1883.

The season of navigation for 1883 was disastrous, both in loss of life and property. Fully 100 craft of all descriptions became total losses, while the aggregate damage to shipping reached $3,000,000. About 200 lives were lost.

Three Great Storms. - At the opening of navigation in this year, and for several months after, dense fogs prevailed and many collisions and other mishaps occurred. There were three great storms. The first began May 20 and lasted three days. It was confined chiefly to Lakes Michigan and Huron. On the former fully 100 vessels were damaged and four totally demolished. An equinoctial gale swept over the lower lakes September 25, causing many disasters. The most fearful storm of the season began November 11, and lasted nearly two weeks. During that season the loss to shipping exceeded the combined losses of the entire seasons of 1881 and 1882. The actual damage to vessel property was estimated at $1,150,000. About 100 lives were lost.

Most Disastrous Loss. - The most disastrous loss to life for the season resulted from the foundering of the passenger propeller Manistee, which went down in mid-lake on Lake Superior, November 16, with 23 lives. The Manistee was engaged in the Lake Superior trade, running between Duluth and Portage and touching at all intermediate mining ports. She left Duluth Saturday, November 10, and laid at Bayfield all through the northwest gale from Sunday until Thursday at midnight, when she left. She is supposed to have been struck by a southwest gale between the Apostle islands and Ontonagon. Wreckage of the boat was found several miles from the latter harbor. All aboard perished, consisting of the crew of nineteen and four passengers.

Loss of the Wells Burt. - During the fierce gale of May 20 the schooner Wells Burt was wrecked off Evanston and her entire crew of 10 perished, including Capt. Thomas Fountain. The Burt was built in 1873 and was of 756 tons burden. She was a full-rigged, three-masted schooner, and was loaded with coal for Chicago.

The Ackley Goes Down. - One of the most serious November disasters was the loss of the large and substantial steamship H. C. Ackley, which foundered on Lake Michigan, nine miles from Holland, Mich., November 12. Of her crew of 17, six, including Capt. Edward Stretch and the first mate, John Kingston, were lost. She had left Chicago with grain for Buffalo, and encountered severe weather, which carried away her sails. She had discovered the tug Protection in distress off Racine and gave her a line, but later the tug slipped the line. The Ackley began to fill and settled rapidly. When she sank the crew jumped. The schooner Driver, five miles distant, bore down on the wreckage and picked up the survivors. The Ackley measured 1,187 tons, and was built in 1881.

Barge Austin Founders. - The barge Austin, of Wallaceburg, 200 tons register, foundered at Port Austin, Saginaw bay, November 20, while on a voyage from Sarnia to Port Arthur with a cargo of railroad supplies. Seven lives were lost by this casualty. The vessel had been ashore, and was being towed to port for repairs when she suddenly sank.

Other Events of 1883. - April: Schooner Speed, 104 tons, built in 1848, ashore and totally wrecked near Racine. Schooner S. Bates, 139 tons, built in 1857, total loss near Winnetka. Schooner Arrow, 65 tons, built in 1855, total loss at Two Rivers. May: Schooner Allen, 155 tons, built in 1862, struck by lightning and burned at Muskegon. Schooner Jennie Lind, 110 tons, built in 1848, wrecked with lumber near Chicago; four lives lost. Schooner H. B. Burger, 181 tons, built in 1875, ashore and totally wrecked with lumber cargo near Chicago. Schooner Sailor Boy, 76 tons, built in 1866, ashore and wrecked with lumber cargo at Milwaukee. Tug Gardner, 108 tons, built in 1872, burned on Lake Ontario. Schooner Benica sunk by collision at Cape Vincent, Lake Ontario. Schooner B. Everleigh, 137 tons, built in 1866, ashore and total wreck with coal cargo, at Point Pelee. Barge Orontes, 557 tons, built in 1856, ashore and totally wrecked with lumber cargo at Point Edward, Lake Huron. Barge Clematis, 179 tons, built in 1863, ashore with lumber cargo and wrecked at Point Edward. Tug W. H. Doan sunk at Cleveland. Schooner Corsican abandoned. Steambarge Westford sunk by collision with schooner Grace Holland in Detroit river. Scow S. B. Conklin sunk at Black River. Steamtug Mary Ann, of Goderich, 6 tons register, foundered 12 miles east of Tobermory, Georgian Bay; two lives lost. Schooner Kate Howard capsized near Evanston. Schooner Eliza Quinlan, ashore near South Bay Point, abandoned. Scow H. Hyde a total loss at Point aux Barques. Schooner J. Boyce burned at North Muskegon. Schooner John Tibbetts sunk at Fairport. Schooner Eliza capsized near Milwaukee. Barge C. G. Meisel waterlogged and abandoned off Lexington. Schooner Mary Ellen Cook waterlogged near Chicago. Propeller Shickluna sunk near Algoma Mills. June: Tug Vulcan, 249 tons, built in 1868, burned in midlake on Lake Erie. Schooner Escanaba, 414 tons, built in 1866, foundered on Lake Erie with cargo of ore. Schooner J. R. Benson, 370 tons, built in 1873, foundered on Lake Erie. Steamer Meteor sunk at Spanish river. Tug Crawford sunk in St. Clair river. Tug Alert burned at Milwaukee. Propeller Canada sunk near Rockport. Schooner Tempest sunk at Ahnapee. Steamer Spartan abandoned at Caribou island, Lake Superior. Barge Tuscarora sunk at Fair Haven. July: Schooner Emma, 110 tons, built in 1853, sunk on Lake Michigan. Schooner A. Piffany foundered on Lake Michigan near Chicago. Schooner Parsons, 217 tons, built in 1856, foundered with coal near Charlevoix. Schooner McClelland, 29 tons, built in 1877, foundered with stone cargo on Lake Huron; four lives lost. Propeller M. Jarecki, 645 tons, built in 1867, ashore and totally wrecked at Point au Sable, ore cargo. Schooner Seabird, 139 tons, built in 1857, foundered in Lake Michigan with her entire crew of nine persons. Schooner Wanderer sunk at Kincardine. J. B. Spaulding sunk at Rondeau. Steamer Oregon severely damaged by fire at Cleveland. August: Schooner Sunnyside, 563 tons, built in 1863, foundered with ore cargo at Fox island. Canadian propeller Glenfinlas, 447 tons, built in 1851, burned at St. Catharines; total loss. Schooner Dot, 300 tons, built in 1865, sunk with ore cargo at Grand Morais. Scow Finch sunk in Lake Erie. Schooner Edith Sewell sunk off Wolf island. Steambarge Nellie Torrent sunk on Lake Michigan. Steamer Mary explodes her boiler. Steamer Charmer sunk off Chicago. Ferry Beatrice burned on St. Clair river. September: Schooner Yankee Blade, 256 tons, built in 1855, foundered with ore near Skillagalee. Schooner Spy, 74 tons, built in 1858, wrecked on Lake Michigan. Canadian schooner Picton, 181 tons, built in 1867, wrecked on Lake Ontario while laden with ore. Canadian schooner Pearless, 256 tons, built in 1855, sunk with ore cargo at Picton, Lake Ontario. Barge Baldwin sunk with stone cargo on Lake Erie. Steamer Queen Victoria, 349 tons, built in 1868, burned at Chatham, Lake Erie. Propeller Oakland, 311 tons, built in 1867, sunk with lumber on Lake Erie. Schooner W. H. Vanderbilt, 520 tons, built in 1867, foundered with ore cargo at Long Point. Schooner Explorer foundered with salt cargo on Georgian Bay, five lives lost. Barge William Raynor, 227 tons, built in 1862, ashore with lumber and total loss, near Lexington, Lake Huron. Schooner Starlight, 307 tons, built in 1856, lost on the rocks in Georgian Bay. Propeller Ontonagon, 682 tons, built in 1856, burned on Detroit river. Propeller East Saginaw, 350 tons, built in 1866, foundered and total loss at Sand Beach. Barge William Treat, 389 tons, built in 1856, ashore with lumber cargo, and total loss at Point Albert, Lake Huron. Schooner Laura Belle ashore and wrecked with coal cargo near Marquette. Schooner Peerless sunk near St. Peter. Barge Frontenac sunk near Kingston by collision with barge Senator. Schooner Pilot sunk by collision with schooner Hallaran off Port Washington. October: Schooner N. Church, 123 tons, built in 1868, sunk with lumber near Sheboygan, Mich. Schooner Petrel, 151 tons, built in 1847, sunk with wood cargo near Sheboygan. Schooner Dart ashore and total wreck, near Two Rivers. Schooner Mary Nau, 136 tons, built in 1864, total wreck at Grand Haven. Schooner Ketchum, 177 tons, built in 1855, wrecked with lumber near Gill's Pier, Lake Michigan. Canadian barge John Marsh sunk on Lake Ontario. Propeller Oneida, 1,070 tons, built in 1862, sunk near Clayton, Lake Ontario. Steamer City of Toronto, 512 tons, built in 1865, burned at Point Dalhousie. Propeller J. Davidson, 1,456 tons, built in 1874, ashore and totally wrecked with coal cargo at Thunder bay, Lake Huron. Schooner Nellie Gardner wrecked on Thunder bay. Canadian schooner Julia sunk on Lake Ontario. Schooner Mary Ann wrecked at Grand Haven. November: Schooner Monitor, 323 tons, built in 1864, ashore and totally wrecked with ore cargo at Seul Choix, Lake Michigan. Schooner L. J. Clark, 293 tons, built in 1863, total wreck at Cross Village, Lake Michigan; three lives lost. Schooner Banner, 72 tons, built in 1864, sunk near Sturgeon Bay. Schooner Guiding Star, 324 tons, built in 1869, totally wrecked on rocks with coal at Point Vilas, Lake Michigan. Schooner Maria, 104 tons, built in 1866, lost on rocks near Hedgehog. Schooner Ashtabula, 75 tons, foundered near Milwaukee. Schooner E. Jones, 646 tons, built in 1867, wrecked with corn cargo near Racine. Propeller Norman, 389 tons, built in 1864, wrecked near Pentwater. Schooner Potomac, 208 tons, built in 1842, wrecked with lumber at Frankfort. Schooner Arab, 158 tons, built in 1854, foundered on Lake Michigan; one life lost. Schooner Clara Barton, 403 tons, built in 1867, wrecked with corn cargo at Grand Haven. Schooner Flying Mist, 316 tons, built in 1861, sunk with ore near Frankfort. Barge Monitor, 307 tons, built in 1862, wrecked with coal at Manitou. Schooner Gipsy, 131 tons, built in 1882, wrecked at North Bay, Lake Michigan. Canadian barge Milwaukee, 385 tons, built in 1872, foundered on Lake Ontario with coal cargo; total loss. Schooner F. Howard, 126 tons, built in 1859, wrecked with barley at Salmon Point, Lake Ontario. Canadian schooner Eureka, 211 tons, built in 1858, foundered on Lake Ontario with coal cargo. Propeller Mayflower, 415 tons, built in 1852, wrecked with lumber at Long Point. Schooner Consuelo, 145 tons, built in 1851, wrecked by collision at Sandusky. Schooner Leadville, 343 tons, built in 1879, wrecked at Long Point with coal cargo. Schooner J. Wade, 273 tons, built in 1873, foundered with wheat cargo at Long Point; seven lives lost. Schooner H. F. Merry, 230 tons, built in 1869, wrecked with wheat cargo at Silver island. Schooner E. Fitzgerald, 297 tons, built in 1870, wrecked with wheat at Long Point; seven lives lost. Schooner Maple Leaf, 141 tons, built in 1867, wrecked with coal near Buffalo. Steamer Eclipse, 74 tons, built in 1878, foundered while towing on Lake Erie; 7 lives lost. Schooner Nemesis, 78 tons, built in 1870, wrecked at Bayfield. Schooner Starlight, 307 tons, built in 1856, foundered on Lake Huron; four lives lost. Canadian tug Erie Belle, 292 tons, built in 1862, exploded boiler at Kincardine; four lives lost. Canadian schooner Cecilia, 298 tons, built 1865, wrecked on Lake Superior. Schooner Wabash, 315 tons, built in 1873, wrecked with coal cargo at Pictured Rocks. Tug Ontario burned at Port Huron. Tug Thomas Coleman burned at Amherstburg. Steambarge I. W. Snook sunk at Grand Haven. Schooner China wrecked on Georgian Bay. Propeller St. Paul sunk at Detroit. December: Tug Castle damaged by fire at Port Huron. Steambarge Enterprise sunk on Lake Huron; several lives lost.

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Volume II

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.