Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-11-11
NINETEEN LIVES LOST.
Steamer Idaho Wrecked in Furi-
GUS Gale on Lake Erie.
OF the Twenty-One Souls on Board
the Doomed Vessel Only Two Sur
vive-Rescued by n Pass
ing Steamer.


Buffalo, N. Y, Nov. s.-The steamer
Idaho, of the Western Transit line New
York CentraD foundered in eight
fathoms of water at 4:30 Saturday
morning off Long point, on Lake Erie
This point juts out into the lake from
the Canadian shore about 65 miles west
of Buffalo, and its vicinity has been the
scene of many disasters.
The Idaho, commanded by Capt. Will
liam Gillies, of Buffalo, and having on
board crew of 81 all told, left Buffalo
Friday afternoon laden with package
freight for Milwaukee. A strong south
west gale was blowing at the time, and
the weather office had storm signals up
for the lake. Capt. Gillies thought he
could weather the gale, and headed
straight up the lake. Shortly after
passing Long point he discovered his
mistake, and tried to run for shelter.
The sea was running very high at the
time, and in turning, the Idaho shipped
big sea, which quenched the fires in
the engines, and the boat was helpless
i'll the trough of the sea. The captain
and crew were lowering the lifeboat
when the steamer gave lurch and went
down on her side, stern first. Two of
the crew, a deckhand named William
Gill, of Rochester, and the second mate,
name unknown, managed to reach the
top of single spar that stood above the
water. There they chung until eight
hours later, when they were discovered
and rescued by the Mariposi, of the
Minnesota line.
The Idaho was an old boat, having
been built in 1868. She was 220 feet
long, and had gross tonnage of LILO.
Following are the names of 16 of the
10 men who lost their lives:
Alexander Gilles, captain, Buffalo:
George Gibson, first mate, Buffalo; Will
liam Clancy, chief engineer, Buffalo; John
D. Taylor, steward, Buffalo; Nelson Skin
ner, first assistant engineer; Louis Gill
more, Waterman; Richard Mclean, wheel
man; Robert Williams, wheelman; A. j.
Richard, lookout; Henry Thomson, look
OUT Conrad Banker, fireman; William
Gregory, fireman.; John Healy, assistant
steward; Frederick Miffort, oiler; Edward
Smith, deck hand, Rochester, n. Y; NJ.
Beel, deck hand. The names of three of
the men drowned are unknown to the
steamship company. One was fireman,
ter.
The Idaho went out of commission
three or four years ago, but this sum-
mer she was thoroughly overhauled.
After her overhauling she was placed at
the disposal of the Naval Veterans as
ISOLATION, and by that organiza ton
used as a flagship during the G. a. r..
encampment in August. At the close
of the encampment she was put into
commission again as a freighter.
The captain of the Inflated steamer,
Alex. Gillies, was one of the most widely
known of lake seamen. He was Al
years old and knew the lake waters
like book. His brother, Donald Gil
lies, is captain of the steamer Harlem
The second mate, Louis La Force, told
narrowing story to the crew of the
Mariposa. He said that in the rush of
men from the hold one of them, watch
man, was trampled to death. The crew
was frantic to get out of the place. Six
or eight, he said, must have been
drowned like rats in the hold. They
were not warned of the sinking of the
boat. The first long dip of the stern
was the first intimation they had that
the final danger was at hand and then
they made frantic rush to get on deck.
The hatchway was too small to let them
through together, and the result was
that one of them was trampled to death
and several Jyara Loft 70 Iro1,,