McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-04-10
SHIPWRECK ON LAKE ERIE.

''Tell us how your hair turned
white" said one of the party at the
Preside.
''In June, 1851" said the man with
the white hair, 81 left my home in
Ohio for Buffalo. Being in a hurry to
return took passage by the steamer
G. P. Griffith for Toledo, on a late
Sunday afternoon. The ship carried
over eight hundred passengers and
nrew. 1 must have slept soundly for
about two hours in my birth when 1
was awakened by the sound of hurry
ing footsteps overhead, and, looking
through the ventilator to the upper
deck, I saw two or three sailors run
ming along dragging hose pipe. [
partly dressed and went forward to.
The promenade deck, where l heard
from the pilot house above the voice of
the captain crying, "Starboard! Hard
starboard! and steer her for the
shore!"
1.-The ship veered from her course
and headed for the shore, five miles
away. I went back to my stateroom,
awakened the man In the other berth
and raped on several doors. As 1
came out again into the cabin I saw
smoke curling out from the side. The
command had been given TO call up
Abe passengers, and when L again
reached the forward deck they were
srowding upon it. just aroused from
sleep, they hurried out half-dressed or
in their night-clothes, many carrying
children, bandboxes, bird cages, carpet
bags and bundles, all anxious to save
something. l climbed up on the rail-
ing and, taking hold of stanchion,
swung myself to the main deck below.
Stepping over the forms of many who
were lying there still asleep, / went
around to the engine and, looking up,
saw that the fire had broken out near
he smoke-stack in a spot so difficult to
get at that in all probability the ship
was doomed. Hurrying back to the
main deck, upon which the crowd was
tast increasing, l removed all my
slothing but my night shirt and draw
ers. Taking my money and valuables,
lrolled them up with my trousers and
laid them carefully away on deck
where might recover them if the ship
should escape destruction. Climbing
up on the raft near the gang-plank, l
held on until the frantic crowd, press
ing forward, forced me away. I crept
slong on the gunwale to near the wheel
on the land side, where 1 chung and
watched the crowd as they surged for
ward from the approaching flames.
"There was scarcely scream heard.
AS the flames drove them further and
further forward whole columns of peo-
pie were pushed into the water. Hus-
bands caught their wives and children,
and, throwing them overheard, jumped
after them. Women with babes in
their arms went about piteously beg.
ging some one to save their children,
and when they were pushed or jumped
into the water held their infants high
above their heads. After they were
drowned their quilted shirts buoyed
them up, and saw babies actually
trying with their little hands to catch
the dancing light of the flames in the
water.
"The ship grounded at daybreak in
about ten feet of water, little more
than half a mile from the shore. The
water all about the forward part of he1
was full of drowned and drowning PEG.
pie. Many good swimmers struck out
Tor the shore, but from all sides the
poor drowning wretches would clutch
shem and drag them down.
aThe flames drove me off at last.
In the water just beneath me was a
struggling crowd of drowning creatures
clinging to each other. Suddenly a
space Of about twenty feet cleared in
SANITY by their sinking out of sight.
determined to jump, swim toward the
stern of the boat until out OF reach
of the clutches of the drowning,
and then make detour for the shore.
Remembering how used to jump into
the water as boy, when learning to
swim, put my feet closely together,
arms straight by my side, and plunged
down like wedge to the bottom, with
my eyes WIDE open. For brief second