Today in Great Lakes History – August 8

1813
The U.S. Navy schooner HAMILTON (wooden 10-gun schooner, 112 feet, 76 tons, built in 1809 at Oswego, New York, as a.) DIANA), was lying at anchor off the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario with her armed fleetmate SCOURGE awaiting dawn when they planned to attack the British fleet. However, a quick rising storm swamped and sank both vessels. Since they were both built as commercial vessels, it has been suggested that their cannons may have made them top-heavy. The HAMILTON was found by sonar in 1975, sitting upright almost completely intact at the bottom of Lake Ontario. The Cousteau organization has dived to her, and she was the subject of a live television dive by Robert Ballard in 1990.

1869
The wooden tug J.E. EAGLE was destroyed by fire at about 4:00 p.m. while towing a raft of logs on Saginaw Bay to Bay City. Her loss was valued at $10,000, but she was insured for only $7,000.

1878
The Buffalo (wooden propeller package freighter, 258 feet, 1,762 gross tons) was launched at the yard of Thomas Quayle & Sons in Cleveland, Ohio, for the Western Transportation Company. Her engine was a double Berry & Laig compound engine constructed by the Globe Iron Works in Buffalo, New York. She lasted until 1911, when she was abandoned at Marine City, Michigan.

1882
An August snowstorm was reported by a ship on Lake Michigan, dumping 6 inches of snow and slush on the deck. Snow showers were reported at shore points that day.

1887
CITY OF ASHLAND (wooden sidewheel tug, 90 feet, 85 gross tons, built in 1883 at Ashland, Wisconsin) was towing a log raft near Washburn, Wisconsin, in Lake Superior. A fire broke out near the boilers and quickly cut off the crew from the lifeboat. They jumped overboard, and all but one or two were picked up by local tugs. The burned hull sank soon afterward.

1941
An explosion aboard the Canadian tanker TRANSITER at River Rouge resulted in the loss of two lives. The ship was towed to Port Dalhousie for repairs and returned to work as b) TRANSTREAM in 1942. It was sold for off-lakes service as c) WITSUPPLY in 1969 and sank in heavy weather off Cabo de la Vela, Colombia, while apparently en route to Cartagena, Colombia, for scrap on February 23, 1981.

1942
The seven shipyards at Duluth-Superior were in full production and announced three launchings in two days. The submarine chaser SC-671 was also launched at Inland Waterways, Inc. on Park Point.

1964
ELLEN KLAUTSCHE suffered an engine failure while berthing at Toronto and rammed the docked NORDIA after just missing the tugs TERRY S. and WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE. The West German freighter was towed to Port Weller for repairs by the GRAEME STEWART. Later, as b) VARUNA YAN, it was detained in the Shatt-Al-Arab waterway and then, on April 3, 1984, was shelled, becoming a CTL.

1976
The JAMES R. BARKER became the longest vessel on the Great Lakes when it entered service. It held at least a tie for this honor until the WILLIAM J. DELANCEY entered service on May 10, 1981. The BARKER’s deckhouse had been built at AmShip’s Chicago yard and was transported in sections to Lorain on the deck of the steamer GEORGE D. GOBLE.

1978
The BUFFALO was christened for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. (American Steamship Co., manager).

1981
The Ann Arbor car ferry VIKING took part in a ceremony christening a body of water between Manitowoc and Two Rivers as “Maritime Bay.”

1982
The Soo River Company was forced into receivership.

1985
The E.B. BARBER, along with the motor vessel SAGINAW BAY, a.) FRANK H. GOODYEAR of 1917, arrived under tow in Vigo, Spain. Demolition began on August 9 by Miguel Martins Periera at Guixar-Vigo.

1991
The excursion ferry AMERICANA was sold and passed down the Welland Canal bound for the Caribbean under Panamanian registry. She was the former East Coast ferry BLOCK ISLAND that arrived in Buffalo.

1999
The KAYE E. BARKER delivered the last shipment of limestone for Dow Chemical, Ludington. The plant later closed its lime plant and began lime deliveries by rail.

Data from: Skip Gillham, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Lake Huron Lore Society, Father Dowling Collection, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Jody L. Aho, Brian Bernard, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series from the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Compiled by Roger LeLievre.

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