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    VESSEL NAME:   Marine City
    OTHER NAME(s): -
    OFFICIAL NO:   16447
    DATE OF LOSS:  29 August, 1880
    CAUSE OF LOSS: Fire
    LOCATION:      Lake Huron, off Sturgeon Point
    RIG TYPE:      Steamer, passenger & freight
    HULL TYPE:     Wood
    BUILDER:       Arnold, Marine City, MI - 1866
    OWNER(S):      Michigan Transportation Co.
    MASTER:        Capt. W. E. Comer, Detroit
    TONNAGE:       382.50 gt
    DIMENSIONS:    192 x 27.75 x 10.66
    CASUALTIES:    9 of 158

                   Caught fire and burned to the water's edge while on her
                way down to Detroit from Mackinaw.  Fire was discovered
                about 15 minutes after leaving Alcona where she had stopped
                to take on a cargo of shingles. Passengers and crew rescued
                by the tugs VULCAN and GRAYLING as well as the steamer
                METROPOLIS and the Sturgeon Point life-saving crew who
                rowed out to the scene.
                   Among the passengers on the MARINE CITY that fateful day
                was Mr. John H. McElroy, managing editor of the Toledo
                Blade, who lost his son and father-in-law in the disaster.
                Upon arriving in Toledo he gave great compliment to the
                officers and crew of the MARINE CITY and to the citizens of
                Alcona. He also leveled harsh criticism at the life-saving
                station, stating they were "nearly an utter failure," and
                going on to say that Capt. Silverthorn and his crew were
                "quite a useless expense to the government."

                Victims:
                Richard Schultz, head waiter
                Jas. Griffin, head cook
                Frank Emmit, musician
                Guy McElroy, Toledo
                Dr. Pomeroy, Ottawa, Ont.
                Jennie Musser, Alcona
                _____ Watson, Detroit
                unknown passenger, boarded at St. Ignace

                   In the aftermath the Merchants and Manufacturers'
                Exchange raised funds to provide a suitable reward to the
                crew of the tugs VULCAN and GRAYLING. The rewards given
                were:
                  Capt. Hackett, tug VULCAN, gold & diamond badge.
                  John Millen, Jr., mate of the tug VULCAN, gold watch
                  A gold & silver badge to 11 crewmen of the VULCAN

                  Capt. Van Liew, tug GRAYLING, gold watch & chain
                  D. Thompson, mate of the tug GRAYLING, and Wm. Bishop,
                  deckhand of the tug GRAYLING, each a silver watch &
                  chain.


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Sources: Merchant Vessel List - 1871, 1875, 1877
         Federal Reporter, Vol. 5 - December 1880-March 1881
           (District Court, E.D. Michigan, April 4, 1881)
         Annual Report of the U.S.L.S.S. - 1881
         Chicago Daily Tribune, 5 September 1880
         Alpena Weekly Argus, 1 September 1880
         Alpena Weekly Argus, 3 November 1880
         Great Lakes Vessels Online index - BGSU