Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-09-25
The IrOnsides Disaster.

An Associated Press dispatch Of the
10Th gives the following detailed account
of the recent Lake Michigan horror:
The propeller IIonsides left Milwaukee
on Sunday night, September Is, on time,
but owing to the day being Sunday, the
list Of passengers was not very large, there
being but nineteen on the register. There
were thirty-two seamen, and one not reg
istered. The steamer hove in sight of
Grand Haven at a. m, but did not at
tempt to make the port, on account of the
high sea and number of vessels and barges
which went on the beach in attempting to
make the port. The steamer headed sea-
ward again, and at o o'clock ap-
peared TO be about nine miles out
She was seen to have fires in her
engines till 10 O'Clock, when no more
smoke was to be seen from the smoke
stacks. The foresail was then raised, but
she had been leaking considerably, and
the water gained on the men at the pumps
SO fast that at ii O'clock it was evident
she must 60 down. The passengers were
all supplied with life preservers, and
stood ready at a moments warning to take
to the boats. AT II 30 Capt. Sweetman,
who was commander, ordered the life
boats to be got in readiness and launched.
The first boat contained all the
ladies but one. The second con-
tanned ten or twelve of the crew and pass.
engers. In the third there was Mr.. Wat
kins, the clerk of the boat, one lady named
Mrs. Ward, five passengers, and two of the
crew. There were two more boats soon
to leave the steamer after the third had
left, but it is thought that the last one did
not leave in time TO get far enough from
the steamer before she went down, and was
drawn in the whirlpool and swamped
The steamer sank at II 30, going down
stern first. The first boat which left the
steamer containing the majority of the
ladies was capsized, and only one of the
passengers succeeded in reaching the
shore. The second and third boats sue.
ceeded in reaching the shore, but only
with the assistance of those on shore,
who, hearing of the terrible calamity,
rushed to the beach by multtudes on tugs
which voluntarily carried all passengers
back and forward across the river as fast
as possible
The beach was lined with people for
about two miles, but the fourth and fifth
boats could not be reached in time to
offer any possible succOr. So high was
the wind that the boats were driven
ashore before any person could get to
them. AS the boats approached the
shore, and all were overturned in 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 assist
ance could possibly be rendered to the
doomed steamer and her living freight.
The propeller Lake Breeze, which was in
port and owned by the same company,
made an attempt to go to the assistance of
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
anchor and lay there till towed of in the
afternoon. All the bodies recovered
which were not cared for by friends who
recognized them, were tenderly cared for
and dressed for burial by committees of
ladies and gentlemen Of Grand Haven.
who voluntarily and willingly offered
their services in taking care Of the bodies
until they should be identified and cared
by friends