Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-15
SIXTY-EIGHT BODIES.
Lake Pepin Gives Up Its
Dead.
The Death Rolls Appalling
Proportions.
Greatest Loss of Life Ever Expe-
rienced in the Northwest
Gallant Work of Rescue by Militia Men.
The Captain of the Steamer
Censured.
Associated Press Dispatches.

rOunded by beautiful Dluf1S ana farming
lands, Lake Pepin's unruffied surface
gave today little evidence of its fierce
struggle with the elements and of the
death-dealing fury of the storm that
ragged off this city last night. With
scarcely note of warning there burst
upon this region one of the severest
storms known in its history, and the
loss of life is probably greater than
any other single calamity that ever
visited any part Of the northwest.
Sixty-eight bodies have already been
recovered.
The excursion steamer Sea Wing, of
Diamond Bluff, had carried a party of
200 or more excursionists from Red
Wing to the camp Of the first regiment
OF the Minnesota National Guard, just
below the city. When the day was
coming to close, Captain Wetheren
prepared to return boat-load to their
homes. Many among them feared the
approaching storm, and asked that he
postpone the departure until after the
storm had blown over.
Braving the Storm.
Thinking the storm would not prove
serious, he would not consent, but at
about O'Clock started off up the lake
towards Red Wing, nearly 200 passen-
gers being on the steamer and barge.
The wind was blowing a gale. A point
of land runs out from the Minnesota
shore, just above this place, across from
which is what is known as Maiden rock.
To pass around this point it was neces-
sary for the steamer to turn slightly
towards the Wisconsin shore, and i'm
mediately the hurricane seized hold Of
the already struggling and creaking yes.
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 excur-
sionists had crowded, was also seized,
her awning being crushed in and the
passengers thrown into the water. This
happened just below the point, and as
the helpless hulks drifted before the
gale, the steamer righted herself for a
moment, but in another moment was
keeled over. The barge broke loose, and
drifted down opposite the town, and
those still on the barge, about twenty in
number, were rescued. The steamer
drifted in back of the point and sank.
Heroic Rescuers.
Many were saved, however, and the
heroism of number of rescuers cannot
be too highly praised. Corporal B. L..
Perry compelled the spectators to assist
him, and saved the lives of eighteen of
those who were still clinging to the
wreck. Others there were like him, and
over sixty were rescued from what
seemed certain death. Small boats
cruised round 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
everyone volunteered. Adjutant-General
Mullen Immediately took charge of the
regiment, and work was begun and
carried on. Body after body, men,
women and children, in some cases
whole families, were taken from the
water, some alive, others unconscious
but not dead, and yet others from which
the breath of life had forever fled.
Sad Experiences.
Sad experiences were many. Parents
who had children missing and other
people looking for friends and relatives,
ran up and down the beach all night
and today, inquiring if any more bodies
had been recovered, and for the names
of identified dead. The anguish of the
MANY parents whose children had been
ruthlessly torn from them by the awful
calamity cannot be portrayed.
At 2 O'Clock this morning fifty bodies
had been recovered and identified and
sent to Red Wing. At 8 a lot more had
taken the same mournful journey, and
at 3 O'Clock this afternoon seven others
were added to the gruesome number.
List of the Dead.
The dead are: Fred Seaver, Heine
,Gerken, Charles Brown, X. Pierson and
Bertha Winters, of Red Wing; Alice
Palmer and Nettie Palmer, OF Trenton,
Wis. John Heffner and wife and two
children, Peter Gevlen, wife and five
children, Mrs. Blaker and two children,
Mrs. Hemfohling and three children,
Mrs. Schumbert and daughter, Minnie
Fisher, Katie DAILY, Mrs. j. Sherf and
daughter, Annie Sterger, George Nelson,
Charles Dinslage, Fred Sewers and
daughter, Tom Larson, H. Red
ms and two children, Fred
Hattemeyer, Mamie Adams, Katie
Burkhardt, A, o. Anderson, Eddie
christopher, George Harris, Mrs. Nellie
Woehren and son, Millie Niles, Bierson
Fiby, Cordy Johnson, Floy Smith, Myr-
tie Meroi, Charles Fulton, Annie Wag,
Miss Brennan, Phoebe Bierson, Katie
Davis, John Englebertson, Miss Ida
Green, Fred Hemplow, Theodore Hard
we'll, Lizzie Harrison, Mabel Holten,
Mrs. Rumbeock, Arthur Haglen, Emma
Nelson, Orrin T. Osky, Sadly Pearson,
Julia Persig, Mrs. stawson, Mr.. Scheff.
Ter, wife and two children, John Strobe,
Miss Seibrasse. This makes the total
dead SO far as heard from at a. m,
sixty-eight.
other marks of injury upon them.
The fact that the militia were in easy
call undoubtedly resulted in the saving
OF many lives, and the work OF the clt1'
zen soldiers, their excellent organization
and the good management OF Genera
Mullen and Surgeons Fitzgerald, Clark