Collision-Superior & Minnesota Line Packets-1876

LAKE SUPERIOR, MINNESOTA, IMPERIAL

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/12/2018 at 22:18:18

Dubuque Daily Times, Wednesday, April 26, 1876, Dubuque, Iowa, Page: 8

RIVER NEWS

A collision took place between the Northern Line packets Lake Superior and Minnesota, at 11 o’clock last Saturday night. It occurred thus: the pilot of each steamer gave the proper signal; the Minnesota attempted to take the side she had selected, when the barge on her starboard received a blow from the bow-keel of the Superior about midships, which stove it for six feet, breaking its heavy center oak braces and side planking, and badly straining the opposite side. Each steamer had a good list of passengers, many of those on the Superior were tumbled out of their berths by the concussion, and all on both boats rushed into the cabins with the greatest alarm, the women shrieking, the children crying, and the men as excited as the women. All seemed to expect to go to the bottom at once, and it was with difficulty that the officers quieted their fears. The Superior backed, and finding the Minnesota able to float, passed on up stream. The Minnesota took for shore with her broken barge, which was filling, and run her on the beach, where the carpenters with canvas and lumber stopped the leak, and the syphon pump was used to unload the water. She came on downstream in about two hours, but was obliged to put in Moline slough for further repairs.

The Imperial went to Fulton and will remain today.