On this day October 16, 1880, Goodrich’s wooden paddle steamer ALPENA was lost with all on board. The number of lost varies as the company did not keep a copy of the passengers on board. As I have said in many of my programs, it was much like riding the city buses, you paid your money and got on board. The US Life Saving Service Report gives the loss of life as 60 – other reports state as high as 86.
On Friday evening the 15th, the ALPENA left Grand Haven for Chicago and met the steamer MUSKEGON about 1 am on the 16th. She was seen by the barge S. A. IRISH soon after daylight and by the sch. J. A. HOLMES about 9 or 10 am. It is thought she was struck by a tornado during the severe storm from the southwest.
The weather report from the National Weather Service for October 15-16, 2026, from North Point Light to Wind Point, Wis., has issued a small craft advisory in effect through Friday morning and gale warning in effect from Friday morning through Friday evening. Waves on Thursday expected to be 4 to 6 feet and on Friday 3 to 4 feet building to 10 to 13 feet. Not exactly a tornado but with our record breaking heat this month, it could have occurred in 1880.
The following newspaper accounts will give you the anticipation and worry for the ALPENA when she did not arrive.
DOUBT OF THE ALPENA’S FATE.
CHICAGO, Oct. 18 – the fate of the ALPENA is still in doubt. The only information in addition to Associated Press news, is obtained from dispatches and facts in possession of the Goodrich line here. It is learned that two vessels sighted the ALPENA thirty to fifty miles off Racine Saturday morning and another picked up her ship ladder and a pail, marked ALPENA, at Holland, Mich. A tug has been sent on a general lookout along the Michigan coast. The lines of telegraph north of Manistee are down. The articles found may have been washed overboard by the waves, and the owners are quite confident the vessel will be found to have reached a port.
An Associated Press agent has been sent by team to Stony Creek, from Montague to learn all particulars about the wreck of the ALPENA, which came ashore there.
The vessel was 175 feet long, 35 feet beam and 12 feet hold; valued at $80,000, insured this year, for the first time, for $20,000. She is fifteen years old.
The captain was Nelson W. Napier, of St. Joseph; second mate, J. H. Kelly; first engineer, R. W. Johnson; second engineer, Robert Polion; steward, John Bowen; clerk, A. E. Hayes, She also had four cabin boys, two wheelmen, two cooks, two firemen, one porter, and eight deck hands, a total of twenty-five in her crew. The company keeps no duplicate list of passengers, but estimates that they numbered 60 to 70.
The captain of the BOSTON reports that the ALPENA was not at the Manitous at 6 last evening, as has been rumored. (The Saint Paul Globe, Tuesday, October 19, 1880, p. 1)
WASHED ASHORE
The Lifeless Form of Mrs. Bradley of New Mexico, Found on the Holland Beach
Settles the story of the Foundering of the Ill-fated ALPENA in Saturday’s storm.
The Sands Covered with Doors, Buckets, and Furniture from the Cabin.
Sorrowful Groupings Yesterday About the Office of the Goodrich Steamers.
FOUND ON THE BEACH – PORTION OF THE WRECK OF THE ALPENA FOUND – THE BODY OF MRS. BRADLEY, OF NEW MEXICO, WASHED ASHORE
GRAND HAVEN, Mich., Oct. 19 – great excitement prevails here over the now undoubted destruction of the Goodrich steamer ALPENA, with all on board. Apples and other freight, recognized as that of the ALPENA’s cargo, were found along the beach about Holland, and word has been received from the agent of the Goodrich line at this point, who says the ALPENA is undoubtedly lost. Portions of the boat, including a part of the deck, gang planks, hatches, and other fragments of the lost side-wheeler, have been found on the beach and recognized. Late in the afternoon a piano belonging to the steamer was found as also a door panel with the name ALPENA on it.
Some life-preservers and a bucket, the former with ALPENA in stenciling, and the latter with ALPENA painted on its side have also been found. The body of a lady came ashore, and has been recognized as that of Mrs. Bradley, who, with her two daughters, has been summering at this place, and were of the ALPENA bound for their home in New Mexico. Captain Buttin, the Manager of the Goodrich Line, is on the scene, and has established a watch along the beach for bodies. (Chicago Daily Telegraph, Wednesday, October 20, 1880, p. 1, col. 2)
MARINE DISASTERS — RESULTS OF A FEARFUL GALE.
Chicago, Oct. 20 — The excitement and suspense which has been hourly increasing in the three days, respecting the fate of the ALPENA, has changed to profound sorrow. The offices of the Goodrich Line were filled yesterday with mournful faces. It is not deemed possible that any person has been saved from the wreck. Some believe that the vessel struck a rock somewhere off the eastern shore and went to pieces a considerable distance from the beach. There is much complaint of the company having no list of passengers. The crew was 30 strong. It was stated, when the vessel left Muskegon that she had 70 passengers and took five at Grand Haven, mostly women. Goodrich thinks, however, that the passengers did not exceed 25 or perhaps 20.
Holland, Mich., Oct. 21. — Prop. Scott of Hope Collage, has a leaf from a diary found attached to a molding of the cabin of the steamer ALPENA by a small nail. It is badly chafed and water-soaked, but by the aid of a glass it can be read as follows: “Oh, this is terrible ! The steamer is breaking up fast. I am aboard from Grand Haven to Chicago. Geo, Connor.” The last two letters of the name are very faint and may be Connell. (Kingston Whig-Standard, October 21, 1880)
The Late Storm.- Great loss of life and property.- On Saturday and Sunday, the most disastrous storm known for several years raged throughout the whole lake region, from Lake Michigan to Lake Ontario, and several lamentable cases of loss of life with wrecked vessels are reported, the most serious having occurred on Lake Michigan. The saddest disaster of all is the loss of the steamer ALPENA, which went down early on Saturday morning off Holland on the Michigan shore of Lake Michigan, and all on board perished. The steamer left Grand Haven on Friday night for Chicago and is estimated to have had a crew of about twenty-five and forty to fifty passengers, so that this is one of the most fatal disasters of this disastrous season. A few of the bodies have already been washed ashore and only some of them have on life preservers. The ALPENA was valued at $40,000. (Amherstburg Echo, October 22, 1880)
THE LOST ALPENA
Pieces of the Wreck Found with Writing Upon Them.
St. Joseph, MI., October 25 – the bottom of a grape box, six inches in length, was picked up in the surf one mile south of here, yesterday evening by Mr. Hart. On one side was written:
Whoever picks this up, remember the writer is only an orphan. I am happy and willing to die, for there is no one cares for me. At this time we all know our doom. She is fast going to pieces. We know we can never reach land or see it again. The boat is going to pieces. (signed) D. Caddie
On the other side is written in a different handwriting:
A few minutes, then we will all be in a watery grave. (signed) Addie Kelsron or Keston.
Another piece was found about five miles north of here by a boy. It was cut from a shingle, was boat shaped, 11 inches long 4 inches wide, and was evidently made in a great hurry. On it was written the following:
The ALPENA is going to pieces. We will all be lost. (signed) Captain Napier.
There was a word after lost which could not be deciphered, but it looked like “gold”. The writing is said to be Captain Napier’s by A. J. Kidd customs collector at Benton Harbor, and by others who are familiar with his handwriting. (Boston Globe, Tuesday, October 26, 1880, p. 1)
The ALPENA was launched on December 3, 1866 at Marine City, Mich. Built by Gallagher for Solomon Gardner and was later sold to Goodrich in 1868.
Suzette Lopez
