1912 Casualty List

Table of Contents



Title Page
Meetings
The Editor's Notebook
Greetings of the Season
Marine News
1912 Casualty List
Ship of the Month No. 106 Golspie
Table of Illustrations

The August, 1912, issue of "The Marine Review" contained a lengthy listing of lake marine casualties for the first half of the navigation season. We reproduce here but one page of that most interesting list, the original of which appeared in very small print indeed!

May 7 Str. SMITH THOMPSON. Stranded, Sault River, owing to derangement of steering gear; released on May 9 after lightering.

May 7 Str. SHENANGO. Struck, going up, DeTour, St. Mary's River; docked at Ashtabula; six damaged plates and 12 broken frames.

May 12 Str. SULTANA. Ran ashore in heavy seas, Long Point, Lake Erie; tugs sent to her; released on May 14.

May 12 Str. FRED G. HARTWELL. Arrived at Port Huron on May 14 with disabled steering gear; towed to Detroit for repairs.

May 12 Str. ROMAN. Ran ashore, Whaleback Shoal, Green Bay; tug sent to her; large part of cargo lightered and released on May 17.

May 15 Str. VICTORY. Ran into dock, Lorain harbour, and broke her quadrant; delayed several days.

May 15 Str. E. J. EARLING. Severely pounded in storm, Lake Michigan; rivets loosened; docked at Lorain May 20; one week to repair.

May 18 Str. A. E. AMES. Ran into Grand Trunk bridge, Hamilton, damaging it severely; harbour blocked about a week by accident.

May 18 Sch. J. B. LOZEN. Hit light on extension of east arm, Cleveland breakwater; not damaged.

May 18 Str. CONEMAUGH. Ran aground, Corsica Shoal, Lake Huron; released by FAVORITE.

May 19 Str. IONA. Burned to water's edge, Lake Ontario near Oswego, then sank; loss estimated at $20,000.

May 19 Str. VICTORY. Collided with Str. LEONARD B. MILLER, St. Clair River; slightly damaged.

May 19 Str. LEONARD B. MILLER. Collided with Str. VICTORY, St. Clair River; slightly damaged.

May 20 Str. A. E. McKINSTRY. Collided with Str. CORUNNA, Welland Canal; two plates damaged, five frames broken; repairs at Kingston.

May 20 Str. CORUNNA. Collided with Str. A. E. McKINSTRY; slightly damaged.

May 20 Str. H. P. BOPE. In backing out of slip, South Chicago, hit dock and broke her quadrant.

May 20 Str. (sic) TOILER. Ran ashore, foot of Galops Rapids near Ogdensburg; released May 31 after lightering 35,000 bu. grain; docked at Kingston June 10.

May 21 Str. JAMES DAVIDSON. Eight men severely burned by bursting steam pipe, Lake Superior; steamer hastened to Marquette where injured were taken ashore; two died.

May 23 Sand Str. MULINIX BROS. Turned turtle, Toledo, engine and boilers dropping out; floated June 14; considerably damaged.

May 23 Str. INDIA. Got line in her wheel and ran on beach, Shelldrake.

May 23 Str. JESSE SPAULDING. Lost rudder, Lake Huron; anchored off Cheboygan; tug sent from Sault which steered her to Milwaukee whither she was bound; docked for new rudder.

May 27 Str. FRONTENAC. Collided with barge CHATTANOOGA off Grand Island, Lake Superior; hole pierced in her abreast the coal bunkers 4 ft. above water line, breaking the plates.

May 27 Bge. CHATTANOOGA. Collided with Str. FRONTENAC off Grand Island, Lake Superior; lost an anchor and broke hawse pipe.

May 28 Str. IMPERIAL. Broke four gates, Cornwall Canal, delaying navigation considerably.

May 28 Str. ARABIAN. Collision, St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg; lost her rudder in the rapids.

May 30 Str. ANDASTE. Collided with barge A. W. THOMPSON, Hay Lake, St. Mary's River; hit on port side abreast boilerhouse; four plates cracked, damage extended below waterline; cargo hold began to fill; to prevent sinking was beached. Accident occurred when ANDASTE endeavoured to pass Str. CHARLES M. WARNER and tow, the THOMPSON; floated May 31 after lightering 500 tons ore; taken to Sault for temporary repair; docked at Cleveland June 6; repairs completed June 13; seven or eight damaged plates.

May 30 Bge. A. W. THOMPSON. Collided with Str. ANDASTE, Hay Lake, St. Mary's River; few plates bent; damage slight.

May 31 Str. JOSEPH C. SUIT. Struck by Str. CITY OF DETROIT III while on her trial trip, Detroit River; torn from moorings; sank; probably total loss.

June 4 Str. WILLIAM H. GRATWICK. While leaving port, Conneaut, hit Str. RENSSELAER.

June 4 Str. RENSSELAER. Hit by Str. WILLIAM H. GRATWICK, Conneaut; cabin stove in and lifeboats carried away.

June 4 Str. CITY OF BANGOR. While turning, Escanaba, struck obstruction, lost wheel; towed to Cleveland; new wheel and hub put on.

June 4 Steel Scow (towed by Str. LAKESIDE). Capsized in strong wind and sank; probably total loss; valued at $20,000.

June 6 Str. FRANK J. HECKER. Ran ashore in fog near Crisp Point, Lake Superior; released herself uninjured.

June 7 Str. JAMES B. NEILSON. In landing, Two Harbors, hit the dock; only slightly damaged; repaired at Superior.

June 13 Str. MONROE C. SMITH. Hit by Main Ave. bridge, Cleveland, but was not damaged; bridge damage estimated at $4,000 or $5,000.

June 13 Str. VIKING. Ran hard aground, Toledo; released June 17, uninjured.

June 15 St.Bge. PAWNEE. Broke her crankshaft, St. Clair River near Port Huron; towed to Detroit for repairs.

June 15 Str. CITY OF SOUTH HAVEN. Struck a log, Manistee; docked at Chicago for repairs to her rudder.

June 18 Str. RUTLAND. Collided with Str. UNITED STATES, Chicago.

June 18 Str. UNITED STATES. Collided with Str. RUTLAND, Chicago.

June 18 Str. CADILLAC. Ran aground, Deseronto; lightered; docked at Ashtabula; 20 damaged plates - half must be replaced; repairs completed July 5.

June 20 Str. CANADIAN. Carried away four gates of Lock 22, Welland Canal; break repaired June 21.

June 20 Str. RENVOYLE. Struck, Kingston; docked at Ashtabula June 21.

June 20 Str. MANITOU. Ran ashore, Lonely Island, Georgian Bay; tugs ordered to her from Sault.

June 20 Str. SHENANGO. Lost anchor, Sailors' Encampment, St. Mary's River.

June 20 Str. WILLIAM NOTTINGHAM. Lost anchor below Poe Lock, Sault Canal.

June 20 Str. GEORGE B. LEONARD. Lost anchor, Sandusky.

June 21 Str. HOLLAND. Broke her walking beam, cylinder and piston rod, Lake Michigan; towed to Chicago.

June 22 Bge. HAROLD. In tow of Str. P. J. RALPH when steamer collided with Str. SOCAPA, head of Stag Island, St. Clair River; considerably damaged.

June 22 Str. SOCAPA. Collided with Str. P.J. RALPH; slightly damaged.

June 23 Str. NEPTUNE. Struck obstruction, St. Clair Flats canal; broke two buckets off her wheel.

June 23 Str. CHARLES O. JENKINS. Grounded, Cleveland harbour; had to lighter.

June 26 Str. BOTHNIA. Collided with Str. S. S. CURRY, St. Clair River near Stag Island; nearly cut in two; one drowned; total loss.

June 26 Str. S. S. CURRY. Collided with Str. BOTHNIA when her rudder became disabled; hole 6x8 ft. in her side; towed to Milwaukee by Str. FAVORITE; new rudder put on.

June 27 Str. SIDNEY C. McLOUTH. Burned, Green Bay; total loss; crew rescued.

June 27 Sch.Bge. JOHN A. FRANC0MB. Became waterlogged near Southeast Shoal, Lake Erie, after striking submerged object; 100,000 ft. lumber lightered; towed to Buffalo by Str. MOHEGAN; lost cargo estimated at $30,000.

June 28 Str. CITY OF MONTREAL. Ran aground, Maumee Bay; out 30 inches; released June 30 by three tugs.

June 29 Bge. ALEXANDER MAITLAND. Collided with Str. JAMES CORRIGAN, Lower Detroit River; slightly damaged; docked at Cleveland July 3.

June 29 Str. JAMES CORRIGAN. Collided with Bge. ALEXANDER MAITLAND.

June 30 Str. WILLIAM P. SNYDER. Off Fairport, Lake Erie, broke bolts in connecting rod of intermediate crank pin and cracked cylinder head; towed to Ashtabula by Str. WILPEN and from there to Ecorse for repairs; will need new cylinder head, connecting rod, piston rod and crankshaft; about two weeks to repair.

July 2 Str. CRETE. Collided with Str. JAMES S. DUNHAM, Southeast Bend, St. Clair River; five plates damaged and eight frames buckled on her bow; to be repaired at Toledo.

July 2 Str. JAMES S. DUNHAM. Collided with Str. CRETE; slightly damaged.

July 3 Bge. ALFRED KRUPP. Ran aground, Ballard's Reef, Detroit; released July 4 by tug after lightering 100 tons; leaked; docked at Cleveland

July 5. July 5 Str. VIKING. Ran ashore in dense fog, Split Rock, Lake Superior; hold filled with water; reported by tugs to be in bad shape; probably will be abandoned as constructive total loss.

July 6 Str. COLUMBIA. Considerably damaged by fire near Ogdensburg; may be total loss.

July 7 Str. NORMANIA. Ran aground, Ballard's Reef.

Imagine how extensive this list would be if the whole 1912 season were included! We can be glad that modern navigation aids and shipbuilding techniques have reduced the number of accidents on the lakes, not only because of the great saving in property damage and lives that has resulted, but also because we would never find enough room in "Scanner" to report all the accidents if they still occurred in such great numbers today.

We wish to thank member Robert J. MacDonald of Erie, Pennsylvania, for supplying us with this historical gem.

 


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