Rock Island Argus., 1897-11-08
IBUT Tll!g| n!E!:E Saved Z!
Out Of the Twsnty-ons Who lsfi
Buffalo -Frlday on tie Steam. 2
ship Idaho for Milwaukee.
STORY OF A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

Finding the Gale Too Severe the Vessel
Tries to Turn hack but Ships sea and
Founders-Reseue Of the Two Survivor
and Names Of the Lost-Explosion Of
Nitro -0lyccrine Nearly Annihilaaes Three
Men and Four Horses-Loss Of Several
Lves BY Fire.
Buffalo. N. T.. Nov. S.-The following
are the names Of sixteen of the nineteen
men who lost their lives on the steamer
Idaho. which sank during the gale on
Saturday morning above Long Point, on
Lake Erie: Alexander Gillies captain:
George Gibson, first mate; William
Clancy. chief engineer; John ID. Taylor,
steward-all Of Buffalo: Nelson Skinner.
first assistant engineer: Louis Gilmore.
watchman: Richard Mclean and Rob-
ert Williams. wheelmen: A. J. Richard
and Henry Thompson. lookouts: WILL
lam Gregory. fireman; John Heaiy. as
sistant steward; Frederick Miffort, oil.
er: Edward Smith Rochester. N. "
and NJ. Beel. deck hands. Tie names Of
three Of the men drowned are unknown
to the steamship company. One was q
fireman, another a deck hand. and the
third porter. The names OF the two
saved are Louis Laforce, Jr.. second
mate. and William Gill. a deck hand.
Went Down in Eight Fathoms.
The captain Of the Inflated steamer
Alex Gillies. was one of the most widely
known lake seamen. He was Al years
old and knew the lake waters like o
book. His brother. Donald Gillies, Is
captain OF the steamer Harlem. The
Idaho was of the Western Transit line
(New York CentraD and foundered In
eight fathoms Of water at &:30 Saturday
morning of Long Point on Lake Erie.
This point juts out into the lake from
the Canadian shore about sixty-fiye
| miles west Of Buffalo, and Its vicinity
has been the scene Of many disasters.
The Idaho left Buffalo Friday afternoon
laden with package freight for Milwau-
kee. A strong southwest gale was blow
Ing al the time. and the weather office
had storm signals up for the lake.
Nineteen Went Down with Her.
Captain 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 q big sea
which quenched the fires in thu engine
room, and the boat was helpless in the
trough Of the sea. The captain and
crew were lowering the life boat when
the steamer gave lurch and went down
on her side. stern first. Only two
Of the crew managed to reach the top Of
a single spar that stood above the water.
There they clung until eight hours later.
when they were discovered by the out
look On the MaripVsa. Of the Minnesota
line
How the Two Men Were Rescued.
The effort of those on board the Mari.
pcsa to rescue the two men involved the
greatest possible danger. The sea was
running very high. and life boats could
not be launched. Lines were thrown to
the two men, but their arms and legs
had stiffened around the spar and they
could do nothing to help themselves. The
Mariposa ran as chose to the spar az
possible and efforts were made to grasp
the Ven while passing. This was re.
peated several times. and with success
at last. The two survivors were brought
to Buffalo. Both were in an exhausted
state and unable. to give a connected
story Of the wreck. The Idaho was an
old boat, having been built in 1863. She
was 220 feet long and had q gross tom
mage Of LILO.