City of Concord (Propeller), U5538, sunk, 27 Sep 1906

STEAMER CITY OF CONCORD IS LOST OFF PELEE ISLAND.
      Four Members of Crew on Way to Mainland in Small Boat Drowned.
      At 3 o'clock this morning Capt. Charles McEachen of the steamer CITY OF CONCORD reported to the 'Register' the loss of the Steamer CITY OF CONCORD off Pelee Island, about three miles East.
The CONCORD with three barges, the MONTPELIER, DONALSON and the NEUGARUNEE, the tow line was cut and they were left at the mercy of the storm which was raging, shortly before midnight.
      Capain and 11 of his crew put out two small boats four men and the Captain, the six others, survivors landed about 2 ½ miles from east of Cedar Point.
      The mate and the Captain walked to Huron, the others were left on the shore, what happened to them was not known as of 3 o'clock this mornning, the steamer & barges were carrying a load, of coal
      Sandusky Daily Register
      September 30, 1906

      . . . . .
     
      The crew of the CONCORD, after leaving the then sinking vessel started for the barge NONTPELIER. " Go back, the boat is going down," is the cry they claim they heard as they drew near.
      This led to the belief that the NONTPELIER was probably lost, and the survivors in Sandusky as well as Huron were greatly concerned.
An effort was made to find Capt. Duvall of the MONTPELIER in Sandusky Sunday, but it was unsuccessful.
In spite of the many alarming reports in circulation Sunday night concerning the NONTPELIER as well as the DONALSON, Capt. Griesser of the Marblehead Lifesaving Crew was positive in his declaration that both barges were safe, at anchor in Lake Erie
      Sandusky Register
      September 30, 1906

      . . . . .
     
      CITY OF CONCORD.
      (Special to the 'Register'.
The survivors of the crew of the steamer, CITY OF CONCORD, sunken three miles east of Pelee Island in Lake Erie, are with the exception of Mrs. Redmond, the cook, who has gone to her home in Saginaw, Michigan, safely quartered in the Shepherd House here tonight. They were brought to Huron at an early hour this morning by L. J. Hart, who drove out the lake shore to a spot described by Capt. Eaghern, about two and one half miles east of Cedar Point, where he found them in a marshy bottom sitting in water up to their necks to keep them warm. The temperature of the water, owing to the fact that it was surrounded by a dense thicket, was more agreeable to the half frozen seafarers than the chilly air.
      The CITY OF CONCORD, acoording to Captain McEaghern, was but recently purchased by N. Millis of Port Huron, from Capt. Wm. Schaefer of the barge NEGAUNEE. The CONCORD was not insured.
      Captain McEaghern and mate walked to Huron from the scene of the landing, a distance of about seven miles and a half bare footed and almost without clothing.
      Three lives lost, on steamer, the CITY OF CONCORD, sunken three miles southeast of Pelee Island, in Lake Erie and a barge stranded and likely damaged beyond repair on the beach in front of the old Ohio State University's laboratory, just down from the Cedar Point resort, tells in substance, the story of the storm, the tail end of the tropical hurricane, which spread death and destruction along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico last Thursday, which struck that section of the lower lake region outlying Sandusky Saturday might.
      As was reported briefly in the Register of Sunday morning, the steamer, CITY OF CONCORD, Captain Charles Mc.Eaghern in command, sprang a leak about four miles east of Pelee Island, during the thickest of the storm, and went to the bottom. The captain and his crew of ten, put out in a small boat. After a battle with the waves that threatened a wholesale destruction of life, a landing was made at a point along, the lake shore about two and a half miles below Cedar Point. Three of the crew were lost on the way. The captain and his mate walked to Huron where the former notified the 'Register' to in turn notify the Marblehead Life Saving Station to be on the lookout for the crew of the three barges, the NEGAUNEE, MONTPELIER and DONALSON, all of the Bradley fleet, Cleveland, from which the CONCORD was forced to cut loose when her master saw that she must go to the bottom. The Marblehead Life savers were quick to respond and spent the night in search of the barges, which,
in the meantime, were being rolled and tossed on angry billows, seemingly about to be dashed to pieces and sent to the bottom with all aboard.
      The CONCORD, DONALSON, and MONTPELIER loaded coal at Cleveland Saturday afternoon. The NEGAUNEE loaded coal at Lorain and cleared in the evening. She was picked up by the CONCORD just a short time after the storm broke. Then it became apparent that the vessels would have to shift for themselves, tow lines were cut and the battle against the storm began. Those aboard the barges knew that something was the matter with the CONCORD but what it was they could not say. They heard several sharp blasts of the whistle of the CONCORD and knew that she was in danger, but still they could not go to her assistance. The wind was blowing a gale and the sea was rolling house-top high. It was a clear case of fight for life and this every person aboard the four boats did.
      Sandusky Register
      October 1, 1906
     
     
Steam screw CITY OF CONCORD. U. S. No. 5538. Of 385 tons gross; 282 tons net. Built Cleveland, Ohio, 1868. Home port, Port Huron, Mich. 135.2 x 25.8 x 11.0 Crew of 11. Freight service. Of 380 indicated horsepower.
      Merchant Vessel List, U. S., 1906
     
     
Steam screw CITY OF CONCORD. U. S. No. 5538. Of 385 tons gross; Built 1868, with 12 persons on board, foundered off Pelee Island, Lake Erie, Sept. 27, 1906. 2 lives lost.
      Loss of American Vessels Reported During Fiscal Year, 1907