The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-17
Of the Loss OF the Pro-
peller EronsideS-5tsSs OF Life. Etc.

GEAED HAVEN, MIGHIGAs, September 16.-
The propeller Iropsides, Of the Eugiemann
liue. connecting with the Detroit and Mil
waukc railroad, and one of the largest
steamers on the lakes, foundele ed and sunk
seven miles otf this port at nooE yesterday.
Her signal of distress was hoisted as 9 \.
~, but so terrible was the sea and heavy
the wind that 10 assistance could reach
her. She labored in the trough OF the sea
from about $50 A. NJ. until she sunk. The
passengers and crew prepared the boats to
leave her at about 1890, and the last boat
lett ut II 80. When the last boat had got
about q quarter of a mile from the steamer
she went down. There were five boats
filed with the crew and passengers. One
boat, containing live men and four women,
capsized. and only one man Of the party
reached the shore. Four boats have reached
the shore up to this time. One boat, con-
| tanning Captain Sweetman and wife, and five
passengers, has not yet been heard from. 1t
is feared they are among the lost. Thirty
two passengers are known to have been
saved, and fourteen bodies recovered. No
SOuthernerS.
STATEMENT OF THE CLERK.
CHICAGO, September 16..--Special dispatches
from Grand Haven, Mich, give the fol-
lowing account Of the laundering Of the
propeller Ironsides off that port. n. Il.
Watkins, clerk Of the boat, says g We left
Milwaukee at ga O'Clock sunday night with
nineteen passengers and crew ofsthirty
men, and were due in Grand Haven
between ) and O'clock Monday morn
ing. The cargo conSis cd of thirteen
thousand bushels of wheat, five hundred
| barrels of -four, one hundred and twenty
five barrels pork, and some miscellaneous
articles. This was very large cargo, since
| the boat could only carry eleven hundred
| tons. a moderate breeze was blowing from
| the southwest, which constantly increased
until it became Il terrific gale before day. |
did not get up before 9 o'clock. when the
boat was rolling teartuly. went imD,edi-
| atcly 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 aud got
| the passengers register, the money,
| and mantcSts, and went on The
| hurricane deck, where I found Captain
Swcctman getting the foreSail in. He was
| perfectly sc!t-po,>esscd, and the men oDcyed
| his orders promptly. We we're then about
three miles from shore. y signal Of distress
| had been raised at $50. About 10 O'Clock
the passengers all put on !ifc-prcsprycr>, for
| it was evident that the vessel must 90 down.
| At LEO the captain ordered the boats to DE
manned. In the FIST, aIl the l;Nly paSscn.
gers except one were placed. In the second
| boat there We're from ten to twelve plS>cn-
gers and crew. took charge of the third
| boat, which carried seven passengers. in-
| Guiding orc lady and two Of the crew, Ec-
| sides myself, all Of whom were saved. After
! / had pushed off | saw two Or three other
| boats leave the wreck, in one Of which |
supposed the captain TO be. My boat was
| hardly onc-ha'f mile from the Iron>idcs when
| she sunk, stern foremost, about five miles
| from shore. 1t was ten minutes past l.
| when she disapT eared. She was estimated
| to be worth about SlL,000. She was thor
| oughly overhauled last winter, and was con-
| sidered one of the staunchest boats on the
lakes.