Sea Wing Disaster

Title: Description of the Disaster
Type: Document
Date: 1890
Source: Minnesota Historical Society

Description: This description of the disaster was written as part of the memorial service bulletin.
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Activities:

1. When the memorial services for the victims of the disaster were held, this pamphlet was produced to honor them. How do you think this account of the disaster is similar or different from the one most people would have read in the newspaper?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The general facts are most likely the same, but since some time has passed, some more of the details might be known in the pamphlet that weren't known when the newspaper article was published.
2. What more can you learn about this storm before it arrived on Lake Pepin?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: This storm had created a tornado in St. Paul that had destroyed several houses and killed a number of people.
3. Why do you think that the crew on the boat would want to cut the barge loose, since the barges were often used to help stabilize boats like these?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: They might have been trying to save as many people as possible by getting them away from the sinking Sea Wing. There also might have been some concerns about the barge hindering the navigation of the Sea Wing and making it more difficult to control.
4. How did the survivors of this disaster manage to get to safety?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Those who were on the barge were all saved. Others held on to life preservers or floating debris and attempted to make it to shore. Some were saved by people from Lake City who rowed to the accident scene in boats.