Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-08
NINETEEN LIVES LOST.
The Steamer Idaho Sunk in Lake
Erie.
Almost the Entire Crew Went to
the Bottom of the Lake-Two of
the Grew Rescued After Clinging
to a Mast for Eight Householder
Marine Disasters.

Buffalo, n Y, November THE
steamer Idaho, of the Western Tran
sit line New York CentraD, found
cred in eight fathoms of water at 4: 80
O'Clock yesterday morning off Long
Point, on Lake Erie. This point puts
out into the lake from the Canadian
shore, about IS miles west OF Buffalo,
and its vicinity has been the scene OF
many disasters.
The Idaho, commanded by Captain
William Gillies, of Buffalo, and having
on board crew of twenty-ouo all
told, left Buffalo Friday afternoon,
laden with package freight for Mil
waukee. A strong southwest gale
was blowing at the time, and the
weather office had storm signals up
for the lake.
Captain Gillies thought he could
weather the gale and headed straigh,
up the lake. Shortly after passing
Long Point he discovered his mistake
anu III W III lOI Su6ilSI.
The sea was running very high at
the time, and in turning the Idaho
shipped a big sea which Quenched
the fires in the engines and the boat
was helpless in
THE TROUGH OF THE SEA.
The captain and crew were lowering
the life boat when the steamer gave a
lurch and went down on her side.
stern first. Two of the crew, a deck
hand named William Gill, of Roches-
ter, and the second mate, name un,
known, reached the top of a single
spar that stood above the water. There
they chung until eight hours later,
when they were discovered by the out
look on the Mariposa, of the Mime
sofa line.
The efforts of those on board The
Mariposa> 20 rescue the two men in
volved the greatest possible danger.
The sea was running very high ana
life boats could not be landed Lines
We're thrown to the two men, but their
arms and legs had stiffened arounc
the spar, and they could do nothing
to help themselves. The Mariposa ran
as close to the Idaho as possible ana
efforts were made to grasp the men
while passing. This was repeated sew
eral times and with
SUCCESS AT LAST.
The two survivors were brought to
Buffalo, arriving here shortly before
midnight. Both were in an exhausted
state and unable to give a connected
story of the wreck.
OF those who were on board and
are supposed to be drowned. the only
names known tonight are deck hand
Edward Smith, of Pittsburg; a deck
hand named Bell, and Captain William
Gillies, of Buffalo.
The Idaho was an old boat, having
been built in 1868. She was 220 feet
long and had a gross tonnage of
hoo.
The following are the names of six
teen of the nineteen men who
LOST THEIR LIVES
in the steamer Idaho, which sank dur
ing the gale on Saturday morning above
Long Point, on Lake Erie: Alexander
Gil.ies, captain, Buffalo,; George Glib
son, first mate, Buffalo: VIM. Clancy.
chief engineer, Buffalo; John D. Taylor,
steward, Buffalo. Nelson Skinner. first
assistant engineer; Louis Gilmore,
Waterman; RICHARD Mclean wheelman;
Robert Will4as, wheelman; A. }.
Richard lookout; Henry Thompson,
IL
VIM. Gregory. fireman; John Healy, as
sistant steward; Frederick Miffort, oil
er; Edward Smith, deck hand. Roches-
ter. n. Y; NJ. Bell, deck hand
The names of three Of the men
drowned are unknown to the steam
ship company. One was a fireman. an
other a deck hand and the third a por-
ter
The names of
THE TWO MEN SAVED
are: Louis LaForce, Jr., second mate,
and VIM. Gill, deck hand. living at
1877 Kent street, Rochester. Y. Y. 1t is
not known at the Office Of the Western
Transit Company where the greater
portion Of the dead men hail from.
The Idaho went out of commission
three or four years ago, but this sum
mer she was thoroughly overhauled.
After her oyerhauling she was placed
at the disposal Of the Naval Veterans
Association and by that organization
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 ILL-FATED STEAMER,
Alex. Gillies. was one Of the most wide
" known Of lake seamen. He was IL
years old and knew the lake waters like
a book His brother Donald Giliies, is
captain Of the steamer Harlem.
: When the steamer Mariposa arriv-
ed in port about midnight last night
with the news Of the disaster to the
Idaho. and having on board the two
surviving members Of the crew. Capt.
Root had this to say regarding the
storm on the lake and the rescue Of
the two men:
1T was one OF the worst gales |
ever experienced in all my years on
the lakes. We started from Chicago
with load OF oats. All the way
down the lakes We had TO fight with
the storm. and / thought once or twice
OF putting in somewhere until IL blew
over. | am glad / did not, for fear