Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-07-14

, inland waters of Mississippi-a cy
clone last night destroyed Who'll,
steamboat full of eXcursionists.
sEvENTY-FouR BODIES RECOVERED
: CHICAGO, ILL.,, July 14.-The --latest
dispatch regarding the great steam
er disaster in the cyclone in Lake
Pepin, Mimi, last night says seven
: ty-tour bodies have been recovered
and the work of rescue is being
pushed by the soldier boys encamp
Ell up the river.
THE DEAD ARRIVE.
RED WING, Mimi, July 14.-The
dead bodies Of those drowned in
Lake Pepin last night, to the num-
Der of 50 have arrived in this city
this morning.. The whole town is
in mourning and the bodies are be-
ing carried tn their respective homes.
DETAILS or THE DISASTER.
LAKE CITY, Mimi, July IL
What will probably prove to be the
most disastrous cyclone that has ever
struck this community passed over
the city at > o'clock Sunday evening,
inflicting a loss of life perhaps Of 100
or 200 people and damaging property
! to an extent that cannot at present be
estimated. Your correspondent was
visiting friends in LaEe City, and
was sitting in the yard when what
appeared to he al ordinary electric
storm was'noticed coming up from
the west. Iu half an hour the whole
heavens were converted intO COM
plete canopy of lightning, which
was watched with interest by the
braver citizens of the little village
and with fear by the timid women
and children. a little before dark
terrible wind struck tn" COM
munIty.
While trees were heard to be crash
ing down, and missiles were strik-
ing against the houses, the building
ing proved strong enough to weather
the blast, and in half an hour the
worst of the hurricane had passed.
AS soon as the trees had been cleared
away from the front of the house
your correspondent started out and
soon learned that horrible calamity
had befallen the place that had not
been equalled since the st. Cloud
cyclone several years ago.
People began to gather in the
streets, and in few minutes the
news was scattered about that an
excursion boat with over 200 people
on it 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,
a small place about seventeen miles
north of here, on an excursion to
the encaInpment of the First regi-
ment n. G. s. NJ, which is being
held below this city. The steamer
started back on the homeward trip
about 8 o'clock and although there
were signs of approaching storm it
was considered not very serious,
and no danger was anticipated.
The boat was crowded to its fullest
capacity, about $50 women, men and
children from Diamond Bluff, being
on board, and about fifty persons on
a barge which was attached to the
side of the steamer. When about
opposite Lake City the boat began
to feel the effects of the storm but
the officers kept on the way.
The storm increased as the boat
up the lake, and in fifteen
minutes was at its 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
ran on to bar and the barge was cut
loose and the steamer again set
adrift and large number Of those
on the barge jumped and swan
ashore. As the barge also fioated
again into deep water, those on the
barge saw the steamer as il was car
ried 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
10 observe the steamer capsize, and
its cargo of $50 persons precipitated
into the lake. Those on the barge
remained there until they drifted
nearer the shore, and were all res
cued or swan ashore There were
about dfty in all that were on the
barge.
The events that trau-pired on
the steamer after IL separated from
the barge are probably most clearly
related by those who We're rescued
from Il about half an hour ago. IL
il now twelve o'clock, midnight
As soon a. the storm bad Uegun 10
effect the progress Of the boat, Cap
tain Weatherin gave instructions %
run the boat into the Wisconsin
shore, but il was found impossible
10 do 50. In five minutes mofe the
waves began 90 wash into the boat
and filled the lower decks, and