Fear for a Steamer

St. Joseph, Mich., Jan 22,-- Nothing has yet been heard of the overdue steamer Chicora, which left Milwaukee yesterday morning. It is thought the gale struck her while in mid-lake. Her owners have telegraphed to all ports where she could possibly have gone for shelter but can find no trace of her. The Chicora was heavily loaded and had several passengers. She carried a crew of twenty-five men. It is possible that the steamer returned to the other shore somewhat out of the gale, but was unable to reach any port on account of the blinding snow storm. It is doubtful if any boat could withstand the waves, that were running on this shore yesterday, and last night.

The tug Tramp, which was imprisoned in the ice yesterday is still fast, with mountains of ice piled around her. She cannot be released until the thaw breaks up the ice, which may be weeks. Provisions were sent out to the boats this morning.

The Milwaukee agent of the Graham and Morton company states that so far as he knows the Chicora had no passengers aboard when she left Milwaukee yesterday morning.

The captain of the Chicora is Edward Stines, a brother of Capt. Stines of the Steamer Virginia. The agent of the company says that he does not know just how large a crew the Chicora carried, but he thought that it was between twenty-five and thirty. The agent felt confident that the Chicora had reached some place of safety.

One of the most experienced steamboat men in Milwaukee, a gentleman who is connected with another lake line, stated at noon today that in his opinion the Chicora is perfectly safe. When the wind came up yesterday morning, he said the Chicora might have turned around and made for some west shore port. If the Chicora were not in Chicago, Kenosha or Racine, he said, she had probably been caught in a field of ice near the east shore, in which case she would be nearly as safe as if she were in a river. He said that the Chicora is a very good boat. She is only three years old, is well built and is equipped with excellent machinery. She ranks with the City of Racine of the Goodrich line, which, however may be a trifle heavier. More to come.