The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-08

line NNeW lOIk SeulTalJI IOuuueIeu IN
eight fathoms of water at 4:3O o'clock
yesterday morning, of Long Point, on
Lake Erie. This point juts out into the
lake from the Canadian shore about
sixty-hve miles west Of Buffalo. and It's
vicinity has been the scene OF many
disasters.
The Idaho, commanded by Captain
VIM. Gillles, OF Buffalo. and having on
board crew OF twenty-oRe all told, left
mnalo Friday afternoon laden with
package freight for Milwaukee. A
strong southwest gale was blowing at
the time and the weather office had
storm signals up for the lake.
Captain Gi'iles 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 ut the
time and In turning the Idaho shipped q
big sea, which quenched the fires in
the engine room and the boat was help
less In the trough OF the sea. The cap
tain and crew were lowering the life
boat when the steamer gave n lurch
and went down on her side. stern first.
Two of the crew, n deck hand named
VIM. GiH. OF Rochester, and the second
mate, name unknown, reached the top
of a single spar that stood above the
water. There they clung until eight
hours later. when they were discovered
by the outlook on the Mariposa, OF the
Minnesota line.
The effort Of those on board the Mari
posa to rescue the two men involved
the greatest possible danger. The sea
was running very high and life boats
could not be landed. Lines were
thrown to the two men, but their arms
and legs had stiffened around the spar
and they could do nothing to help them
selves. The Mariposa ran as close TO
the Idaho as possible and efforts were
made to grasp the men while passing.
This was repeated several times and
with success at last. The survivors
were brought to Buffalo, arriving here
shortly before midnight Both were in
an exhausted state and unable TO give
connected story OF the wreck.
OF those who were on board and sup
posed 10 be drowned the only names
known tonight are deck hand Edward
Smith, OF Pittsburgh, deck hand
named Bell and Captain Wm.- 6fiiies, OF
Buhalo. -.....
The Idaho was an old boat. having
been built in 1868. She was 22O feet long
and had gross tonnage OF 1.lo0.
DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
The following are the names OF six
teen 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; Alex
NnNa L. -
Gibson, first mate. Buffalo: William
Clancy. chief engineer, Buffalo; John
d. Taylor. steward, Buffalo; Nelson
Skinner, first assistant engineer; Louis
Gilmore, watchmaR; Richard MsLeaR.
wheelman; Robert Williams wheelmnn;
A. j. Richard. lookout: Henry Thomp-
son, lookout; Conrad Banker. fireman;
William Gregory. fireman: John Healy,
assistant steward; Frederick MIGort,
oiler; Edward Smith. deck hand, Roch-
ester n. Y. NJ. Bell, deck hand.
The names OF three OF the men drown
ed are unknown 70 the steamship COM
pany. one was fireman, another a
dcck-hand and the third a porter
The names OF the two men saved are:
Louis LaForce, jr., second mate, and
William Gill. deck-hand, living at 1871
Kent street. Rochester. N. Y. II 10 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 overhaullng she was placed
at The disposal of the naval veterans
association and by that organization
used as a aagshlp during the G, A. j.
enc1mpment In August At the close OF
the encampment she was put into
commission again rs n freighter.
The captain OF the Inflated steamer,
Alex Gillies was one of the most widely
known OF lake sehmen. He was forty
one Years Of age and knew the lake
waters like book. His brother. Donald
Glllies, Is captain OF the steamer Har-
lem.
CAPTAIN ROOTS STORY.
when the steamer Mariposn arrived
in port about midnight last night with
the news Of the disaster to the Idaho
nnd having on board the two surviving
members Of the crew Captain Root
had this to say regarding the storm on
~ lake and the rescue OF tho two
men:
1T was one OF the worst gales ever
experienced In all my years on the
lakes We started from Chicago with
a load Of oats. All the way down the
lakes we had to llght with tho storm
and | Thought once or twice ot putting
IN somewhere until II blew over I 0m
gll1 ! dld not for fear that " ] Ind
these two men who came down with
me would have gone to join their mates
by thlg time.
at was about 1890 o'clock yesterday
afternoon when ] nrBt Learned OF the
wreck Of the Idaho was on deck
when my FIRST mate, Myron Chnmber-
lain, came 10 me and told mo that ho
had gluhtr1 q spar on TO the north and
that he thought there was n couulo ~
mon cllngnr to H. Ilo pointed II out
~ mo nnd whom ! rot the gns8os on H..
! could distinguish the men plainly We
wore running under good head N
Ftpn,n Mt the time and I put on more
and headed for the spar
when nearing II I wns puzzled how
10 help the mon off for could not iow-
cr n boat In uoh q storm. Finally |
cIrrlud around Tho apnr until ran
alongside aud my men plrl,cd the poor
follows M They had io drag them
away from the spar by force, FOR the
men had boon thuro no long that their
arms had become numb and wcrc twist.
I'd nluut the mast nnl almost frozen
fast t0 lt
"Whrn we rot the men on honrd $40
pui Urn In bunlW and gave thcm some
warm foods nnd 10up7 and had them
fonlInr pretty good, phyalcnly when
Wn runohpd hnrhor"
A THWLLlNG RECITAL
william glll tho rescued dcolt hnnd.
" hwuflhg wcll.bullt man, thlrtg.lmco