The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-15
The Bodies Of Eighty-Two Excur-
sionists Turn Pleasures Into
Deepest Woe.
Particulars Of the Wreck Of the
Sea Wing and Her
Barge.
The Fury of the Hurricane struck Her
Drosdside-List of the Lost
Brave Rescuors. E

AAAA8 I'll ~ AAAAAAAAsS y W4y SAAAVV~eS.SSI
BY beautiful cliffs and farming lands Lake /
Pepin's unrufiied surface gave to-day little
evidence OF fierce struggle with the elements
and of the death dealing fury Of tbs storm
that ragged OF this city last night. With
Z note Of warming there burst upon
this region one Of the severest storms
known in it's history and the loss Of life is
probably greater than in any other single
that ever visited any part of the
northwest. The list of bodies already re-
covered numbers sixty-eight and the dead
may exceed 100. The excursion steamer
Sea Wing, of Diamond Bluffs, had carried
a party of two hundred or more excursion-
lists from Red Wing to the camp of the
First regiment of Minnesota national guard,
just below the city. When day was coming
to close Capt. We therein prepared to re-
turn turn his boat lead cad to their 1ssn homes; tsa
approaching storm and asked that he post
pone departur until after the storm had
blown over. Thinking the storm would not
prove serious he would not consent, but
about o'clock started of up the lake to-
wards Red Wing, nearly two hundred pas
blowing gale. A point of land runs out
from the Minnesota shore just above this
place, across from which is point known
as Maiden Rock. 70 pass around this
point it was necessary for the steamer to
turn slightly towards the Wisconsin shore
and Immediately the hurricane seized hold
of the already struggling and cracking ves-
sci and twisted her out Of the control of her
engines and crew. An attempt to beach
her failed and over she went with her great
load of passengers. The barge Jim Grant,
which was in tow, and on which about one
quarter Of the excursionists had crowded.
nso
water. This happened just below the point,
and as the helpless hulks drifted before the
gale the steamer righted herself for mo-
'ment, but in another moment was keeled
over.
The barge broke loose and drifted down
opposite town and those still on board,
about twenty in number, were rescued. The
steamer drifted in back of the point and
sank. Many we're saved. however, and the
heroisM of number of rescuers cannot be
too highly praised. Corporal B. L. Perry
compelled the speotators 70 assist him and
still clinging to the wreck. Others there
were like him and over sixty were rescued
from what seemed certain death. Small
boats cruised around for several hours and
picked up some three score of still living
unfOrtunates.
As soon as word reached the militia camp
volunteers were called for and every one
volunteered. Adjt. Gen. Mullen immedi-
ately took charge of the regiment. and as
work was begun and carried on body after
body of men, women and children, in some
cases whole families, were taken from
the water. Some were alive, 9TH
others from which the breath of life had
forever fed. Sad experiences were many.
There were parents who had children miss
ing, and other people looking for friends
and relatives ran up and down the beach
all night and to-day inquirinR If any more
names Of the identified dead. The anguish
of the many parents whose children had
been ruthlessly torn from them by the
awful calamity cannot be portrayed. At
| Z o'clock this morning fifty bodies
had been recovered. identified and sent to
the same mournful journey, and at 8 this
afternoon seven others were added to
the gruesome number. The dead are;
John Hefaer, wife and two children; Petel
Gellen, wife and five children; Mrs. Blakel
and two children; Mrs. Hemfebling and
daughter: Minnie Fisher, Annie Way
Katie DAILY, Mrs. Sherf and daughter. FREQ
Christ, Annie Steiger, Francis SteiRer
George Nelson, Charles Dinslage, Fred Severl
and daughter, Tom Larson, H. Redlus and
two children, Fred Hattenmeyer, Manic
Adams, Katie Burkhardt, A. Q. Anderson
Eddie Christopherson, Mrs. Nellie wohln
johnson, Fay Smith, Myrtle Nero, Ira Fulton
Fred Seaver, Heine Gerken, Chas. Brown
X. Peterson, Miss Brennan, Phoebe Bier
son, Katie Davis, John Engelbertson, Mis-
Ida Green, Fred Hempling. Theodore Hard
Emma Nelson, Oryn Osky. Julia Persie
Annie Persig. Scheffier, wife and tw
children, Miss Siebrass and Bertha Winters
4 of Redwing, rnd Alice Palmer and Netti
Palmer, Of Trenton, Wis. Few of th
bodies had any bruises or other marks Q
injury upon them. The fact that the mil
in the saving of many lives and the work o
the citizen soldiery, their excellent organic
alton and the good management of Ger
II Mullen and Surgeons Fitzgerald, Clark an
Cain. were notable and commendable.
| During the morning the systematic patre
after being hrst struck BY the gale was keE
mp by citizens Of Lake City. After the lat
bodies had been taken from the hulls Ger
Mullen pressed into service all the TO-
} boats within reach and with soldiers bega
this afternoon q thorough dragging of th
lake at the scene of the disaster. No bodie
were found up to dark, when search We
; abandoned for the day. Dynamite will /
used in the morning. There were GOO
many who made use of life preservers, b,
, probably none has as good service as ha
Robert Adams, the 17-year-old son of D
Adams, of Lake City J. and another bo
They secured three life S.eservers and wei
in the water six hours before being rescue'
Young Adams could swim but his compaio
could not. They had the good sense
. Aoat and not attempt to fight against Il
waves. During the six hours they vel
bu1fsted by pillows and blown hither an
. yon by the gale. They drifted about mi
down past the town and then . change
wind carried them up the river to Frontena
seven miles from here, where they We
rescued by DR.. Kahn and party, and tod.
( are nearly 40 we'll AZ ever.
THE SCENE OF DIsAgTER.
, Wreck and Ruin In the Path Of the Hurr
cane.
. AMNxAroIu, July A.-At an early ho'
. this morning special train bore . corrs
pondent of the Associated Press from {
= PAMY tn th0 aNnMa ~ Aha eavpiR,1o AvN1<Su.