1880 — Aug 29, steamer Marine City burns/sinks, Lake Huron, 2miles off Alcona, MI –9-14

— >30 Sandusky Daily Register. “More Bodies Found in the Marine City Wreck.” 9-6-1880, 1.
–14-30 Hillsdale Standard, MI. “Burned. The Steamer Marine City Destroyed…” 8-31-1880, 2.
–10-25 passengers
— 4-5 crew
–12-20 Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “The Marine City.” 9-8-1880, p. 3.
–16 Total of accounting of separate deaths.
–10-20 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 142.
— 14 Blanchard tally of fatalities individually noted in sources below (following Newspapers)
— 10 Sarnia Observer, Ontario, Canada. “Burned on Lake Huron.” 9-3-1880.
— 8-10 St. Joseph Traveler-Herald, MI. “Editorial Notes.” 9-4-1880, p. 1.
— 9 Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library. “Marine City (1866, Barge).”
— 9 US Steamboat Inspection Ser. Annual Rpt.…Supervising Inspector-General…, 1881, 9.
–6 passengers
–3 crew
— 8 Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “Lake Disaster! Steamer Marine City Burned!…” 9-1-1880, 3.
— 8 Daily Leader, Bloomington, IL. “The Huron Horror.” 8-30-1880, p. 1.
— 8 Sandusky Daily Register, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Marine City.” 8-31-1880, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Swayze: “Marine City. Passenger and package freight steamer of 696 t. [tons]. Lake Huron: On August 30 [sic], 1880, the steamer Marine City, carrying a load of shingles and fish, caught fire off Alcona, Michigan, a few miles north of Harrisville. She was seen to be in distress from Harrisville, whereupon two tugs, the Vulcan and Grayling, rushed to her rescue. The tugs were able to save a number of those aboard, but ten to 20 people were still lost in the accident. The Marine City burned and sank two miles from shore…” (Shipwreck!… Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 142.)

U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service: “August 29. – The steamer Marine City was totally destroyed by fire, when on Lake Huron, and about two and one-half miles off Alcona. By this disaster six passengers and three of the crew lost their lives.” 1881, p. 9.

Newspapers

Aug 29: “Detroit, Mich., August 29. The steamer Marine City, running between Mackinac and this port and Cleveland, took fire at 2 o’clock this afternoon, two miles off Alcona, thirty miles below Alpena, and was burned to the water’s edge. She had a large load of passengers. One hundred and thirty are reported saved and some are known to be lost.

“A special to the Post and Tribune says: The steamboat Marine City was on her way down from Mackinac with a load of freight and passengers. She left Alcona about 3:30 o’clock this afternoon. About 4 o’clock, when off Sturgeon Point, fire was discovered in the hold, and before effective efforts could be taken the flames became unmanageable. The efforts of the crew were at once directed to saving the passengers. The tug Vulcan was fortunately in sight, and hastened to the relief, as did also boats of the life-saving association at the point and several small boats from the shore. These picked up a large number of persons in the water, chiefly from Detroit, Port Huron and up-shore ports…

“The following are the only missing yet known: Richard Shultz, James Griffin, Frank Emmett and Guy McElroy, of Toledo; Dr. Pomeroy, of Ohio. A number were taken to Sturgeon Point whose names have not been ascertained. Captain Comer and the crew of the Marine City acted with great coolness, and Captain Hackett and the crew of the tug Vulcan rendered valuable assistance, as did also the life-saving crew. Those rescued are all at Alcona. The Marine City was a fine passenger boat, fourteen years old, valued at $30,000 and insured for $15,000. She was owned by Gallagher & Warriner of this city [Detroit]. A later dispatch says no lives were lost.

“Chicago, August 29. – The latest from the Marine City disaster, via Port Huron, says no lives were lost. No further particulars can be obtained to-night.” (Philadelphia Times. “Burned on Lake Erie.” 8-30-1880, p. 1.)

Aug 29: “Alpena, Aug. 29. – The steamer Metropolis and fishing tug Grayling have just returned from the burning of the steamer Marine City off Alcona, some 25 miles from Alpena.

All Is Confusion and Excitement

“The reports of the losses are conflicting and vary from 10-25 of the passengers, and some 4 or 5 of the crew. The boat grounded and burnt to the water’s edge.” (Hillsdale Standard, MI. “Burned. The Steamer Marine City Destroyed by Fire.” 8-31-1880, p. 2.)

Aug 30: “Detroit, Mich., August 30. – The steamboat Marine City, on the way down from Mackinac with a load of freight and passengers, left Alcona about 3:30 p.m. About 4 o’clock, when off Sturgeon point, fire was discovered in the hold, and before effective efforts could be taken the flames became unmanageable. The efforts of the crew were at once directed to saving the passengers. The tug Vulcan was fortunately in sight, and hastened to her relief, as did also the boats of the life-saving association at the point. These picked up about 130 passengers in the water, chiefly from Detroit, Port Huron and up-shore ports. A number have been taken to Sturgeon point, whose names have not been ascertained. Captain Comer and the crew of the Marine City acted with great coolness, and Captain Hackett and the crew of the tug Vulcan rendered valuable assistance, as did also the life-saving crew. Those rescued are all at Alcona. The Marine City was a fine passenger boat, fourteen years old, valued at $30,000 and insured for $15,000. She was owned by Gallagher & Warriner of this city [Detroit]. A later dispatch says no lives were lost.” (Boston Daily Globe. “Burning of a Steamboat…Marine City Destroyed…” 8-30-1880, p. 8.)

Aug 30: “Detroit, Mich., Aug. 30. – The first reports of the burning of the steamer Marine City, on Lake Huron last night, were to private individuals and placed the loss of life at sixty. This was proved later to be largely overestimated.

“Up to daylight this morning, but eight persons are known to be missing. These are: Richard Shorts, the head waiter; James Graffin, head cook; Frank Emmett, musician; Guy McEverett, of Toledo; Dr. Pomeroy, a man named Watson from Detroit, and an unknown Irishman supposed to be from Point St. Ignace….” (Daily Leader, Bloomington, IL. “The Huron Horror.” 8-30-1880, p1.)

Aug 30: “Detroit, Aug. 30. – There is little news from the wreck of the Marine City. The boat has floated ashore, but has burned to the water’s edge. The latest statements are that her books and papers were lost, so that the work of ascertaining just how many were lost, will be work of some difficulty.

“It is estimated that there were 150 passengers and forty of the crew on board, and about 130 are reported saved.

“Three bodies have been recovered, but the names are not known. On one cuff found was marked Watson. The proximity of the boat to the Life Saving Station at Sturgeon Point, the near neighborhood of the tug Vulcan and fishing tug Grayling, the coolness of Capt. Comer and his crew, of the burned steamer, and the fact that is was daylight, all aided in rendering the loss of life comparatively small, as it is now hoped.

“Capt. Comer, of the burned steamer Marine City, telegraphs that as near as he can ascertain, six passengers and two of the crew were lost. The names of the crew are Richard Schultz and James Cook. The names of the missing passengers are unknown, except that of one man washed ashore at Sturgeon Point with a cuff button marked Watson. There is little doubt but this is Martin T. Watson, druggist of this city, who came here from Stratford, Ontario, about two years ago. Capt. Comer thinks there were 120 passengers and 35 of the crew. The trip sheets of the boat were lost, so that it is impossible to accurately determine the facts. The crew and fifty of the rescued passengers are on their way down by the steamer Metropolis to Bay City, and will reach this city tomorrow forenoon. There are no other new facts relative to the disaster.” (Sandusky Daily Register, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Marine City.” 8-31-1880, p. 1.

Sep 1: “….The tug Vulcan was about two miles out when they discovered the Marine to be on fire, and they at once went to the scene to render all assistance possible. There was the most intense excitement on board the burning vessel, but the officers did all in their power to quiet the fears of the passengers until assistance should arrive, but all argument is of but little avail among a burning boat load of panic-stricken passengers, and men, women and children perfectly terror-stricken leaped into the lake, there to take their chances with the rolling waters. The Vulcan came up to the bow of the Marine, and succeeded in getting some of the passengers on board, but the fire was raging to such an extend that the side of the tug was considerably charred, and the captain was forced to move off; yet he constantly came up alongside and took all the passengers he could from the burning wreck….

“The following are the names of those lost: [We break the following paragraph into lines.]

Richard Shultz, head waiter;
Jas. Griffin, head cook;
Frank Emmitt, musician;
Guy McElroy, Toledo;
Dr. Pomeroy, Ottawa, Oh;
Jennie Musser [unclear], Alcona;
_____ Watson, Detroit, and
An Irishman whose name was unknown and…boarded the boat at St. Ignace, for Detroit.”

(Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “Lake Disaster! Steamer Marine City Burned! Eight Lives Lost.” 9-1-1880, p. 3.)

Sep 3: “….The Loss: The following is ascribed to the Detroit Free Press, dated three o’clock Monday morning [Aug 30]: The following are those who cannot be found and believed to be drowned: [We break paragraph formatted names into separate lines.]

Richard Schultz;
Ed Ray;
James Parsons,
Head cook;
Frank Emmett, musician, Port Huron;
James Pomeroy, Ottawa, Ohio;
Miss Jeannie Musser, Alcona;
_____Foster, Detroit;
The body of an Irishman, name unknow, who boarded the steamer at St. Ignace, to Detroit, has been picked up….

“As far as can be ascertained the corrected list of the lost from the Marine City disaster is:

Richard Schultz and
James Griffin of Detroit;
Frank Emmett, Port Huron;
Doctor Powers of Ottawa, O.; father-in-law of John McElroy of the Toledo Blade;
John McElroy of Toledo, grand-son;
Jeannie Musser, Alcona;
Martin J. Lawson, Detroit;
An unnamed man of Point St. Ignace;
And a woman and a newborn babe, unknown. The child was born during the fright that was occasioned by the fire….”
(Sarnia Observer, Ontario, Canada. “Burned on Lake Huron.” 9-3-1880.)

Sep 4: “Detroit, Mich., Sept. 4. – A body, supposed to be that of a woman, was found and taken from the wreck of the burned steamer Marine City, at Alcona, to-day, by a diver belonging to the wrecking schooner, Lilly Amiott, while in search of the safe owned by McClure’s Express company. This corpse is so badly burned as to be unrecognizable. The whole face and front of the body had been entirely consumed. Some charred bones were also found in the hold. Work will be resumed to-morrow, and it is believed the remains of more bodies will be found. The discovery made by the divers today supports the theory of several persons who were on board the steamer at the time of the disaster, that at least thirty lives were destroyed. The finding of this corpse has created great excitement here.” (Sandusky Daily Register, OH. “More Bodies Found in the Marine City Wreck.” 9-6-1880, p.1.)

Sep 8: “Since our report last week of the Marine City disaster, a few particulars have been learned in regard to the lost….There are yet many stories told in regard to the sad affair, and the loss of life is variously estimated at from twelve to twenty. When we went to press last week, it was known that eight persons had perished. Two more bodies were washed ashore on Tuesday of last week [Aug 31], and it is supposed that two men, formerly deck hands on the steamer Dunlap, who had secreted themselves in the hold of the Marine City, were consumed in the flames. One of the shore papers says that one unfortunate woman, who had just given birth to a child on the main deck, jumped overboard, and was drowned.

“On Wednesday the body of one of the victims was taken from the ruins of the burned boat, but it was burned beyond all recognition, and on Friday two bodies were taken from the wreck, both badly burned. It is not impossible that there may yet be other bodies recovered, but the actual loss of life from this disaster will never be fully and accurately determined.” (Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “The Marine City.” 9-8-1880, p. 3.)

Oct 6: “Washington, Oct. 6. – Supervising Inspector General of Steamboats Dumont today received a report from the local inspectors at Detroit, Michigan, giving the result of an investigation into the causes leading to the burning of the passenger steamer Marine City, on Lake Huron, near Alcona, on Sunday, August 29.

“The inspectors find that there had been no regular fire drill of the crew, as is required by law, and that portions of the hose leading from the donkey pump, which is used in case of fire, were not kept connected. Owing to this negligence on the part of the officers of the vessel, their licenses were all suspended.” (Philadelphia Inquirer. “Negligent Officers. Cause of the Loss of the Marine City.” 10-7-1880, p. 8, col. 3.)

Summary of Marine City Fatalities (noted in sources cited above):

1. Emmett, Frank Passenger, musician
2. Griffin, James Crew; head cook
3. McElroy, Guy (John?) Passenger from Toledo, OH
4. Musser, Miss. Jennie Passenger from Alcona, MI
5. Pomeroy, Dr. James Passenger, from Ottawa, OH
6. Shultz, Richard Crew, head waiter
7. Watson, Martin T. Passenger; druggist in Detroit
8. Unknown Irishman Passenger; got on at Point St. Ignace
9. Unknown woman Passenger; gave birth during fire; went overboard/drowned
10. Baby of unknown woman Passenger
11. Burned body supposed to be of woman taken from wreck by a diver on Sep 1.
12. Charred bones supposed to be of a stowaway, found in the hold by a diver, Sep 1.
13. Burned body taken from wreck Friday, Sep 3.
14. Burned body taken from wreck Friday, Sep 3.

Sources

Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library webpage “Marine City (1866, Barge).” Accessed 12-7-2020 at: http://www.nemoha.org/2902085/data

Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “Lake Disaster! Steamer Marine City Burned! Eight Lives Lost.” 9-1-1880, p. 3. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alpena-weekly-argus-sep-01-1880-p-3/

Alpena Weekly Argus, MI. “The Marine City.” 9-8-1880, p. 3. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alpena-weekly-argus-sep-08-1880-p-3/

Boston Daily Globe. “Burning of a Steamboat…Marine City Destroyed…” 8-30-1880, p. 8. Accessed 12-6-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-daily-globe-aug-30-1880-p-8/

Daily Leader, Bloomington, IL. “The Huron Horror.” 8-30-1880, p. 1. Accessed 12-6-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bloomington-daily-leader-aug-30-1880-p-1/

Hillsdale Standard, MI. “Burned. The Steamer Marine City Destroyed by Fire.” 8-31-1880, p. 2. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/hillsdale-standard-aug-31-1880-p-2/

Philadelphia Inquirer. “Negligent Officers. Cause of the Loss of the Marine City.” 10-7-1880, p. 8, col. 3. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-inquirer-oct-07-1880-p-8/

Philadelphia Times. “Burned on Lake Erie.” 8-30-1880, p. 1. Accessed 12-6-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-times-aug-30-1880-p-1/

St. Joseph Traveler-Herald, MI. “Editorial Notes.” 9-4-1880, p. 1. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/st-joseph-herald-press-sep-04-1880-p-1/

Sandusky Daily Register, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Marine City.” 8-31-1880, p. 1. Accessed 12-6-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-daily-register-aug-31-1880-p-1/

Sandusky Daily Register, OH. “More Bodies Found in the Marine City Wreck.” 9-6-1880, p.1. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-daily-register-sep-06-1880-p-1/

Sarnia Observer, Ontario, Canada. “Burned on Lake Huron.” 9-3-1880. Transcribed at and accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/details.asp?ID=58138

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

United States Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector-General of Steam-Vessels to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1881. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1881. Accessed 12-7-2020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015073739321&view=1up&seq=33