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 03:00 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.
1885
The iron side-wheel steamer DARIUS COLE (201 feet, 538 gross tons) was launched at the Globe Iron Works (Hull #10) in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 September 1, 1925, while on an excursion. The hull was beached and later towed to Dunkirk, New York, for scrapping.
The rail car ferry LANSDOWNE and the CLARION were in a collision on the Detroit River.
1895
CIBOLA caught fire and burned at the dock at Lewiston, New York, with the loss of one life. The hull was towed to Toronto and used in a fill project.
1911
The CHICAGO TRADER was launched as a.) THE HARVESTER (Hull #391) at Lorain, Ohio, by American Ship Building Co. for the Wisconsin Steel Co.
1934
The ANN ARBOR NO. 4 collided with the steamer N.F. LEOPOLD in a heavy fog.
1943
GEORGE M. HUMPHREY sank off Old Point Mackinac Light following a collision with the D.M. CLEMSON. The ship was salvaged in 1944 and rebuilt at Sturgeon Bay as b) CAPTAIN JOHN ROEN in 1945 and became c) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1948 and d) CONSUMERS POWER in 1958.
1946
The NORISLE (Hull #136) was launched at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for the Dominion & Owen Sound Transportation Co. Ltd.
1961
The d.) WALTER A. STERLING, now f.) LEE A. TREGURTHA), entered service on the Great Lakes for Cleveland Cliffs Steamship Co. after conversion from a T3 tanker. The next day, on July 16, 1961, the PIONEER CHALLENGER, later MIDDLETOWN and AMERICAN VICTORY, entered service for the Pioneer Steamship Co. (Hutchinson & Co., manager).
1977
The ore-laden CADILLAC went aground in the St. Marys River after missing a turn in fog. It was released the next day with the help of three tugs.
1986
The CSL self-unloader MANITOULIN went aground at Sandusky off Cedar Point after losing power. The ship was released with the help of tugs.
1991
The Spanish, 1975-built, 7,311-gross-ton, ocean motor bulk carrier MILANOS, anchored in the Detroit River since July 2, began the long slow trip home. Auxiliar de Transporte Maritimos, the ship’s owners, decided it would be cheaper to tow the crippled ship home for repairs rather than have the repairs performed locally. The ship’s engine had seized after the crankshaft broke. She departed Detroit bound for Montreal under tow of Malcolm Marine’s tug MALCOLM and McKeil’s tug ARGUE MARTIN. The tow passed down the Seaway on July 19.
1998
LITA hit the knuckle at the Eisenhower Lock and sustained damage to the starboard side. The vessel later hit the bottom of the channel near the Snell Lock, but there was no additional damage. The ship was en route from Toledo to Algeria. The 11,121-gross-ton saltwater vessel was still in service as of 2012.
Contributors & Sources
Skip Gillham, Max Hanley, Jody Aho, Joe Barr, Dave Swayze, Lake Huron Lore Society, Mike Nicholls, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II, and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.
Compiled by Roger LeLievre.
