the boat. After landing we drew ,
the boat on shore and walked 'tsloIig piece,
and, finding we could not wtilk, we re-
turned to the boat, and Mr.. Thinks
took the bodies out OF the boat and
laid them on the islanq. We then got
into the boat again, and rowed along with an
oar we had picked up thayingj lost our oars
when we capsizedl to find aplace--a ,habitab!e-
n1,.af yrlGs
] know that we left the bodies of John Saw
age, John Mcdonald and three 'other men on
the island on which we first landed. On the fol-
lowing FRIDAY night we slept on the rocks.
Next morning we again got into our boat and
rowcd until, in despair, we gave up. Wewent
ashore again, laid down, and slept. Then the
Ind an came along, and We engaged him
to bring us to Parry Sound, where we
arrived on Sunday forenoon There was
not any conversation in the :. boat at all,
except when we saw the light. Then
sang couple of sacred songs. The other two
boats were full of people. I do not believe
that the three boats 1 have spoken of were
capable of holding all the pass engers that I
saw on DO lrd that steamer All fhe state-rooms
were occupied. / know this because when l
embarked the mate had considerable trouble
in getting bed for me. Two other ladies
shared my room with me- The lady's maid
told me that all the other rooms were equally
filled Some passengers were lying on sofas
and the cabin floor. They so laid because they
could not get berths. The lady az maid and
purser said So. ...
A party was formed after the wreck 20
search for the persons WHO died as above c.
scribed Rough collins were prepared the
bodies were lifted in and they were place up
on steamer sent with the searching party
On reaching, Parry Sound the boxes were
opened and it was found that, with the
exception of the mate and one other
person. there were NO r. marks to
show by what. means these apparently
strong, healthy. hardy men had come to their
death, while young lad of seventeen and
girl Of eighteen years Of age lived through the
terrible ordeal. The mates and freman's
faces were badly bruised, no doubt by beng
struck with the metallic Mfe+boat when IT up
set Captain Savage, Mr.. Little <nd Mr.. Nc
Alpine appeared as If asleep; ard gave no in
dication whatever of the trrribie strlggle they
must have had with the grim monster, death
Their faces were not discolorrd, hut looked
quite natural, and 1pre no traces Of having re-
ceived any blows. 80. -,
The shore line from Point al barrie to
French River is very infospftfbe.a Rocky
Islands and shoals abou nd ami deep bays
stretch far into'the shore aIs inaryals the en-
tire distance, about sixty IA les. The spot
where the Ife-bOat grounded is ora of q very
few places where it is possible fer it TO have
got ashore between Point au barrie and Bying
Inlet. The shoals, which barely reach the sur
face Of the water, extend far4rem three to five
miles outside of the outer ra gesof islands and
the lfe-boat drifted with its cargo of dead
bodies and two almost exhausted survivors
down a narrow bay between the shoals on
either side as # guided by the Divine hand to
almost the only place where it couid have
grounded safely without being dashed to
pieces.