Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-08-25
STR. COLUMBIAN WRECKED.

sengers of the kIcheneu N On1arlO |
Navigation CompanY's new steamer
Columbian, which ran aground in the |
Cedar Rapids, have reached the city !
and relate thrilling story Of their ex-
periences.
The Columbian, which was on her
way from Kingston to Montreal, had
about 200 tourists on board. Every
thing went we'll until the steamer
struck Cedar Rapids. When about
half way through the rapids, the chains
connecting with the steam steerlng-gear
suddenly broke. Pilot Ouelette at
once connected the hand-steering
gear, but, to his CONSERVATION, that also
broke. The boat was darling down the
rapids at the rate of between fifteen and
twenty miles an hour, but Ouelette or
dered all steam on. This was done to
keep the steamer from going broadslde
into the current and rolling over. Under
the impetus, the Columbian made with
the rapidity of railroad train straight
toward a little island in the rapids,
known as Crane Island. Not a passen-
ger on board knew what had occurred.
None realized how close they were to
eternity. Indeed, most of them thought
that it was part of the programme to
take them so close to the island, and
that before reaching it the steersman
would sheer the boat Oft and she would
continue on her way down the boiling
rapids.
Suddenly a crunching sound was
of no of
along the rocks The Columbian had
gone ashore in the center of the dam
gerous rapids. The terrific current. run
ming like mill sluice, caught the stern
and swung the vessel broadside to the
island. If she had not been hard
aground the current would have car
ried her off the island and swept her
helpiessly down the rapids.
When the passengers realized the sit
uation great anxiety was espresso to
reach the land, as 1t was feared that the
steamer might at any moment be car
ried down by the current. A rope
bridge to the island was at first suggest
ed, but finally 6 temporary bridge was
made by cutting down two trees. HaW-
sers were thrown out to the shore, and
the Columbian was held safe in her
perilcus position. About one half
OF the passengers went ashore
bv the bridge. There were three
islands to be crossed before
they could reach the mainland.
Between two of the islands the native
boatmen transferred the passengers, and
the trip was an experience that lew OF
them will ever forget. When the main
land was reached the party was made
as comfortable for the night as possible
under the circumstances, and next day
= L,1 a
steamer Bohemian to bring them to
Montreal.
Mr.. Gavin, one of the passengers, told
the following story. eve had all been
reading graphic descriptions Of how, in
shooting the rapids, the boat would
seem to be going ashore, as on an ISL
and, and then by skilltul steering
would veer into the channel. When
we noticed the steamer bearing down
upon the island upon which We were
wrecked, it seemed as though the
printed descriptions were perfectly
true, but in an instant the sound OF the
bottom crunchlng upon the rocks, the
sight OF the bowsprit in among the tree
tops on the shore and the sudden stop
page of the vessel at once produced
general alarm among the passengers
Fortunately, it was only momentarlly,
Rs the nearness OF the shore had reas-
surfing effect. Before the excitem ent
had subsided a French Canadian, a
perfect giant in build, and companion
standing on the shore were waiting to
catch the line thrown from the steamer
anc make rope bridge upon which the
gangways were thrown out. The
crew Immediately ran tor the
shora with their axes and cut
passage in the forest to the
shore, where small boats could be
reached and carry US off in sa ETY..
They then felIed 40 large pine trees,
about eighty feet long which were
stripped of their branches and thrown
across the stream from the shore to the
steamer, upon which a permanent
bridge was erected. In the midst of all
the excitement, big French Canadian,
by his strength and activity, elected
MANY expressions of admiration.
If our experience had ended there,
nothing but praises could be said of him
and his companions who came throng-
Ing to the island in their small boats,
shooting the turbulent waters with IL
Irritable skill. But it became necessary
for us to cross two channels about half
a mile wide before We could reach the
main land. Notwithstanding that the
officers the boat had assured the boat
men that every charge would be settled
by the company, they took US to
the most dangerous places and then
when out of reach of authority, de-
manded compensation at the rate of 81 |
per head. They refused to land us I'M
til we paid, and threatened personal
violence. On one occasion when boat !
load of thirty people were struggling
In the stream, these men Jumped from
their boat into the swift current flowing
up to their waists. and, holding the
boat, demanded that each passenger
pay 81 before they went ashore.
W. Diss: uer, of New \ ork, another
of the passengers, was loud in his
praises of Sluve. ,he leader of the
Eren,h Canadian rescuers, He said
that this man proved himself to be a
marvel of muscular strength and practi-
cal engineering skill. Under his lead
ership the other men built the bridge
from the boat to the shore as we'll
as any trained body of military
men could have done it. In
IA