Goodrich Steamer Is At Bottom Of The Lake

Chicago Feb. 4.-- The steamer Iowa of the Goodrich Transit co., sank in Lake Michigan about three miles off the river mouth today after being crushed by what lakemen declare was the heaviest ice jam seen in years off the Chicago harbor.

The Iowa sank in Chicago harbor on July 17 1913, shortly after she had been rammed by the Goodrich liner Sheboygan during an early morning fog. The Iowa had discharged her 110 passengers and was manoeuvring at the mouth of the river to return to the Rush St. dock when the Sheboygan loomed out of the fog with siren blowing. She struck the Iowa just forward of the cabin, staving a hole thirty feet in diameter. Six tugs towed the ship to her dock, where an emergency crew attempted to remove her cargo. Little had been accomplished when she broke her moorings and sank. Part of her crew and the emergency freight hands jumped for their lives.

The loss on the cargo was estimated at $50,000. A force of divers patched the Iowa and she was then pumped out and floated.

The Iowa was last inspected by the federal inspection officials at Milwaukee on April 23, 1914. The report of the inspectors showed the vessel to be in good shape and a marking of A1 was registered.

The crew of seventeen and the one passenger clambered to the ice pack as the vessel settled and struggled over ice hummocks to the shore. Those who reached safety first declared that no one had been lost.

Was Injured

The Iowa beaten back from the Chicago harbor Tuesday night, made a fresh start from Milwaukee last night and with the Racine and other vessels, was caught in ice floes off this harbor this morning. The vessel valued at $150,000, carried a miscellaneous cargo from $50,000 to $75,000 in value. Officials of the company said it was fully insured.

Other boats in ice.

The Kansas, Arizona, and Racine, the former held fast in the ice, were only a short distance from the Iowa. The Racine, which was in clear water though hemmed in by ice, started to the rescue of those on board the Iowa. Later the Racine was reported to be sinking. This, however, proved to be a false alarm.

The city fire boat Graeme Stewart was much hampered in its progress by the ice and made slow progress toward the scene.

Wireless call for help

The first intimation of the accident came in a wireless message to the owners in which the Iowa’s captain reported that the boat was fast and leaking and that the ice was “running.”

Huge cakes of ice were forced against the sides of the vessel, starting the timbers and piercing the sheathing.

Feverish work on the part of the crew failed to stop the leaks and further punctures resulted as huge masses of ice surged against the ship.

Goes to bottom

Within half an hour from the time she began to settle the Iowa sank. She listed to the starboard and then sank on an even keel until the final plunge was made bow on. Not a spar or mast was visible after she sank.

The Iowa collided with another steamer in the Chicago river in July 1913. Government inspectors pronounced her repairs satisfactory.

Left Milwaukee Wednesday

The Iowa left Milwaukee at 8 p.m. Wednesday, for Chicago. She carried a crew of about fifteen men, but no passengers, according to Milwaukee officials of the Goodrich Transit Co.

The Iowa was built at Manitowoc in 1896. Her home port is Duluth,

W.P O’Connor, general agent of the Goodrich line, received a telegram at 11:30 a.m. announcing the loss of the Iowa in the pace ice about four mile off the Chicago harbor. The reports states that the crew escaped over the ice. Capt. E. Stuffelbaum of the Iowa lived at 140 Twenty-third st. He had been in the employ of the Goodrich line for about a year, but had sailed for many years previously on the boats of different lines out of Milwaukee. The crew were mostly Milwaukee men.

Mr. O’Connor stated that the value of the Iowa was placed at $350,000. Her cargo consisted of merchandise. He says that service will not be impaired, as the Goodrich Co., will immediately put the Georgia into commission on the same run.

Will reimburse shippers

He issued the following statement on claims covering losses occasioned by the sinking of the Iowa:

“The company requests its patrons to file claims promptly covering merchandise lost on the Iowa. The claim must be supported by a copy of the original invoices certified to before a notary public. The original bill of lading or the supporting receipts. The company will promptly pay all claims of the losses of receipt of proper papers.”