Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1885 — GONE TO THE BOTTOM. [ARTICLE]

GONE TO THE BOTTOM.

The Canadian Steamer Algoma Wrecked on Isle Royal, with Little Warning. .Thirty-seven Lives Reported Lost, . Meeting Death L'rifler Lake Superior’s Waves. A terrible marine disaster, resulting in the loss of thirty-seven human lives, occurred near Port Arthur, on Lake Superior, on the night of the Bth inst., the particulars of which are embraced in the following telegraphic reports from the scene of the calamity: The Algoma, one of th6iron-clad transfer steamers of the Canadian Pacific, left Owen Sound, Ontario, last Thursday. While rounding Isle Royale the steamer Athabasca sighted the fragments of a wreck on the treacherous reef. A rescuing boat was manned, and, after considerable difficulty, made the shore, rescuing the crew — thirteen men—and two passengers of the ill-fated Algoma. They reported that thirtyseven passengers had perished in the wreck. The survivors could’' not have endured the hardships of exposue and hunger much longer. When they were landed at Port Huron by the Athabasca late this evening many of them were dangerously prostrated. Port Arthur is on the extreme northern coast of Lake Superior and distant from here nearly 500 miles. The scene of the wreck is southwest from Port Arthur thirty miles or more. All the facts known here are gathered from personal dispatches announcing the loss of relatives or friends, and from two telegrams to the Canadian Pacific officials, briefly outlining the manner of the catastrophe. It appears that a heavy storm prevailed on the lake Sunday night, one of its features being a dense fog. Shortly after the Algoma rounded into the straits which Isle Royale skirts she crashed into a concealed reef, and a few moments later the boat was shivered asunder. It collapsed so quickly that many of the victims perished in their cabins, where they had taken refuge from the inclement weather. O'thers, who reached the deck, were given no assistance, and clung to the rigging in despair until ingulfed or swept away. The crew, frenzied by the disaster, thought only of saving themselves. With a quick rush for the nearest boat, they flocked in and swung it from the davits before the passengers, could follow. Two, however, contrived to crowd in, leaving the abandoned ones, among them several women and children, helpless and hopeless on the deck of the doomed steamer. The boat was capsized several times by the waves, but was righted again. The survivors succeeded in reaching land, almost dead from exposure and exhaustion. The scene of excitement is terrible. It is impossible to get any well-defined or completely connected story of the terrible disaster which has brought gloom to hundreds of Canadian households. Mate Simpson and W. B. McArthur, one of the passengers who survived, were interviewed, and a story obtained of which the (following is -afair synopsis: The steamer left Owen Sound last Thursday afternoon with thirty-eight passengers, chiefly Canadians, hut there were some few-Americans. All went well during the early part of the voyage, and the vessel passed up St. Mary’s River and Sault Sto. Marie, where she coaled. It was Friday about noon when she passed the latter place, and soon after steamed out into Lake Superior. The weather was calm, but as evening advanced signs of a storm were brewing. When spoken to by passengers Capt. Moore shook his head ominously, and all realized that a storm of unusual severity-was blowing. All trusted in the stout steel craft, which was deemed of equal strength to the average seagoing vessel. Evening closed in, and the Algoma held her course toward Port Arthur, while the storm increased in fury and caused the great waves to pound the vessel, which was tossed about like a feather. The timbers were heard to creak, but little danger was apprehended on the score of unsoundness. As night wore on the storm seemed, if possible, to increase in violence. Snow and sleet descended, and ments appeared in their angriest mood. Some retired to their berths, but the majority,- who were suffering from nausea, kept watch. At the time when day should under ordinary "circumstances have broken, darkness continued, for the snow-storm had not abated ana the air was terribly dense. The steamer still held on her way, and as fair progress had been made notwithstanding the severity of the storm, it was thought that the Isle Royale, which is located a short distance outside of Thunder Bay and about fortyfive miles from Port Arthur, must be near at hand. The island is long, but comparatively a narrow, rocky one, and its vicinity is treacherous, owing to the large number of bowlders which exist about it. The channel by which the bay is entered, runs close to the island, and Capt. Moore realized the necessity of progressing with the utmost care. Fog-horns were blowed and signals of distress sounded. The speed of the boat was reduced, hilt as the storm continued to rage, it was impossible to determine absolutely what course the boat was pursuing. Suddenly a great crash was heard, and the vessel rebounded and quivered like an aspen leaf. “Good God t” said the Captain, “she’s struck. Our doom has come!” Ten seconds later all was the wildest confusion and alarm. Those who were on deck roared their alarm, while the shrieks of the milder sex were terrible. Crash, crash, and the stout vessel pounded the rdeks. The crackling of the timbers and the swaying of the vessel warned all that death in a terrible form was upon them. The relentless wind seemed to scream its satisfaction. while the snow and sleet drove against the half-dad passengers. “It's no use to describe the scene," said one informant. “Nothing worse ever occurred on earth. In their madness, when the waves were washing the deck, a number threw themselves ihto the foaming billows. Others, when a great wave would pass over the deck, which was swaying from side to Bide, were swept into the sea like feathers. A few hung on to ropes or to the masts, but the majority seemed to abandon themselves in the wild alarm and despair. • “Even the crew seemed powerless, so stricken were they with the awful suddenness and stupendous character of the disaster, Meanwhile the boat rapidly went to pieces, dashed against the rocks. The crew, all of whom except the waitresses had clung to the rigging, managed, during a slight lull in the storm, to place themselves in a life-boat, cut the fastenings, and in an instant a wave swept them from the ill-fated wreck. Amid the awful cries of the dying and the terrible dashing of the waves the boat was borne onward. Two of the passengers had managed to place themselves in the boat before it was out away from the wreck. Any efforts that had been made to launch boats during the early confusion and horror had failed. Meantime the life-boat and its occupants had a terrible experience on the open, storm-tossed lake. All who could bound themselves to the boat, while the remainder held on like grim death to the sides. Expecting every moment to meet their death either by drowning or from exposure or cold, which Was intense, the halfdead inmates were borne on. Once th® boat was turned over with the waves, and one of the crew washed away, but the frail craft righted itself and was swept on in the comparative darkness. ’ ~

“After half an hour the boat suddenly struck some rocks. The inmates feared all was over with them, as the eraft capsized, but, to their surprise, when thrown, out, the water was only a foot deep, arid they discovered that they were on land. After remaining there an hour or more, exposed to thp elements/, the storm abated, and the sky cleared. It was then discovered that thev were on Isle Royale, and that the vessel had been wrecked about a mile from shore on the great bowlders that exist near the channel. It was about 10 o’clock in the morning, and the half-dead crew remained there until late in the afternoon, when the Athabasca came along and picked them up. They were then token to Port Arthur."

Helmbold, of buchu fame, who was got out of an insane asylum by ex-Judge Curtis, looks well and hearty, though showing signs of increasing years. One of his alleged “freaks” was the erecting of a mast and spar over his store. 1 When she is home, Judic, the French actress, bathes in a silver bath tub, which has her monogram in gold.