Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-15
The Aftermath of Sorrow and Hor-
for in Minnesota.
STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
The Number of Killed and Hurt
in the Cyclone Increases.
INCIDENTS OF THE TWO DISASTERS.
AN EYE WITNESS.
How the Sea Wing Became the Toy OF
the Wind and Drowned its Freight.

How the Sea Wing Became the Toy OF
the Wind and Drowned its Freight.
ST. PAUL, MIMI, July 15.-L. s. Bayrell Of
Argyle, Minn., was on the ill-fated steamer
Sea Wing when she turned over. He tells the
following story: There were just 2l5 people
on the steamer when she left the first regi-
ment camp on her return voyage. There
evidently quite heavy storm brewing and
the wind was blowing quite a gale, but every
one seemed to feel entirely safe. When the
boat was about In the middle of the lake the
wind was dead ahead ana blowing great guns.
The captain, evidently becoming uneasy.
shouted to the pilot "Hold her to the Wis
consin shore" The pilot stuck to his post
nobly, but the vessel in veerlng round
caught the wind on her beam, and after mo-
mentary stagger careened, bottom upward.
The scene was simply awful Words cannot
adequately depict the struggles Of the multi
tude thus precipitated into the seething caul-
dron into which the usually peaceful lake had
been lashed by the fury Of the winds. The
matches had not been fastened down, as was
reported and the people in the cabin rushed
on deck. Many of them jumped from the deck
to the barge. and three swan ashore. After
the boat turned over the tow ropes were cut
and the two vessels drifted apart. From the
water scores Of women and children sent up
a last and agonizing shrek OF despair as the
angry flood closed over them. The greater
portion were carried under by the suction as
the steamer turned bottom upward and were
unable to swim out. The water about the boat
was soon dotted by the heads of the stronger
swimmers, and in q few moments some twenty
boat
TERRIBLE SCENE.
Those first gaining the temporary place of
safety assisted others in climbing upon the
slippery surface, and in ten minutes all the
human beings in sight were upon the boat.
Just as the storm was subsiding and hope was
strong within them the boat gave another lurch
and more lives were lost When the boat be-
gan to careen so fearfully 1 lesped from the
steamer to the barge, and when the ropes were
cut We drifted away from her some distance,
and WAS able to see almost everything that
was going on. The sight sublime in its
terrible aspect. The heavens were black with
clouds and the waves we're lashed into noun
tains by the strong wind / can't begin to pic
ture the scene. The heartrending
shrieks and cries of agony that
went up from the waves would have
wrung with horror the hardest hearts. Here
and there could be seen as a fash of lightning
revealed them the white dress of some poor
woman or child One poor creature / saw go
down clinging to her child, whom she had
been trying to save. The mother had fastened
life preserver about her waist and with its
aid was trying to keep herself and child afoat
until help could reach them. Suddenly / saw
the woman release the hold she had upon the
child and sink beneath the water. She did
not rise again and the child soon followed its
mother.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
As soon as the word reached the camp volun-
teers were called for, and every man volun-
teered to assist in rescuing the living or
searching for the dead. Adjt. Gen. Mullen
Immediately took charge of the regiment
and search was begun aud carried on vigor-
ously. Invaluable and in the work. both of
resuscitatlon and laying out the dead. was
rendered by the excellent ambulance corps,
which had been but recently organized
The body of Knute Peterson was found about
mile up the shore, but tho others were all
taken out OF or close around the wreck. The
watches on the different bodies had stopped at
from s:l5 to $3.50, showing pretty accurately the
time Of the wreck, but Peterson's watch had
kept going for some three hours in the water,
and stopped at ll:30. Surgeon Fitzgerald says
that there was scarcely any evidence of any
struggle on part Of the unfortunates. Neither
had any of the bodies any bruises or other
marks OF injury upon them. Death was quick
and painless. The fact that the militia was
within easy call undoubtedly resulted
in the saving Of many lives. When morn
ing came the weary all-night workers
were relieved and the work went on success
fully and smoothly. The barge lay quietly on
its side, was the wreck of the steamer. With
axes holes were chopped in the decks and ropes
fastened to the bodies, which were drawn to
the surface, carried ashore and turned over to
the ambulance corps. Thebodies of those who
went down with the steamer were taken out Of
the cabin through hole cut in the pilot house
and through the cabin doors.
CUTTING INTO THE CABIN.
Believing that still some bodies were to be
found in the wreck Gen. Mullen ordered that
its upper works be torn away and that it be
towed nearer the shore and righted. This
work was done by the boats LuelIa and the
Ethel Howard. As soon as the wreck could be
got at in its new position Gen. Mullen and his
military helpers examined every portion of the
Sea Wing, and recovered three more bodies,
bringing the total up to sixty-fve. The shat
tered hulk was then left to drift at will A
systematic patrol of the water over which the
hulls had drifted after being first struck bv the
gale has been kept up by citizens of Lake City,
After the last bodies had been taken from
the wreck Gen. Mullen pressed into service
all the row boats within reach, and, with
four soldiers in each boat, began a thorough
dragging of the lake all about the scene of the
disaster. No bodies were found. Dynamite
will be used today. There were many who
made use Of the life preservers, but probably
none had a. good and as much use of them as
had Robert Adams, the seventeen-year- old son
OF DIR. Adams Of Lake City, and another boy,
three life preservers and were in the water for
SIX hours before being rescued YoungAdams
could swim, but his companion could not
They had the good sense to float quietly. They
first drifted about a mile down past the tow n
and then q change in the wind carried them up
the river to Frontenac, where they were res
cued by DR.. Kahn and party.
PITIFUL SIGHT.
As the boat containing the dead came up to
the landing ut Red Wing q sorrowing girl was
seen standing on the wharf anxiously awaiting
the arrival of her lover. The frantic woman
rushed madly upon the steamer, and as she
espied the remains of her betrothed her feel
ings were uncomfortable. Down upon her
knees she went and clung madly TO the body Of
him who was gone from her forever. With
passionate tenderness she kissed his hands,
water marked and scratched from grasping
wildly for life. Scenes like these marked the
arrival of the little steamer which bore the ]
dead into the sad city Of Red Wing. 1t is re-
ported that the brother Of Charles Nero, an In |
surance agent of Minneapolis, was lost with his |
whole family. They all went down together |
elasped in each others arms, and as they were |
picked mp floating on the water they were all |
gathered in one last embrace. The public /
buildings Of The city Of Red Wing are being /
draped in black. Batteries from Camp Lake |
View have been firing guns over the water all /
day, bringing up body occasionally.
There u great deal of adverse comment in /
regard 70 the life pressrvers. When cut open /
only few Of them were found 10 be composed /
of cork. Most Of them were filed with sea /
weed or rush that would not Aoat after il be- /
cams satura4ed With water.
uuNo DYNAMITE