The Monticellonian., 1895-02-08
WAS IT A MlRAGE2


 What Was Thought to be the Wreck of the
 Chicora Seen by Thousands of Chicago
 ans with Moving People on the Deck
 Tugs Sent to the Rescue Found Nothing
 but a Plank Covered with seaguIls.
 CHICAGO, Feb. 3.-Great excitement prevailed for hours this afternoon and evening among the people along the Illinois shore of Lake Michigan from South Chicago to Whiting, Ind, on account of general circulation of the report that the hull of the steamer Chicora was floating outside the ice fields between these ports, and that the forms of human beings could be discerned moving on the hull. The search so far conducted, while it has not led to the discovery Of any thing ia the shape of wreclsage or rafts with living persons on board, has not been productive on account of darkness
 The report was believed by the Graham & Morton Transportation Co. officials, who made arrangements to bring the friends of the Chicora's crew from Benton Harbor to this city by special train, but when the tugs re- "AehOdO llhNtAIlR dL JlllIlR tu~ couraging the order for the train was eeuntermanded.
 The hope of seeing loved ones, which had died in the breasts of the rela- tives was born again, only to be crushed by the news of the tugs fruit less trip.
 Old lake men who have studied the Chicora disaster place no credence in the positive statements of reliable per sons that they saw the hull of the steamer and human beings moving on 1t, for the simple reason that since the ill-fated vessel left Milwaukee two weeks ago to-day, for Benton Harbor, with twenty-seven souls aboard, westerly winds have invariably prevailed. They would blow any part of the Chicora toward the Michigan shore, where the wreckage has been found, and it is not possible, in their opinion, for the hull of the vessel to have drifted toward the western shore.
 However, the tugs Protection and Calumet, which were sent from this city to Whiting to verify the reports, will resume the search this morning. The crews on the tugs say they spied in the gathering gloom which ob- scured their vision an object which looked like the hull of a vessel or raft and that on their trip from Chicago they encountered hum- mocks of snow-laden ice with nu- merous gulls thereon, which might easily have been mistaken for part of q. VRCGa1 naaunin1 ht,h bos, the hundreds of excited persons who lined the lake shore.
 The object which gave birth to the most intense excitement and cherished hope in three states was first spied off South Chicago at 10 o'clock yesterday morning It appeared to be ten feet high and 15O feet long, and it was ly- ing between large ice foes It was floating south. The police were first informed, and they called on the life saving crew to get out the boat from Jackson park. An attempt to reach the supposed wreck in the lifeboat was frustrated by the pack ice which was wedged against the shore for miles.
 The fire boat Chicago made similar effort, but had to abandon it after fighting the ice for an hour.
 At 1 o'clock the tugs Protection and Calumet were ordered from the Chicago river to make the trip to Whiting. The Calumet remained at South Chi cago, while the Protection crunched the ice for several miles beyond Whit ing, which Is twenty miles south of this city.
 At 9 o'clock the Protection returned and the captain reported that the only tangible thing that had been sighted was plank covered with gulls and ducks The coal supply of the tug was not sufficient to continue the search and its compass got out of or- der so that it had to whistle for help from the Caulmet, or the search would have been continued in the dark for a little longer.
 The most remarkable thing in con- nection with the alleged discovery is that scores of marine men with glasses, and other people equally reliable un- der ordinary conditions, declare posi- lively that they could see men moving on raft or a vessels hull. The ob- ject was also seen by the people of Hammond, Ind, which is several miles south of Whiting. Newspaper bull letns in the city added to the popular excitement, everybody hoping even against their cooler judgment that the report was true, yet at the same time doubting that human beings could live for two weeks in the freezing weather which has prevailed.
 A relief train was sent on the Balti- more < Ohio railroad from South Chi cago to Whiting at 4 o'clock and re- turned at 7:3o. The people on board saw what they took to be the wreck lying stationary off Whiting, and it re- mained so until darkness shut the ob- ject from sight.
 BOLD WORK BY BURGLARS.