The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-09-17

| nal Of distress naQ Deen raiSeQ AZ J:oU.
At about 10 o'clock the passengers all
put on life.preservers, for 1t was evident
that she must 60 down. At.1l:20 the
Captain ordered the boats TO be manned
In the first boat all the lady passengers
except one were placed; In the second
boat were ten or twelve passengers and
some Of the crew. took charge Of tht
third boat which carried seven passengers
including one lady and two ol the crew
besides myself, all OF whom were saved
After had pushed off l saw one or two
other boats leave the wreck, In one o
which supposed the Captain 10 be; my
boat was hardly half mile away from the
lronsides when she sunk stern foremost
about five miles from shore; 1t was ten
minutes past 12 o'clock when she disap.
peared She was estimated 10 be worth
about $ll5,000; was thoroughly overhaul
ed last winter, and was considered one OF
the staunches, boats on the lake
The statement Of one Of the passengers,
Mr.. Richec, Of Lowell, Mass, a very in
telligent young man, who was one Of the
saved, gives the following additional par
ticulars:
The sea was 80 rough little after mid.
night that I could sleep. though accus.
toned 10 the water. Before daylight
The boat rolled so desperately that every
movable thing was smashed about the
vessel, and 1t was impossible 10 cross the
cabin. 1t was between and 8 o'clock
when we came in sight Of the hsrbor, and
1t was 80 rough that II seemed utterly un.
wise to attempt an entrance. We could
sec the light houses and the vessels in on
the beach, aud l wondered that no one
came 10 our relief. 1t was sad sight, the
passengers stood III silence with their lite
perservers on, knowing that IN few min.
utes they would all be at the mercy OF the
breakers, but all were calm and self poss.
esscd. Capt. Sweeiman behaved with
the utmost coolness and courage. and the
crew obeyed every order readily. We
were all washed out Of our boats In which
we left the steamer in when within thirty
rods of the shore, but were rescued by
those on the beach In the most gallant
way. ! was picked up unconscious, but
am all right now. The Captain said It
was the toughest sea he had ever seen on
the lakes. Those familiar with the shore
say that the water where the 1ronsides
went down is at leat forty fathoms deep.
GRAND HAVEN, Sept. 1G-The propel.
lor Ironsides left Milwaukee Sunday
night on time, but owing to the day being
Sunday the list Of passengers was not
very large, there being but 10 on the regis.
ter. There were 80 seamen and one not
registered. The steamer hove in shight
OF this port at IA but did not attempt
TO make the port on account OF the high
sea, and number Of vessels and barges
went on the beach in attempting to make
the port. The steamer headed seward
again and at 0 o'clock appeared. 10 be
about nine miles out. She was seen to
have fires in her engines until about 10
o'clock when no more smoke was to be
seen from her stacks; the toresail was
then raised, but she had been leaking con.
siderable aid the water gained on the
men at the pumps so fast that at II o'clock
it was evident abe must 60 down. The
passengers were all supplied with lite.
preservers and stood ready at moments
warning to take TO the boats. At 11:20
Captain Sweetmau, who was the com.
mander, ordered the life boats to be gotin
readiness and launched. The first boat
contained all the ladies but one; the sec.
ond boat contained ten or twelve Of the
crew and passengers; in the third boat was
Mr.. Watkins, the clerk of the boat, one
lady named Miss Ward, five passengers
and two OF the crew. There were two
more boats soon to leave the steamer alter
the third boat had lett; but II Is thought
that the last one did not leave
| in time TO get far enough from the steam.
or before she went down, and was drawn
into the whirlpool and sank: The steamer
sank at 1920, going stern first. The first
boat which left the steamer, containing the
majority Of the ladies, was capsized, and
only one oil the passengers succeeded In
reaching the shore. The second and third
boats succeeded In reaching the shore,
but only with the assistance Of those on
shore, who, hearing ol tho terrible calam-
| ity, rushed to the beach by multitudes In
tugs, which voluntarily carried all per-
sons back and forward across the river as
fast as possible. The beach was lined
with people for about two miles. The
fourth and fifth boats could not be reach.
ed In time to offer any. possible
succor, so high was the wind that the
boats were drawn ashore before any per-
son could get 10 them. As the boats ap-
preached the shore all were overturned
10 the surf. Strong men and expert
swimmers formed lines in the water, and
In this manner every body, dead or alive,
that was seen was recovered. So terrible
was the sea that no assistance could
possibly be rendered 10 the doomed
steamer and her living freight. The pro.
peller Lake Breeze, which was In port
and Is owned by the same company, made
an attempt to 60 to the assistance ot the
boats, but was disabled in the attempt
and narrowly escaped going on the beach
among the barges and vessels which went
on In the morning. She dropped her an
chor and lay there I'LL towed off. All the
bodies recovered which were not car.
ed for by the friends who recognized
them were tenderly cared for and dressed
for burial by a committee OF ladies and
gentlemen OF our city who voluntarily and
willingly offered their services In taking
care Of the bodies until they should be
identified and cared Tor by their friends
Every possible means have been used "a
notify The relatives and friends by tele-
graph Of the sad occurrence, and not q
lew have answered quickly TO the call
There has been up. 10 this time OF writing
, eighteen bodies recovered, all have beer