Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1890-07-16
DEATH 10 A HUNDRED.
A Crowded Excursion ROat ON
Lake Pepin Overturned
by the Wind.
One Hundred and Fifty Human
Beings Precipitated Into
the Water,
And Only Fifty-one of That Number
Accounted for-The Others Un-
doubtedly Drowned
seyenty-five Bodies Have Been Recovered So
Far-Some of the Horrible Details of
the Disaster.

LAKE CITY, Mimi, July 14.-The most
disastrous cyclone that has ever struck
this community passed over this city at
9p. m, Sunday. infiicting the loss of life
of probably 100 or $50 people and dam
aging property to an extent that at this
writing cannot be estimated. About
dark terrific wind struck the city. Trees
crashed against houses aid missiles were
flying through the air. The worst of
the storm was over in half an hour, and
soon after it was learned that
A Horrible Calamity
had befallen the community that has
not been equalled since the cyclone at
st. Cloud some years since.
People began to gather on the streets
and in few moments the news was
scattered abroad that an excursion boat
With Over 200 People on Board
was capsized in the middle of Lake
Pepin. The boat proved to be the
steamer Sea Wing, which came down
the lake from Diamond Bluff, small
ki6RCC oEOoG SCfCAICC41 A14CS AO4 III Va
here, on an excursion to the encamp.
ment of the First regiment, n. G. S. NJ,
A barge was attached to the side
of the steamer. When about opposite
Lake City the boat began to feel the eff
fects of the storm. But the officers kept
on their way. The storm increased as
the boat continued up the lake, and in
fifteen minutes was at his height.
Nearing Central Point, about two
miles above Lake City, the steamer was
At the Mercy of the Waves,
which were now washing over the boat
and all was confusion. The boat mo-
mentarily ran onto bar and the barge
was cut loose, and the steamer again set
adrift in the lake. A number of those
on the barge jumped and SWAN ashore.
AS the barge also fioated again into the
deep water, those on the barge saw the
steamer as it was carried helplessly out
into the middle of the lake, and as they
were being tossed about on the raging
waters, they were Mortified a moment
later to observe the steamer capsize and
its cargo of 80 people
Precipitated Into the Lake.
Those ON the barge remained there
until they were drifted nearer the shore,
and they were all rescued or swan
ashore. There were about fifty in all on
the barge. The boat turned bottom
upwards, and only about twenty
five people were observed to be floating
on the surface. These caught hold of
the boat and climbed up on the upturned
bottom, those first securing position
assisting the others. Soon the storm
began to abate, and in half an hour
lights were observed fitting about the
pier at Lake City, opposite which point
the upturned steamer had been driven
before help could reach them. How
ever, the poor creatures who yet re-
manned to tell the horrors of the night
were again submitted to another battle
warning, and as they were just begin
ming to hope that they would be taken
off by the citizens Of Lake City,
The Boat Again Turned Over,
this time on its side, and again all of
the twenty-five remaining souls were
hurled into tha water. Of these several
were drowned before they could be
brought to- the boat by those who sue
ceeded in remaining afoat and again
securing a hold on the boats side,
Capt. John, an ex-steambpat man, who
was an eyewitness of the wreck from
tho shore. says: Il never saw worse
sea on Lake Michigan than was running
along the middle of Lake Pepin at that |
time. 1t didn't seem as though the best
skiff that ever was built could live five
seconds after leaving the shore, but there
Is no telling what can be done when |
brave men stand willing to do it,
One Brave Man,
Corp. Perry, of Battery A, tried to get a |
crew to man boat for the first trip, but |
it looked too much like throwing life |
away, and the fellows didn't want to go.
This soldier pulled gun from his pocket |
and walked up to the biggest fellow in
the craYd. Get in that boat or I'll blow
four brains into the lake. he said. The
man looked at him, and remarking that
force wasn't necessary, he got in These
two men together saved sixteen lives,
and would have saved more but for the
fact that the boat got stove in against
the wreck and
Cane keaT Drowntng the Rescuers
themselves before they got ashore from
the last trip. Other rescuing parties
"a AbCA WHAAtso oU<tl pCA OhI, dAA UIctlly lV66
were saved at great risk
As soon as the word reached the camp
volunteers were called for, and everyone |
volunteered to assist in rescuing the liv-
ing or searching for the dead. Adjt. |
Gen. Mullen Immediately took Charge |
Of the regiment. and the search was
systematically begun and carried on.
Body after body of men, women and |
ehildren-in some cases almost of whole |
fan1ilies-was taken from the water,
safpe Of them alive, others unconscious
bat not dead, and yet others from which
the breath of life had forever fed. And |
SO it went on. AS fast as the bodies
were taken from the water they were |
identified by mourning friends and rela-
tives and placed in coffins for transpor-
tation to their homes.
BY 2 o'clock q. N. fifty bodies had |
been recovered, identified and sent to
Red Wing. By o'clock eight more
had taken the same nournful journey,
and at 8 o'clock in the afternoon seven
others were added to the gruesome num-
Der that had been carried by boat to
Red Wing