Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ========================================================================== THE LUDINGTON RECORD, Ludington, Michigan Thursday, June 2, 1881 VOL. XIV. OLD SERIES, NO. 39 VOL. II NEW SERIES, NO. 2 Local Matters: --------------- The MAGNET will give an excursion from Pentwater to this city on show day. (note: referring to the circus that was coming to town) The schooner R. J. SKIDMORE, of Chicago, is to take in new masts on her return to Ludington. Mr. Betters has decided to lengthen the craft now building on the ship yard to 85 feet keel, being some 16 feet longer than was at first under- taken. He proposes to carry the work on as far as possible this summer, and would like some one with means enough to assist him in completing the schooner. When finished she will carry at least 100,000 feet of lumber. NEWS OF THE WEEK: Michigan A sailor on the CORA, of Benton Harbor, named Henry Phillips, fell overboard and was drowned at St. Joseph. The body was recovered. OTHER: TERRIBLE WRECK. ----- THE STEAMER VICTORIA COLLAPSES LIKE AN EGG SHELL A MILE FROM LONDON, ONT., AND 600 EXCUR- SIONISTS PLUNGED INTO THE WATER. On the evening of the 24th, at 6 o'clock the steamer VICTORIA, with over six hundred excursionists on board, was returning from Springbank, and near the Cove Railway bridge, one mile below this city, the boat suddenly col- lapsed like an egg shell, and became a total wreck on a level with the water's edge. All the passengers were in- stantly plunged into the stream, more than half of them being underneath the debris. The first news, which reached the city, was brought by the survivors, who struggled through the streets wet and weary. The news fell like a thunderbolt, and a stampede took place for the spot. Arriving there a horrible sight met the eye. Fifty or sixty bodies had already been recover- ed and were lying on the greensward, some distance up the bank. Those ar- riving from the city from every direc- tion crowded around, anxious to see if any relatives were on board. Several hundred families were represented on the excursion, and the wail of anguish that arose at the sight of the victims was heartrending. Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters rushed about panic- stricken, endeavoring to identify rela- tives. By 7 o'clock about eighty bodies were recovered from under the wreck, where the water is twelve feet in depth. Almost every minute some victim was brought to the surface and conveyed to the bank. The steamer PRINCESS LOUISE was early brought to the spot and the victims placed on the upper decks. Fires were lit on the bank over- looking the river and petroleum torches were brought and the search continued. About one hundred and fifty corpses have been secured. Among the dead are Jas. Robertson, Manager of the Bank of British North America; J. C. Meredith, Clerk of the District Court; Wm. McBride, As- sessor and Secretary of the Western Fair Association; Mrs. Wm. Millman, a Montreal commercial agent, and two sons of J. Rogers Plumber were drowned. John Clarke, shoemaker, Miss Cox; Nellie, Johnny and Willie Morrison; three children of James Morrison, a merchant of London East; Lillian Skinner; Hobbs, a plumber and three children; Lizzie Bakerville, John Darch, Jr.; Miss Connell, Willie Glass, and Miss Nanny Cooper, daughter of John Cooper, his afianced. These two were sitting together when the ma- chinery was observed to fall over on them. Mr. Mathews, night editor of the Advertiser, lost his wife and two chil- dren. Harry Smart, of the Free Press, lost his wife, two children and a sister-in- law. Mr. J. Siddons, of the custom house, lost one boy. Dr. O*onohyatkha lost a boy aged 10. Miss Bayley is among the missing; also Alice Deadman, of New Brighton; Miss Griffiths, of Bucks street, and Al- bert Tremble. A full list cannot yet be obtained. All is in the deepest confusion. The newspaper staffs, like all else, are sad- dly demoralized, all having friends in- volved in the calamity. The whole city seems almost demen- ted. The accident was certainly due to gross carelessness. The boat was over- crowded to a disgraceful extent. Mana- ger Geo. Parish was expostulated with by several at Springbank and urged to not let the boat go in that overcrowded condition, but he is reported to have replied; "All right; I know my busi- ness," or something of that sort. Mr. Samuel Stewart, stove merchant, one of those who protested, left the boat at Springbank with his family. Several hundred more remained there, unable to get passage, and had to walk home, a distance of four miles tonight, no conveyance of any kind being available. The telephone was in constant use be- tween the water works and the city, by friendly inquiries. This disaster will put an end to the pleasure steamer business, as hereafter the people will not venture on the river, which has been the subject of many jokes and puns on account of its supposed shallowness. It is in reality in many places twenty to thirty feet deep. The accident of the steamboat VIC- TORIA, on the Thames, near London, Ont., is worse than was first reported. The vessel was nothing but a skeleton. Her full capacity, was from 300 to 400 persons, but as near as can be ascer- tained about 600 were crowded upon her decks. As soon as the start was made for London the crowd began to surge from one side of the boat to the other, and with each change the water would run over the lower deck. Each sway increased the depth of the water, and finally the officers, as I am informed by one of the party who escaped, at- tempted to have the crowd remain quiet. The water increased in depth on the low- er deck, however, and as many as could crowded upon the upper deck to keep their feet dry. The passengers began to grow excited, and as the crowd surged from side to side, the posts sup- porting the upper deck finally gave way, and the upper floor with its load of hu- man freight, came down with a crash upon the heads of those who remained on the lower deck. The passengers had been warned by a cracking sound, and made a rush for one side, and as the upper deck fell all were percipitated into the water. Those who were on the hurricane deck were wedged be- tween the roof and the floor, and those on the lower deck went into the water underneath the shattered timbers. The whole crowd were thus thrown into a huddle, and no pen can do justice to the scene that followed. Stalwart men, courageous women, and helpless child- ren were struggling together in a mass of debris, many of them stunned and maimed by the shattered timbers. Es- cape for all was impossible and the scramble for life is described as one of the most heartrending scenes imagin- able. Many who were able to swim found themselves fast among the tim- bers, and as soon as they had succeeded in extricating themselves some help- less child or woman clung to them, and in many instances all went to the bot- tom together. Capt. Rankin of the collapsed steam- er VICTORIA makes the following state- ment: Left Springbank at 5:20, and the accident occurred at 6:19. I noticed no symptoms of danger until near the place where the accident occurred. After leaving the waterworks the peo- ple were all sitting quietly in the boat. At Springbank, however, I told the peo- ple who were crowding on board that some of them must get off, or I would not leave the dock. Fifteen or twenty got off, and I did not feel so anxious. She was quite crowded, no doubt, but there was a bit of room unoccupied on the lower deck. There were not over 400 on board, and I would make oath to it. On coming around the bend at the cemetery the passengers rushed over on one side to see the steamer PRINCESS LOUISE go by. The VICTORIA listed over badly at that point, and did not right herself until we reached Elliott's Creek, when she straightened up. Just as we reached the point of the accident she lurched again. She leaned over until one deck was two inches under water on one side, and about two feet out of the water on the other. I sent word by a boy to the engineer to know if there was any danger. He sent word back that there was great danger unless we got her straightened up. We were then in sight of Cove bridge. The passengers were not the least bit excited. Young Parish came to me and said they could not get the boat straightened. The passengers would not move from their places on the other side of the boat. The deck hand told me the same thing. If anyone is to blame it is me, but I don't think I am. I was in charge of the boat, and if the people had obeyed me there would not have been no accident. When I found there was danger I prayed to God to keep her afloat until I could run her on to the sand bar. Three minutes more would have done it. The people did not ask me to stop at Ward's and let them off. If I had stopped many more would have got on. A calculation of the boat's capacity will show that she had standing room for 400 only. Three hundred was her ordinary capacity. I hope a thorough investigation will be made and believe I shall be cleared from blame. The inquest in the London disaster began Saturday, but was adjourned till Wednesday next. The evidence taken reflects in a damaging manner upon the management of the steamer. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE LUDINGTON RECORD, Ludington, Michigan Thursday, June 16, 1881 VOL. XIV. OLD SERIES, NO. 41 VOL. II NEW SERIES, NO. 4 LOCAL MATTERS: -------------- The ELIZA DAY loaded shingles at Foster's dock Thursday. Ward's folks have purchased the tug BROCKWAY of C. F. Moore, of Detroit, and she is already in command of Commodore Courtland towing scows. She towed a scow loaded with 700,000 feet of lumber to Chicago, the first of the week, against a head wind, in 27 hours. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE LUDINGTON RECORD, Ludington, Michigan Thursday, June 23, 1881 VOL. XIV. OLD SERIES, NO. 42 VOL. II NEW SERIES, NO. 5 LOCAL MATTERS: -------------- The steamer JOHN A. DIX is now giving dollar excursions to Manistee and return every Sunday.