1876

Burning of the St. Clair. - The steamer St. Clair burned to the water's edge while off Fourteen Mile Point, between Ontonagon and Portage Lake Ship canal, about 2 o'clock Sunday morning, July 9. She had a crew of 15, and 16 passengers were aboard. Of this total 26 were lost. The fire was first discovered in the steamer's hold, and the flames spread so rapidly that the engineers were driven from their posts before the hose could be attached. The fire enveloped all the boats except a large yawl. As it touched the water, there was a rush for the boat, and it immediately capsized. It was righted and capsized six times, and, when finally kept right side up, contained only four of the crew. They ripped up the seats and used them for paddles and cruised about in reach of the unfortunate passengers. Only two were picked up, one of whom was dead. Among the saved was Capt. Robert Phineas. When the fire broke out the St. Clair was five miles from shore. Most of the passengers put on life preservers, but the water was extremely cold and they soon perished. The St. Clair was brought out as a steambarge in 1866 at Algonac, and had been transformed into a steamer in 1875. She belonged to Ward's Detroit & Lake Superior line, and was on her down trip from Duluth.

Other Events of 1876. - January 4: Navigation still open at some Lake Erie ports. February: Propeller Depere disabled on Lake Michigan. April: Tug S.S. Coe burned at Port Austin and sunk in eleven feet of water. May: Schooner Thomas C. Street capsized near Long Point; crew rescued by the propeller Vanderbilt. Tug Enterprise sunk by collision with the Colossal. Schooner Young America struck by lightning at Cleveland. Propeller Calabria sunk near Port Maitland. Schooner Mary Grover sunk at the same place. Schooner Belle McPhee sunk off Collingwood. Schooner Australia sunk at Muskegon. Schooner Mediterranean sunk at Niagara river. Propeller Gordon Campbell and schooner Jane Bell collide off Thunder bay. Schooner Falcon sunk at Detroit. June: Tug Thos. A. Tillinghast burned near Erie. Schooner Libbie Nau waterlogged off Menominee. Bark Great West sunk at Chicago. July: Schooner Florence a total wreck at Free Soil. Schooner Eveline waterlogged near Girard. Steamer R.N. Rice and schooner E.M. Carrington collide near Cleveland. Lighthouse at Port Dalhousie burned. August: Tug Standard severely damaged by fire at Cleveland. Schooner Laura sunk near Oswego. September: Barge Wyoming sunk at Port Huron. Tug C.M. Farrar sunk at Port Huron. Schooner C.H. Walker foundered on Lake Huron. Barge Rio Grande waterlogged at Sand Beach. Steamer Lady Franklin burned at Amherstburg, Ont. Schooner T.B. Rice waterlogged at Sand Beach. October: Schooner Acorn sunk at Sand Beach. Schooner Mockingbird a total loss at Long Point. November: Scow Perry White, sunk at Fairport, sold. Schooner S.F. Gale sunk near Cleveland.

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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.