Off Grand Haven, MI Steamer Sinks In Lake Michigan, Sep 1873

TERRIBLE DISASTER.

SINKING OF A STEAMER ON LAKE MICHIGAN.

FOURTEEN LIVES KNOWN TO BE LOST.

Detroit, Mich., Sept. 15. -- A severe southwest gale prevails over the upper lakes to-day. The steamer Ironsides, of the Milwaukee and Grand Haven line, is reported to have foundered, about noon, six miles off Grand Haven.
The sea is so heavy that nothing can go out, and it is feared that all hands are lost. It is not known how many are on board.
Six schooners have gone on the beach at Grand Haven since this morning.
Later -- 2:40 P.M. -- Three of the Ironsides' boats have reached the shore, with twenty-three persons. The other boats have not yet been heard from.

PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER
Grand Haven, Mich., Sept. 15. -- The propeller Ironsides, of the Engleman Line, connecting with the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway, and one of the largest steamers on the upper lakes, foundered and sunk seven miles off this port at noon to-day.
Her signal of distress waas hoisted at 9 A. M., but so terrible was the sea and heavy the wind no assistance could reach her. She labored in the trough of the sea from about 8:30 A. M. until the time she sunk.
The passengers and crew prepared the boats to leave her at about 10:30 o'clock, and the last boat left at 11:50.
When the last boat had got about a quarter of a mile from her she went down.
There were five boats filled with the crew and passengers. One boat, containing five men and four women, capsized, and only one man of the party reached shore.
Four boats have reached shore up to this time. One boat, containing Capt. SWEETMAN and wife, and five pasengers, has not yet been heard from. It is feared that they are among the lost.
Thirty-two persons are known to have been saved, and fourteen bodies have been recovered.
There were forty-nine persons on board of the Ironsides, of whom nineteen were passengers.
The Drowned:
The following is a list of the drowned, whose bodies have been recovered and identified:
JOHN DRISCOLL, steward of the boat.
JOHN HALES, of Milwaukee.
CHARLES WINMELL, agent of C. E. HARLING & Co., New York.
MRS. H. A. VALENTINE and child, of Milwaukee.
A. S. DONELSON, of Grand Rapids.
MRS. J. B. L. DEWITT, of Milwaukee.
The Saved:
The following is a lilst of the saved as far as can be ascertained:
N. E. WATKINS, clerk of the boat.
O. KITZENGER.
SAM WILKINS.
JOHN GEE.
DAN DRISCOLL.
GEO. C. OWAN, Second Engineer of the boat.
M. L. CHICHESTER.
H. N. WARD and MISS WARD.
F. N. RIPLEY.
JAMES SMITH.
MR. WHITING.
MIKE CROZEN.
CHARLES STIEF.
CHARLES BEDFORD.
T. L. BEDFORD.
A. L. PITMAN.
FRANK CONKREY.
ANDREW WATTS.
FELIX RILEY.
WILLIAM D. WENT.
MR. SHULTE.
WILLIAM SAVAGE.
MR. GARLEN.
DAN HUGHES.
CHARLES WILCOX.
A Sad Incident.
One of the bodies recovered was that of a little boy about six years of age, probably the son of MRS. VALENTINE, of Milwaukee. He was neatly dressed, had light hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful and intelligent face, which, except its paleness, looked as though he had fallen quietly asleep.

The New York Times New York 1873-09-16
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!