New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-17
DISASTERS.
Particulars of the Sinking of the Propeller
IrOnsides in Lake MCLEAN.

l. dh VI INC CAHAbu8 III int IFOpcllcf
IrOnsides in Lake Mici2an.
CHICAGO, September l6.-Special dis.
| patches from Grand Haven. Michigan, give
| the following account of the fOundering of
| the prOreller Ironsides, off that port
N. B. Watkins, clerk of the boat, says-We
| left Milwaukee at halfpast nine O'Clock
| Sunday night, with nineteen passengers
| and a crew of thirty men, and were due in
| Grand Haven between five and six O'Clock
| Monday morning. The cargo consisted of
| 1900 bushels of wheat, 500 barrels of flour,
| l25 barrels pork and some miscellenaneOus
articles. This was very large cargo, as
| the boat could only carry HOO tons.
A moderate breeze was blowing from the
southwest, which constantly increased until
1t became terrific gale before day. l did
not get up before nine o'clock, when the
ship was rolling fearfully. l went imme-
| diately below, and found the men working
at the pumps. The water had already put
out the fires, and the engines were useless.
thea went TO the office and got the pas
senger register, the money and manifests,
and went on the hurricane deck where |
found Captain SWeetman getting the fore
sail in. He was perfectly self f-possessed,
and the men obeyed his orders promptly.
We were then about three miles from the
shore. The signal of distress had been
raised at half-past ten O'clock. About ten
o'clock the passengers had all put on life
preservers for it was evident that the YES
sci must 90 down. At half.past eleven the
captain ordered the boats to be manned In
the first boat all the lady passengers except
one were placed In the second there were
from ten to twelve passengers and the
crew. | took charge of the third boat,
which carried seven passengers. including
one lady and two of the crew, besides my
SELF all of whom were saved.
After that passed off | saw two or three
other boats leave the wreck in one of which
l supposed the captain to be; my boat was
hardly half a mile from the Irionsides
when she sunk, stern foremost, about five
miles from the shore; it was ten minutes
past twelve o'clock when she disappeared
she was estimated to be worth about Sll5, 900;
she was thoroughly overhauled last winter
and was considered one of the staunchest
boats on the lake.
Captain Dennis Chapman, a member of
the Board of Trade, committed suicide in
his washroom chamber. He shot himself
dead.
DETROIT, September 16-The statement
of a passenger, Mr.. N. +. Ripley, of Lowell,
Massachusetts, "a very intelligent young man,
who was one Of the saved, gives the follow
Ing additional particulars: The lake was
so rough little after midnight that l
could not sleep, though accustomed to
'"sNAf DCi'AC Do11 iohON oO
desperately that every movable thing was
smashed about the vessel and it was i'm
possible to cross the cabin.
1t was between seven and eight o'clock
when we came in sight of the harbor, and
was so rough it seemed utterly unwise to
attempt an entrance. We could see the
lighthouses and vessels on the beach, and
wondered that no one came to our relief.
It was sad sight. The passengers stood
in silence, with their life preservers, know
ing that in few moments they would be
at the mercy of the breakers. But all
were calm and self-possessed.
Captain Sweetman behaved with the ut
most GOODNESS and courage, and the crew
obeyed orders readily. We were all washed
out OF our boat in which we left the steamer
when within thirty rods of the shore. but
were rescued by those on the beach in the
most gallant way. The captain said it was
the toughest weather he had ever seen on
the lakes. Those familiar with the shore