Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25


filed with water and capsized in tho
breakers, and at least twenty -four per
SONS out of fifty on board the propeller
thus lost their lives. The following is
a list of the loss, as far as known:
G. II. Dennison, OF Ada, Michigan.
Campbell and Smith, deckhands, residence
not known.
John DriscoIl, Steward of tho boat.
John Hiles, lumber and planning mills, MIL
waukee.
Mr;; Z: A; Valentine and son. five years Of
Captain Harry Swcctman, commander OF the
Ironsides, Milwaukee.
Robert McGlue. First Engineer OF tue boat,
Milwaukee,
Charles ws!meiI, agent Of s. E. Harding 4
+. Joe Smith. OF Grand Haven. Mich.
: T. H. Biting and wife, Mr.. aud Mrs. Albion
Haselbarth, OF Port Washington, Wis.
. MIR. Harry Hughes, fireman.
: Edward Fugle and James Brown. greasers.
j: A. J. Done!son, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Mrs. ). b. I. Dewitt. Milwaukee.
The saved are as follows:
T.. n. E. Watkins, clerk of the boat.
{, Samuel Watkins, Milwaukee.
= Chris. Driscotl cabin boy.
Dan. Driscoll, head waiter,
N. Crosson, first mate.
A. B. Pitmau, second mate.
Charles Bradford, lookout.
I Geo. n. Cowan, second engineer.
>, VIM. Dolenson.
Andrew Falson, second clerk.
Riley, first porter.
H. West; A. scuttler, VIM, Savage and G.
Orion, deck hands. =: Z
Dan: Hines, John Gilbert and Charles vii.
cox, oilers.
Maggie Young, stewartless.
B. Jordan, NJ. L. Chester, H. N. Ward, Miss
Wa N eRIr0ln 1n1a
H. Krautbauer, o. Kitzngcr.
Seventeen bodies had at last accounts
been recovered.
The following statements of survivors
of the disaster are interesting:
STATEMENT OF GEORGE II. CowAN.
II was the second engineer on board the
lronsides. We left Milwaukee at about 10
O'Clock Sunday night, with wind about north.
west. I came on watch at O'Clock Monday
morning, when the Chief Engineer said be
would 20 up aud get lunch, instructng mo
~ keep close watch OF the ongiue.~ All
went we'll: At haif-past two McGluo (CAiei
Enginccr) came down and asked how she was
working. Auwas satisfactory, aud continued
SO until about half.past 3, whom the wind
fresj,ened and hauled around to tho SOUTH
west. At about s O'Clock the water annoyed
me 50 that used bflge injection to force il
out. This continued getting worse, until a
badly. The gaDgways were smashed in by the
force Of the waves, the bunkers got blocked up
by the boilers SO that the water couldn't run
aft. Soon we began shipping water into the
tre-room, l saw something must be done
immedIately; sent one OF the oilers up to
Captain that we had better get before the wind
in order to get the water out. The Captain
said, That's what am trying to do" But
the vessel was in the trough OF the sea, and il
was impossible to do it. We worked one en-
CINE back and tho other forward, but it " - of
no use; we couldn't stir her. At this time
the water came in and put out the fires
This was ut about 10. Previous to this-at
about o'clock-we had hoisted sail and had
also put up the signal OF distress. When the
fires weat out then VIC began to think of saw
ing ourselves in the small boats. There was
no excitement among tho crew; everybody
knew his place and kept it. 10 the best of my
knowledge Captain Swectman did all that
could be done. He was perfectly calm and
cool. 1t seems queer that some Of the boats
at tho Have" didn't come to our relief. Some
say they saw the signal, others say they didn t.
boats. The boat which belonged to our crow
we gave to the passongers-as also another
one. We then took metallic boat No.
sand launched her: A I stepped
in, Driscoll and several others jumped
in. A cosl-Passer jumped after our boat as
We pu6ACu away no uAuSO nave lut1ICu ~
least twenty feet. He struck tho side OF the
boat and chung to her. When we were about
twenty-five feet away our boat capszed. I
came up exactly under her, striking my head
against the seats. We ali chung to her for
about an hour and hall. We did not leave
the propeller until just as she sunk. After
looked back, and there was Mike Crosson, the
first mate, standing away up in the mast, wav-
ing his hand as the ship went down. The mast
broke aud he was struck by it in the face ami
across the back, injuring him somewhat.
After that VIC lost sight Of him for awhile.
Then we drittcd among some OF tue driftwoOd
of tho propeller and succeeded righting our
boat and then chung to her although no one
got into her.
We drif.cd back toward the propeller. which
was part above water yet, and got on the hur
| ricanc dct k. Here we found pail and soTnc
| oars and bal!cd ont our boat, ami gave some
oars t" Il few who found aE"tllor boat. The"
VIC pick Crosson off from the pIlot-lo"sc.
| wlbr: had become detached from the prrp:I-
lc,, and which he had managed to climb upoG.
No the n matte for shore and succeeded III cn-
We had sixteen in our boat. Svca OF
these died before We got in and prob
ALLY from exhaustion, as Two or three were
d.OWhed while Onc-llalf Of their bodies were
i'm tl.e<~bo~s. They hadn't strength to
save themselves when halt wasl'ed overheard
|
seized his body and held On to it Tor about q
mile; and then it washed away from me.ssl3e-
fore wo landed Senator Ferry s wife threw us 4
bottle OF brandy, which We drank before getting
out of the boat. The citizens OF Grand Haven
did everything IL their power for US: re-
member especially ~. Kl'!ian. proprietor OF
tho Milwaukee House, where wo all stopped,
Mr.. Percivai, the agent OF thu d. & NJ. road,
and Mr.. Humphry, agent Of the E. T. line.
They worked hard tor us as in fact did
everybody. The statements about tho boat
leaking Friday night arc all false. She was
| in O perfectly sca-wOrthy condition, and SO
considered by all tho officers.
STATEMENT OF PETER RILEY.
was first porter on board the Ironsidcs.
got up at about O'Clock in tho morning. AL
was right ut that time, and seemed 80 unit
heavier all the time. Finally. the fires were
nut out by tho water ut 10 o'clock, and tl,cl
wo took to the small boats. l took charged o
, the third boat which, lott tho propeller. There
were - in the boat, including Maggie, tn.
chambermad; and st.a"Ss lady, one Of tn
All were saved but one--and that wa
MIR. Min,mcl, the New York travelling agent
He and Mr.. Dundasher, the cook, we're washc'
out. Duntlashcr swan in oil right. bu
Wimmel seemed exhausted and made no Ct
, tort to save himself When VIC struck til
|
' whose name don't know, came out to us q
tho risk of his lifo and tied rope to our boat
No AZ TO hanl us in. He was brave fellow.
saved 500 Of express money. There were tc
, people in tho boat that got in ahead OF Il;
s There wasn't very much excitement; peopl
all acted very calmly and did tho best the
could.
Mr.. F. N. Ripley, of Lowell, Mass
n who was one Of the saved, gives til
+, following additional particulars:
y Tho sea became 80 rough before mi,lnig
o that could not sleep, though accustomed
- tho wafer. Before daylight the boat rolled
, desperately that every movable thing WI
!, , smashing about tho vessel, and it was imp'
!, siblc to cross tho cabin. 1t was between
= when we came in sight Of the harbor, ano
was NO rough that it seemed unwisc to Il
"a I, nlpt an entrance We could sec the lig!l
y, house and tho vessels On tho beach, and wo
:" Sycrfr that some ono did not come 10 onr =
= lief. 1t was sad sight to zoe Il
passengers standing in silence vii