Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-09-17
THE STEAMER IRONSIDES.
Sunk in, Lake Michigan Ofr the Port Of
Grand Haven in Forty
FathOms Water.
Statements Of the Clerk and a Passen-
ger Named Ripley-The Cap.
tain Hero.

CHICAGO, September 16.-Specials
from Grand Haven, Michigan, give the
following account of the laundering of
the propeller Ironsides, Off that port,
yesterday:
THE CLERKS STATEMENT.
\. B. Watkins, clerk of the boat, says:
We left Milwaukee at forty minutes
past nine o'clock last night, with nine
teen passengers, and a crew of thirty
men, and were due in Grand Haven be-
tween five and six o'clock this morning
The cargo consisted of three thousand
bushels of wheat, five hundred barrels OF
flour, one hundred and twenty-five bar
rels Of pork, and some miscellaneous ar
ticles. This was a very large cargo
for the boat. a moderate breeze was
blowing from the southwest, which con-
stantly increased, until it became a ter
rife gale before daylight. l did not get
up until nine O'Clock, when the boatwas
reeling fearfully. l Immediately went
below, and found the men working at
the pumps. The water had already put
out the fires, and
THE ENGINES WERE USELESS.
then went to the office and got the
passenge register, money and manifest,
and went on the hurricane-deck, where
found Captain Sweetman gettingin the
foresail. He was thoroughly self-possess-
ed, and the men Obeyed orders promptly.
We then made about three miles
toward the shore. The signal OF distress
had been raised at half-past nine, and at
about ten O'clock the passengers all put
on life-preservers, for it was quite evil
dent the
BOAT MUST GO DOWN.
At twenty minutes past eleven o'clock
the captain ordered the boats to be
manned. In the first boat all the lady
passengers except one were placed, and
in the second boat were ten or twelve
passengers and a part of the crew, while
took charge Of the third, which carried
seven passengers, including the lady,
and two of the crew, besides myself,
ALL OF WHOM WE'RE SAVED.
After had pushed 6f, 1 saw two or
three other boats leave the wreck, in
one of which l supposed the captain to
be. My boat was hardly: half mile
from the IrOnsides when she sank stern /
foremost about five miles from shore. 1t
was ten minutes past twelve when
SHE DISAPPEARED.
She was estimated to be worth about
one hundred and fifteen thousand dol |
lars, was thoroughly overhauled last
winter, and was considered one of the |
staunchest boats on the lake.
STATEMENT OF A PASSENGER.
Mr.. F. n. Ripley, of Lowell, Massa-
very intelligent young man, /
who was one Of the saved, gives the fol- |
,IIsNsnv,I ff1
sea was so rough little after midnight |
that l could not sleep, though accus-
toned to the water. Before daylight |
the boat rolled so desperately that every
thing was
SMASHED
about the vessel, and it was impossible
to cross the cabin. It was between
seven and eight o'clock when we came
in sight of the harbor, and it was so
rough that il seemed utterly unwise to
attempt an entrance. We could see the
lighthouses and the vessels on the
beach, and wondered that no one came
to our relief.
IT WAS A SAD SIGHT.
The passengers stood in silence, with
their life-preservers on, knowing that 10
a few moments they would all be at the
mercy of the breakers, but all were calm
and self-pOssessed. Captain Sweetman
behaved with the utmost eoolEess and
and the crew Obeyed every or
der 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. l 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 IrOnsides went
down is at least forty fathoms deep