The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-25
WRECKED ON A REEF
A Steamer Goes to the Bottom
Of Lake Superior.
Nearly All tho Passengers and
Crew Drowned.

A Port Arthur (Ontario) dispatch gives the
following particulars OF the disaster in Lake
Superior by which many persons were
drowned and one Of the most magnificent
steamers plying on the lakes was lost:
On board the steamer Athabasca, which
arrived last night, were Captain JANIS
Moore, commander Of the Canadian Pacific
Railway steamer Algoma,r " passenger.
were left Of the sixty-two persons that
sailed for this port from Owen sound on the
Algoma on last Thursday. The story Of the
disaster, as related by Captain Moore,
who was badly injured, is that
the Algoma passed through St Mary's
canal, bound for this p TT Last Fri
day noon. Soon after reaching Lake Super
rior the wind began TO freshen up from the
northwest, and a great bank Of clouds along
the northern horizon denoted the approach
Of heavy weather. Knowing, however, that
the Algoma was one Of the strongest and
most powerful steamers ahoat, and well able
to cope with even a severe gale, Captain
Moore kept her on her course. Az night APP
preached the wind continued to increase
in violence, and by dark. had de-.
veloped into one Of the fercest gales ever az
perienced on the upper lakes Great seas
swept completely over the struggling steamer.
1Q0 S1Iu6GlOu WdS JLldu0 ~ tu0 uxOIo toIT1Ol0
by a binding snow storm that set In before
morning. 1t was impossible to see the length
Of the steamer. The passengers and crew were
terrified beyond measure, and monaentarily
expected to see the steamer plunge to the
bottom. By instructions of Captain Moore
the officers vent among the passengers, trying
to allay their fears. They were panic-stricken,
however, and huddlel together in the cabin,
where the screams and prayers Of the wome
and children could be heard above the gale.
On Saturday morning Isle Royal was
steamer for Rock Harbor, where he hoped to
gain shelter. The island forms q natural
harbor Of refuge, but near the entrance there
is a dangerous reef, and just as the steamer
was nearing the entrance she struck the reef.
There was q terrific shock, and then the
steamer came to a full stop. The passengers
rushed out Of the cabin, and beseeched the Of
are on a reef" replied Captain Moore, tsbut
if you will only keep as calm as possible I
trust all will DO safely landed"
Just then one of the. crew reported that
the steamers bottom had been punctured,
and that she was filing with water. The
boats were got in readiness, and all started
to leave the steamer, but just as they were
about to lower the boats the steamer slipped
of the reef and sank. The water was covered
WlUQ Hou duO WOllcH III q uluut0, ouu baonS
all was over. Only fourteen lived to tell
the tale. These got into one of thu boats,
but were poweriess to saw themselves, as
they were without oars. Captain Moore,
however, wrenched q footboard from the
bottom Of the boat, and with that as a pad
die, succeeded in working the boats to the
island, where the survivors were picked up
by the Athabasca.
Mr.. Bentley, the manager Of the line, has
sent out tugs from here, with instructions to
search Isle Royal for any survivors that may
possibly have got ashore, and to pick up
and take care OF any bodies that may be
found. The tugs ore now at the scene Of the
wreck.
The lifeboat and its occupants had a terri
bic experience while they were trying to get
to land. All who could bound themselves to
the boat, while the remainder held on like
grim death to the siles, expecting every mo-
ment to meet their death either by drowning
or from exposure and cold. Once the boat was
turned over by the waves and one Of the crew
was washed away, but the frail craft righted
itself and was swept on in the darkness.
After half an hour the boat suddenly struck
some rocks. The inmates feared all was'over
with them, as the craft capsEed, but, to
their surprise, when thrown out, the water
was only a foot deep, and they discovered
that they were Oh land. After remaining
there an hour or more, exposed to
the elements, the storm abated
and the sky cleared. 1t was then discovered
that the vessel had been wrecked abouta mile
from shore. It was about 10 o'clock in The
morning, and the half dead crew remained
there until late in the afternoon, when the
Athabasca came along and picked them up
A Toronto dsipat' b says that the Algoms
had on board five cabin and six Storage pas
sengers, and forty-four or forty-fve men in
the crew. The cargo consisted Of 134 tons Of
general merchandise and 297 tons OF railway
Supplies. It is q singular fact that she was
carrying the lowest number OF passengers she
has ever had.