Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-09-25
TERRIBLE

Loss of the Propeller Ironsfdes Off Grand
Haven, Mich. Upward of Twenty
Lives Lost.
[Grand Haven (Sept. 15) Dispatch to Chicago Trib-
une.l
The steamer Ironsides, of the Engleman
line, one of the largest steamer on the lakes,
foundered and sunk when seven miles off this
port, at noon to-day. Her signal of distress
was hoisted at 8 o'clock this morning, but 80
terrible was the heavy sea and high wind that
no assistance could possibly reach her. She
labored in the troughs of the sea from 1880 in
the morning till the time she sunk. The pas
sengers and crew-of whom there were nine
teen of the former and thirty of the latter
manned the Ifeboats and left the steamer
about II a. m, the last boat leaving her at
11:50 a. m. When the last boat had got about
a quarter of a mile from her, she went down.
There were five boats filed with the crew
and passengers. One of the boats, having
five men and four women on board, capsiZed,
and only one man reached the shore. -Four
boats have reached the shore up to II d. m.
The boat with Capt. Sweetman, his wife, and
five passengers has not yet been heard from
it is feared they are among the lost. Thirty
two persons are known to have been saved.
Fourteen bodies have been recovered.
The Ironsides was in plain sight of the har-
Dor until she went to the bottom. Senator
Ferry was one of the first to discover her sig
nal of distress, about 10 o'clock, but it was too
late even then there was no boat here which
could ride the terrible sea to carry relief. The
propeller Lake Breeze bravely undertook the
task. but was herself disabled before getting
half a mile out of the harbor. The following
is the statement of the Ironsides' clerk, MIR.
NE. Watkins:
'We left Milwaukee at 9:1O last night with
nineteen passengers and a crew of thirty men,
and were due in Grand Haven between 5 and
6 this morning. The cargo consisted of ID, ZOO
bushels of wheat, 500 barrels of -four, 1875
barrels of pork, and some miscellaneous az
4 NJ. voc ~ ,v1- 1.-l4 @.r~~ ,,~ao 49,
boat could carry LOO tons. A moderate
breeze was blowing from the southwest, which
constantly increased.until it became a terrific
gale before daylight. 1 did not get up until
Q o'clock, when the boat was rolling fearfully.
1 Immediately went below and found the men
working at the pumps. Tho water had al
ready put out the fires, and the engines were
useless. 1 then went to the Office and got the
passenger register, money, and manifest. and
went On the hurricane deck, where l found
Capt. Sweetman getting he foresail on.
He was thoroughly self-possessed. and the
men obeyed orders promptly. We then
made about three miles toward the shore. The
signal of distress, had been raised at $50. About
10 o'clock the p assengers all put on ife-pre-
servers, for it was evident the boat must go
down. AT 11:20 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 of the passen-
gers and crew. L took charge of the third boat,
which carried seven passengers, including one
lady, and two of the crew besides myself, all
of whom were saved. After 1 had pushed off,
1 saw two other boats leave the wreck, in one
of which 1 supposed the Captain to be. My
boat was hardly half a mile from the Ironsides
when she sank, stern foremost, about five
miles from the shore. 1t was ten minutes past
IL when she disappeared. She was estimated
to be worth about S115, 900 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, Mass, a very
intelligent young man, who was one of the
saved, gives the following additional particu-
midnight that I could net sleep, though &C.