The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-08-12
ALMOST A DISASTER.
Tho Steamer City OF Grand Ra-
pIds Nearly Founders with
200 People on Board

Milwaukee. Wis, Aug. s.-[Special.l-
The passenger steamer City Of Grand
Rapids, with 200 persons on board, mar
rowly escaped laundering in midlake
Saturday night. The steamer was bound
from South Haven for Milwaukee, and
was thirtyfive miles out when large
amount of water was discovered in the
hold. The water was pouring in from
many leaks, and to render the situation
more desperate the engineer was unable
to start the pumps going.
Two Inches from Death.
When the water rose until il was
WITHIN two inches Of the fires the steam
er was headed back for South Haven.
Inc passengers were awakened and told
to prepare themselves for what might
happen. A wild scramble for lifc-sayiny
Appliances ensued. Just as the fires were
about TO be put out by the incoming wa
ter the engineer succeeded in rigging up
one or the pumps, |hich held the water
In check until port was reached at Is
O'Clock Sunday morning Two inches
more OF water would have put out the
hres, and the steamer must have sunk.
1t was a weary looking crowd of pas
sengers that disembsrked when tho
South Haven docks were reached The
terrors of seasiCkness, added to the hor-
rors OF laundering ship. had left traces
on the faces of all and many were
scarcely able TO walk mp from the dock
after they had scrambled ashore over the
sangplank. The steamer was sunk deeply
IN the water, and the one pump that had
stood between possible death and the POO
passengers and the crew was still brave
ly shooting its stream Of water over the
side. The other pumps were useless
The City of Grand Rapids set sail at
10 o clock Saturday night. The boat
had been laid up all summer and was
but few days ago fitted out for the ex-
curSion business again. 1t is thought the
leaks were due to defective Caulking.
First Great Lake Disaster
Fifty-eisht years ago next Wednesday
occurred almost the first great lake diSas-
ter. This was the burning of the Stcam-
er Erie August Q. 1871. Out of 200 pcr-
sons on board only thirty were saved \
cargo valued at 10000 and $3.50 600 in
specie went down with the wreck. The
only woman saved was resident Of Mil
waukee.
The Erie was the crack boat Of those
days, wooden side wheeler. Compara-
lively new at the time. The boat left
Buffalo on the afternoon Of the day men
toned with thirty cabin passengers and
40 Stcerage, the latter being Swiss and
German immigrant farmers bound for
board belonged to them. Many Of the
cabin passengers Were wealthy residents
OF the West returning home on the steam
er. The crew numbered thirty When
the vessel had reached a point thirty-tivp
miles west of Buffalo barrel of turpcn-
tine near the boilers exploded. The boat
had been newly painted, and almost in
an instant the deckhouse burst into
flames. which ran with great rapidity in
every direction.
Wild Panic on Deck.
Capt. Titus. an old lake navigator.
turned the boat toward shore. and. de
Scending to the deck. cndcavorCd to qupl
the wild panic that broke out. The emi-
grant passengers rushed on deck frcu-
Zied. Some Of the women actually threw
the children into the water. There were
100 life preseryers on board. Capt Titus
and two sturdy mates ran up and down
the decks. wrestling the prcServcrS from
male passengers and fastening them
around women. So rapidly had the
flames spread that it was impossible after
few moments 10 enter the cabin, whrr"
the preservers were stored, and thus only
a few were available.
Meantime three boats had been low
cred Two Immediately swampcd in tho
heavy sea. The third struck th" water
safely with three or four persons in it.
1t drlfted past a woman struggling in
the water. The only oar in the boat
was thrown to her, and. ciingin.; Ia it for
several hours, she was finally rescued
by the steamer Clinton the only woman
saved. This was Mrs. Lyndc Of Mil
waukee. When the steamer Clinton
mentioned came up 10 the burning wreck
more than three-quarterS of those on
board had perishcd either III the flames
or by jumping into the lake. The Gin
ton lowered her boats. but so maddcn"d
were the shrieking passengers left that
only thirty of these were rescued. The
Chataque and the schooner Lady arrived
on tho scene afterward. but the fire was