Today in Great Lakes History
Today in Great Lakes History - July 13
The ALGOWEST was christened at Collingwood on July 13, 1982.
SASKATCHEWAN PIONEER (Hull#258) was launched July 13, 1983 at Govan, Scotland
by Govan Shipbuilders Ltd. for Pioneer Shipping Ltd. (Misener Transportation
Ltd., mgr.).
The LIGHTSHIP 103 was opened to visitors on July 13, 1974 at the city's Pine
Grove Park along the St. Clair River.
The rebuilt BOSCOBEL was launched at the Peshtigo Company yard at Algonac,
Michigan on 13 July 1876. Originally built in 1867 as a passenger/package
freight propeller vessel, she burned and sank near Ft. Gratiot in 1869. The wreck
was raised, but no work was done until January 1876 when she was completely
rebuilt as a schooner-barge at Algonac. She sank again in the ice on Lake Erie in
1895 and was again raised and rebuilt. She lasted until 1909 when she sank in
the middle of Lake Huron during a storm.
On 13 July 1876, the Port Huron Weekly Times listed the following vessels as
being idle at Marine City, Michigan: Steam Barges BAY CITY, D W POWERS and
GERMANIA; steamer GLADYS; schooners TAILOR and C SPADEMAN; and barges MARINE CITY
and ST JOSEPH.
On 13 July 1876, the Detroit Tribune reported that "the captain of a
well-known Oswego vessel, on his last trip to Oswego, found that the receipts of the
trip exceeded the expenses in the neighborhood of $250, and stowed $210 of the
amount away in a drawer of his desk on the schooner. The money remained there
some days before the captain felt the necessity of using a portion of it, and
when he opened the drawer to take out the required amount he found that a
family of mice had file a pre-emption claim and domiciled themselves within the
recess, using the greenbacks with the utmost freedom to render their newly
chosen quarters absolutely comfortable. A package containing $60 was gnawed into
scraps the size of the tip of the little finger, while only enough of the larger
package containing $150 remained to enable the astonished seaman to determine
the numbers of the bills, so that the money can be refunded to him by the
United States Treasury Department. The captain made an affidavit of the facts,
and forwarded it and the remnants of the greenbacks to Washington, with the view
of recovering the full value of the money destroyed. He is now on the way to
Oswego with his vessel, and no doubt frequently ruminates over the adage, "The
best laid schemes of mice and men, . . ."
Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell
II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series
This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more
detailed history
Today in Great Lakes History - July 14
The AMERICAN REPUBLIC (Hull#724) was launched July 14, 1980 by the Bay
Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for the American Steamship Co.
While upbound in the St. Lawrence River on July 14, 1970 for Saginaw, MI with
a load of pig iron from Sorel, Que., the EASTCLIFFE HALL grounded in mud near
Chrysler Shoal six miles above Massena, New York at 03:00 hours but was able
to free herself. A few hours later, approaching Cornwall, Ontario she struck a
submerged object and sank within a few minutes in 70 feet of water only 650
feet from the point of impact. The submerged object was believed to be an old
aid to navigation light stand. Nine lives were lost. Divers determined that her
back was broken in two places. After salvaging part of the cargo, her cabins
were leveled and her hull was filled.
In 1988 the JOHN T HUTCHINSON and "tow mate" CONSUMERS POWER passed through
the Panama Canal heading for the cutters torch in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
On 14 July 1908, MENTOR (wooden propeller tug, 53', 23 gt, built in 1882 at
Saugatuck, Michigan) burned south of Chicago, Illinois. No lives lost. Her
original name was HATTIE A FOX.
On 14 July 1891, T. H. ORTON (wooden barge, 262 gt, built in 1873 at Buffalo,
New York) anchored off Marblehead, Ohio on Lake Erie to ride out a storm. She
dragged her anchors and was driven ashore where she was declared a total
wreck. She may have been recovered though. Just two years earlier, this vessel
went through a similar incident at the same spot!
Data from: Dave Wobser, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We
Remember series
This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more
detailed history
Today in Great Lakes History - July 15
On July 15, 1961, the WALTER A STERLING (now LEE A TREGURTHA) entered service
on the Great Lakes for Cleveland Cliffs Steamship Co., after conversion from
a tanker. The next day, on July 16, 1961, the PIONEER CHALLENGER (now
MIDDLETOWN) entered service for the Pioneer Steamship Co (Hutchinson & Co., mgr.).
The CHICAGO TRADER was launched as a.) THE HARVESTER (Hull#391) at Lorain,
Ohio by American Ship Building Co.in 1911 for the Wisconsin Steel Co.
In 1946 the NORISLE (Hull#136) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario by
Collingwood Shipyards Ltd.for the Dominion & Owen Sound Transportation Co. Ltd.
In 1934 the ANN ARBOR #4 collided with the steamer N F LEOPOLD in a heavy fog.
On Saturday, 15 July 1871, an argument between Captain James Bradley and Mate
John Reed started while the schooner ROBERT EMMETT was docked at Erie,
Pennsylvania unloading iron ore. They were still shouting at each other as the ship
sailed out of the harbor. In short order, the ship turned around and anchored
in the harbor. At 3:00 AM the following morning, Reed rowed ashore, went
directly to the police station and charged that Capt. Bradley had assaulted him
with a knife. At dawn, as the police were on their way to question Capt. Bradley,
they found him stepping ashore from the deck of a tug, fuming that Reed had
stolen the ship's only small boat. Bradley and Reed were at each other again
and the police arrested both men. Bradley then filed charges against Reed for
mutiny, assault and theft of the ship's boat. The case went to court the very
next day. Justice of the Peace Foster saw his courtroom packed with curious
sailors and skippers. Reed and Bradley were both still fuming and after listening
to just a little testimony, Foster found both men guilty, fined them both and
ordered both to pay court costs. The matter didn't end there since Reed later
had to get a court order to get his personal belongings off the EMMETT. There
is no record of what the disagreement was that started this whole mess.
The iron side-wheel steamer DARIUS COLE (201', 538 gt) was launched at the
Globe Iron Works (Hull #10) in Cleveland, Ohio on 15 July 1885. During her
career, she had two other names b.) HURON 1906 - 1921, and c.) COLONIAL 1921 -
1925. She burned off Barcelona, New York on Lake Erie on 1 September 1925 while
on an excursion. The hull was beached and later towed to Dunkirk, New York for
scrapping.
Data from: Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Father Dowling Collection,
Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes
Ships We Remember series
This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more
detailed history
Today in Great Lakes History - July 16
DETROIT EDISON (2) departed Quebec City July 16th 1986, along with former
fleet mate SHARON, in tow of the U.S. tug PRUDENT to Brownsville, Texas for
scrapping.
The SAGINAW BAY departed Quebec City on July 16, 1985 in tandem with the E B
BARBER towed by the Polish tug KORAL for scrapping at Vigo, Spain.
The NORTHERN VENTURE entered Great Lakes service July 16, 1961 upbound light
for the Canadian lake head to load grain.
On July 16, 1935 the BRUCE HUDSON capsized on Lake Ontario off Cobourg, Ont.
while in tow of the wooden-hulled tug MUSCALLONGE.
Keel laying of the CHI-CHEEMAUN (Hull#205) was on July 16, 1973 at
Collingwood, Ontario by Colingwood Shipyards Ltd for Ontario Northland Transport
Commission.
CATARACT (wooden propeller, 150', 352 t, built in 1852 at Buffalo) caught
fire on 16 July 1861, 5 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. She became an inferno
astern in just a few minutes and this prevented her boats from being launched. Four
died. Some were saved by clinging to floating wreckage and some others were
rescued by a small fishing boat. The schooner ST PAUL picked up some survivors,
Among those picked up by Captain Mosher of the ST PAUL, were Captain McNally
and the CATARACT's carpenter. Capt. Mosher had rescued these same two men in
1858 when the propeller INDIANA was lost in Lake Superior.
On 16 July 1873, the new barge MINNEAPOLIS was towed to Detroit for
outfitting. She had just been launched four days earlier at Marine City, Michigan.
While on the way to Detroit, a Canadian man named Sinclair fell overboard and
drowned.
On 16 July 1874, the Port Huron Times reported that "the old steamer REINDEER
has been rebuilt to a barge by L. C. Rogers at H. C. Schnoor's shipyard at
Fair Haven, [Michigan]. Her beautiful horns have been taken down, [she carried a
set of large antlers], her machinery and cumbersome side-wheels removed, and
she has been fully refitted with center arch and deck frame complex."
July 16, 1961, the PIONEER CHALLENGER (now MIDDLETOWN) entered service.
Data from: Mike Nicholls, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series
This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history
