Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-04-02
A PLEASURE STEAMER SUNK.
The Boston Steamer Grace Irving Lost
of Sunday Trip-Eight MEN Brown

Ihe Boston Steamer Grace Irving Lost
with All on Board-Unhappy Result
OF Sunday Trip-Eigat Men browns
ed.
A most distressing marine disaster
occurred near the Gurnet light, lust off
] uxbury, Mass, during the gale Sun
day afternoon A number of souls, as
yet unknown went to the bottom of
the sea. The unfortunate craft which
went down was the little steam Yacht
Grace Irving, which left Boston for
New Bedford in the middle of Sunday
forenoon. When she left there was a
fresh breeze, and in the course of an
hour there came up gale more fierce
than has visited the eastern coast for q
long time. AS the gale continued with
increased fury those who were aware Of
the departure of the frail craft were
apprehensive of her safety, unless the
wisdom OF her captain had prompted
him to put into Hull or some other
port until the wind had
subsidized. s- z..-n--... -. ,0 --''~'
1t IS not exactly known how many
were on board, but probably not less
than six or eight, and there is no douht
that all were lost. Among those whom
1t is known were aboard besides the
crew, were Mr.. James Richie, Captain
BenJamln L: Lowden, of New Bedford.
and Edward Eldridge, of Fair Haven.
A Mr.. Hastings, who lives on the Liy-
ersage farm, ut Brant Rock, in Marsh
field, saw the little steamer passing the
point about three o'clock in the after
noon, and she was about quarter of a
mile off shore. She was apparently at
that time all right, but was soon driven
considerable distance out by the
high wind. In very few
minutes Mr.. Hastings discovered a
signal of distress, the steamer then
drifting towards the Gurnet light at
Duxbury, and about four miles off
shore. He could see several men run
nlng back and forward on the deck,
but no boat. was launched, nor wa
there any attempt made to launch one.
In twenty minutes after Mr.. Hastings
first saw the steamer she sunk off the
Burnet light, where the water is
very deep He is certain that no body
on board escaped, and thinks they did
not have time launch boats.
The steamer has been employed in
Boston harbor during the past four or
five years as pleasure boat for small
parties During all of last summer she
was IN the service of Norman Wizard,
who used her to ply between the city
and Nut Island in connection with ex-
perlments on the island with the Wizard
gun, and numerous Boston and New
York parties who were guests of Mr..
Wizard during the experiments will
remember her.
She was built in New York in 1859,
and was used by Mr.. Ericsson, the
famous monitor inventor, for perfect
ing some experiments he then was en-
gagged in. She was 25 Sc. 100 tons
burthen length, IS feet breadth, IS
feet, and depth 5 feet. While lying at
South Boston few weeks ago, she was
cut through by the ice and sunk Since
then she has been repaired, and was
recently sold for $4,000 to the Nonquit
Beach Company of New Bedford, of
which Mr.. Ritchie was president.
Mr.. Richie, who was among the
lost, was q man well and favorably
known in Boston, Mass. He was son
OF the Rev. Mr.. Richie, of Needham,
and was at one time Mayor of Roxbury.
In 1861 and 1862 he was member of
the Executive Council, and subse-
quently was made United States
Assessor in the Third Congressional
District, a position which he held for
severalyears, and subsequently became
solicitor for United States taxpayers
He was member of the Legislature in
1869 from the Boston Highlands, and
in'lS70 was chosen one of the principal
Assessors of the city of Boston, po-
sition which he held but one year
Since then he has been engaged in
many business operations, and was in
terested, with several gentlemen of New
Bedford, in land speculations. He
married daughter of the late Rev.
Daniel Kimball, of Needham, who sur
wives, with several children. -