1886.

Great Storms. - It is recorded that the worst gale since 1844 visited the Lake Erie region October 14. The water from the lake rushed into the Buffalo harbor, filling to overflowing Buffalo main creek and Blackwell canal, and making a clean breach across the canal in places for more than a mile east of the South Michigan street bridges. All the houses located on the beach from Michigan street east were demolished to the number of 30 occupied by families, leaving scarcely a vestige of houses or furniture. The people narrowly escaped with their lives.

A terrible storm which occured on the lakes November 17 and 18 caused the loss of 29 vessels and 39 lives.

A New Year's Trip. - On New Year's day the ferry steamer Excelsior went to Put-in-Bay island from Detroit and returned with the schooners Grace Amelia and William Case after being absent 24 hours.

The scow Magruder arrived at Port Huron from Oscoda with a cargo of lumber on January 4, the first time a like occurrence has happened in 30 years.

Other Events of 1886. - April: Barge Vanetta totally wrecked near Point Pelee. The steamer Africa, of Kingston, 404 tons register, was almost totally destroyed by fire while in winter quarters at Owen Sound. Steambarge Josephine sunk at Sandusky by collision with a bridge. The barge Star of Hope, 267 tons, went ashore at Point Pelee and proved a total loss. May: Schooner L.J. Conway wrecked at Michigan City. Schooner Lafriner stranded at the head of the Beavers. June: Schooner Thomas P. Sheldon sunk in Lake George by collision with the propeller Russia. Steambarge Adriatic sunk at Chicago. Lighthouse burned at East Tawas. Schooner O.M. Bond sunk at Port Dalhousie. Schooner David Vance sunk at Amherstburg. The largest towed log raft up to this time was that towed by the tug Mocking Bird, from Grand Island, Lake Superior, to Bay City, measuring 4,000,000 feet. July: Steamer Oconto wrecked in St. Lawrence river near Rock Island. Schooner Edward Blake sunk at Bar Point. Schooner Selkirk and tow barge Favorite collide and sustain injuries at Lime Kiln Crossing. Steambarge Milwaukee sunk by collision with the C. Hickox on Lake Michigan. Schooner Hercules capsized off Sheboygan. Steamer Passport sunk at the Cornwall canal. August: Steambarge Anna E. Thompson sunk at Grand Haven. Steamer Ingwersen burned near Toledo. Steamer Welcome sunk at Chicago. Tug A. Booth sunk on Lake Superior. September: Tug Anna Dobbins sunk near the Charities. Schooner Dread- naught sunk by collision with tug Cheney off Point au Gres. Schooner Honora Carr foundered on Lake Erie. Barge Ferguson sunk at East Tawas. Steamer General Wolseley burned near Cape Croker. The Escanaba collides with the schooner Thos. L. Parker at the Sault. Schooner F.J. King sank in Lake Michigan. Schooner Reindeer sank at Fairport. October: Schooner Belle Mitchell lost on Lake Erie; eight lives lost. Steambarge Selah Chamberlin sunk by collision with the John Pridgeon on Lake Michigan; five lives lost. Steamer L.G. Mason burned at Bay City. Tug Lizzie Sutton burned on Lake Superior. Schooner Rathbone wrecked near Goderich. Propeller W.L. Brown sunk off Peshtigo. The schooner G. M. Case, of Chicago, 327 tons register, foundered on Lake Erie six miles from Port Colborne, during a heavy gale, while on a voyage from Chicago to Buffalo, with a cargo of corn; three lives were lost. Steamer A. Neff wrecked at Edward island. Schooner John Bentley sunk off Cabbage Head, Georgian Bay. Schooner Ella Murton wrecked near Port Dalhousie. Barge Eureka foundered on Lake Superior. Steambarge Wm. Randolph burned on Lake St. Clair. Schooners S.J. Tilden sunk by collision with propeller Arabia near Port Huron. Schooner Lady Dufferin sunk at entrance to Georgian Bay. November: Propeller Myles sunk near Kingston. The M. Stalker sunk by collision with the Waubashene near Cheboygan. Schooner Sea Star wrecked at Ahnapee. Schooner City of Cheboygan sunk near Detour; one life lost. Schooner Ellen Spry sunk on Lake Michigan. Tug A.C. Waters burned on Lake Michigan. Steamer Northerner burned at Kelley's island. Schooner Detroit sunk near Death's Door. Barges Dickeson and Emerald lost off Kewaunee; eight lives lost. Steambarge Robert Wallace and consort David Wallace wrecked near Marquette. Schooner L.J. Conway wrecked near Fowler Creek, Mich.; five lives lost. Schooner Florida a total loss at Marquette. Schooner Lucerne wrecked near Chequamegon Point; ten lives lost. Barges Menekaunee and Marinette wrecked near Frankfort, Mich.; 14 lives lost. Steamer Oregon sunk by collision with steamer Alaska near Bois Blanc island. Schooner North Star sunk off Stony island. Schooner Helen sunk near Muskegon, carrying down the crew of seven. December: Schooner Ariadne ashore in Mexican Bay; total loss; four lives lost. Tug George B. Dickinson sunk at Bay City. Barge Matilda sunk on Saginaw bay. While the number of casualties to vessels has not been so great as during the season of 1885, the loss of life has been larger. Fifty-eight hulls passed out of existence this year, approximating 30,000 tonnage, involving a money loss of about $1,000,000. The lost tonnage comprises 13 steam-propelled vessels and 45 schooners and barges. The list of partial losses will swell the total to about $1,500,000; much of this property was not insured. The total loss of life aggregates 138, while the previous season it was but 85. The close of the season found the carriers of the lakes very much scattered. No less than 35 boats were caught by winter in Lake Superior ports, and many of them were compelled to ship even after being loaded.

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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.