The Portland daily press., 1885-11-10
STRUCK ON a REEF.
Loss of a Canadian Pacific ~Rail-
way Steamer on Lake Superior.
Thirty-Three Passengers co Down
with the VESSEL

CHICAGO, Nov. "a Daily News special
from Winnipeg saws: ga fearful disaster
occurred on Lake Superior off Port Arthur,
early this morning. The magnificent iron
steamer Algoma OF the Canadian racine
Railroad was wrecked and 81 lives lost.
Only meagre particulars have been received,
and they consist mainly of kilograms to prl-
yate persons announcing the loss OF 1rlendS.
Mr. E. Dudgeon OF this city received
few moments ago the following telegram
"Algoma gone down. Your wife and two chill
dren are drowned"
(Signed) JOE VIVIAN
MI Dudgeon's wife is 50 years old and
their children are boy and girl six and fou
Years old respectively. MIR. Dudgeon IS from
Owen Sound and was sending his family
back to Ontario.
The steamer left Port Arthur at p. m.
and was wrecked off Isle Royal just at the
outside of Thunder Bay. heavy storm
prevailed all Sunday afternoon and nlght,
and the steamer lay to for a time. When the
weather cleared slightly the vessel started
again but made slow progress. Ii. the morn
ing dense fog prevailed and the steamer
felt her way along, blowing fog horns. She
struck reef and went down all hands on
board being reported lost
The steamer was bound for Owen Sound
with passengers for Toronto and other points
east. John G. Brown a bricklayer of this
city, accompanied by his sister is known to
have been on board bound for Scotland to
visit his old home for six months. Captain
Moore is master of the vessel and Mr. Mac
Kenzie, nephew Of Hon. Alexander Mac
Kenzie is purser.
LATER
WINNIPEG, Nov. 9.-It nowIturns out that
the Algoina wfs coming into port and not
going out when the wreck occurred. She
left Owen Sound last Thursday and was
wrecked Saturday night The first known
of the disaster was when the steamer Atha-
basca of the same line arrived at Port Ar
thur late this evening with the crew OF the
Algoma, consisting of Is sailors and two
passengers who were the only ones saved.
The Athabascaiwhich left Owen Sound two
days after the Algoma came on the wreck at
Isle Royal and found the crew and two pas
sengers in a perishing condition. The wreck
had been dashed by the maddened waves
against the rocks and had finally beaten
against the shores of the island. The crew
and two passengers saved themselves by
taking to the life boat and battling with the
waves till the shore was reached. The boat
was washed over several times by the waves,
but the men clung to its sides and they fin
ally succeeded in reaching the land almost
dead from exposure and exhaustion,
The storm continued to rage furiously all
night, but the rescued remained on the beach
watching the wreck beat against the rock
bound island and seeing the dead bodies
dashed on the surf against the shores.
The Athabasca came along about noon to
day, and as the channel is narrow she could
not help seeing the wreck and distress signal
of those on the island. A boat was at once
sent ashore and brought the rescued to the
Athabasca which then set sail for Port
Arthur where it arrived about this morn
ing, There is intense excitement in the city
tonight as many had friends on board.
The Algoma was thoroughly built and a
splendidly equipped Clyde built steamer,
lighted by electric light. Her gross tonnage
was 1880; length, 270 feet; breadth, 3S feet,
and was complete in every detail. The fur
nishing was luxurious, equal to the finest
ocean steamers.
The vessel cost $3.50, 900 and is understood
to have been insured for 100000. 1t was
one of three steamers, the Alberta, Atha-
basca and Algoma, purchased two years
ago by the Canadian Pacific Railroad for the
lake traffic, since which time it has been
plying steadily between Owen Sound and
Port Arthur and doing big business. j. G.
Brown and sister, referred to above, were
not on board the steamer, not being east
ward bound. Dudgeon's wife and children
were on their way from Owen Sound
to join her husband here and were lost.
OWEN SOUND. Ont, Nov. 9.-By the
wrecking Of the Algoma about eight passen-
gers and twenty-five of the crew are sup
posed to be lost. Among those saved are
Captain Moore, First Mate Hastings and
Second Mate Simpson.