The Indianapolis journal., 1893-11-09
TWENTY LIVES LOST
Details of the Burning Of a Steam
er on Lal.e NipiSsing.
The Vessel Caught Fire Near Goose
Island-Only Seven Persons Saved
Albany-Philadelphia Collision.

NORTH BAY, Ont, Nov. s.-A frightful
casualty occurred on Lake Nipissing, yes
terday, which resulted in the loss of
large number of lives and the destruction
of a valuable vessel. The steamer Frazer
was proceeding up the lake, and when about
twenty-four miles west of North Bay, near
what is known as Goose island, fire was
discovered on board. All efforts TO eXtln-
guish it proved unavailing. and the entire
vessel was soon wrapped in flames Twenty
lives have been lost. Seven persons were
saved
The steamer was owned by Davidson x
Hay, wholesale grocers of Toronto, and at
the time the fire broke out was on the way
from Calender to Davidson & Hays lum-
ber camp. at the western end of Lake Nip
issing Besides the crew, which consisted
OF Captain Douglas and four or five men,
there were on board some twenty lumber
men, OF the whole number on board the
steamer only seven men escaped, two of
whom were members of the crew, namely,
the fireman and cook. scow, loaded with
supplies for the lumber camp, was IN tow
of the steamer, but was cut loose ana
drifted TO the shore. The cause OF the i nre
ing to the steamer has been found drifting
| with hole in one side.
The burning boat was sighted from
Franks bay by Captain Burrett and an
Indian, who jumped in sail boat and
hastened to the assistance of the imper-
| lied crew; but by the time they reached
| the spot the Frazer was burned to the
waters edge. Seven survivors had sue
| ceeded in reaching the. scow which the
| Frazer had in tow, and these were res
| cued. The boats hull sank in about twenty
| five feet OF water, and the only thing now
| marking the scene of the disaster is a short
piece of the stack extending above the
| water. The large loss of life is due to the
| fact that the engines We're. not stopped be-
fore the engineer driven away by
| flames. In consequence, the Frazer contin-
ued to plow through the water at furi,
GUS pace, A life boat which was launched
| and occupied by number of men was
| caught under the wheel and Immediately
| Following is a partial list of those known
| to have been drowned: Capt. w. Carr,
| Matthew Brennan, J. Sutherland. Alfred
| Barbeau, William, Storey, Thomas Osborne
Shaw, John Smalley, Thomas Massey
| Thomas Bowers Thomas Sheriff, James
| Mccain and seven others whose names are
| not known by the survivors The survivors
| are: Neal Macarthur, Alexander Robertson,
| Stanley McMannemy, X. L: Haroah, nre-
| man w. McInter, Edward Cook, John
Adams.
| The Collision OFF Point Aux Barques.
| PORT HURON, Mich, Nov. S.-A. j. Nc
| Donald of the Albany, and twenty men
| from the lost steamers arrived here this
morning. Captain Mcdonald and his crew
L
| cident. Fifteen men from the Albany and
ten from the Philadelphia came down on
| TIE narrow-gauge railway. One of the
| Philadelphias crew said he had just come
| off watch and was smoking a cigarette
| when the boats collided. They came to-
| gether with considerable force, but not
| enough to indicate that either boat was
| running at full speed. The Philadelphia
| he claims, was due on her course, and the
| Albany off her course when the latter was
| struck. The Philadelphia had exchanged
| signals for passing and checked her speed
| twice The fog was so thick no one could
| see ahead over two rods. The Philadel-
| she had not stopped to tow the Albany,
| and he thinks that il was big half hour 3
| tow before the Albany sank. The Albany
| had stowaway aboard named Joe Church,
| lad about eighteen years old, who came
| from England The boy was asleep when
| the collision occurred. and was awakened.
| He thinks the boats must have struck
| hard. He had no time to get his clothes
| on. Captain Mcdonald, who has been on
| the lakes twenty-three years seemed 10 be
too appalled, at the awful loss of life TO
| talk. In his judgment, ne said, he did not
| think the yawl which is reported to have
| capsiZed was foul of the wreck. There was
| some sea on and a wind blowing. despite
| the fog, and the boat may nave capslzed.
1 However, he does not think either boat was
| overloaded both yawls being the same
| size. There was plenty of room for half a
saved Captain Huff. of the Philadelphia,
| and Mate George Drury, of the Albany,
| have gone to Tawas to identify the dead
| bodies Charles Rowan, wheeiman OF the
| Philadelphia, aged twenty-five, who is a
| single man, is among the lost. He Is
| thought to be from this city. The Phila-
| delphia's crew will receive transportation
and report at Erie, and the Albany's crew
| to Buffalo.
The bodies of eleven of the victims of the
| collision are at East TaWaS.