The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-11-19
GONE TO THE BOTTOM.
The Canadian Steamer Algoma Wreck
ed on Isle Royal. with Little
Warning.
Thirty-seven Lives Reported Lost,
Meeting Death Under Lake SUI
peri0r's Waves.

CURED near Port Arthur, on Lake Superior,
on the night of the 9Th inst, the particulars
of which are embraced in the following tele-
graphic reports from the scene of the ca
lamity: The Algoma, one of the iron-clad
transfer steamers of the Canadian Pacific,
left Owen Sound, Ontario, last Thursday.
While rounding Isle Royale the steamer
Athabasca sighted the fragments of a wreck
on the treacherous reef. A rescuing boat
was manned, and, after considerable diff
Guilty, made the shore, rescuing the crew
thirteen men-and two passengers of the
ill-fated Algoma. They reported that thirty
seven passengers had persisted in the wreck.
che survivors could not have endured the
hardships of exposue and hunger much
longer. When they were landed at Port
Huron by the Athabasca late this evening
many of them were dangerously FRUSTRATED.
Port Arthur is on the extreme northern
coast Of Lake Superior and distant from
here nearly 500 miles. The scene Of the
wreck is southwest from Port Arthur thirty
miles or more. All the facts known here
are gathered from personal dispatches an
nouncing the loss of relatives or friends,
and from two kilograms to the Canadian
Pacific officials, briefly outlining the man
ner Of the catastrophe. 1t appears that a
heavy storm prevailed on the lake Sunday
night, one of its features being O dense
fog. Shortly after the Algoma rounded
into the straits which Isle Royale skirts
she crashed into a concealed reef, and q
few moments later the boat was shiv-
cred asunder. 1t collapsed so quickly
that many of the victims persisted in their
cabins, where they had taken refuge from
the inclement weather. Others, who reached
the deck, were given no assistance, and
chung to the rigging in despair until ingulfed
or swept away. The crew, frenzied by the
disaster, thought only of saving themselves.
With a quick rush for the nearest boat,
they focked in and swung it from the davits
before the passengers could follow. Two,
however, contrived to crowd in, leaving the
abandoned ones, among them several wom-
en- and children, helpless and hopeless on
the deck of the doomed steamer. The boat
was capsized several times by the waves,
but was righted again. The survivors sue
ceeded in reaching land, almost dead from
exposure and exhaustion.
The scene of excitement is terrible. It
is impossible to get any we'll defined or
completely connected story of the terrible
disaster which has brought gloom to hun
dreds of Canadian households. Mate Simp-
son and w. b. Macarthur, one of the pas
sengers who survived, were interviewed, and
a story obtained of which the following is
fair synopsis:
The steamer left Owen Sound last Thursday
afternoon with thirty-eight passengers, chiefly
Canadians, but there were some few Americans.
All went we'll during the early part of the voy-
age, and the vessel passed up st. Mary's River
and Sault Ste. Marie, where she coaled. 1t was
Friday about noon when she passed the latter
place, and soon after steamed out into Lake
Superior The weather was calm but even
ing advanced signs OF n storm were brewing.
Than rnrn tn nv lNonf MT.nFa
shook his head ominously, and all realized that
a storm Of unusual severity was blowing.
All trusted in the stout steel craft, which was
deemed of equal strength to the average sea-
going vessel. Evening closed in, and the Algo-
ma held her course toward Port Arthur, while
the storm increased in fury and caused the great
waves TO pound the vessel, which was tossed
about like feather. The timbers were heard
to creak, but little danger was apprehended on
the score of unsoundness. AS night wore on the
storm seemed, If possible, to increase in vio-
lence Snow and sleet descended, and the ele-
ments appeared in their angriest mood. Some
retired to their berths, but the majority, who
were suffering from nausea, kept watch. At the
time when day should under ordinary circum-
stances have broken, darkness continued,
for the snow-storm had not abated and
the air was terribly dense. The steamer
still held on her way, and fair
progress had been made notwithstanding
the severity Of the storm, it was thought that
the Isle Royale which Is located a short dis
lance outside Of Thunder Bay and about forty
Ave miles from Port Arthur, must be near at
hand. The island is long, but comparatively a
narrow, rocky one, and its vicinity is treacher-
Gus, owing to the large number OF powders
which exist about it. The channel by which the
bay is entered, runs close to the island, and
Capt Moore realized the necessity of progress
ing with the utmost care. Fog-horns were
blowed and signals Of distress sounded. The
speed of the boat was reduced, but rs the storm
continued TO rage, 1t was impossible to deter-
mine absolutely what course the boat was pur-
suing. Suddenly great crash was heard, and
the vessel rebounded and quivered like an aspen
leaf.
Good Godl" said the Captain, she's struck.
Our doom has comet"
Ten seconds later all was tho widest confusion
and alarm. Those who were ON deck roared
their alarm, while the shrieks Of the milder sex
were terrible. Crash, crash, and the stout ves-
sci pounded the rocks. The cracking Of the
timbers and the swaying of the vessel warned all
that death in n terrible form was upon them.
The relentless wind seemed to scream its salts
faction. while the snow and sleet drove against
the half-clad passengers.
ITS to describe the scene," said one
informant. Nothing worse ever occurred on
earth. In their madness. when the waves were
washing the deck, a number threw themselves
into the foaning pillows. Others, when a
great wave would pass over the deck, which was
swaying from side to side, were swept into the
sea like feathers. few hung on to ropes or to
the masts, but the majority seemed to abandon
themselves in the wild alarm and despair.
Even the crew seemed powerless, so stricken
We're they with the awful suddenness and stu
pendous character of the disaster. Meanwhile
the boat rapidly went to pieces dashed against
tho rocks. The crew. all OF whom except the
mattresses had chung to the rigging, managed,
during slight lull in the storm, to place them
selves in a life boat, cut the fastenings, and in
an instant n wave swept them from the Inflated
wreck. Amid the awful cries of the dying and
the terrible dashing of the waves the boat was
borne onward Two of the passengers had
managed TO place themselves in the boat before
it was cut away from the wreck. Any efforts
that had been made to launch boats dur
ing the early confusion and horror had failed.
Meantime the life-boat and its occupants had a
terrible experience on the open, storm-tossed
lake. All who could bound themselves to the
boat, while the remainder held on like grim
death TO the Sides Expecting every moment to
meet their death either by drowning or from
exposure cold, which was intense, the half
dead inmates were borne on. Once the boat was
turned over with the waves, and one OF the crew
washed away, but the frail craft righted itself
and was swept in the comparative dark
ness.
After half an hour the boat suddenly struck
some rocks. The inmates feared all was over
with them, as the craft capsized, but, to their
surprise, when thrown cut, the water only
a foot deep and they discovered that they were
on land. After remaining there an hour or
more, exposed to the elements, the storm
abated, and the sky cleared. 1t was then dis
covered that they were on Isle Royale, and that
the vessel had been wrecked about a mile from
shore ON the great powders that exist near the
channel. It was about 10 o'clock In the morn
ing, and the half-dead crew remained there
until late in the afternoon, when the tallahassee
camo along and picked them up. They were
then taken TO Port Arthur"