Vessels of the Great Lakes:
Historic Tug Ella G. Stone
From the day it was launched at Algonac in 1881 until the day it was destroyed by a forest fire near Duluth in 1918, the wooden hulled tug Ella G. Stone played an important role in the history and development of the Lake Superior region. She was launched as the E. L. Mason, but the name was changed in 1883 to Ella G. Stone, the name the tug carried for the remainder of its years on the lakes. The Stone was used in towing and other tug services at Two Harbors, Minnesota. There it was put to work bringing stone, concrete and other building materials for construction of the ore docks that made that harbor a major shipping port in the nation’s steel industry.
From the day it was launched at Algonac in 1881 until the day it was destroyed by a forest fire near Duluth in 1918, the wooden hulled tug Ella G. Stone played an important role in the history and development of the Lake Superior region. She was launched as the E. L. Mason, but the name was changed in 1883 to Ella G. Stone, the name the tug carried for the remainder of its years on the lakes. The Stone was used in towing and other tug services at Two Harbors, Minnesota. There it was put to work bringing stone, concrete and other building materials for construction of the ore docks that made that harbor a major shipping port in the nation’s steel industry.
Pewabic
Why Did They Hit?
The collision that sank the steamer Pewabic and took an estimated one hundred lives in Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay is still counted among the worst of the Great Lake disasters. It also remains among the unsolved mysteries of the lakes. It happened when a sister ship, the Meteor, hit the Pewabic, sinking her at dusk, about 8:30 PM on August 9, 1865. The puzzle about the incident was that both vessels from the Lake Superior Lane were operated by experienced crews who should have not made such a mistake. The lake was calm, the night was clear, and survivors from the Pewabic said they could see the light of the Meteor coming for miles before the collision.
The collision that sank the steamer Pewabic and took an estimated one hundred lives in Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay is still counted among the worst of the Great Lake disasters. It also remains among the unsolved mysteries of the lakes. It happened when a sister ship, the Meteor, hit the Pewabic, sinking her at dusk, about 8:30 PM on August 9, 1865. The puzzle about the incident was that both vessels from the Lake Superior Lane were operated by experienced crews who should have not made such a mistake. The lake was calm, the night was clear, and survivors from the Pewabic said they could see the light of the Meteor coming for miles before the collision.
Lost Treasure Ship – Keystone State
The steamship Keystone State was thought to have been carrying many thousands of dollars in gold and silver coins in its safe. The trick for many years was to find the wreck. The vessel took thirty-three souls to their death when it disappeared on Saturday, November 9, 1861, somewhere on Lake Huron. The steamer encountered a furious storm on Lake Huron and never made port. She was last seen rolling heavily on high seas somewhere off Point aux Barques, Michigan. There were no survivors so the story of what happened to the ship was never told. Behold, the wreck was found in 2013 by Michigan diver Dave Trotter and other divers some 30 miles northeast of Harrisville, an estimated 50 miles from where it was last seen. The wreck sits upright about 175 feet at the bottom of Lake Huron. Trotter reports that the stern is broken up, but the engine and large side wheels are still in place. No mention was made of a treasure in the vessel’s safe.
The steamship Keystone State was thought to have been carrying many thousands of dollars in gold and silver coins in its safe. The trick for many years was to find the wreck. The vessel took thirty-three souls to their death when it disappeared on Saturday, November 9, 1861, somewhere on Lake Huron. The steamer encountered a furious storm on Lake Huron and never made port. She was last seen rolling heavily on high seas somewhere off Point aux Barques, Michigan. There were no survivors so the story of what happened to the ship was never told. Behold, the wreck was found in 2013 by Michigan diver Dave Trotter and other divers some 30 miles northeast of Harrisville, an estimated 50 miles from where it was last seen. The wreck sits upright about 175 feet at the bottom of Lake Huron. Trotter reports that the stern is broken up, but the engine and large side wheels are still in place. No mention was made of a treasure in the vessel’s safe.
Was The Lady Elgin Cursed?
Some said the side-wheeled steamer Lady Elgin bore a curse from the day it was launched at Buffalo, New York, in 1851. That is because the engine and boilers came from the Cleopatra, an ocean slave trader that was confiscated by the U. S. Navy. But nobody dreamed that the Lady Elgin would be remembered as one of the worst disasters in Great Lakes history. When she was sunk in a collision on Lake Michigan, off Winnetka, Illinois, on September 8, 1860, an estimated two hundred eighty-seven passengers and crew members perished.
Some said the side-wheeled steamer Lady Elgin bore a curse from the day it was launched at Buffalo, New York, in 1851. That is because the engine and boilers came from the Cleopatra, an ocean slave trader that was confiscated by the U. S. Navy. But nobody dreamed that the Lady Elgin would be remembered as one of the worst disasters in Great Lakes history. When she was sunk in a collision on Lake Michigan, off Winnetka, Illinois, on September 8, 1860, an estimated two hundred eighty-seven passengers and crew members perished.
Mystery Wreck Northerner
The Northerner, under command of Capt. Darius Cole, was steaming north from Cleveland to Saginaw with one hundred thirty-four passengers and crew members, and about fifty tons of mixed freight. The Forest Queen, also a side-wheeled steamship, was bound down that night from Point aux Barques, Michigan. Her master was a man named Woodworth. The night was dark and foggy when the two boats, lighted only by the dim glow of kerosene lamps, crossed each other’s path at the wrong moment. The Forest Queen struck the starboard bow of the Northerner, cutting the ship almost in two about twenty feet back from the stem.
The Northerner, under command of Capt. Darius Cole, was steaming north from Cleveland to Saginaw with one hundred thirty-four passengers and crew members, and about fifty tons of mixed freight. The Forest Queen, also a side-wheeled steamship, was bound down that night from Point aux Barques, Michigan. Her master was a man named Woodworth. The night was dark and foggy when the two boats, lighted only by the dim glow of kerosene lamps, crossed each other’s path at the wrong moment. The Forest Queen struck the starboard bow of the Northerner, cutting the ship almost in two about twenty feet back from the stem.
The Walk-in-the-Water
Even though she lived only three years the steamboat Walk-in-the-Water made a dramatic mark on Great Lakes history. The Walk-in-the-Water was built in 1818 and was one of the pioneer steamboats of the world. It was the first steam ship built on Lake Erie. It also was the first steamship to travel on Lakes Erie, St. Clair, Huron and Michigan, and make the trip up the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers. It was the first steamship to offer passenger and freight service on Lake Erie between Buffalo and Detroit. And it was the first steamer to wreck on Lake Erie.
Even though she lived only three years the steamboat Walk-in-the-Water made a dramatic mark on Great Lakes history. The Walk-in-the-Water was built in 1818 and was one of the pioneer steamboats of the world. It was the first steam ship built on Lake Erie. It also was the first steamship to travel on Lakes Erie, St. Clair, Huron and Michigan, and make the trip up the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers. It was the first steamship to offer passenger and freight service on Lake Erie between Buffalo and Detroit. And it was the first steamer to wreck on Lake Erie.
Carl D. Bradley
The Mate's Radio Call
He didn't know it at the moment, but First Mate Elmer Fleming's last second effort to send a radio call for help saved his life. Fleming was aboard the freighter Carl D. Bradley as the ship was breaking up under his feet during a Lake Michigan gale on Nov. 18, 1958. The boat went down so quickly and so unexpectedly crew members barely had time to get life jackets on before they were in the water. But Fleming's impulsive action at 5:31 p.m. saved Fleming and only one other member of the Bradley's ill-fated crew. Deckhand Frank Mayes also survived the sinking.
He didn't know it at the moment, but First Mate Elmer Fleming's last second effort to send a radio call for help saved his life. Fleming was aboard the freighter Carl D. Bradley as the ship was breaking up under his feet during a Lake Michigan gale on Nov. 18, 1958. The boat went down so quickly and so unexpectedly crew members barely had time to get life jackets on before they were in the water. But Fleming's impulsive action at 5:31 p.m. saved Fleming and only one other member of the Bradley's ill-fated crew. Deckhand Frank Mayes also survived the sinking.
Wreck Of The Edenborn and Madeira
They called it the Mataafa Storm because it wrecked the steamship Mataafa in a deadly disaster off the Duluth harbor. But the November 1905 gale that claimed the Mataafa also left 20 other vessels wrecked or damaged and claimed 32 lives along the Lake Superior coast. The wrecks included the schooner-barge Madeira and the steamer William Edenborn, which had her in tow. The Madeira was a large vessel in its day, measuring 436 feet in length and 50 feet wide. Even though designed to be towed the vessel was provided with three masts and carried sails in case they were needed. Sometimes the sails were raised to assist the towing vessel. She was rigged as a schooner. The Madeira was in ballast and up-bound, under tow behind the Edenborn on Nov. 28 when both vessels were caught in the northeast gale packing winds up to 70 miles per hour off the Apostic Islands.
They called it the Mataafa Storm because it wrecked the steamship Mataafa in a deadly disaster off the Duluth harbor. But the November 1905 gale that claimed the Mataafa also left 20 other vessels wrecked or damaged and claimed 32 lives along the Lake Superior coast. The wrecks included the schooner-barge Madeira and the steamer William Edenborn, which had her in tow. The Madeira was a large vessel in its day, measuring 436 feet in length and 50 feet wide. Even though designed to be towed the vessel was provided with three masts and carried sails in case they were needed. Sometimes the sails were raised to assist the towing vessel. She was rigged as a schooner. The Madeira was in ballast and up-bound, under tow behind the Edenborn on Nov. 28 when both vessels were caught in the northeast gale packing winds up to 70 miles per hour off the Apostic Islands.
Steamer Eber Ward Sunk By Ice
Five sailors died when thick ice at the Straits of Mackinac punched a hole in the wooden hull and sank the 11-year-old steamer Eber Ward on April 9, 1909. The 213-foot-long bulk freighter was laden with corn after apparently spending a winter moored at Chicago. She was among the first lake vessels punching their way through the ice at the straits which was usually among the last obstacles to getting the spring shipping season underway between Buffalo and Chicago and all ports in between.
Five sailors died when thick ice at the Straits of Mackinac punched a hole in the wooden hull and sank the 11-year-old steamer Eber Ward on April 9, 1909. The 213-foot-long bulk freighter was laden with corn after apparently spending a winter moored at Chicago. She was among the first lake vessels punching their way through the ice at the straits which was usually among the last obstacles to getting the spring shipping season underway between Buffalo and Chicago and all ports in between.
Historic Ship Dover Lost In Ecorse Blaze
When a fire swept a number of Great Lakes vessels laid up for the winter at Ecorse, Michigan in 1932, the side-wheeler Dover was among the boats that burned. The Dover was the final name given to the historic steamship Frank E. Kirby, a familiar sight on the lakes for 42 years. Launched at Wyandotte in 1890, the Kirby was a steel-hulled side-wheeler designed for passenger service. She bore the name of well-known Nineteenth Century naval architect Frank E. Kirby.
When a fire swept a number of Great Lakes vessels laid up for the winter at Ecorse, Michigan in 1932, the side-wheeler Dover was among the boats that burned. The Dover was the final name given to the historic steamship Frank E. Kirby, a familiar sight on the lakes for 42 years. Launched at Wyandotte in 1890, the Kirby was a steel-hulled side-wheeler designed for passenger service. She bore the name of well-known Nineteenth Century naval architect Frank E. Kirby.
Pilot Error Sank The D. R. Hanna
A blunder by the pilot of the Great Lakes Freighter Quincy A. Shaw set the stage for a collision that sank the grain carrier D. R. Hanna off Thunder Bay on May 16, 1919. Both steel carriers were approaching each other in light fog in the afternoon hours, but the Hanna, Captain S. B. Massey at the helm, was steaming out of the established downbound shipping lane, which meant the boats were set up for an unconventional starboard to starboard passage. Great Lakes carriers normally followed routes on the lakes that called for port-to-port side passing when they crossed paths.
A blunder by the pilot of the Great Lakes Freighter Quincy A. Shaw set the stage for a collision that sank the grain carrier D. R. Hanna off Thunder Bay on May 16, 1919. Both steel carriers were approaching each other in light fog in the afternoon hours, but the Hanna, Captain S. B. Massey at the helm, was steaming out of the established downbound shipping lane, which meant the boats were set up for an unconventional starboard to starboard passage. Great Lakes carriers normally followed routes on the lakes that called for port-to-port side passing when they crossed paths.
Lost Grain Ship Doty Found Off Milwaukee
Divers recently found the wreck of the L. R. Doty that disappeared in a gale on Lake Michigan on October 24, 1898 with all 17 members of its crew. The 291-foot-long ship was found upright, intact and well preserved in about 300 feet of water according to divers for the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association who made the discovery. The Doty, built in 1893, was among the largest wooden hulled bulk carriers operating on the lakes when it was lost only five years later. This steamer was laden with 107,000 bushels of corn and towing the schooner-barge Olive Jeanette, heading north from Chicago, when the two vessels encountered the storm off the Wisconsin coast.
Divers recently found the wreck of the L. R. Doty that disappeared in a gale on Lake Michigan on October 24, 1898 with all 17 members of its crew. The 291-foot-long ship was found upright, intact and well preserved in about 300 feet of water according to divers for the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association who made the discovery. The Doty, built in 1893, was among the largest wooden hulled bulk carriers operating on the lakes when it was lost only five years later. This steamer was laden with 107,000 bushels of corn and towing the schooner-barge Olive Jeanette, heading north from Chicago, when the two vessels encountered the storm off the Wisconsin coast.
Was the Cook Murdered?
Mary Gowman, the cook on the schooner-barge Harvey Bissel was found dead of a ball shot to the chest while the vessel was on Lake Michigan, off Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on May 10, 1882. When the boat arrived that night at Sturgeon Bay, the captain, a man identified only by the last name of Brock, contacted local authorities and an official investigation was made. It was a stormy night, the local coroner could not be located, so the justice-of-the-peace summoned a group of six citizens to serve as a jury. A suicide verdict was reached but there were some serious unanswered questions.
Mary Gowman, the cook on the schooner-barge Harvey Bissel was found dead of a ball shot to the chest while the vessel was on Lake Michigan, off Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on May 10, 1882. When the boat arrived that night at Sturgeon Bay, the captain, a man identified only by the last name of Brock, contacted local authorities and an official investigation was made. It was a stormy night, the local coroner could not be located, so the justice-of-the-peace summoned a group of six citizens to serve as a jury. A suicide verdict was reached but there were some serious unanswered questions.
La Salle’s Griffin, First Great Lakes Ship
French explorer and fur trader Rene Robert Cavelier de la Salle built the Griffin, the first ship to ever navigate the Great Lakes, in 1670. It was a sailing ship hewn from fresh-cut trees along the Niagara River, at the mouth of Cayuga Creek near the place where the town of La Salle, New York, stands today. Old drawings are but guesses of what the Griffin looked like, based upon ship design of that period. It is said the vessel was small, ranging from 45 to 60 tons burden. It carried seven brass cannons so technically was a ship of war even though its purpose was for the transport of furs from the lakes to New York for shipment to Europe.
French explorer and fur trader Rene Robert Cavelier de la Salle built the Griffin, the first ship to ever navigate the Great Lakes, in 1670. It was a sailing ship hewn from fresh-cut trees along the Niagara River, at the mouth of Cayuga Creek near the place where the town of La Salle, New York, stands today. Old drawings are but guesses of what the Griffin looked like, based upon ship design of that period. It is said the vessel was small, ranging from 45 to 60 tons burden. It carried seven brass cannons so technically was a ship of war even though its purpose was for the transport of furs from the lakes to New York for shipment to Europe.
Wreck Of The City of New York
Eight people perished when the tired old wooden-hulled bulk freight hauler City of New York foundered in severe weather off Lake Ontario’s Duck Island on November 25, 1921. The 136-foot, 58-year-old propeller was laden with coal, making what was to have been a short run from Oswego to Trenton when it was caught in a November storm. The vessel, owned and commanded by Captain Harry Randall, was carrying an unusually light crew of about four other men. Also riding as passengers were Randall’s wife and 19-month-old child, plus a 14-year-old adopted son. All perished in the disaster. Five of the eight bodies were recovered in the ship’s yawl the next day by the steamer Isabelle.
Eight people perished when the tired old wooden-hulled bulk freight hauler City of New York foundered in severe weather off Lake Ontario’s Duck Island on November 25, 1921. The 136-foot, 58-year-old propeller was laden with coal, making what was to have been a short run from Oswego to Trenton when it was caught in a November storm. The vessel, owned and commanded by Captain Harry Randall, was carrying an unusually light crew of about four other men. Also riding as passengers were Randall’s wife and 19-month-old child, plus a 14-year-old adopted son. All perished in the disaster. Five of the eight bodies were recovered in the ship’s yawl the next day by the steamer Isabelle.
The Chicora Disaster
After just two successful seasons the passenger and cargo steamship Chicora was in its winter moorings at St. Joseph, Michigan in January, 1895 when its owners, the Graham & Morton Transportation Company, received a request to deliver a large shipment of late winter flour from Milwaukee. Although she had a wooden hull, the 209-foot-long Chicora was designed for winter trips between Wisconsin and Southern Michigan so a January run between Milwaukee and St. Joseph was not out of the ordinary. So it was that Captain Edward C. Stines called out his crew and readied the vessel for a mid-winter trip. After leaving Milwaukee the Chicora was caught in a severe winter gale and was never seen again. She was lost with a crew of 21 plus one passenger.
After just two successful seasons the passenger and cargo steamship Chicora was in its winter moorings at St. Joseph, Michigan in January, 1895 when its owners, the Graham & Morton Transportation Company, received a request to deliver a large shipment of late winter flour from Milwaukee. Although she had a wooden hull, the 209-foot-long Chicora was designed for winter trips between Wisconsin and Southern Michigan so a January run between Milwaukee and St. Joseph was not out of the ordinary. So it was that Captain Edward C. Stines called out his crew and readied the vessel for a mid-winter trip. After leaving Milwaukee the Chicora was caught in a severe winter gale and was never seen again. She was lost with a crew of 21 plus one passenger.
Burning Of The Charles A. Eddy
Imagine what the crew of the steamer F. A. Meyer thought when their vessel came upon the abandoned and burning ore carrier Charles A. Eddy in the middle of Lake Huron on August 28, 1906. The Meyer came alongside the burning freighter, turned its fire hoses on the flames and quickly extinguished the fire. The damage was limited to the forward cabin and deck back to the Number two hatch. The Meyer then took the Eddy in tow while the chief engineer went aboard the Eddy. By the time the two vessels reached Detroit, the engineer had the ship’s engines and the siphons operating. But there was no sign of the ship's crew.
Imagine what the crew of the steamer F. A. Meyer thought when their vessel came upon the abandoned and burning ore carrier Charles A. Eddy in the middle of Lake Huron on August 28, 1906. The Meyer came alongside the burning freighter, turned its fire hoses on the flames and quickly extinguished the fire. The damage was limited to the forward cabin and deck back to the Number two hatch. The Meyer then took the Eddy in tow while the chief engineer went aboard the Eddy. By the time the two vessels reached Detroit, the engineer had the ship’s engines and the siphons operating. But there was no sign of the ship's crew.
Dramatic Rescue On The A. A. Parker
The rescue of the 18 crew members and two dogs from the deck of the sinking steamer A. A. Parker remains among the annuals of the most dramatic stories in the history of the U.S. Live Saving Service. The Parker sank on Lake Superior, just off Grand Maras, on Sept. 19, 1903. The story of what happened, and just how close those sailors came to losing their lives, reads like the plot of a contemporary adventure film produced on a Hollywood set. You almost feel the danger just reading the dull pages of government records.
The rescue of the 18 crew members and two dogs from the deck of the sinking steamer A. A. Parker remains among the annuals of the most dramatic stories in the history of the U.S. Live Saving Service. The Parker sank on Lake Superior, just off Grand Maras, on Sept. 19, 1903. The story of what happened, and just how close those sailors came to losing their lives, reads like the plot of a contemporary adventure film produced on a Hollywood set. You almost feel the danger just reading the dull pages of government records.
Burning Of The Steamship Bavarian
Fourteen people perished when the Canadian steamship Bavarian suffered a peculiar accident and subsequent fire on Lake Ontario on November 5, 1873. The disaster was the more spectacular of two fires that ravaged this iron-hulled vessel during its 74-year-long career on the Great Lakes. Launched as hull number C71609 at Montreal in 1855, the 176-foot-long vessel entered the Canadian Navigation Company’s service under the name Kingston. The Kingston operated successfully on Lake Ontario and on the St. Lawrence River until it caught fire and burned to a total wreck off Grenadier Island on June 11, 1872. The iron hull and steam engine were salvaged and used in the construction of the Bavarian, also owned by the Canadian Navigation Company.
Fourteen people perished when the Canadian steamship Bavarian suffered a peculiar accident and subsequent fire on Lake Ontario on November 5, 1873. The disaster was the more spectacular of two fires that ravaged this iron-hulled vessel during its 74-year-long career on the Great Lakes. Launched as hull number C71609 at Montreal in 1855, the 176-foot-long vessel entered the Canadian Navigation Company’s service under the name Kingston. The Kingston operated successfully on Lake Ontario and on the St. Lawrence River until it caught fire and burned to a total wreck off Grenadier Island on June 11, 1872. The iron hull and steam engine were salvaged and used in the construction of the Bavarian, also owned by the Canadian Navigation Company.
Saving America’s Last Steamship Badger
The 410-foot-long car ferry Badger still makes daily trips across Lake Michigan, steaming between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowic, Wisconsin, after more than 60 years of service. The ship is unique because it is the last operating coal-fired steamship operating in the United States. The Badger was listed on the National Register of Historic Places but for a few critical years it was feared that the vessel's days were numbered. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moved in 2009 to regulate coal slurry from ships under the Clean Water Act. After a Ludington based group formed in an effort to save the Badger, the agency granted a temporary exemption.
The 410-foot-long car ferry Badger still makes daily trips across Lake Michigan, steaming between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowic, Wisconsin, after more than 60 years of service. The ship is unique because it is the last operating coal-fired steamship operating in the United States. The Badger was listed on the National Register of Historic Places but for a few critical years it was feared that the vessel's days were numbered. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moved in 2009 to regulate coal slurry from ships under the Clean Water Act. After a Ludington based group formed in an effort to save the Badger, the agency granted a temporary exemption.
Vulcan Fire Nearly Takes The Crew
The crew of the tug Vulcan barely had time to escape the early morning fire that swept the boat in Lake Erie on June 7, 1883. The powerful tug was off Cedar Point, Ohio, with a raft of logs in tow, when the fire broke out somewhere behind the smoke stack at about 2 a.m. The fire that started in the engine room quickly ravaged the wooden vessel. Wheelman John S. Paganetti said it was a narrow escape for the 14 members of the Vulcan’s crew. He said that by the time they got the lifeboat launched, its hull was scorched. The men tumbled into it even as the fire licked at their heels.
The crew of the tug Vulcan barely had time to escape the early morning fire that swept the boat in Lake Erie on June 7, 1883. The powerful tug was off Cedar Point, Ohio, with a raft of logs in tow, when the fire broke out somewhere behind the smoke stack at about 2 a.m. The fire that started in the engine room quickly ravaged the wooden vessel. Wheelman John S. Paganetti said it was a narrow escape for the 14 members of the Vulcan’s crew. He said that by the time they got the lifeboat launched, its hull was scorched. The men tumbled into it even as the fire licked at their heels.
City of Traverse; The Floating Gambling Ship
The elegant Great Lakes steamship City of Traverse had fallen on hard times. Since its launch in 1871, the vessel faithfully carried passengers and freight between Chicago and Traverse City. In most of its years, the vessel had only two masters, Capt. George Baldwin and later his son, Capt. Thomas Baldwin. But now it was 1905, and the oak-hulled ship had outlived her usefulness. The new owner, Captain Stephen Jones, had a plan to turn it into a floating gambling casino with the help of the latest technological gadget, the wireless telegraph.
The elegant Great Lakes steamship City of Traverse had fallen on hard times. Since its launch in 1871, the vessel faithfully carried passengers and freight between Chicago and Traverse City. In most of its years, the vessel had only two masters, Capt. George Baldwin and later his son, Capt. Thomas Baldwin. But now it was 1905, and the oak-hulled ship had outlived her usefulness. The new owner, Captain Stephen Jones, had a plan to turn it into a floating gambling casino with the help of the latest technological gadget, the wireless telegraph.
Saving The Crew of the Charles Hebard
The wooden lumber steamer Charles Hebard made nautical history when it wrecked on Lake Superior’s Point Mamainse during a winter gale in December, 1902. It reportedly was the first time a Great Lake vessel’s crew was brought to safety by way of a boatswain’s chair. The device used ropes and pulleys to carried sailors to shore one at a time.
The wooden lumber steamer Charles Hebard made nautical history when it wrecked on Lake Superior’s Point Mamainse during a winter gale in December, 1902. It reportedly was the first time a Great Lake vessel’s crew was brought to safety by way of a boatswain’s chair. The device used ropes and pulleys to carried sailors to shore one at a time.
Remembering Historic Carrier Amasa Stone
Named for an American industrialist linked to tragedy, the Great Lakes steamship Amasa Stone served 55 successful years hauling grain, ore, coal and other goods between Duluth, Chicago and Buffalo. Her stripped-down hull continues to serve as a breakwater at the entrance to Charlevoix, Michigan, on the Lake Michigan coast. The Stone was built by Detroit Ship Building Co. at Wyandotte and launched for the Mesaba Steamship Co. in 1905. It was named for Amasha Stone, 1818-1883, who built railroads and invested in mills and education. Stone committed suicide after a railroad bridge he helped design collapsed over the Ashtabula River, carrying 159 passengers and railroad workers to their deaths in 1876.
Named for an American industrialist linked to tragedy, the Great Lakes steamship Amasa Stone served 55 successful years hauling grain, ore, coal and other goods between Duluth, Chicago and Buffalo. Her stripped-down hull continues to serve as a breakwater at the entrance to Charlevoix, Michigan, on the Lake Michigan coast. The Stone was built by Detroit Ship Building Co. at Wyandotte and launched for the Mesaba Steamship Co. in 1905. It was named for Amasha Stone, 1818-1883, who built railroads and invested in mills and education. Stone committed suicide after a railroad bridge he helped design collapsed over the Ashtabula River, carrying 159 passengers and railroad workers to their deaths in 1876.
Schooner Allegheny Lost In Superior Gale
The Allegheny was identified as a three mast schooner from the day it was launched at Erie, Pennsylvania in 1873 but chances are it rarely sailed under canvass. The vessel was used for most of the 40 years it spent on the lakes as a barge under tow behind operating steamships. That is what the Allegheny was doing on June 6, 1913, when it was caught in the Lake Superior gale that wrecked it. The vessel was heavily laden with lumber and under tow behind the steamer M. T. Green when the storm struck the two vessels off Vermillion Point, Northern Michigan.
The Allegheny was identified as a three mast schooner from the day it was launched at Erie, Pennsylvania in 1873 but chances are it rarely sailed under canvass. The vessel was used for most of the 40 years it spent on the lakes as a barge under tow behind operating steamships. That is what the Allegheny was doing on June 6, 1913, when it was caught in the Lake Superior gale that wrecked it. The vessel was heavily laden with lumber and under tow behind the steamer M. T. Green when the storm struck the two vessels off Vermillion Point, Northern Michigan.
Philadelphia And Albany Collision Mystery
There has remained an unsolved mystery behind the deaths of 24 sailors following the collision and sinking of the steamers Albany and Philadelphia on fog-shrouded Lake Huron. It happened during the early morning hours of November 7, 1893 after the two iron ships came together in collision about twenty miles off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan. All of the lost sailors were crowded into one of two lifeboats launched from the Philadelphia that morning. The overturned yawl was found the next day by men from the Pointe aux Barques lifesaving station. The body of one man recovered a few hours later indicated that something violent happened. The man’s skull was crushed.
There has remained an unsolved mystery behind the deaths of 24 sailors following the collision and sinking of the steamers Albany and Philadelphia on fog-shrouded Lake Huron. It happened during the early morning hours of November 7, 1893 after the two iron ships came together in collision about twenty miles off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan. All of the lost sailors were crowded into one of two lifeboats launched from the Philadelphia that morning. The overturned yawl was found the next day by men from the Pointe aux Barques lifesaving station. The body of one man recovered a few hours later indicated that something violent happened. The man’s skull was crushed.
Strange Disappearance of The Bavaria’s Crew
There is a bizarre mystery behind a mishap involving the lumber schooner Bavaria that happened on May 28, 1889. The ship’s crew of eight men disappeared without a trace minutes after the vessel broke away from its towing barge in the midst of a storm on Lake Ontario. The Bavaria survived the storm. It drifted ashore, upright, on Galloo Island in the Duck Island chain. But the boat’s entire crew disappeared and was never seen again.
There is a bizarre mystery behind a mishap involving the lumber schooner Bavaria that happened on May 28, 1889. The ship’s crew of eight men disappeared without a trace minutes after the vessel broke away from its towing barge in the midst of a storm on Lake Ontario. The Bavaria survived the storm. It drifted ashore, upright, on Galloo Island in the Duck Island chain. But the boat’s entire crew disappeared and was never seen again.
Ore Carrier Vienna Sunk In 1892 Collision
The propeller Vienna had been a workhorse on the Great Lakes for 19 years before it was sunk in a collision with the steamer Nipigon in Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay. It happened in the early morning hours of September 17, 1892. Nobody was hurt but the vessel and its cargo of iron ore was lost. The 191-foot-long Vienna, Captain J. W. Nicholson at the helm, was steaming from Marquette to Sault Ste. Marie with the schooner Mattie C. Bell in tow. Both were laden with full cargos of ore. The weather was fair.
The propeller Vienna had been a workhorse on the Great Lakes for 19 years before it was sunk in a collision with the steamer Nipigon in Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay. It happened in the early morning hours of September 17, 1892. Nobody was hurt but the vessel and its cargo of iron ore was lost. The 191-foot-long Vienna, Captain J. W. Nicholson at the helm, was steaming from Marquette to Sault Ste. Marie with the schooner Mattie C. Bell in tow. Both were laden with full cargos of ore. The weather was fair.
The Amazing Story of the Seeandbee
Her strange name might keep you wondering until you understand who owned the Seeandbee. The 500-foot-long steel passenger liner was built at Wyandotte, Michigan for the Cleveland and Buffalo (C&B) Transit Company. From the day it was launched in 1913 the Seeandbee enjoyed a successful career carrying passengers from Chicago to Buffalo and ports in between. The vessel was a side-wheel coal-burning excursion liner that offered capacity for as many as 1,500 passenger on its four decks. It was one of several popular cruise vessels travestying the lakes. In her day the Seeandbee was considered the largest and most elegant passenger steamer operating on the Great Lakes.
Her strange name might keep you wondering until you understand who owned the Seeandbee. The 500-foot-long steel passenger liner was built at Wyandotte, Michigan for the Cleveland and Buffalo (C&B) Transit Company. From the day it was launched in 1913 the Seeandbee enjoyed a successful career carrying passengers from Chicago to Buffalo and ports in between. The vessel was a side-wheel coal-burning excursion liner that offered capacity for as many as 1,500 passenger on its four decks. It was one of several popular cruise vessels travestying the lakes. In her day the Seeandbee was considered the largest and most elegant passenger steamer operating on the Great Lakes.
Nineteenth Century Steamship Michigan
The first real steamship built at Detroit in 1847 was the Michigan, a 156-foot-long vessel propelled by duel engines working wheels on both sides. It was an early design for steamships, and the fact that the two wheels were powered by separate engines sometimes created problems. While the arrangement worked well in calm weather, when the vessel was rolling in high seas and stormy weather, the raising of one wheel out of the water while the other was laboring in deep water caused the boat to lurch and jerk from side-to-side. Passengers and crew members had to hang on for dear life.
The first real steamship built at Detroit in 1847 was the Michigan, a 156-foot-long vessel propelled by duel engines working wheels on both sides. It was an early design for steamships, and the fact that the two wheels were powered by separate engines sometimes created problems. While the arrangement worked well in calm weather, when the vessel was rolling in high seas and stormy weather, the raising of one wheel out of the water while the other was laboring in deep water caused the boat to lurch and jerk from side-to-side. Passengers and crew members had to hang on for dear life.
Deadly Fire Claimed The Northern Indiana
At 300 feet in length, the side wheeled steamship Northern Indiana was an impressive vessel in its day and it obviously made a dramatic sight when it burned to destruction, claiming an estimated 28 lives, off Lake Erie’s Point Pelee on July 17, 1856. The steamer, under the temporary command of the ship’s first mate, W. H. Wetmore, had just made its way down the Detroit River and entered the broad waters of Lake Erie, bound for Toledo, when fire broke out in the engine room sometime around 11 a.m.
At 300 feet in length, the side wheeled steamship Northern Indiana was an impressive vessel in its day and it obviously made a dramatic sight when it burned to destruction, claiming an estimated 28 lives, off Lake Erie’s Point Pelee on July 17, 1856. The steamer, under the temporary command of the ship’s first mate, W. H. Wetmore, had just made its way down the Detroit River and entered the broad waters of Lake Erie, bound for Toledo, when fire broke out in the engine room sometime around 11 a.m.
Death Ship Wisconsin
In its 48-year history, the thousand-ton propeller Wisconsin was a ship fraught with disaster and strange contrasts. The vessel burned off Grand Haven on May 21, 1907, with the loss of five lives, and it took another 16 lives when it sank on Oct. 29, 1929. Yet during World War I, as the Crosby, the ship was used on the Atlantic coast as a hospital convalescent facility at New York and may have been regarded as a lifesaver. In those days, however, the soldiers probably did not regard it as a place they wanted to be.
In its 48-year history, the thousand-ton propeller Wisconsin was a ship fraught with disaster and strange contrasts. The vessel burned off Grand Haven on May 21, 1907, with the loss of five lives, and it took another 16 lives when it sank on Oct. 29, 1929. Yet during World War I, as the Crosby, the ship was used on the Atlantic coast as a hospital convalescent facility at New York and may have been regarded as a lifesaver. In those days, however, the soldiers probably did not regard it as a place they wanted to be.
The Ohio
Steamer Ohio and Barge Ironton Sunk In 1894 Collision
Five Great Lakes sailors drowned after their vessel, the schooner-barge Ironton, collided with the bulk carrier Ohio off Lake Huron’s Presque Isle in rough seas in the wee morning hours of September 26, 1894. The Ohio, a 202-foot, wooden steamship owned by C. W. Erphicke & Co. of Chicago, was struck broadside by the coal-laden 191-foot Ironton at around 12:30 a.m. A report in a Decatur newspaper stated that the schooner’s prow sliced into the Ohio abreast of the boiler house, opening a 200-square-foot hole to the water’s edge. The 19-year-old steamer settled and sank within 30 minutes in about 200 feet of water.
Five Great Lakes sailors drowned after their vessel, the schooner-barge Ironton, collided with the bulk carrier Ohio off Lake Huron’s Presque Isle in rough seas in the wee morning hours of September 26, 1894. The Ohio, a 202-foot, wooden steamship owned by C. W. Erphicke & Co. of Chicago, was struck broadside by the coal-laden 191-foot Ironton at around 12:30 a.m. A report in a Decatur newspaper stated that the schooner’s prow sliced into the Ohio abreast of the boiler house, opening a 200-square-foot hole to the water’s edge. The 19-year-old steamer settled and sank within 30 minutes in about 200 feet of water.
The Burning Of The Noronic
Sanford Newman, a Cleveland man participating in a special August excursion aboard the Great Lakes passenger liner Noronic on Sept. 16, 1949, later said he thought it was about 2:30 a.m. when the fire that destroyed the ship was discovered. Newman and his wife were among the 524 passengers taking advantage of a special late-season rate on the Canada Steamship Line vessel. While other passengers were partying, the Newmans and friends were engaged in a hot game of cards in a parlor on C Deck, somewhere amidships. The ship was docked at Toronto for the night.
Sanford Newman, a Cleveland man participating in a special August excursion aboard the Great Lakes passenger liner Noronic on Sept. 16, 1949, later said he thought it was about 2:30 a.m. when the fire that destroyed the ship was discovered. Newman and his wife were among the 524 passengers taking advantage of a special late-season rate on the Canada Steamship Line vessel. While other passengers were partying, the Newmans and friends were engaged in a hot game of cards in a parlor on C Deck, somewhere amidships. The ship was docked at Toronto for the night.
Scrap Yard Looms for Arthur M. Anderson?
There is a rumor among Great Lakes vessel enthusiasts that the venerable ore carrier Arthur M. Anderson may soon be retired. Indeed, while we could find no official word, this 66-year-old freighter today remains among the last of the U. S. Steel Company’s fleet of vessels operating on the lakes. The Arthur Anderson’s claim to fame was that it survived the Lake Superior storm that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. In fact, it was traveling with the Fitzgerald, both ships laden with ore and steaming hard for the safety of Whitefish Point when the Fitzgerald disappeared in a snow squall.
There is a rumor among Great Lakes vessel enthusiasts that the venerable ore carrier Arthur M. Anderson may soon be retired. Indeed, while we could find no official word, this 66-year-old freighter today remains among the last of the U. S. Steel Company’s fleet of vessels operating on the lakes. The Arthur Anderson’s claim to fame was that it survived the Lake Superior storm that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. In fact, it was traveling with the Fitzgerald, both ships laden with ore and steaming hard for the safety of Whitefish Point when the Fitzgerald disappeared in a snow squall.
Three Brothers Slammed Into An Island
The aging lumber hooker Three Brothers wrecked during a Lake Michigan storm on Sept. 27, 1911, while steaming from Boyne City to Chicago with a cargo of hardwood. The 162-foot-long wooden vessel, under the command of Capt. Sam Christopher, began to leak shortly after leaving Boyne City. The leak worsened as the day progressed until the water overwhelmed the ship’s bilge pumps. It was while racing toward a more distant shore that the Three Brothers hard aground on South Manitou Island. The old boat literally plowed into the shoreline about 200 yards east of the live saving station. The crash split the ship’s bow open and dislodged the pilot house from the superstructure.
The aging lumber hooker Three Brothers wrecked during a Lake Michigan storm on Sept. 27, 1911, while steaming from Boyne City to Chicago with a cargo of hardwood. The 162-foot-long wooden vessel, under the command of Capt. Sam Christopher, began to leak shortly after leaving Boyne City. The leak worsened as the day progressed until the water overwhelmed the ship’s bilge pumps. It was while racing toward a more distant shore that the Three Brothers hard aground on South Manitou Island. The old boat literally plowed into the shoreline about 200 yards east of the live saving station. The crash split the ship’s bow open and dislodged the pilot house from the superstructure.
The Sinking Of The St. Peter
Captain John Griffin was the sole survivor after his ship, the three-mast schooner St. Peter foundered in a Lake Ontario storm on October 27, 1898. Griffin’s wife and the ship’s crew of eight others were lost with the schooner. The 135-foot vessel was sailing from Oswego, New York to Toledo, Ohio with 700 tons of coal when it encountered a fierce early winter blizzard as it was approaching the Welland Canal. The ship never made it.
Captain John Griffin was the sole survivor after his ship, the three-mast schooner St. Peter foundered in a Lake Ontario storm on October 27, 1898. Griffin’s wife and the ship’s crew of eight others were lost with the schooner. The 135-foot vessel was sailing from Oswego, New York to Toledo, Ohio with 700 tons of coal when it encountered a fierce early winter blizzard as it was approaching the Welland Canal. The ship never made it.
Wreck of the George W. Holt
The schooner-barge George W. Holt was a modest 23-year-old wooden vessel when it wrecked on a reef off Port Austin, Michigan, while racing for the harbor in a Lake Huron gale. It happened on July 19, 1880 after the Holt broke away from a tow behind the steamer Iron Age. Fortunately, the skipper, Captain B. R. Hoose, seven other sailors, his wife and two other women got safely to the Port Austin lighthouse on the ship’s yawl. There they waited out the storm before reaching shore.
The schooner-barge George W. Holt was a modest 23-year-old wooden vessel when it wrecked on a reef off Port Austin, Michigan, while racing for the harbor in a Lake Huron gale. It happened on July 19, 1880 after the Holt broke away from a tow behind the steamer Iron Age. Fortunately, the skipper, Captain B. R. Hoose, seven other sailors, his wife and two other women got safely to the Port Austin lighthouse on the ship’s yawl. There they waited out the storm before reaching shore.
Rouse Simmons - Lost Christmas Tree Ship
Rats were part of the lore of sailing ships in the old days. For some odd reason, sailors included them in their superstitions. They believed that rats were able to predict the future. When rats were seen leaving a ship, sailors believed it was a very bad omen and that the ship probably was going to sink.That is just what happened to the three-mast schooner Rouse Simmons as the crew was preparing it for a trip across Lake Michigan in November, 1912. The Rouse Simmons sailed from Manistique, Michigan, bound for Chicago on Nov. 21 with a crew of 11 sailors and her deck piled high with Christmas trees. She encountered heavy winter gales and never arrived at Chicago.
Rats were part of the lore of sailing ships in the old days. For some odd reason, sailors included them in their superstitions. They believed that rats were able to predict the future. When rats were seen leaving a ship, sailors believed it was a very bad omen and that the ship probably was going to sink.That is just what happened to the three-mast schooner Rouse Simmons as the crew was preparing it for a trip across Lake Michigan in November, 1912. The Rouse Simmons sailed from Manistique, Michigan, bound for Chicago on Nov. 21 with a crew of 11 sailors and her deck piled high with Christmas trees. She encountered heavy winter gales and never arrived at Chicago.
Vulcan Fire Nearly Takes The Crew
The crew of the tug Vulcan barely had time to escape the early morning fire that swept the boat in Lake Erie on June 7, 1883. The powerful tug was off Cedar Point, Ohio, with a raft of logs in tow, when the fire broke out somewhere behind the smoke stack at about 2 a.m.
The crew of the tug Vulcan barely had time to escape the early morning fire that swept the boat in Lake Erie on June 7, 1883. The powerful tug was off Cedar Point, Ohio, with a raft of logs in tow, when the fire broke out somewhere behind the smoke stack at about 2 a.m.
Steamer Ohio and Barge Ironton Sunk In 1894 Collision
Five Great Lakes sailors drowned after their vessel, the schooner-barge Ironton, collided with the bulk carrier Ohio off Lake Huron’s Presque Isle in rough seas in the wee morning hours of September 26, 1894. The Ohio, a 202-foot, wooden steamship owned by C. W. Erphicke & Co. of Chicago, was struck broadside by the coal-laden 191-foot Ironton at around 12:30 a.m. A report in a Decatur newspaper stated that the schooner’s prow sliced into the Ohio abreast of the boiler house, opening a 200-square-foot hole to the water’s edge. The 19-year-old steamer settled and sank within 30 minutes in about 200 feet of water. The Ironton's yawl was crushed in the collision. When it sank the crew was forced to seize planks and barrels and attempt to swim for Presque Isle, some 15-miles away. Five of them were lost.
Five Great Lakes sailors drowned after their vessel, the schooner-barge Ironton, collided with the bulk carrier Ohio off Lake Huron’s Presque Isle in rough seas in the wee morning hours of September 26, 1894. The Ohio, a 202-foot, wooden steamship owned by C. W. Erphicke & Co. of Chicago, was struck broadside by the coal-laden 191-foot Ironton at around 12:30 a.m. A report in a Decatur newspaper stated that the schooner’s prow sliced into the Ohio abreast of the boiler house, opening a 200-square-foot hole to the water’s edge. The 19-year-old steamer settled and sank within 30 minutes in about 200 feet of water. The Ironton's yawl was crushed in the collision. When it sank the crew was forced to seize planks and barrels and attempt to swim for Presque Isle, some 15-miles away. Five of them were lost.
Lakes Veteran E. M. Ford’s Last Trip
A small gathering of Great Lakes boat watchers lined the banks of the Saginaw River in Bay City on a chilly November day in 2008 to watch the passing of the veteran ore carrier E. M. Ford on its way to the Purvis Marine Scrapyard at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It was an historic event since at that date, the 110-year-old Ford was listed as the oldest steel freighter still afloat on the lakes.
A small gathering of Great Lakes boat watchers lined the banks of the Saginaw River in Bay City on a chilly November day in 2008 to watch the passing of the veteran ore carrier E. M. Ford on its way to the Purvis Marine Scrapyard at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It was an historic event since at that date, the 110-year-old Ford was listed as the oldest steel freighter still afloat on the lakes.
Steamer Nashua’s Strange End
In the 24 years that the Nashua plied the Great Lakes, no one would have expected the sturdy little steam barge to come to the strange ending it did. After the boat went missing in the fall of 1892 an extensive search of Lake Huron was conducted. The remains of the 144-foot wooden vessel were found by the tugboat Howard, out of Harbor Beach. The wreck was floating upside down, eight miles off Bayfield, Ontario. The entire crew was lost.
In the 24 years that the Nashua plied the Great Lakes, no one would have expected the sturdy little steam barge to come to the strange ending it did. After the boat went missing in the fall of 1892 an extensive search of Lake Huron was conducted. The remains of the 144-foot wooden vessel were found by the tugboat Howard, out of Harbor Beach. The wreck was floating upside down, eight miles off Bayfield, Ontario. The entire crew was lost.
The Cook was Singing “It Ain’t Gonna Rain….”
When Ontario lifesavers scrambled aboard the broken wooden decks of the stranded 50-year-old freighter N. J. Nessen, they had a surprise awaiting them. There, amidst the 13-member crew huddled in the pilot house, was Alice Humphreys of Port Huron, singing her own version of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More.” Mrs. Humphreys, who was aboard as the ship’s cook, was a plucky woman who kept busy cheering her shipmates while they awaited rescue. Some of the sailors later said she kept morale up even though nobody was sure they would survive the storm that wrecked their ship.
When Ontario lifesavers scrambled aboard the broken wooden decks of the stranded 50-year-old freighter N. J. Nessen, they had a surprise awaiting them. There, amidst the 13-member crew huddled in the pilot house, was Alice Humphreys of Port Huron, singing her own version of “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More.” Mrs. Humphreys, who was aboard as the ship’s cook, was a plucky woman who kept busy cheering her shipmates while they awaited rescue. Some of the sailors later said she kept morale up even though nobody was sure they would survive the storm that wrecked their ship.
Wreck Of The Sunbeam
The demise of the steamer Sunbeam off Lake Superior's Eagle Harbor in 1863 was a major blow for merchants and residents in the port towns along Superior's coast. The ship was among the first steamboats to ply the lake, and it was considered an important link between the various frontier towns and eastern "civilization." When it entered Lake Superior's trade route in 1861, the Sunbeam was touted by the newspapers of the day as "the finest steamer on the lakes." the vessel provided both passenger and freight service.
The demise of the steamer Sunbeam off Lake Superior's Eagle Harbor in 1863 was a major blow for merchants and residents in the port towns along Superior's coast. The ship was among the first steamboats to ply the lake, and it was considered an important link between the various frontier towns and eastern "civilization." When it entered Lake Superior's trade route in 1861, the Sunbeam was touted by the newspapers of the day as "the finest steamer on the lakes." the vessel provided both passenger and freight service.
Chief Wawatam; Historic Great Lakes Workhorse
Older residents of Michigan, especially those who lived near or rode the ferries that preceded the bridge at the Straits of Mackinaw, fondly remember the railroad car ferry Chief Wawatam. The old Chief’s black smoke could be seen hovering over the straits from miles away, and people in the two port towns remember the sounds of the vessel coming to dock and the steam engine that moved the cars on and off its decks. The sounds and visions were a way of life for residents of both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.
Older residents of Michigan, especially those who lived near or rode the ferries that preceded the bridge at the Straits of Mackinaw, fondly remember the railroad car ferry Chief Wawatam. The old Chief’s black smoke could be seen hovering over the straits from miles away, and people in the two port towns remember the sounds of the vessel coming to dock and the steam engine that moved the cars on and off its decks. The sounds and visions were a way of life for residents of both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.
Terrible Foundering of the Searchlight
My hometown of Harbor Beach, Michigan, knew its share of shipwrecks off its Lake Huron coast but none were as personal as the foundering of the fishing tug Searchlight which disappeared in view of the local lifesaving crew just outside the port city’s breakwater on April 23, 1907. All six members of the crew went down with their boat during a violent northwester just before dark.
My hometown of Harbor Beach, Michigan, knew its share of shipwrecks off its Lake Huron coast but none were as personal as the foundering of the fishing tug Searchlight which disappeared in view of the local lifesaving crew just outside the port city’s breakwater on April 23, 1907. All six members of the crew went down with their boat during a violent northwester just before dark.
Dramatic Rescue On The A. A. Parker
The rescue of the 18 crew members and two dogs from the deck of the sinking Great Lakes steamer A. A. Parker remains among the annuals of the most dramatic stories in the history of the U.S. Live Saving Service. The Parker sank on Lake Superior, just off Grand Maras, on Sept. 19, 1903. The story of what happened, and just how close those sailors came to losing their lives, reads like the plot of a contemporary adventure film produced on a Hollywood set. You almost feel the danger just reading the dull pages of government records.
The rescue of the 18 crew members and two dogs from the deck of the sinking Great Lakes steamer A. A. Parker remains among the annuals of the most dramatic stories in the history of the U.S. Live Saving Service. The Parker sank on Lake Superior, just off Grand Maras, on Sept. 19, 1903. The story of what happened, and just how close those sailors came to losing their lives, reads like the plot of a contemporary adventure film produced on a Hollywood set. You almost feel the danger just reading the dull pages of government records.
Just Three Hundred Feet Short
Battered by 15-foot waves and a fierce northeaster, the steamer W. H. Sawyer’s luck ran out on Aug. 11, 1928 as the vessel raced for the safety of the Harbor Beach, Michigan breakwater. The Sawyer plunged to the bottom of Lake Huron just three hundred feet from safety and within sight of the Harbor Beach Lifesaving station. The wreck dropped in an upright position in shallow water so its two masts were visible for days, marking the grave of the ship’s cook, who went down with it. John J. Buckley, Detroit, signed on as a cook only days before the Sawyer sailed on its final journey.
Battered by 15-foot waves and a fierce northeaster, the steamer W. H. Sawyer’s luck ran out on Aug. 11, 1928 as the vessel raced for the safety of the Harbor Beach, Michigan breakwater. The Sawyer plunged to the bottom of Lake Huron just three hundred feet from safety and within sight of the Harbor Beach Lifesaving station. The wreck dropped in an upright position in shallow water so its two masts were visible for days, marking the grave of the ship’s cook, who went down with it. John J. Buckley, Detroit, signed on as a cook only days before the Sawyer sailed on its final journey.
Strange Disappearance Of The Thomas Hume
When the schooner Thomas Hume went missing in a Lake Michigan gale on May 21, 1891, everybody assumed that the ship sank. They were correct but it was not until 2006 that a dive team searching the southern end of the lake found the wreck, resting upright, its masts still in place. Prior to that the lost Hume was among the great unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes.
When the schooner Thomas Hume went missing in a Lake Michigan gale on May 21, 1891, everybody assumed that the ship sank. They were correct but it was not until 2006 that a dive team searching the southern end of the lake found the wreck, resting upright, its masts still in place. Prior to that the lost Hume was among the great unsolved mysteries of the Great Lakes.
Eerie Lights Over Lake Erie
A few years ago the UFO hunters were citing strange lights over Lake Erie as proof of new sightings of alien ships in our skies. A report in in one of the web sites recalls clippings from area newspapers dating back to the mid-1800's where people along the shore saw unexplained lights and thought they were from burning ships. Some believed it was a ghostly image of a fire in 1841 that destroyed the steamship Erie and killed 250 souls.
A few years ago the UFO hunters were citing strange lights over Lake Erie as proof of new sightings of alien ships in our skies. A report in in one of the web sites recalls clippings from area newspapers dating back to the mid-1800's where people along the shore saw unexplained lights and thought they were from burning ships. Some believed it was a ghostly image of a fire in 1841 that destroyed the steamship Erie and killed 250 souls.
Death Ship Wisconsin
In its 48-year history, the thousand-ton propeller Wisconsin was a ship fraught with disaster and strange contrasts. It was given the name Wisconsin on the day it was launched in 1881, and still had that name on the day it foundered off Kenosha in 1929. Yet the vessel went through six name changes in between. Her names included E. G. Crosby twice. The ship also was named the General Robert M. O'Reilly for one year, from 1918 to 1919. Its other names were Naomi and Pilgrim. The vessel burned off Grand Haven on May 21, 1907, with the loss of five lives, and it took another 16 lives when it sank on Oct. 29, 1929. Yet during World War I, as the Crosby, the ship was used on the Atlantic coast as a hospital convalescent facility at New York and may have been regarded as a lifesaver.
In its 48-year history, the thousand-ton propeller Wisconsin was a ship fraught with disaster and strange contrasts. It was given the name Wisconsin on the day it was launched in 1881, and still had that name on the day it foundered off Kenosha in 1929. Yet the vessel went through six name changes in between. Her names included E. G. Crosby twice. The ship also was named the General Robert M. O'Reilly for one year, from 1918 to 1919. Its other names were Naomi and Pilgrim. The vessel burned off Grand Haven on May 21, 1907, with the loss of five lives, and it took another 16 lives when it sank on Oct. 29, 1929. Yet during World War I, as the Crosby, the ship was used on the Atlantic coast as a hospital convalescent facility at New York and may have been regarded as a lifesaver.
The Many Lives of the Steamship Wyoming
Details today lie buried in the dusty old newspapers of the late Nineteenth Century but from the records we know that the wooden steam barge Wyoming grounded, sank and was salvaged and resurrected numerous times before it burned off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan and sank for the last time on November 12, 1904. What is unique about the Wyoming is that it was given a variety of profiles ranging from a side-wheeled steam barge when launched at Detroit in 1870 to an unpowered barge, schooner and finally a propeller-driven steamship at the time of its destruction by fire.
Details today lie buried in the dusty old newspapers of the late Nineteenth Century but from the records we know that the wooden steam barge Wyoming grounded, sank and was salvaged and resurrected numerous times before it burned off Pointe aux Barques, Michigan and sank for the last time on November 12, 1904. What is unique about the Wyoming is that it was given a variety of profiles ranging from a side-wheeled steam barge when launched at Detroit in 1870 to an unpowered barge, schooner and finally a propeller-driven steamship at the time of its destruction by fire.
Wasaga Burned Off Copper Harbor
A November gale on Lake Superior forced the package freighter Wasaga, under the command of Captain W. A. Glass, to seek shelter behind the Keweenaw Peninsula in 1910. The 233-foot wooden hulled steamer joined a fleet of other vessels anchored there on the evening of November 6. At 6 a.m. the next day a fire was discovered in the ship’s number one hold. Efforts to battle the fire were hampered by the still raging storm and the 18 crew members soon were forced to escape in the life boats.
A November gale on Lake Superior forced the package freighter Wasaga, under the command of Captain W. A. Glass, to seek shelter behind the Keweenaw Peninsula in 1910. The 233-foot wooden hulled steamer joined a fleet of other vessels anchored there on the evening of November 6. At 6 a.m. the next day a fire was discovered in the ship’s number one hold. Efforts to battle the fire were hampered by the still raging storm and the 18 crew members soon were forced to escape in the life boats.
Was The Lady Elgin Cursed?
Some said the side-wheeled steamship Lady Elgin bore a curse from the day it was launched at Buffalo, New York, in 1851. That is because the engine and boilers came from the Cleopatra, an ocean slave trader that was confiscated by the U. S. Navy. But nobody dreamed that the Lady Elgin would be remembered as one of the worst disasters in Great Lakes history.
Some said the side-wheeled steamship Lady Elgin bore a curse from the day it was launched at Buffalo, New York, in 1851. That is because the engine and boilers came from the Cleopatra, an ocean slave trader that was confiscated by the U. S. Navy. But nobody dreamed that the Lady Elgin would be remembered as one of the worst disasters in Great Lakes history.
Burning Of The Winslow
The package freighter Winslow had been operating successfully on the Great Lakes for 28 years so the wooden hull, decks and superstructure were dry and saturated with paint, grease and oil. So it was when fire broke out below deck at Duluth on October 3, 1891, nothing could be done to save it.
The package freighter Winslow had been operating successfully on the Great Lakes for 28 years so the wooden hull, decks and superstructure were dry and saturated with paint, grease and oil. So it was when fire broke out below deck at Duluth on October 3, 1891, nothing could be done to save it.
Tragic Capsizing Of The H. Rand
The 107-foot schooner H. Rand capsized in a gale in Lake Michigan, off Port Washington, Wisconsin, on May 24, 1901, killing the crew of four. Experienced sailors said they had warned the boat’s master, Captain Ralph Jefferson, that his habit of sailing with a short crew was setting the stage for disaster. They said a small crew was unable to handle a three-mast sailing ship like the Rand in a storm. They appear to have been right.
The 107-foot schooner H. Rand capsized in a gale in Lake Michigan, off Port Washington, Wisconsin, on May 24, 1901, killing the crew of four. Experienced sailors said they had warned the boat’s master, Captain Ralph Jefferson, that his habit of sailing with a short crew was setting the stage for disaster. They said a small crew was unable to handle a three-mast sailing ship like the Rand in a storm. They appear to have been right.
Mystery Of The Thomas Hume
When the schooner Thomas Hume went missing in a Lake Michigan gale on May 21, 1891, everybody assumed that the ship sank. After a week passed and the usual trappings from such a disaster; floating timbers, life jackets, lifeboats and bodies, failed to turn up, people realized they had a mystery on their hands. The Hume had disappeared without a trace.
When the schooner Thomas Hume went missing in a Lake Michigan gale on May 21, 1891, everybody assumed that the ship sank. After a week passed and the usual trappings from such a disaster; floating timbers, life jackets, lifeboats and bodies, failed to turn up, people realized they had a mystery on their hands. The Hume had disappeared without a trace.
Sinking of the Iron Chief
Among the wrecks at Pointe aux Barques, at the tip of Michigan's Thumb is the Iron Chief, a 212-foot wooden-hulled steamer that met its fate on October 3, 1904. Built as a schooner 23-years earlier in Detroit, the Iron Chief was later converted to be a steam barge. The Iron Chief’s final trip into Lake Huron began with Captain U.S. Cody at the helm, and the barge Iron Cliff in tow. Both vessels were laden with coal, bound from Port Huron north to Duluth. When they ran into rough weather on Lake Huron the Iron Chief's stuffing box failed and despite dramatic efforts to save the ship, it sank while racing under tow for safety at Harbor Beach.
Among the wrecks at Pointe aux Barques, at the tip of Michigan's Thumb is the Iron Chief, a 212-foot wooden-hulled steamer that met its fate on October 3, 1904. Built as a schooner 23-years earlier in Detroit, the Iron Chief was later converted to be a steam barge. The Iron Chief’s final trip into Lake Huron began with Captain U.S. Cody at the helm, and the barge Iron Cliff in tow. Both vessels were laden with coal, bound from Port Huron north to Duluth. When they ran into rough weather on Lake Huron the Iron Chief's stuffing box failed and despite dramatic efforts to save the ship, it sank while racing under tow for safety at Harbor Beach.
Trapped On A Sinking Ship
The master of the Canadian freighter Glenorchy was proclaimed a hero even though he lost his ship and its cargo. That is because Capt. Fred Burke risked his own life when he remained aboard his sinking vessel to save a crew member trapped below deck. It happened Oct. 29, 1924, when the Glenorchy and the freight hauler Leonard B. Miller collided in dense fog on Lake Huron, about six miles southeast of Harbor Beach.
The master of the Canadian freighter Glenorchy was proclaimed a hero even though he lost his ship and its cargo. That is because Capt. Fred Burke risked his own life when he remained aboard his sinking vessel to save a crew member trapped below deck. It happened Oct. 29, 1924, when the Glenorchy and the freight hauler Leonard B. Miller collided in dense fog on Lake Huron, about six miles southeast of Harbor Beach.
The Venerable Steam Barge Lloyd S. Porter
When launched at Port Huron, Michigan in 1893, the wooden hulled steam barge Lloyd S. Porter was designed to be a bulk cargo carrier and nothing more. At 159 feet in length, the Porter was one of a fleet of carriers operating on the Great Lakes in those years that carried lumber, iron ore, coal and other bulk cargoes. The demand for small wooden carriers was high at that time because of the many small lake port towns that could not accommodate larger steel hulled vessels. The Porter was a simple boat, with its forecastle located in the bow, a small pilothouse resting on top of that, and an open bridge. The engine room was in the stern, and the cargo holds were amidships. It was a simple design that was used in building lake freighters for years.
When launched at Port Huron, Michigan in 1893, the wooden hulled steam barge Lloyd S. Porter was designed to be a bulk cargo carrier and nothing more. At 159 feet in length, the Porter was one of a fleet of carriers operating on the Great Lakes in those years that carried lumber, iron ore, coal and other bulk cargoes. The demand for small wooden carriers was high at that time because of the many small lake port towns that could not accommodate larger steel hulled vessels. The Porter was a simple boat, with its forecastle located in the bow, a small pilothouse resting on top of that, and an open bridge. The engine room was in the stern, and the cargo holds were amidships. It was a simple design that was used in building lake freighters for years.
The Phoenix Horror Of 1847
It is a paradox in Great Lakes history that one of the first major disasters involving a fire at sea happened to the propeller Phoenix in 1847. The vessel was named for a mythological bird of ancient Egypt that was said to have perished in flames, then rose fresh and young from the ashes. But this Phoenix, which burned near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Nov. 21 taking an estimated 200 passengers to their death, never came back. It burned to a ruined charred hulk that was never rebuilt.
It is a paradox in Great Lakes history that one of the first major disasters involving a fire at sea happened to the propeller Phoenix in 1847. The vessel was named for a mythological bird of ancient Egypt that was said to have perished in flames, then rose fresh and young from the ashes. But this Phoenix, which burned near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Nov. 21 taking an estimated 200 passengers to their death, never came back. It burned to a ruined charred hulk that was never rebuilt.
The Great Atlantic Disaster
For years there was an old joke about how Lake Erie swallowed the Atlantic. It was a sick joke at best since it referred to one of the worst disasters in the history of the Great Lakes. That event was the sinking of the passenger steamer Atlantic and loss of between 130 and 250 lives following a collision with the propeller Ogdensburg in 1852. The Atlantic, carrying an estimated 600 passengers, was steaming westward toward Detroit, and the Ogdensburg, a smaller, propeller-driven vessel, was traveling north toward the Canadian shore. Witnesses said the weather was slightly hazy but the lake was calm and the stars were visible when the Ogdensburg struck the ill-fated Atlantic amidships at about 2 a.m. Other reports stated that there was fog in the lake at the time of the wreck.
For years there was an old joke about how Lake Erie swallowed the Atlantic. It was a sick joke at best since it referred to one of the worst disasters in the history of the Great Lakes. That event was the sinking of the passenger steamer Atlantic and loss of between 130 and 250 lives following a collision with the propeller Ogdensburg in 1852. The Atlantic, carrying an estimated 600 passengers, was steaming westward toward Detroit, and the Ogdensburg, a smaller, propeller-driven vessel, was traveling north toward the Canadian shore. Witnesses said the weather was slightly hazy but the lake was calm and the stars were visible when the Ogdensburg struck the ill-fated Atlantic amidships at about 2 a.m. Other reports stated that there was fog in the lake at the time of the wreck.
Great Lakes Shipwreck Stories
The Strange Story of
Shipwreck Survivor Dennis Hale
During my years of reporting for various Michigan newspapers, one of the most memorable stories I came upon was that of Dennis Hale, an Ohio man who was the sole survivor of the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell in Lake Huron. Hale's experience occurred on Nov. 29, 1966. When I met him 25 years later, he was still reeling from its effect on him. You see Dennis Hale defied all the rules. He survived even though he spent 38 hours on an open raft, in the midst of a winter snow storm, wearing nothing more than his underwear and a life jacket.
Shipwreck Survivor Dennis Hale
During my years of reporting for various Michigan newspapers, one of the most memorable stories I came upon was that of Dennis Hale, an Ohio man who was the sole survivor of the sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell in Lake Huron. Hale's experience occurred on Nov. 29, 1966. When I met him 25 years later, he was still reeling from its effect on him. You see Dennis Hale defied all the rules. He survived even though he spent 38 hours on an open raft, in the midst of a winter snow storm, wearing nothing more than his underwear and a life jacket.
The Burning Of The Noronic
Sanford Newman, a Cleveland man participating in a special August excursion aboard the Great Lakes passenger liner Noronic on Sept. 16, 1949, later said he thought it was about 2:30 a.m. when the fire that destroyed the ship was discovered. Newman and his wife were among the 524 passengers taking advantage of a special late-season rate on the Canada Steamship Line vessel. While other passengers were partying, the Newmans and friends were engaged in a hot game of cards in a parlor on C Deck, somewhere amidships. The ship was docked at Toronto for the night. That was when he said he heard a commotion in the hall and someone yelled that they could smell smoke.
Sanford Newman, a Cleveland man participating in a special August excursion aboard the Great Lakes passenger liner Noronic on Sept. 16, 1949, later said he thought it was about 2:30 a.m. when the fire that destroyed the ship was discovered. Newman and his wife were among the 524 passengers taking advantage of a special late-season rate on the Canada Steamship Line vessel. While other passengers were partying, the Newmans and friends were engaged in a hot game of cards in a parlor on C Deck, somewhere amidships. The ship was docked at Toronto for the night. That was when he said he heard a commotion in the hall and someone yelled that they could smell smoke.
The Miracle of the Conger Explosion
The horror of the blast that wrecked the Port Huron, Michigan ferry Omar D. Conger and killed four crew members on March 26, 1922, caused people at first to overlook the fact that a miracle had happened. The explosion sent pieces of the red-hot boiler flying hundreds of feet through the air in all directions where they left a path of destruction. A second steamship, the Cheboygan, with about two hundred passengers, was only a few hundred feet away and approaching the dock. While people were hurt, the miracle was that only four people died.
The horror of the blast that wrecked the Port Huron, Michigan ferry Omar D. Conger and killed four crew members on March 26, 1922, caused people at first to overlook the fact that a miracle had happened. The explosion sent pieces of the red-hot boiler flying hundreds of feet through the air in all directions where they left a path of destruction. A second steamship, the Cheboygan, with about two hundred passengers, was only a few hundred feet away and approaching the dock. While people were hurt, the miracle was that only four people died.
The Eastland Horror
The mention of the steamer Eastland in and around Chicago still stirs black thoughts of hundreds of screaming men, women, and children trapped below decks to drown aboard a capsized excursion liner. Those who watched the motion picture The Poseidon Adventure, about a liner overturned by a great tidal wave at sea, might understand what it might have been like for the 2,408 passengers and 72 crew members aboard the Eastland on July 24, 1915, when the vessel tipped on its side and sank in Chicago harbor. Of that number, 835 perished. The disaster still ranks with the sinking of the Titanic, the torpedoing of the Lusitania, and the burning of the steamer General Slocom off New York's Hell Gate as the worst of all marine tragedies. No other wreck on the Great Lakes claimed as many lives.
The mention of the steamer Eastland in and around Chicago still stirs black thoughts of hundreds of screaming men, women, and children trapped below decks to drown aboard a capsized excursion liner. Those who watched the motion picture The Poseidon Adventure, about a liner overturned by a great tidal wave at sea, might understand what it might have been like for the 2,408 passengers and 72 crew members aboard the Eastland on July 24, 1915, when the vessel tipped on its side and sank in Chicago harbor. Of that number, 835 perished. The disaster still ranks with the sinking of the Titanic, the torpedoing of the Lusitania, and the burning of the steamer General Slocom off New York's Hell Gate as the worst of all marine tragedies. No other wreck on the Great Lakes claimed as many lives.
Liner Saint Laurent Enters Great Lakes
A 286-foot 14-year-old luxury liner will be entering the Great Lakes this summer under the name Saint Laurent. The vessel’s new owners say the ship has been entirely rebuilt and prepared for an introductory voyage in July from Montreal to Chicago, hitting all of the five Great Lakes. It will be the first luxury passenger vessel of its kind to operate on the lakes in about 40 years.
A 286-foot 14-year-old luxury liner will be entering the Great Lakes this summer under the name Saint Laurent. The vessel’s new owners say the ship has been entirely rebuilt and prepared for an introductory voyage in July from Montreal to Chicago, hitting all of the five Great Lakes. It will be the first luxury passenger vessel of its kind to operate on the lakes in about 40 years.
Storm Hag
Lake Erie’s Legendary Monsters of Shipwreck
People who live on or have sailed the Great Lakes know how fast storms can develop and catch fishermen in small craft as well as sailors on the large ships unaware. Lake Erie, the shallowest of the lakes, is said to be the most dangerous of them all. There are mysteries about Lake Erie; stories of lost ships, men and even aircraft that have caused many writers and conspiracy theorists to speculate that this lake has its own version of the infamous Bermuda Triangle. And then there are the stories told by the old men who claim to have seen or at least heard about a monster living in those waters referred to as the Storm Hag. Another eerie legend about Lake Erie involves the appearance of a ghostly black dog.
People who live on or have sailed the Great Lakes know how fast storms can develop and catch fishermen in small craft as well as sailors on the large ships unaware. Lake Erie, the shallowest of the lakes, is said to be the most dangerous of them all. There are mysteries about Lake Erie; stories of lost ships, men and even aircraft that have caused many writers and conspiracy theorists to speculate that this lake has its own version of the infamous Bermuda Triangle. And then there are the stories told by the old men who claim to have seen or at least heard about a monster living in those waters referred to as the Storm Hag. Another eerie legend about Lake Erie involves the appearance of a ghostly black dog.
Giant Ship William D. Lawrence
At 262 feet, the full-rigged sailing ship William D. Lawrence was a midget compared to the thousand-foot-long monsters dominating the waters of the world today. But when launched at Maitland, Nova Scotia in 1874, the vessel had the distinction of being one of the largest wooden hulled sailing ships ever built and certainly the largest ship of its kind ever built in Canada.
At 262 feet, the full-rigged sailing ship William D. Lawrence was a midget compared to the thousand-foot-long monsters dominating the waters of the world today. But when launched at Maitland, Nova Scotia in 1874, the vessel had the distinction of being one of the largest wooden hulled sailing ships ever built and certainly the largest ship of its kind ever built in Canada.
Adriatic And Baltic Lost In Same Lake Erie Gale
Fourteen sailors perished when the schooner barges Adriatic and Baltic broke loose from the tug that had them in tow and wrecked during a severe Lake Erie Gale in 1872. The barges were in a line of vessels in tow behind the tug Moore, believed to have been the William A. Moore that was on the Great Lakes that year. The vessels were all bound for Saginaw, Michigan, which means they were probably involved in carrying lumber to the mills at Tonawanda, New York.
Fourteen sailors perished when the schooner barges Adriatic and Baltic broke loose from the tug that had them in tow and wrecked during a severe Lake Erie Gale in 1872. The barges were in a line of vessels in tow behind the tug Moore, believed to have been the William A. Moore that was on the Great Lakes that year. The vessels were all bound for Saginaw, Michigan, which means they were probably involved in carrying lumber to the mills at Tonawanda, New York.
Wreck Of The Galena
The 193-foot-long wooden propeller slammed into the rocks with a sudden jolt that threw passengers from their bunks and rattled pans in the galley. Broadbridge grabbed the chadburn and sent the order to the engine room to reverse the engines. His first hope was that the ship could break free and that the hull was not severely damaged. But the steamer didn’t budge.
The 193-foot-long wooden propeller slammed into the rocks with a sudden jolt that threw passengers from their bunks and rattled pans in the galley. Broadbridge grabbed the chadburn and sent the order to the engine room to reverse the engines. His first hope was that the ship could break free and that the hull was not severely damaged. But the steamer didn’t budge.