The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-02-04
STEAMER DULUTH WRECKED
Struck a Bar Off St Joseph,
Mich, Harbor.
A HEAVY CARGO ON BOARD
Passengers and Crew We're Rescued by
the Lifesaving Crew-The Vessel Is
Total Loss-Sea Was Heavy.

Passengers and Crew Were Rescued by
the Lifesaving Crew-The Vessel Is
Total Loss-Sea Was Heavy.
St. Joseph, Mich, Jan. 31.-The big
grain steamer City of Duluth arrived
off this port, from South Chicago, last
night, and attempted to enter the har-
Dor. There was tremendous wind
from the northwest and very heavy
sea running. The Duluth kept on her
course into the harbor, and at the
mouth of the river struck bar and
We thrown heavily against the north
pier, breaking in two. The mammoth
steel arches on either side of the boat
gave way Immediately, and the bow of
the boat dropped two or three feet.
A large hold was stove in the port side
as she swung around, and she went to
the bottom in an hour, leaving only
her cabin and part of her bulwarks
above water.
The two big tugs, Morford and Pro-
lection, which had accompanied the big
boat on her trip across the lake, made
desperate attempts to reach her and
get her crew and passengers off, but
were unsuccessful. The life-saving
crew were summoned and reached the
scene of the disaster in quick time
considering that it had disbanded for
the winter. At midnight they had
shot mortar line to the boat and the
rescue began. The first one to be
taken ashore was August Kerwein, of
this city. He dipped into the water
several times during the perilous trip,
and was badly frozen when he was
pulled out onto the pier. The rest of
the passengers were taken ashore in
this manner, one at a time. There
were II passengers and % of the crew.
Captain Mclean was the last to
leave, being taken off at o'clock this
morning. There were several ladies on
board The members of the life-sav-
ing crew took turns going out in the
car after them. Mrs. William Tryon
is suffering from the effects of the trip.
IS She was in delicate condition, and
was badly frozen and seized with nerv-
Gus prostration. There is no hope for
her to live.
The City of Duluth had heavy
cargo of corn and flour, and deckload
of merchandise for local merchants.
There is no hope of saving anything of
the wreck, as there is very high sea
rolling. No boat can reach her, and
she is rapidly going to pieces. The en-
gineer says that when the boat struck
the engine jumped foot and was i'm
mediately torn to pieces. The water
rushed in and put out the fires, and
the firemen barely escaped up the lad
ders.
The floor of the deck gave mighty
heave upward. md the passengers were
thrown into the widest confusion.
The City of Duluth was an old but
stanch steamer. She was under char
ter of the Graham & Norton Transpor-
tation Company, carrying principally
through freight from Chicago to this
port, in connection with the Big Four.
She was owned by the Lake Michigan
& Superior Company. Her capacity
was about 1000 tons, and her value
about $4,000. She was laden with
package freight and grain. The steamer
is we'll insured, and it is understood
had $4,000 insurance on her cargo.
On several previous trips she stuck on
the har while entering this harbor