Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-25
SOULS REST IN PEACE.
"reminiscences of the Fate Which
Doomed Four Hundred Excursion
ists-24th Annual Com IN emoratIOn
Ofthe Catastrophe.
Milwaukee Journal.

Ofthe Catastrophe.
Milwaukee Journal.
The requiem high mass for the re-
pose of the souls of the lost of the
Lady Elgin, at st. Johns cathedral,
brought together large assemblage
of the relatives and friends of the
dead. There were the aged father
and mother who had been so suddenly
derived of the love and care of a son
or a daughter by the cruel sea, the
brother who had lost sister or the
sister who had been SO suddenly be-
reft OF brothers companionship,
and the children whose only knowl-
edge Of their grandparents was that
they were dead, all were there pray
ing and singing in one great common
sorrow. The calamity, so bouHdless
in its terrible extent, almost depopu-
lated the church where the 24sh IN
niversary was cOmmemorated.
Rev. Father Keogh conducted the
services, the altar was draped in
mourning, and the death music of the
organ was often the only sound that
broke upon the sacred stiffness that
prevailed. Many handkerchiefs were
visible, many heads were bent low,
but there were no scenes, for the
grief was too real. Knceling against
the railing of the altar were five aged
fathers and mothers, who had been
left childless by the awful visitation.
The services were soon over, and the
people began 10 go OUT.
There's one of the survivors of the
Lady Elgin," whispered an acquain-
tame TO a Journal reporter, referring
to al aged worshiper, vending his
way outside, with bowed head. "He's
Mr.. Z. O'Brien, who lost his wife and
da lghter, and was picked up while
clinging to a portion of the wreck.
4" Yes, " said Mr. T. O'Bren, vino
lives at 258 Milwaukee street, II am
a survivor of the wreck. I lost my
wife and child, though" and there
was tremble in his voice. THE
boat left here on Friday morning,
Sept. s, 1860, with nearly 400 excur-
sionists and a large herd of cattle,
bound for Chicago. Although the
weather was very fine during the day,
toward night rough sea arose, cover
ed with a dense fog, yet everyone on
the boat was merry-making, dancing
and singing, and at II o'clock, just
before the collision occurred with the
schooner Col. Cook, it was one of the
merriest sassemblages ever saw. 1t
was the song and dance of death, if
such things be, and [ never beheld
anything like it since. Men and
women and children fitted here and
there, light with joyous pleasure, the
pleasure that surely precedes doom.
When the crash came the people
seemed TO lose their senses, and rush
ed to and fro, children crying, women
praying and men commanding in a
terrified, unintelligible way. ] believe
some Of the officers had been drinking
too much at the bar, as they seemed
completely dazed and unable to res
tore anything like order. The sch0on-
er, which was loaded with lumber.
proceeded on her way unconcernedly
as could be, none of her crew being
even charitable or humane enough to
throw a plank to the struggling
people in the water. The last saw of
Capt Wilson he was on a raft with a
large crowd of women and children
clInging to him"