Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-17

Ana Excursion Steamer Crowded
with Passengers Goes Down With
An On Board - HenrL-rending
Ecenos-I.int of the Identified.

LAKE OITY, MIMI, July IT, Wnht VIII
probably prove to be the most disastrous
cyclone that has ever struck this COM
inunity passed over this city OF O'Clock
last night causing the loss Of the lives OF
perhaps 100 or 200 people.
An excursion boat with over 200 people |
on 1t was capsized In the middle Of the
lake. The boat was the steamer Sea Wing,
which came down the lake from Diamond
Bluff, = small place about II miles north
of here, on an excursion q mile below this
city.
The boat was crowded to its capacity,
about 150 men, women and children
being on board, and there were about 80
people on barge which was attached to
the steamer.
Nearing Central Point about two miles
shove here the storm broke over the
steamer and she was OF the mercy Of the
waves which were now washing over the
boat and all was confusion. The boat
momsnterily ran onto . and the
barge cut loose an d the steamer again set
adrift. & number of those on the barge
| jumped and sSem ashore.
A the barge WAS hoated again into the
deep water those on the craft saw the
etesmer as il was carried helplessly out
| into he middle of the lake, and IS they
! were being tossed about ca the raging
waters they were hOrtified moment
| later to see the steamer cspsizs and its
cargo of $50 people thrown into the
water. Those on the barge remained
there urtil they waro drifted nsar the
shcra and thsn AVIAN ashore or wers
sescuaJ, Amurg them were two ladies',
wGo were brought TO the beach by the
STRONG and ready swimmers. There were
about so in all who we're on the barge.
WHAT happened on tho steamer after its
departure from The bsrgs IS probably
most clssgly rotated By those who wers
rescued from 1t about IL 80. As soon az
the stuSm had begun TO affect toe progress
OF tho boat Oaps. WestheEn gave instrue-
lions to run to the Wisconsin shore bes it
ssas pgaipst the two terrible foIces OF
Wind and waves. In Ave minutes mors
tbs waves begRa 10 wash inty tito boat
aud I'LL its lower decks while the hail
stones az large ~ hens egga came down
on the heads Of the helpless creatures
huddled together on the top. A huge
wave struck tho craft on the side at the
same moment that u terrific blast OF wind
came up and carried the boat over all OF
the people on board, $50 or more being
! thrown into tho water, aome being caught
underneath and others thrown into the
waves.
The hoat turned bottom upward and
only about 25 people were seen 20 be
floating on the surface. Thess caught
hold of the boat ana climbed upon the
up.turned bottom, those first securing
: o position helping the others.
Ia 10 minutes more this 20 who had OBJ
} tanned monentary safety on the boat
could observe no others Of the boats
. crew or phssengers, floating on the sur
/ face of the continuing high sea OF waves.
. Afterwards, however, as u tlAsh OF light
ming lighted up the surface of the lake
! the sight OF an occasional white dress OF
| d drowning woman or child was observ-
: able.
Those remaining began calling for help
Y from the shore as soon as the storm
Q began to abate, and in half an hour
!, lights were aeen fitting about on the
n shores of Lake City, opposite which
8 point the uptuHnsd steamer had beer
4 driven. Before help could reach them
4 however, the helpless ones who yet re.
!. mainsd to tell the horrors of the night
y were again submitted to another battle
e with the elemsnts with no word Of warn
ing, and az they were Just beginning tC
10 hope they would be taken out by the
10 citizans Of Lake City the boat agar
: turned over, this time on it's side, and
" again all OF the remaining % souls were
y hurled into the water. or these severa
NJ drowned before they could be brought te
d the boat by those who suocesded in re
q mainiUg afioat and again securing hole
!, on the boats side Rs the men hung ontt
, the railing in danger each moment O.
:. washing away by the waves. The up
:, turned boat was at last discovered. Thu
4 20 or more people oliDging to it were res
e cued and brought to the shore, most o.
them being able to swim.
A full list of the $50 passengers whict
are presumed to have been lost is not OBJ
taiuable at this time. A large majority
Of them were women and children those
" being saved being nearly all strong mel
who were able 10 swim and cling to tn
~ boat after it had boon capsizsd. On tn
~ return from the capsized boat with thre'
=, or four people who had been rescued on
!. y of the row boats encountered two floating
= bodies each with life preserver on.
In Lake City the damage to propert.
I, by tho Cyclone is great although HI
y y fatalities have been reported. Collin
Z Brothers saw aud planning mill is total!
:. demolished. The roof of the opera nous
- was carried away and tho stores under
" meath more or less damaged by the rail
~ andhail. Ynuag d Oompany's dry good
block III badly Genlulished. Part of tn
70 Lyons block was demolished and good
- ia ths stores damaged. Ehe roof Gf tn
7. building in which the telegraph ottics
y located III gone and the lower hoeis yer
VI damaged. GAllett g. Beck's sash fGetrr,
~ is almost total wreck. The streeta 0
- the city ore filled with fallen trees an
y parts of buildings that had been CARRIE
4 through the air.
!, Up 10 2 O'Clock this morning 80 bodie
a. hal been found and the search foF tn
:" dead was kept up all aight.
., A later dispatch from Red Wing state
Y that IA bodies have been recovered b
- - tile reasoning parties sent out from III
p shore. The identified are: Miss Hemp
~ ting, Charles Hempting, Fred Hempting
Miss Way, CHARLES Dinslsge, Henry Stei
finson, Annie Steeger, Francis Stsegai
Minnie Adams, Katie DAILY, Miss Biersor
Minnie Fisher. Unidentified bodies t
- !. the number OF 50 have been reoovoze
- the work of rsacue is being pushed b.
- parties Of the military boys Sho are en-
y oanped up the river.
- Bodies of those drowned in LAX
~ Pepin 10 the number OF SO arrived /
s oa Red Wing at about 6 O'Clock, this morr
y, ~ ing. The whole town was in mourning
~ Immediately upon tine arrival of th
y, ~ steamer the bodies were carried to th
= respective homes of the deceased PEI
sons. The following is list OF thcs
= who were Brought to Bed Wing this mori
"a ing John Hefflsr and wife and two chill
- iren;P. Gevlen, wife and Ave children; Mr.
~ Blakts and two children, Hiss Hemtoblir
and three children, Mrs. SchIelberg an
!. dauohtar Minnie Fisher Marc SgcpluuC