The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-22
LOSS OF THE ALPENA.

The most serious of all the calamities occar
stoned by the recent gale on the lakes was the
loss of the steamer Alpena, bound from Grand
Haven to Chicago. The Inflated vessel left
the former port on Friday night, Oct. 15 with
about eighty people on board, not sou of
whom, it is believed at this writing, is left
to tell the story of the disaster. The Alpena
was due at Chicago on Saturday morning, the
10th, but the owners of the vessel and friends
and relatives of those on board did not despair
Of her safety for three days after when the
most indisputable evidences of the awful fate
that had oyertaken them were furnished in the
shape of pieces of the wreck and stray articles
OF furniture bearing the name of the
Alpena. These were washed ashore in
the vicinity of Holland, Mich, on the east shore
of Lake Michigan, and it is the general impress
sion that the steamer met her fate not far from
that point. There were ten carloads of apples
stored on the main deck of the Alpena, and the
theory Is advanced that when she got into the
trough of the sea this cargo became unmanage-
able, and pitching from side to side with the
motion of the boat finally rolled her over. Such
cargo stored in that way instead of in the
hold would have tendency to make the boat
top-heavy and it is not improbable that this is
one of the causes of the disaster. The finding
of portions of the piano on the eastern shore
may be taken as further proof that the NOV
ables on the Alpena were on the rampage
1t is not unlikely THAI the Alpena's piano
jumped clear through the side of the cabin in
one of the violent lurches. When heavy body
gets loose on a vessel in storm it is terrible
thing, and is sometimes transformed into an ir-
resisuble engine of destruction. It is also
probable that she became disabled in some
manner, and thus fell an easy prey to the an
cry waves: This belief is strengthened by the
story of the officers of a schooner, who report
seeing the Alpena off Racine Saturday morn
ing, between 10 and II o'clock, heading due
west, laboring very hard in the trough
of the sea. They saw no signals of
distress, but supposed from the way the
boat was acting that she was in trouble
The following are known to have been on the
Alpena
Capt. Nelson Napier, of st. Joseph, Mich;
First Officer, J. II. Kelly; first engineer, Rob-
ert Johnson, of Grand Haven; second engl-
neer, Robert Patton, of Grand Haven steward,
William Shepard clerk, Arthur Haynes por-
ter, Thomas Lynch fireman, Harry
Falls a crew Of about fifteen. The passen-
gers known are: U. Crossman, Grand Haven;
W. S. Benham and wife, Grand Haven; Mrs
B. F. Curtis, Grand Haven Heber Squier, Jr.,
Grand Haven Mrs Newton Bradley, Miss Lou
Bradley and Miss Kate Bradley Santa Fe, N.
NJ; F. Spaeth, Grand Rapids; G. Hottinger,
Grand Rapids c. Kusterer, Grand Rapids Fl.
Landreth, Muskegon; Mrs s. B. Cole. Ottawa
ILL.,; H. T. Locke. agent of Hills
Bros. New York !; the Rev. Farrell
Hart and wife, White Pigeon, Mich;
Mr.. Ryder, agent of the gliss works of SYRIA
cuse, n. Y; John ]. Bowen, ex-steward of the
Alpena - Bobolinsky, old-iron dealer, of
Chicago L. D. Peyton, of Philadelphia Har-
ry L. st. Clair, of New York W. G. Pettibone,
of New York john Osborn. wife and three
children, of Chicago Neal McGillvray, of St.
Joseph, Mich; Maggie Mack, ex-stewardess of
the Alpena; Mrs. Decoudres, OF Evanston, I'LL
The Apena was in command of Capt Nelson
W. Napier, one of the oldest and most careful
Captains on the lake.
The missing steamer was regarded as one of
the stanchest of the Goodrich steamers and in
every way seaworthy. She was built by Gale
CHER Co., at Marine City, and came
out in May, 1865. She was registered
654 tons measurement. After sailing
on the lakes for ten years she was rebuilt at
Manitowoc by her present owners, the Good
rich Transportation Company, and was consid-
cred by them as stronger in every part after
ward than when first built. The rebuilding was
done i'll 1876. She was valued by the company
at $4,000, and was insured for $4,000.