Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-11-14
A DISASTER AT SEA.
Big Steamer City of Monticello
Founders in a Hurricane.
Fay of Fundy Is the Scene of the
Wreck-OnIy Four of the Thirty
Six Persons on Board
Are Saved.

Halifax, Nov. 12.-The steamer City
of Monticello, belonging to the Var
mouth Steamship company, has found
cred i'll the Bay of Fundy with an
appalling loss of life. Of the crew
and passengers of the Inflated steam
ship 80 persons are reported to have
persisted in the wreck. Some of the
bodies. have already been washed
ashore. Capt. Harding, in command of
the City of Monticello, was among
those who succeeded in reaching the
shore. Among those who persisted, it
is reported, were many women and chill
dren.
When the terrific hurricane struck
the steamer she was in the Bay Of
Fundy. Great seas were hurled over
her and in a short time she became
unmanageable. Soon she started her
timbers and Began leaking. The wa
ter gained fast and when it was de-
cided to take to the boats a frantic
scramble between the crew and passen-
gers began. Some were washed over
board. Some lost their lives by the
overturning of small boats. Others
went down with the fated steamer.
She sank off Cape Forchie. The City
of Monticello ran between Yarmouth
and Halifax. which is 140 miles from
the home port.
Struck on Dangerous Coast.
The place where the Monticello
struck is at the mouth Of the Bay
of Fundy. where the waters of the bay
Join those of the Atlantic. There are
many reefs and shoals at this spot and.
the currents are many and changeable,
it being one of the most dangerous
places on the coast. The gale kicked
up a tremendous sea and at the time
the vessel struck the waves were beat
ing upon the rocks and sending spray
for hundreds of feet over the land.
Many Bodies Recovered.
The shore of this county for ten
miles east and west is strewn with the
wreckage of the hull and cargo of the
steamer City of Monticello, which
foundered Saturday morning, and 80
bodies of victims of the disaster have
been recovered from the sea- which is
still raging with terrific fury. Many
people have assembled at Rockville.
near where the first body came ashore,
and numerous relatives of members of
the crew, who nearly all belonged to
points on this coast. have arrived to
identify the dead. The bodies We're
arranged in room in the public hall,
and Coroner Fuller, who held an in
quest, gave an opinion of accidental
h 1x-
battered.
The first body was found at day
light. when the zinc lifeboat, which
was supposed by the survivors of the
first boat to have been swamped, was
discovered on the shore. The thole
pins were broken. A few yards distant
were the bodies of Mr.. Eldridge. a
passenger; Second Engineer Poole, Mr..
Fripp, a traveller for McGee's Sons of
St. John. Y. B.. and the body of sea-
man. All four had life belts around
them. At short intervals along the
beach II more bodies were found. MAX
ing Is discovered up to noon Sunday.
They had all evidently come ashore in
the lifeboat and were killed on strik-
ing the beach. not one escaping. The
remains so far identified in addition to
the four enumerated above are: Rupert
Olive, purser of the steamer Prince
Edward; baggagemaster Wilson, deck
hands johnson. Levi Nickerson. Rob
ert Nickerson, Van Renenberg, Austin
Wickens, James Cole. John E. Whit
more, Stanley Ringer, Winslow Ringer.
Harry Copeland and David Benham.