SS Russia (1872)
45°52′33″N 83°34′57″W / 45.87583°N 83.58250°W
Russia in Duluth, Minnesota, c. 1885
| |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Russia |
Namesake | Russia |
Owner | Charles O. Duncan[2][4] |
Operator | Port Huron & Duluth Steamship Company of Port Huron, Michigan[2][6] |
Port of registry | Duluth, Minnesota, United States[2] |
Builder | King Iron Works of Buffalo, New York, Gibson & Craig subcontractor[2][6][1] |
Yard number | 12[5] |
Launched | August 20, 1872[3] |
In service | August 26, 1872[2] |
Out of service | April 30, 1909[2][6][1] |
Identification | Registry number US 110063[1] |
Fate | Sank off DeTour Village, Michigan |
Wreck discovered | July 23, 2019 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Package freighter |
Tonnage | |
Length | |
Beam | 35.58 ft (10.84 m)[2][1] |
Depth | 13.35 ft (4.07 m)[2][1] |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 × fixed pitch propellers[7] |
SS Russia was an iron-hulled American Great Lakes package freighter that sank in a Lake Huron gale on April 30, 1909, near DeTour Village, Michigan, with all 22 of her crew and one passenger surviving.
Russia was built in 1872 in Buffalo, New York, by the King Iron Works, with the Gibson & Craig shipyard as the subcontractor. She was built for Charles Ensign of Buffalo and was operated as part of the Holt & Ensign Commercial Line, also of Buffalo. In 1884, after Ensign's death, Russia was sold for the first time. She would end up changing hands multiple times during her career.
In the evening of April 29, 1909, Russia left Alpena, Michigan, with a cargo of cement, wire fencing, galoshes and multiple barrels of dry goods, destined for Duluth, Minnesota. Around the time she passed Middle Island, the breeze which had been following Russia since she left Alpena suddenly began to strengthen; the combination of the gale and her heavy deck load caused Russia to roll severely. An eventual lull in the storm convinced Captain John McLean to continue towards Point DeTour, instead of turning back. However, Russia's cargo shifted, causing her to list to port. Her crew began to move her cargo of cement in order to compensate for the list; after about two hours, she righted herself. However, Russia suddenly rolled over to port and then over to starboard. Further efforts failed to counteract the list. Eventually, Captain McLean ordered the crew to throw the bags of cement into Lake Huron. When this effort to save Russia was also unsuccessful, Captain McLean gave the order to abandon her early in the morning of April 30. The crew and the one passenger boarded the lifeboats and rowed to the DeTour Reef Light.
The wreck of Russia was discovered in 220 feet (67 m) of water on July 23, 2019, over 110 years after she sank, by a team of shipwreck hunters led by Tom Farnquist of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.
History
In 1843, the gunship
Design and construction
Russia (US official number 110063) was built in 1872 in Buffalo, New York, by the King Iron Works, with the Gibson & Craig shipyard as the subcontractor.[15] She was built under the direction of master carpenter was David Bell.[2][6][1] She was launched on August 20, 1872, as hull number #12.[5][3] Russia was the third of five sister ships built between 1872 and 1873. She was preceded in construction by Cuba,[16][17] Java[18] and was succeeded in construction by Scotia[19] and Arabia, although, some sources do not acknowledge Arabia as one of Russia's sister ships.[20][21]
Russia's hull had an overall length of 246 feet (75 m) and a length between perpendiculars of 231.58 feet (70.59 m) (some sources state 231 feet (70 m), 231.7 feet (70.6 m) or 232 feet (71 m)).[2][6][1][21] Her beam was 35.58 feet (10.84 m) (some sources state 35.6 feet (10.9 m), 35.7 feet (10.9 m) or 36 feet (11 m)) wide. Her hull was 13.35 feet (4.07 m) (some sources state 13 feet (4.0 m) or 13.3 feet (4.1 m)) deep. Russia had a gross register tonnage of 1,501.77 (one source states 1,501 and another states 1,502) tons and a net register tonnage of 1,334.57 (one source states 1,335) tons.[6][1][3][21][22]
Russia was powered by two, two-
Russia's hull was made of iron only up to her upper deck. Her upper works were made of wood.
Service history
Russia was built for Charles Ensign of
On December (one source states November) 6/7, 1872, at around 9:00 A.M., while bound for Buffalo with a cargo of
In 1884, following the death of Charles Ensign, Russia was sold to James Ash of Buffalo (one source also gives several co-owners: P. P. Pratt, F. L. Danforth and G. B. Rich).[2][6][1] In 1886, Russia ran between Buffalo and Green Bay, Wisconsin.[6] On June 1, 1886, Russia collided with and sank the schooner Thomas P. Sheldon in Lake George. The damage she sustained in the collision was repaired in Buffalo.[31][32] In 1888 (one source states 1890), Russia was sold to the Lackawanna Transportation Company of Buffalo, which was managed by Drake & Maytham. At this time, she ran between Lake Erie, Milwaukee and Chicago.[2][6][1]
On May 1/3, 1892, at around 6:00 P.M., while bound from Buffalo for Chicago with a cargo of coal, Russia collided with the steamer Celtic in a dense fog about 15 miles (24 km) off Rondeau, Ontario. Celtic struck Russia on her port bow, near the waterline. Celtic sank in less than ten minutes, taking one of her crew of 18 with her. After rescuing Celtic's crew, Russia was beached to prevent her from sinking. She was raised, and with the help of the tug Balize, made it to Buffalo where her coal was unloaded.[6][33] On June 5/9 1893, Russia ran aground on Beaver Island, Michigan, in fog, and was eventually released.[6][1]
On July 11, 1893, Russia was in Buffalo, loading a cargo of baled
On July 31, 1893, as soon as Russia left drydock, she collided with the freighter Thomas W. Palmer. Her bow made contact with Thomas W. Palmer's hull, damaging her aft upper works and breaking several stanchions. Russia sustained no damage.[35][36] On August 9, 1895/1896 (most sources state the 1895, but some also state 1896), Russia was upbound without cargo in the Detroit River. At around 4:00 P.M., she sighted the freighter Britannic, which was downbound with a cargo of iron ore.[6][1][37] The vessels signaled each other, but just as they were about to pass each other, Britannic suddenly veered to port, putting her directly in Russia's path. The bow of Russia sliced into Britannic's hull, amidships on her starboard side. Britannic sank with the loss of one life into 30 feet (9.1 m) of water off Wyandotte, Michigan; Russia had a hole punched in her bow and was eventually repaired in Buffalo.[6][1][37] Sometime in 1897, Russia became trapped in ice in Green Bay. She was freed by the steamer Algomah.[6] On May 13, 1897, at 5:30 A.M. while downbound, Russia ran aground on Mackinac Point in dense fog. She was freed at 3:30 P.M. on the same day by the wrecking tug Favorite.[38]
In the summer of 1900, Russia was sold to the Lake Transit Company of Duluth, Minnesota (one source states Buffalo), managed by John J. McWilliams. Her home port was changed to Duluth.[2][6][1] In 1905/1907, Russia was sold to the Port Huron & Duluth Steamship Company of either Port Huron, Michigan, or Duluth. The company was owned and managed by Charles O. Duncan.[4][6][1]
Final voyage
On April 29, 1909, Russia was in
Russia wreck
Discovery
For several years, Russia was sought by shipwreck hunters. Paul Ehorn of Waukegan, Illinois, spent twenty summers on Lake Huron trying to find her wreck. Although unsuccessful in finding Russia, Ehorn managed to find the wreck of the schooner barge Celtic, lost with all hands on November 29, 1902.[23][39]
Tom Farnquist, founding member and Director Emeritus of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) had had aspirations of locating Russia for several years, saying that she had "been on his bucket list since his late teens".[23][39] Over the years, he had gathered several old newspaper accounts to help him track down her wreck.[23][39]
In the winter of 2018/2019, Farnquist contacted veteran ship hunters Jerry Eliason and Ken Merryman (of
Farnquist invited
rendering of Russia's wreckRussia today
The wreck of Russia rests on an even keel in 220 feet (67 m) of water near the
As the wreck of Russia rests in Michigan waters, all artefacts on board are the property of the state and as such cannot be brought to the surface without its permission.[23][39]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Bowling Green State University (2010).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Berry (2) (2020).
- ^ a b c d e Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1872).
- ^ a b c d e f Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1909).
- ^ a b Toronto Marine Historical Society (1993), p. 12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (3) (2020).
- ^ a b Wrecksite (2017).
- ^ a b Bugbee (1) (1962), p. 24.
- ^ Bugbee (1) (1962), p. 26.
- ^ Bowlus (2010), p. 85.
- ^ a b Thompson (1994), p. 32.
- ^ Bugbee (2) (1962), p. 48.
- ^ Bugbee (2) (1962), p. 49.
- ^ Bugbee (2) (1962), p. 51.
- ^ a b Toronto Marine Historical Society (1972).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1872).
- ^ a b Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (1) (2020).
- ^ Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (2) (2020).
- ^ Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (4) (2020).
- ^ Berry (1) (2020).
- ^ a b c Swayze (2001).
- ^ University of California (1909).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Brand (2019).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1872).
- ^ Balfour (2020).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1873).
- ^ Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (5) (2020).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1874).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1874).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1874).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1886).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1886).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1892).
- ^ a b Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1893).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1893).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1893).
- ^ a b Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1895).
- ^ Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1897).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Della-Mattia (2019).
- ^ Krueger (2020).
- ^ Sault Ste. Marie Evening News (2019).
- ^ Eliason (2019).
Sources
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (1) (2020). "Cuba (1872, Package Freighter)". Alpena, Michigan: )
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (2) (2020). "Java (1873, Package Freighter)". Alpena, Michigan: )
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (3) (2020). "Russia (1873, Package Freighter)". Alpena, Michigan: )
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (4) (2020). "Scotia (1873, Package Freighter)". Alpena, Michigan: )
- Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library (5) (2020). "USRC John A. Dix (1865, Revenue Cutter)". Alpena, Michigan: )
- Balfour, David (2020). "The Actions of the H.P. Bope, L.C. Hanna, J.G. Munro, and the Tragedy of the Clarion on December 8, 1909". Toledo, Ohio: National Museum of the Great Lakes.
- Berry (1), Sterling (2020). "Arabia". Detroit, Michigan: Great Lakes Vessel Histories of Sterling Berry. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Berry (2), Sterling (2020). "Russia". Detroit, Michigan: Great Lakes Vessel Histories of Sterling Berry. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Bowling Green State University (2010). "Russia". Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Bowlus, W. Bruce (2010). Iron Ore Transport on the Great Lakes: The Development of a Delivery System to Feed American Industry. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 9780786486557. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- Bugbee (1), Gordon P. (1962). "Iron Merchant Ships: An Upper Lakes Centennial - Part One" (PDF). Detroit, Michigan: Great Lakes Maritime Institute. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Bugbee (2), Gordon P. (1962). "Iron Merchant Ships: An Upper Lakes Centennial - Part Two" (PDF). Detroit, Michigan: Great Lakes Maritime Institute. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Brand, Scott (2019). "110-year-old Great Lakes Shipwreck Mystery Solved". Sault Ste Marie, Michigan: Sault Ste. Marie Evening News. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Della-Mattia, Ellen (2019). "Elusive 110-year-old shipwreck discovered on Lake Huron". Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: The Sault Star. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Eliason, Jerry (2019). "Shipwreck Russia". Fridley, Minnesota: Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society - 3D Shipwrecks. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- Krueger, Andrew (2020). "Minnesota shipwreck hunters locate long-sought Lake Michigan wreck". Minnesota: Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1872). "Cuba (Propeller), 10 May 1872". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1872). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, 20 Aug 1872". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1872). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, aground, 7 Dec 1872". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1873). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision, 1 Sep 1873". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1874). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, freshet, 1 Feb 1874". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1874). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, aground, 1 Sep 1874". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1874). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, lost gaff and outfit, 1 Nov 1874". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1886). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision, 1 Jun 1886". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1886). "Thomas P. Sheldon (Schooner), U24871, sunk by collision, 1 Jun 1886". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1892). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision & aground, 1 May 1892". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1) (1893). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision, 31 Jul 1893". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (2) (1893). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision, 31 Jul 1893". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (3) (1893). "Thomas W. Palmer (Propeller), collision, 31 Jul 1893". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1895). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, collision, 9 Aug 1895". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1897). "Russia (Propeller), U110063, aground, 13 May 1897". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes (1909). "Russia (Propeller), sunk, 30 Apr 1909". Ontario, Canada: Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Sault Ste. Marie Evening News (2019). "Team uncovers long-lost Great Lakes shipwreck". Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. Archived from the original on October 22, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Swayze, David D. (2001). "Great Lakes Shipwrecks - R". Port Huron, Michigan: Boatnerd. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- Thompson, Mark L. (1994). Queen of the Lakes. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-2393-6. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- Toronto Marine Historical Society (1972). "Ship of the Month No.22 Maplebranch". Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Marine Historical Society. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- Toronto Marine Historical Society (1993). "Ship of the Month No.203 Celtic". Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Marine Historical Society. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- University of California (1909). Merchant vessels of the United States. 1908-09. 1936/37-1939/41: Report series, no.[1], 4, 8, 11. Oakland, California: University of California. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- Wrecksite (2017). "SS Russia (+1909)". Affligem, Belgium: Wrecksite. Retrieved December 5, 2020.