Sophia Minch (Schooner), U115166, aground, 1 Oct 1883

THE SOPHIA MINCH ASHORE.
Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 1. -- The schooner SOPHIA MINCH, from Marquette to Cleveland, with 1,150 tons of ore, went ashore here at 4 o'clock this morning, during the storm. She was being towed into port, and when near the river her rudder broke, and the tug was forced to cut her loose. The tug PETER SMITH carried a life crew to her, but, on account of the heavy sea, abandoned both crews on the drifting vessel. Subsequently both crews were rescued from the schooner by means of lines fired over the vessel. Afterward the schooner went hard aground near the east pier, and was scuttled. The SOPHIA MINCH was owned by Peter Minch, of this city, and valued at $24,000. There was no insurance.
      J.W. Hall Great Lakes Marine Scrapbook, Oct./Nov., 1883


The SOPHIA MINCH, Captain Bates, went ashore here at four o'clock this morning. She is lying squarely on sand bottom just off the freight docks. She left Marquette last Friday with 1,154 tons of ore consigned to the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company. The SOPHIA MINCH lay to on the inside of the breakwater pier in comparative security but slightly blockading the channel for incoming vessels. The Tug PETER SMITH went to her rescue with the assistance of the AMADEUS, bearing the life-saving crew, which boarded her. The tug moved her somewhat from her sheltered position, and in attempting to gain the harbor again the line parted. The captain and crew, consisting of nine men, were safely landed. The owner Philip Minch, values the SOPHIA MINCH at $24,000. There is no insurance on the hull. We are unable to say whether the cargo was insured or not. - Cleveland Report.
      Marine Record
      Nov. 1, 1883


Appearances now that the disasters at Cleveland will not turn out to be as heavy losses as was feared at the time. The schooner JOHN B. MERRILL, as already noted in these columns, has been got off and, although leaking considerably, she will be speedily repaired as soon as her cargo is out, and it is not believed the cost of repairs and releasing will be any very large sum.
      An almost similar story is likely to be told of the SOPHIA MINCH. A diver has been down and reports that she is not broken as was reported, and under the directions of Captain George McKay a crew with Captain Bradley's lighter and steam pump are at work at her. The work of pumping her out was begun at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and in the early part of last evening it was reported that but four feet of water remained in her hold and that there was strong probability that she would be brought in last night. Her owner was engaged in stripping her most of the day yesterday, so that in case of any failure to get her off he would have saved as much as possible from the wreck. But it now appears that she will be speedily brought in and that here to the bills for releasing and repairs will not be large, although it is wholly impossible to estimate the matter just now. - - - Cleveland Leader, Tuesday.
      J.W. Hall Great Lakes Marine Scrapbook, November, 1883




Schooner SOPHIA MINCH. U. S. No. 115166. Of 635.57 tons gross; 603.80 tons net. Built Vermillion, O., 1873. Home port, Cleveland, O. 184.0 x 33.0 x 13.0.
      Merchant Vessel List, U. S., 1885