Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-04
| WAS IT the SHIP OHlOORA3
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN CHICAGO
an SIGHT Oh a WRECK.
Men Declare They saw Living Fig
ures on Something That Looked
Like the Hall of n Nessei--some
shy They saw the Name Chicora.

Chicago. Feb. 9.-1he rumor that
the hull Of the lost steamer chicora
had been sighted OFF South Chicago
caused great excitement today In this
city. Tugs were sent out ia search OF
what observers declared was the float
Ing hull, and at dark the lake was be-
ing seaN he'd In the hope that the story
would prove true. The report that
the wreck OF the missing steamer had
been seen reached hero through the
medium Of the IRE department. IL was
teiephoned to Chief swenies office By
Capt. NJ. j. Powers Of engine No. "A,
which Is located at South Chicago.
Shortly before II o'clock In the fore
noon the attention Of Capt Powers
was called to dark object far out IN
the lake and about opposite the mouth
OF Calumet river. The object, a long
black line, like the hun Of a vessel,
rose and fell with the waves. The
rumor spread In South Chicago that
the Chieora was In view. and in II
short time crowds gathered along the
shore and glasses were focused on the
object. which was drifting rapidly to-
ward the southeast capt. Powers
sent message 10 the chief Of the de-
partment. rna hre-boat was sent out
early In the afternoon, and NUMBER
OF other tugs, among them the Pro-
lection and the Morsard left the
mouth oil the Chicago river and steam.
ed as fast as possible to south Chicago
to search for the wreck. In the mean
time an effort WAS made to send out
tugs from South Chicago, but 1t was
unsuccessful on account OF the lee.
The ire.bOat Chicago was lying in the
Calumet, but between 1t ana tho open
lake was over half a mile of river
frozen from bank to bank. the ice
being several feet thick. The Chicago
could make no impression upon the
Ice. 1t was afterwards Joined by the
tugs Hot Day and Heisler. but
the three combined were unable TO
make any Roadway, ana the attempt
10 reach the lake was given up. While
these enurts We're being made the
supposed wreck had passed ont ot
slsnt. When last seen 1t was in mass
vi l!Oaiiug Ice. which was being ear
ricd by tho current to the southern
part OF the lake, It's course being
slightly towards the east.
At o'clock in the afternoon the Bal
timure and Ohio railroad offered 10
place train at the service OF the au-
thorties TO carry resculng parties to
the stations along Its line which are
close 10 the lake. Captain Jenkins and
detail of policemen and several nrc-
men from the South Chicago companies
awaited Themselves OF the orer. and
shortly after o'clock am engine and
one car started from Miller md. which
Hes close to the lake II was believed
Z fTnnl HtrnrffRn which Ihu
posed wreck was drifting when last
aeeu from South Chicago that II would
come ashore in the nclghborhoOd OF
| Miller, Captain Powers, IN an inter
Wow. described the supposed wreck as
a long black line against the white
Held Of Ice.
~ do not say that il was the huh OF
the Chicora," no said, but II had the
| appearance OF the half submerged hun
| OF vessel. II was about the length
| OF vessel like the Chicora, but could
| not ace II distinctly enough to make out
| what position It was In, IL appeared
! 70 be a hull with all the upper works
| gone. and upon Il could be seen several
/ black objects, which might be taken
| for human beings, but there was no
sign OF NE. i thought at the time that
1 lt was the hun OF the Chicora and /
] think SO yet. II seemed to be drifting
/ very fast and when 1 saw it hrst ~
| seemed to be out about three miles,
{ 1 saw several persons today who saw
/ II and declared that living men could
| he seen on IL, but / saw nothing 10 In
dicatc that there was any thing ON IL
that was alive"
Hundreds climbed to the topB OF their
houses In South Chicago In order to get
I a Wow OF what they believed TO be the
wreck of the Chicora Along the shore,
as FAR as One Hundrcdth street. The
crowds stood In the bitter cold wind
and the blowing snow storm. which be-
san In the latter part OF the afternoon.
When it began to grow dark u crowd
OF several hundred on the shore at
4 Nnety-eighth street built a huge hch-
con nrc IN the hope Of attracting ihe
attention OF the people on the gup-
posed wreck, II any OF them were alive
All sorta of rumors We're circulated
through the town, and scores OF rer-
sons could be found who saw, or said
they saw. living men on tho wrctk and
walking about ON the Ice, which SUR
rounded It, Some lad counted - e
men, but numbers varied from lttten
to thlrty-fve, or nine uo.s thar. the
crew and passengers q the m.tHing
steamer. There We're some VINO = "a
they had seen the men on the wreck
making signals, and h. 1 even N'ard
shots fired as nm appcTl Tor help n nc
OF these stories could be verified, ard
they We're totally az vafiua-e with ;he
testimony of the police ard tUg1,en
and others who had watched the ioat-
ing object through slls,rs
Capt, Jenkins OF the Vessel owners
company at $50 y. m. rsnsfted that me
tug Perfection hnl just returlad from
the search, and quoting Captain Com
sanl'a words In mailing Hil replr'. zap
tain Jenkins sati We found nothing
az all; saw nothing but sea gulls and