Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1890-08-12
IN TERRIBLE DANGER
An Excursion Boat Loaded
With G. A. R. People Mar
rowly Escapes Wreck
Seven Hundred Men. Women
and Children Threatened
With Destruction
The Steamer Drifts Helplessly
Through the Sault
Rapids

MONTREAL, Aug. ll-Twenty- five :hun-
dred Grand Army men with their wives
and children left Chicago for Boston via
Niagara Falls, Valencia river and Mont
real on Friday. Most of them were from
ports and cities outside of Chicago and
many came from Iowa, Minnesota, Ne
braska, Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin.
At o'clock yesterday morning five big
steamer loads left Kingston TO go through
the rapids. All the boats were packed
with Grand Army men and their families.
The Bohemian, the largest Of the boats,
was loaded with between 600 and 700 pas
sengers. Long Sault Rapids was passed
with safety. The day was very pleasant
w spent, but the boat was fearfully
crowded. About : o'clock great
number of clouds began to gather in the
west and the sky began to darken. The
wind freshened considerably. too. and a
big storm was predicted. There was yet
one series Of rapids to go through. the
Cretal. "a dangerous as any. but the cap
tain OF the bohemian thought he could
reach there before darkness set In. The
upper deck forward of the boat was
packed with people watching the first
plunge of the steamer when brilliant
Hash of lightning appeared and rain began
To fall In sheets. The people made a rush
for the cabin and shelter, aud as the
steamer entered the rapids she rolled
fearfully aud the people surged from
side to side. Suddenly sound
OF cracking timbers was heard
and women shrieked and tainted.
Then there were heard several hoarse
commands from the pilot The upper
deck beams cracked the floor in sinking
I e. nd iamunad tho fallar aha in laadfntr frnf,a
/ the pilot house and the steamer. In the
midst of the boiling rapids, was entirely
/ beyond control. When il was known that
/ the boat was unmanagable a panic en-
sued. People rushed here and there and
many tainted, and worse than all. the
crew and walters on board made rush
/ for a pile OF life fe-preseryers In the center
OF the cabin and in the afterdeck aud be-
gan strapping them on. The war veter-
ans aboard kept their wits about them
aud fought the towards away from the
| life-preservers while. as rapidly as poSsi-
| bic. they strapped as many as they could
! find to the women and children. There
go around The boat in the
mean time had turned entirely
around and was now going down the rap
ids stem first. Suddenly there was ter
rible jar. The steamer had struck a
rock and she slowly began to turn around
again. Then came another shock fol-
lowed by another. each heavier than the
! former. Another shock came and the
steamer gave a mighty heaye and plunge
as III she was going down head first and
then slowly turned her head to the rap
ids. There was another rock, but she
merely touched it. plunged and at last
jumped through the rapids out in open
waters. The captain yelled, I'VE are
alright now" The crew had got over
their panic and were working hard clear
critical time and by the time they cleared
the rapids the steamer was under control
again. She was turned shoreward and in
twenty minutes the party was disembark-
ing