The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-02-09
WAS 1T A

- hltdH
ans with Moving People on the Deck
sent TO the Rescue Found Nothing
"uta flank Covered with SeaSuus.
CHICAGO, Feb. 5.-Great excitement
prevailed for hours this afternoon and
evening among the people along the
llllnols shore of Lake Michigan from
south Chicago to Whiting, Ind. on
account OF a general circulation of the
report that the hull of the steamer
onicora was floating outside the ice
nelds between these ports, and that
the forms OF human beings could be
nlscerned moving on the hull. The
search SO far conducted, while it has
NOT LED to the discovery of anvthinp in
the shape OF wreckage or RATS with
llvlng persons on board, has not been
productive on account of darkness.
The report was believed by the
uraham d Morton Transportation Co.
oflclals. 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-
turned without finding anything en-
eouraging the order for the train was
countermanded.
The hope of seeing loved ones. which
d dled In the breasts of the rela-
tIves was born again, only to be
S Il by the news of the tugs fruit
less trip.
Old lake men who have studied the
Chlcora disaster place no credence in
the positive statements of reliable Der
sons that they saw the hull of the
teaner and human beings moving on
1t, for the simple reason that since the
Inflated vessel left Milwaukee two
weeks ago to-day, for Benton Harbor.
with twenty-seyen 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 sem from this
city to Whiting to verify the reports,
will resume the search this morning.
IN NAS NNSn SdA NlC SDlCAl
in the gathering gloom which OBJ
scured their vision an object
which looked like the hull of a
vessel or a 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
a vessel occupied by human beings by
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. 1t appeared to be ten feet
high and $50 feet long, and it was ly-
ing between large ice foes. 1t 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 a similar
ClIOIIs DuI hdu W dDdluOH IL dlltT
fighting the ice for an hour.
At l o'clock the tugs Protection and
Calumet were order red from the Chicago
river 20 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 Q o'clock the Protection returned
and the captain reported that the only
tangible thing hat had been sighted
was a 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
nave been continued in the dark for a
little longer.
The most remarkable thing in con-
n~ection with the alleged discovery is
that scores of marine men with glasses,
and other people equally reliable I'M
der ordinary conditions, declare posi-
lively that they could see men moving
on Il TdlG vi IL NtSScl HULL lie OD-
ject was also seen by the people Of
Hammond. Ind, which is several miles
south of Whiting. Newspaper bui-
letins in the city added to the popular
excitement, everybody hoping even
against their cooler judgment hat the
report wa true, yet at the same time
doubling that human beings could live
"a. 49, .zoJ-z 3. 4ha f-aa1,,e ,-o,tIo.
has prevailed.
A relief train was sent Oh n. p,I+i-
more & Ohio railroad f. 81 O.
cago 10 '"..'hR at 4 o'clock and re-
turned nj The people on board
saw what they took to be the wreck
lying stationary off Whiting, and it re-
manned so until darkness shut the OBJ
ject from sight.