Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-12
An Exciting Moment on Steame
Crowded with Excnrs;onis.

An Exciting Moment on steamer
Crowded With Excursiouists
MONTREAL, August llth.-Twenty five bun.
ureu Grand Army men, with their wives and
children, LEFT Chicago for Boston via Niagara
saLis' -, Lawrence river and Montreal ON Fri
day. Most OF them were IRON posts in cities
outside OF Chieago ana mary came from Iowa
Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri ana
Wisconsin. AT O'Clock yesterday morning five
big steamer-loads left Kingston To go throreh
the rapids of the st. Lawrence All the bosIs
were packed with Grand Army men and their
families. The Bohemian, the largest of the
boats, " as the last She had between 600 aud
1UO passengers aboard. The Long Sault rnnid
was passed safely, and the entire day was very
pleasantly spent. The hurricane deck was
fearfully crowded
About o'clock great thunder clouds began to
gather III the We ST and the sky to darken The
wind fieshened considerably, too and A bis
storm was prtdicte here was vet one series
of pids to 20 through, she Cretan, as danger
Gus as any on the liver, and The Captain Of The
Bohemian thought he could reach there before
darkness set in. The upper ueck forward OF
the boat was packed with people watching the
first plunge of the steamer when there was a
brilliant fash of lightning the rain BEGAN To
fall in sheets aud the people made a rush for
the cabin and shelter, and The steamer entered
thu rapids. She rolled learfully and the people
surged from side 10 side. suddenly the sound
OF cracking umDeIS was heard, and women
shrieked and tainted. Then there were heard
several hoarSe commands from the pilot. house
to the crew TO clear the tiller chains TIE upper
deck beams had cracked, and the floor in sink
ing had jammed the tiller chains leading from
the puot-houSe at, and the steamer in the
midst OF the oroiling rapids, was entirely beyond
control
When it was known that the boat was un-
manageable. panic ensued. Women rushed
here and there. Those that had not tainted
did so then, and, wore than all, the crew and
walters on board made a rush for the pile Of
life-preseryers in the center of the cabin and
md
The war veterans aboard kept their wits
about them and fought the towards away rom
the life preservers, while as quickly as possible
they strapped as many as they could find on TO
the women and children. There were not
enough 10 go half round.
The boat, meantime, had turned entirely
around and was going down the rapids stern
first. suddenly there was terrible jar. The
steamer had struck rock. The steamer slowly
began to turn around again and then csme an
other shock, followed by another, each one
heavier than the frst, and the steamer gave
mighty heaye and plunge, as If she were going
down head first, and then slowly turned her
head to the rapids. There was still another
shock aud another rock was touched and n
plunge followed, which was the last Jump
through the rapids out into the open, Gear
waters and the Captain yelled, "Ne are all
right now"
The crew had got over their panic and were
working hard clearing the tiller chains during
the most critical time, and by the time they
cleared the rapids the steamer was under con-
troll again. Her head was turned shOreward.
and within twenty minutes aiter the party
were disembarking at the BeAuharrais canal
pier.