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Frank R. Crane

The 17 ton tug C. W. Evans (US No. 4262), originally built at Buffalo, NY in 1864 by J. F. Kingston, was rebuilt into the Frank R. Crane (US No. 120333). The rebuilding was performed by John Gregory in his Chicago shipyard during 1878. She was owned by the Chicago Dredge & Dock Company and cost $7,500.

FRANK R. CRANE, secretary of the Chicago Dredging and Dock Company, is the son of Charles S. and Eliza Jane (Beyea) Crane, and was born on May 28, 1862. He received his education in the public schools and the Business of Metropolitan College, Chicago. In 1882, he commenced work for the Chicago Dredging and Dock Company, and in 1884, was elected secretary thereof.

Chicago Tribune, March 27, 1878

LAUNCH OF TUGS.
The Chicago Dredging and Dock Company have just lannched two new tug-boats at their yards on Goose Island. The first is the tug A. S. Allen (US No. 105785), a staunch little craft, of eighteen tons burthen, forty-five feet in length, and built especially for the Company’s peculiar business, at a cost of $5, 000. The F. R. Crane, named after the President, Mr. Crane, is a perfect model in her way. She was launched at 3:30 yesterday afternoon. She is fifty-six feet long and twenty-five tons burthen. She is as well constructed as any tow-boat on the river. She is complete in all her appointments, and fitted up with neat and comfortable cabins. She cost $7,500, aud will be ready for work next week.

Chicago Daily Telegraph, August 26, 1878

Lost in the Storm.
During the gale, shortly after midnight yesterday morning, the tag Frank R. Crane, while towing two scows and a pile-driver from South Chicago, parted her tow-line opposite Twenty-seventh street. The gale was at its height at the time, and, in the darkness, the tug found it impossible to save the scows or recover her line, being barely able to rescue the men who were on them, all of whom were saved but one man, who cannot be found, and whose name is unknown. The scows are total wrecks, the remains of one lying on the shore at the foot of Thirty-third street, and the other at the foot of Thirty-eight street.

Chicago Tribune, October 24, 1878

NAUTICAL MISHAPS.
The interior of the pilot-house of the tug Frank R. Crane was damaged by fire Tuesday afternoon, at the dock of the Chicago Dredging & Dock Company, on the North Branch. A defective flue or stove-pipe caused the blaze, which was extinguished in the nick of time. The tug Allen will take the Crane’s place until she is repaired.

Inter Ocean, May 2, 1901

Tug Strike Not Serious.
The Hausler & Lutz Dredging and Dock company has put on non-union men in the places of the men who struck yesterday on the company’s tugs, Commodore and Frank R. Crane. An officer of the company said yesterday that no time had been lost, and that everything was running along smoothly. He stated that the trouble was not a question of wages, but due to a misunderstanding.

No documentation after 1916.

Charles W. Parker

Ships of John Gregory

Chicago Evening Post, April 2, 1873

Nautical Matters.
John Gregory has built two new tugs, for the Vessel Owners’ Towing Company, to be completed by the 1st of May, at a cost of $11,500 each.

Chicago Tribune, June 30, 1873

The new tug, Charles L. Parker, was launched on Saturday evening. This boat is similar to the E.P. Ferry, which came out a few weeks ago.

Chicago Tribune, September 23, 1879

A shocking boiler explosion, involving the loss of four lives, happened yesterday morning at 9:35 o’clock on the harbor-tug Charles W. Parker, of the Vessel-Owners’ Towing Company’s line, on the lake, about a mile and a half opposite Lincoln Park pier, and nearly the same distance in a northwesterly direction from the Water-Works Crib. The explosion is described as of the most sudden and terrific character, the boiler and the boat being literally blown to atoms, and of the five men who manned the tug but one escaped a swift death, and was thrown into the air fifty feet amidst a mass of fragments and a dense cloud of smoke and steam, and, falling into the water, was picked up by the men of another tug, E.P. Ferry, of the same line, and which fortunately happened to be near the scene of the calamity at the time.

The victims of the disaster were Robert O’Leary, Captain; John Callahan, engineer; Peter Rogers, crewman; and William Burton, steward, all of whom are supposed to have been blown to pieces, and the survivor, Henry Maguire, the linesman, or deckhand. A vigorous search was made for the bodies by the crews of two tugs during the day, but no traces of them were found, and at nightfall the search, which was made with grappling-irons, was temporarily abandoned and a buoy left to mark the spot where the dreadful occurrence took place.

The explosion made a noise like that of the discharge of a heavy piece of ordnance, but it did not the attention of many persons on shore, and it was after 10 o’clock when the first reports of the sad disaster were brought in by the Ferry, and the rescued man, bleeding from a severe wound on the left side of his face, shocked as if by lightning, and presenting the most pitiable sight imaginable, was left temporarily in the office of the Vessel-Owners’ Towing Company, and cared for until he was sent to the down-town office of the Marine Hospital, on Clark street, near Lake, where Dr. Miller dressed the wound in the left side of his face and examined him carefully, but found no evidence of internal injuries nor any serious injury to his limbs. He was subsequently interviewed, but could not give any particular description of the explosion. It had been said that he was on the rudder-combing, a few feet forward of the fantail, and when the explosion happened he was suddenly lifted off his feet, and, before he could recover from the shock, found himself in the water, and managed to keep afloat by clinging to a piece of the wreck, upon which he was found ny the men on the tug Ferry. A moment before the explosion he saw his steward, Burton, standing in the doorway of the engine-room talking with the engineer; the others he did not notice, but believed they were at their posts. When the boiler exploded, Maguire said he did not know whether he went up or not. He heard a whizzing noise and a sound as if a cannon had been discharged close to his ears.

The boiler blew out on the starboard side, and the wreck went down bow first. He also stated that the Parker was carrying eighty pounds of steam at the time, and he had seen her run on less water. Maguire is a young unmarried man of 26 years, whose parents live at Waukegan, whence he intended to go yesterday afternoon. He lodged and boarded on the Parker, and had no residence in the city.

The following full particulars of the disaster were obtained by Tribune reporters:

Capt. Sutherland, the night Manager of the V.O.T. Line, as it is familiarly termed, stated that he sent the Parker out between 4 and 5 o’clock yesterday morning to assist in towing into port three barges of the Menominee Barge Line Company, brought up from the Menominee River by the large tug Favorite, which was expected at daylight. Capt. Sutherland stated that he chatted pleasantly with O’Leary before the Parker left the moorings at the Air-Line Elevator dock, foot of North Franklin street, and on the opposite side of the river from the V.O.T. Company’s office. The engineer, Callahan, had not arisen from his bunk, but was awake, and Sutherland also spoke pleasantly with him, and soon afterward left the boat to attend to other matters.

The tugs Ferry, Van Schaick, and Black Ball, of the same line, also had orders to tow the barges in, and steamed out to Grosse Point about daylight, along with the Parker, to pick them up. When the Favorite hove in sight and came up to the tugs, she let go her line as usual and passed on, while the harbor tugs above named ran alongside the barges preparatory to taking their lines and towing them in.

The Parker took the barge S.A. Wood in tow and started ahead, the Ferry followed with the barge Sonora, and the Van Schaick with the Planet. The Black Ball was to go astern of the Planet, but did not do so, having received other orders. The tugs were under way about five minutes when the Parker’s boiler exploded with a large noise, and a mass of fragments of the boiler, engine, and boat were hurled high into the air amidst a cloud of steam, smoke, and cinders which spread over the Wood and enveloped her so that those on board could not tell for a moment what had happened. The barge, which was about seventy-five astern of the Parker when the explosion took place, passed directly over the spot where the Parker was blown up, and all that was seen by the men on board of the barge was the man Maguire floating in the water upon a piece of the wreck, and a few fragments of the Parker’s deck. The large iron arm or lever used to lower and raise the smokestack, was thrown with such force against the Wood’s mainmast as to tear away quite a large piece of it. The barge’s cabin was damaged, and a boy on board had a narrow escape from a fragment of the smokestack. According to the statement of Capt. Samuel Parker, who commanded the barge, he and eight men and the boy referred to were all aft at the moment the explosion occurred, and they did not see the men on the Parker after she passed ahead of the barge.

Capt. John Ferguson, of the tug Ferry, stated to a Tribune reporter that he first saw a portion of the boiler going out of the Parker and of those on board Maguire was the only one he observed. The Parker seemed to go up like a sudden puff of smoke, and the explosion was followed with a loud report. Capt. Ferguson dropped his tow immediately, and rounded to and went to the rescue of Maguire, who was the only one of the Parker’s men on the surface of the lake at the time. The rescued man was cared for as well as possible, and brought into port and landed at the V.O.T. Company’s dock at the foot of Franklin street.

The engineer of the Ferry stated that she was “hooked up and half-throttled,” which indicated that she was not running fast, and she was going along at about the same rate of speed as the Parker.

Patrick Dyer, the fireman on the Ferry, and an uncle of the engineer of the Parker, stated that the first-named boat went out Sunday midnight, and laid at the North Pier until 3 a.m., when she went outside to wait for the Favorite’s tow. On meeting the latter, the Parker, Ferry, Van Schaick took hold of the barges about 9:30 o’clock, and in about five minutes afterward the explosion occurred. He saw the men on the Parker in their usual positions. The deckhand, Henry Maguire, was sitting on the fantail of the boat, and he was blown overboard and picked up by the Ferry. He did not see anything of the others on the Parker. The explosion was described by Dyer as terrific. The boat was blown into the air, and the fragments were seen flying amidst a cloud of smoke and steam.

E. Morris, first mate of the propeller Favorite, was seen by a reporter on the river near the Custom-House, and he made the following statement:

Ferry

Charles W. Parker

Ewing

Parker

Wood

All the tugs stopped and let go of their lines, and went to the assistance of the wreck, and tried to save the men. The tug Ferry went back to pick up a man; she had hold of the barge Sonora, and she is the tug that picked up the man that was overboard. He was a deckhand, I heard. He was not killed, but was badly hurt. That was all I knew about it.

Capt. O’Leary, of the Parker, bore the reputation of being a good man. His age was 31 years, and he leaves a young wife at No. 51 Huron street. He was in the employ of the Vessel-Owners’ Towing Company about three seasons.

John Callahan, the engineer, was a native of Cleveland, O., and a single man, 22 years of age. He was considered by his employers as competent and trustworthy, and had been two or three seasons on the Parker. He boarded at 116 West Lake street when ashore. The only relative he has is Dyer, of the Ferry, who mourns his loss very deeply.

Peter Rogers, the fireman, was but 20 years old, and had been but three or four days on the Parker. He was well known among the tugmen, and lived on North Market street when not employed on the boat.

William Burton, the Steward, had been married about a year, and was employed on the Parker five or six seasons. His wife lives on North Market street.

Shortly after the explosion the tugs Satisfaction, Protection, Ewing, and Black Ball cruised over the scene of the wreck, and endeavored to find the bodies of the dead men, but at dark last evening none of them had been found. The Satisfaction brought in two pieces of the wreck which was found afloat, and left them at Mowatt’s shipyard near the North Pier, where a Tribune reporter examined them. They composed part of the deck frame and shelf-pieces, and bear astonishing evidences of the great force of the explosion, the three-inch deck planks being broken in two and both cleats being similarly shattered. A four-inch oak plank looked as if some mighty power had broken it up as if it were a pipe-stem.

President Higgie, of the V.O.T. Company, informed a reporter that steps would be taken today to raise the boiler, or such portions of it as could be found, and an investigation made. The work on grappling for the bodies would also be resumed this morning, and if necessary a diver would be employed to search for them. The remains of the Parker lie in about twenty-five feet of water.

Lincoln Park Steamboat Pier
Robinson Fire Map
1886

The crew of the Life-Saving Station, notwithstanding the fact that one of its members had been accidentally drowned but a few hours before, went out to the scene of the explosion a short time after it occurred, and was on hand to render any needed assistance, but their services were not required, and they returned to attend the burial of their comrade, Edward Carron.

The ill-fated tug was named after Charles W. Parker, proprietor of the Columba Iron-Works, and son of Capt. Thomas L. Parker, now of Oconomowoc, Wis. She was built at Doolittle & Olcott’s shipyards, on the South Branch near Van Buren street, in 1873 by John Gregory, of this city, and was valued this season at about $5,000. Her boiler was thoroughly tested when new, and had been kept in good repair, as is customary for the Company to do each winter. It was built by Devine, who has constructed many for the harbor tugs, and whose work bears the reputation of being first-class. The boilers of his manufacture have certainly been exempt from explosions, so far as could be learned from a few inquiries yesterday. The Local Inspectors examined the boat and tested the boiler in March last, and gave the necessary document certifying to the soundness of the latter. In the certificate they state that the Parker was of thirty-six tons, and had a non-condensing engine of eighteen inches diameter of cylinder and twenty-inch stroke of piston, and one boiler twelve feet in length and six feet in diameter, supplied with all the means required by law, and allowed a steam pressure of ninety pounds to the square inch, and no more. The certificate is signed by John B. Warren, as Inspector of Hulls, and by John P. Farrar, as Inspector of Boilers.

An investigation will be held by the Inspectors as soon as the boiler can be raised and examined.

All the tugs—nine in number—of the V.O.T. Company, were draped in mourning, and also the other tugs of the harbor fleet.

The Coroner will hold an investigation when the bodies are found. It is thought by some persons that the unfortunate men were torn in fragments by the explosion, and these have drifted away, and it will be a long time before they are found.

Theb occurrence has cast a gloom over marine circles, and is the worst clmity of the kind that has happened since 1865. There are fifty-three tugs on duty here, and careful attention to their boilers has been the rule, and an immunity from boiler explosions has been experienced that has excited favorable comment.

The widows of O’Leary and Burton and relatives of the other two men were greatly shocked by the news of the disaster, and Mrs. Burton was reported very ill last evening in consequence of it.

Inter Ocean, May 31, 1880

THE CHARLES W. PARKER
The tug C.W. Parker was running yesterday and presented a fine appearance. It is claimed that she is a better boat now than the day she was first launched. The horrible explosion and sacrifice of life on the Parker last season need only be alluded to attract attention to the boat. Mr. Jacob Johnson is now the owner, and that he made a great bargain by buying the wreck and machinery is evident to everyone. He paid $400 and now has a boat worth at least $7,500. The work of rebuilding the hull was done by Burns and it is needless to say that it was well done.

Chicago Tribune, October 21, 1882

Cornelius Mahoney has been assigned to the command of the Charles W. Parker, vice James B. Carter.

Chicago Tribune, November 23, 1883

Shortly before 6 o’clock yesterday morning, the schooner Granger (US No. 85376), lumber laden, in charge of the tug Charles W. Parker, collided with the Rush-street bridge while the latter was swung open and so damaged in the centre that the two ends sank upon the projections of the centre pier, entirely wrecking the structure and the gear in the centre. According to maritime rules, the tug should have taken the north draw and by tradition left the bridge to port (or to the left), when facing a ship’s bow. As the Granger entered the draw from the east, a steam barge, the Business, was entering from the west. As soon as the Captain of the Parker discovered the close quarters, he attempted to get alongside the Granger, though he succeeded in slowing it, the bow was turned toward the bridge and struck port side by the Business. The Granger‘s jib boom was driven into the bridge about midway of it, tearing away the board-walk, one of the iron uprights, and the iron stringer under the bridge. This so weakened the structure that it collapsed and let both ends down. Fortunately the bridge was almost entirely open, and the ends were thereby prevented from falling into the river. The bridge was over twelve years old, and was not regarded as very substantial. It was 200½ feet long, and when open the weight of each end unsupported caused a great strain upon the central portion which was weakened by the blow. There were two men on the bridge at the time of the accident, neither of whom was injured. This morning a force of men will be put to work, and the structure will be repaired as soon as possible.

Chicago Tribune, October 5, 1891

The boiler of the tug C.W. Parker exploded with terrific force at 4:30 o’clock yesterday afternoon just north of the bridge which crosses the river on Archer avenue between Paulina street and Ashland avenue, killing instantly seven people and injuring ten more, some of them fatally. The dead and injured are:

Dead.
ARMSTRONG, SAMUEL, steward of the Manistee.
CARTER, JAMES B., Captain of the Parker, lived at No. 53 Pine street.
MOORE, JOHN C., engineer of the Parker, Highland Park.
RICE, BARBARA, 18 months old, No. 3013 Archer avenue.
RICE, MRS. MARY, 25 years old, No. 3013 Archer avenue.
SAWYER, SAMUEL, switchman at the Illinois Steel Works, 24 years old, married, No. 3425 Bloom street.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN, about 30 years old, taken to Klaner’s morgue.

Injured.
BELLS, HENRY, deckhand, No. 59 Kinzie street seriously hurt.
CULLOM, JOSEPH, fireman of the Parker, No. 390 Maxwell street; badly burned and scalded and probably fatally injured.
CUNNINGHAM, JAMES, cook on the tug Van Schaick, back injured.
CURTIN, CHARLES, 16 years old, No. 3239 Paulina street, crushed by flying timber and fatally injured.
DOMORAZEK, JAMES, 21 years old, No. 809 South Ashland avenue, skull fractured by a piece of the boiler; will probably die.
ENDERMANN, JOSEPH, 14 years old, No. 2960 Archer avenue, struck by a board and slightly injured.
JEWELL, GEORGE, Captain of the tug Van Schaick, struck by flying timber; not fatally injured.
MOSS, LOOMIS, D., deckhand of the Van Schaick, slightly hurt.
SULLIVAN, JOHN, No. 3025 Pitney avenue, struck by timber, not dangerously hurt.
WAGNER, FRANK, 19 years old, No. 13 South Greet street, injured in arms and chest by pieces of iron.

How the Accident Occurred.
Yesterday morning the steambarge H.S. Pickands of Detroit took on a load of 1,260 tons of coal at Hedstrom’s coal yards and started to go up the river. At noon the vessel grounded at the Archer avenue bridge. Capt. Wilson, the commander, telephoned to the tug office and soon four boats—the Parker, Van Schaick, Ferry, and Shields—were at work trying to free the steam barge. The tugs puffed away all the afternoon in a vain endeavor to haul the barge from the mud bank, which had a tenacious grip on the vessel’s prop. The scene attracted hundreds of people, who stood upon each side of the river and watched the proceedings. About 4 o’clock the word was passed around to the different tugboat Captains and they shifted their positions. The Parker and Van Schaick took their places on the starboard beam, the Ferry and Shields being to their left. Full heads of steam were in all the boilers and the engineers were ordered to go ahead at full speed. The huge hawsers tightened and strained and the black smoke that poured from their smoke-stacks was whirled around by the fresh breeze and sent flying in the faces of the spectators who lined the banks.

Suddenly there was a terrific explosion. Huge sticks of timber, pieces of iron, large sheets of the boiler, and portions of the woodwork of the Parker went flying into the air a hundred feet. The smoke and clouds of steam which covered the river were so dense that for a moment no one could realize what had happened.

A Sense of Horror.
The spectators sent out one sharp cry of horror, then each held his breath. Those nearest to the scene were stunned by the noise and many fell to the ground from the violence of the shock. The wreckage seemed to shoot in all directions and fell almost everywhere within a radius of 500 feet. As soon as the smoke and steam cleared away a woman with a baby in her arms was seen lying in a pool of blood on the sidewalk at the east end of the bridge. A few feet away was a man with his head crushed into a shapeless mass. Fully a dozen persons were flat upon the ground uttering moans of pain. The man, the woman and her baby were past all pain. Their death had been instantaneous. Glancing towards the river the spectators saw two men struggling in the water. The thoroughly frightened crew of the Pickands were making a frantic struggle to lower a boat; the Captain of the tub Van Schaick was bawling out orders to his men. On the opposite bank groups were bending over prostrate forms and assisting injured persons to their feet. Soon six patrol wagons were on the spot, and the work of caring for the wounded and removing the dead was begun. By this time nearly 1,000 excited people had gathered at the scene, anxious to do all in their power to aid the injured. By the side of the victims lay the missiles which had sent them to their death, and the deep pools of blood upon the sidewalk and pavement of Archer avenue at the east end of the bridge made the place resemble the shambles.

As soon as the explosion occurred Officer Patrick McGuire, who was stationed at the bridge, after the Pickands went aground, to keep back the crowd, sent an alarm from the patrol-box to the Deering Street Station and then hastened back to render what assistance he could. The first bodies to be picked up were those of Mrs. Mary Rice of No. 3013 Archer avenue and her 18-months-old baby.

South Branch at Archer Avenue and Ashland Avenue
Robinson Fire Map
1886

How Mrs. Rice Was Killed.
Mrs. Rice had been standing on the sidewalk just in front of the bridge-tender’s shanty at the east end of the bridge for half an hour. The baby had been restless and she had clasped it to her breast, soothing and pointing out the tugs at work. When the explosion occurred the big iron door of the furnace, weighing at least 200 pounds, came hurtling through the air as if it had been hurled from the mouth of a monster catapult. The mother, startled by the noise, had clasped the baby closer to her bosom and had turned half way around with the evident intention of seeking refuge in the shanty. The big mass of iron took a graceful curve through the air, seemed to pause a moment above her head, and then with the speed of a cannon ball shot downward. It struck the head of the baby as she lay pressed close to her mother’s breast, all unconscious of impending harm, and mother and daughter were crushed to the earth, a shapeless mass of flesh and bone. Just as the policemen took the two bodies into the house not more than two blocks away Henry Rice, the husband and father, who is employed at the Stock-Yards, returned home. As he alighted from a car at the corner he saw a crowd in front of his house and hastened his steps. He had heard nothing of the explosion, and when he entered the room where the bodies of his wife and daughter lay he became almost insane from grief. Mrs. Rice was a daughter of John Berges, who was the former bridge-tender at the bridge where she met her death.

The Unidentified Man.
The unidentified man, whose body now lies at Klaner’s morgue, No. 143 Monroe street, was standing in the middle of the street about ten feet from the edge of the draw. He, too, started to run when he saw the explosion, but he had not taken more than three steps when a piece of boiler iron felled him to earth. The sharp edge of the iron struck the side of his head and almost severed it into two pieces. His death was instantaneous. He was apparently about 30 years old, of a dark complexion, about the medium height, smooth shaven. He wore a blue sack coat and vest, blue jean trousers, red and white tie, black derby hat, and gaiters. On the little finger of his left hand he wore a plain gold ring, and in his pocket was a silver watch which had stopped at 4:28 o’clock.

Samuel Sawyer, the Illinois Steel company’s switchman, was at least 500 feet away from the tug when the boiler exploded. He had just stepped from the door of the company’s rolling mill when a mass of boiler iron, weighing at least 400 pounds, struck him fairly on the head. Several people was the danger that he was in from the flying missile and uttered a shout of warning. Sawyer evidently did not hear the explosion, as eye-witnesses say that when they shouted out a warning he looked with an expression of astonishment on his face, as if he did not know what the cry was about. The expression of surprise was immediately frozen into a look of horror as he saw the huge mass of iron shooting towards him. From the time he saw it till it struck him he stood rooted in his tracks apparently unable to make the slightest motion. His death, like those of the others, was instantaneous. His body was taken to Meinz Bros’ undertaking establishment, at No. 2973 Archer avenue.

Bodies Not Yet Recovered.
How Capt. Carter, Engineer Moore, and Steward Armstrong of the tug Parker met their deaths no one will ever know. Their bodies have not yet been recovered. Joseph Cullom, the fireman, was blown from the engine-room clear over the rail of the vessel into the river. He was partially unconscious when he struck the water, and though he was an expert swimmer was unable to help himself in the least. He had already sunk twice in the filthy water when the Van Schaick steamed slowly up, picking its way through the floating timbers, and rescued him. He was utterly destitute of clothing when picked up. He was landed on the west bank of the river and taken to the County Hospital by a patrol wagon. The doctors there say that his burns and injuries are so severe that recovery is impossible.

The only other man on the tug was Henry Bells, a deck hand. He, too, was blown into the water by the explosion, but he was farther away from the boiler than Cullom and did not get the full force of the steam. The crew of the barge Pickands saw him struggling in the river and attempted to lower a boat in order to pick him up. Before they had manned the tackle, however, Bells had succeeded in swimming to the west bank of the river, where he was hauled out. He was badly shaken up and scalded in several places, but at the County Hospital it was said that his injuries were not serious.

Louis D. Moss, one of the men injured by flying missiles, says he is quite certain there was another man on board the tug—one who has not yet been accounted for.

What The Witnesses Say.
Stories of the Disaster told by some of the Bystanders.

The force of the explosion was so great and it came so unexpectedly that the witnesses were unable to give a clear idea of the scene. “I was just abaft the mizzenmast,” said Capt. Charles Wilson of the steambarge Pickands, “and was looking directly at the Parker, thinking it had gone too far out in the stream to de effective work. all at once I saw a puff of what seemed to be which smoke shoot up into the air. Then there was a vivid flash, a loud explosion, and the boat seemed to go to pieces like a puff-ball.

“Huge masses of iron floated skyward as if they were feathers propelled by a strong breeze, big beams shot out in every direction, and splinters of wood and bits of iron went flying through the air. It seemed as if a cloud of all imaginable sort of things had suddenly formed over our heads. Then I realized that the tug’s boiler had exploded. I watched the flying missiles for perhaps a second, though it seemed several minutes, and then I dodged behind the mast. We tried to launch our boat when we saw two men struggling in the water, but they were both rescued before we could aid them.”

Engineer J.H. Coryeow of the Pickands was asleep in his berth, about forty feet from the Parker, when the boiler exploded. “I awoke with a start,” said he, “and the next thing I knew a twenty-pound piece of iron came crashing through the roof of my state-room and made a big dent in the floor, whizzing past within six inches of my head. I rushed to the deck and saw the Parker rapidly going out of sight under the water.”

Frank Wagner of No. 13 South Green street was walking along Ashland avenue, nearly a block from the river, and had just raised his hand to his mouth to remove a cigar when a piece of iron struck his extended arm. At the same time he heard a terrific explosion. His first impression was, he says, that he had been struck by lightning, but on looking down and seeing the scrap of iron at his feet and hearing the shouts of the people he knew that some catastrophe had happened—just as he realized this he fainted away. The next he knew he as in a patrol-wagon and was being conveyed to the County Hospital. His injury is not serious.

How Curtin Was Struck Down.
Charles Curtin was standing on the Illinois Steel company’s dock on the west bank of the river talking to a circle of friends. He was in the midst of a group of a dozen or more when he heard the sound of the explosion. “Look out, there,” someone shouted, and Curtin instinctively stooped down to get out of the way of whatever was coming. A piece of timber struck him on the back and laid him unconscious on the board wharf.

No one else in the immediate vicinity was hurt at all, though the missiles flew about there with incredible thickness. Curtin was taken to his home at No. 3239 Paulina street, and is in a very critical condition.

Jeseph Endemann of No. 2960 Archer avenue had a narrow escape from death by the door of the furnace which killed Mrs. Rice and her daughter.

“I was standing within three feet of Mrs. Rice,” said he, “and had been talking to her and playing with the baby. At the time the explosion occurred I was looking down Archer avenue and facing Mrs. Rice, who was gazing towards the river. She must have seen the first indication of the explosion, for when I looked up into her face there was an expression of fear upon it, and she had turned to move away. I turned towards the river. At that moment I heard a terrific noise, and the next I remember I was lying here on the sidewalk with half a dozen people bending over me. My foot was slightly crushed, and I was badly shaken up and confused. I think that the iron door must have rebounded after crushing Mrs. Rice and her daughter and hit me. I’m glad that I was knocked senseless, as I couldn’t have borne it to see Mrs. Rice and the baby killed in the way they were.”

Joseph Domorazek will doubtless swell the list of the fatalities. He was standing on the west side of the river, and was explaining to some friends the manner in which the tug-men were working to get the barge free. One of the iron missiles—it looked like a piece of the fire-box—which the explosion sent flying through the air singled him out as a victim and he fell to the ground unconscious with a fractured skull. He was taken to his home, No. 809 South Ashland avenue, and Dr. F.J. Mozak said that the chances for his recovery were slight.

Probably Many More Injured.
There were probably a score or more persons who were slightly injured by flying splinters of wood. They were taken home by their friends before their names could be learned. It is not probable, however, that any one was seriously hurt except those whose names have been given.

“A moment after the explosion,” said Officer McGuire, who seems to have been one of the few persons who kept his head, “I think there must have been at least twenty persons lying on the ground. I thought, of course, that they were all either dead or badly hurt, and I at once rushed to the patrol-box to call for help. When I returned I found most of the people on their feet again hobbling away to their homes, assisted by friends. I met two or three limping down Archer avenue, but they said they were all right and I guess they were more frightened than hurt. It’s a mystery to me that a hundred were not killed. There must have been about 500 people on the west side of the bridge when the accident occurred and the missiles fell as thick as hailstones. I can’t see how so many escaped.”

The news of the disaster spread rapidly to the different police stations in the district, and Inspector Morse, Capt. Ward, and Lieut. Arch were soon on the spot to direct the movements of the police and render what aid they could. The signal service of the department did effective work and the injured were taken to their homes or the hospital, where their wounds could be attended to in a very short time.

Although the other tugs were close at hand at the time of the explosion they suffered little damage. The Pickands, however, received a shower of missiles and dirty water which made the decks look as if the boat had been resurrected from a swamp. A portion of the end of the bridge was slightly damaged, but not so seriously as to interfere with traffic. The Parker sank almost immediately after the explosion. About six feet of the bow, surmounted by the broken head of the capstan, is visible above the dirty water.

Chicago Tribune, October 5, 1891

The Parker belonged to the line of the Chicago Towing Company. It was built in 1873 for the Vessel-Owners’ Towing company in this city. About ten yeas ago it blew up off Lincoln Park, killing four out of the five in the crew. The remains were raised and brought to into the harbor, where they were sold to Jacob Johnson for $250. The boat was extensively repaired in 1888, and was considered to be in good condition. From the day it was rebuilt it had been engaged in harbor towing. The insurance valuation was $4,000.

The Admiral, which blew up New Year’s night five years ago in the South Branch, about a mile from the scene of yesterday’s disaster, had been the last Chicago tug destroyed by explosion previous to the Parker. Four men were killed when that boat was destroyed. The Admiral and the Parker belonged to the same line. The few explosions of tugs on the river in recent years are due to the strict government inspection and the use of fusible plugs, now required on all steam vessels. Before the adoption of these stringent regulations tug explosions occurred almost yearly. There are in all now constantly at work in the Chicago River fifty tugs.

The most remarkable feature of the explosion was the escape of the crews of the other tugs, while so many were killed over and beyond them on the docks. The debris went over the other tugs, apparently, and dropped on the shore.

The excitement along the lumber market, where the tug offices are located, was intense with the news of the disaster reached them. The cause of the explosion was said by every tugman gathered along the market to be the bad water in the South Fork of the South Branch. Year by Year the water in the South Fork above the Bridgeport Pumping Works has been growing thicker and thicker, and no one who has never been in the South Fork can realize the awful filth which has been gathering there since the Stock-Yards were established. The water is so thick that it has become difficult to force a tug without a tow through it faster than a snail’s pace. Various city administrations have attempted to purify the South Fork, but the task has been too great for them and they have given up in despair. It is from this quarter that the frightful stench which at times spreads over the South Division arises. This accumulated filth must pass into the boilers of the tugs and steamers navigating the South Fork and be used for the purpose of making steam.

Capt. J.S. Dunham said:

No, I do not think that the explosion was due to any weakness of the tug itself. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the fusible plug would have been blown out when the water became too low, but sometimes they fail, and I think that was the case this time. Had the plug been blown out, as it should have been, the water water from the boiler would have run into the fire and put the fire out, thereby putting an immediate end to any danger. I am quite sure that the explosion was not due to any weakness of the boiler, for every year all tugs must pass a most rigid inspection, more rigid, I suppose, than any other point on the lakes, if not in the country. The boilers are tested at one-third more cold-water pressure than the steam that the boats ae allowed to carry. Any weakness discovered must be repaired before the boat can go into lake service.

I knew Capt. Carter of the tug Parker, the last twenty years, and I consider him a thoroughly competent man. He served as an engineer six or eight years and then became a Captain. As an engineer he was thoroughly competent. I do not think he would have a careless engineer with him.

It is pure luck that the boat destroyed happened to be the Parker instead of any of the other of the fifty tugs in the Chicago River. I can see no reason whatsoever why it should have exploded rather than some other boat. The whole blame can be attached to the filth in the South Fork, and if the other tug lines will enter such an agreement I will agree not to send another tug into the South Fork until there is some improvement in the condition of the water there. It is not a fit place to do business, and this loss of life shows that it is asking too much of the employes to run the risk to which they expose themselves every time their boats go above the Bridgeport pumping works.

Inter Ocean, October 10, 1891

WHY THE PARKER EXPLODED.
The wreck of the tug Charles W. Parker, whose boiler exploded near Archer avenue last Sunday, will be towed into the lake and let go on the beach this afternoon. When the wreck was put in the dry dock yesterday there was general surprise among marine men and experts at the great havoc the explosion had made. Directly under the fire-hold there was a clean-cut hole through the bottom twelve feet square. Only the rim of the tug which showed above water and a few timbers in the bow and stern were left intact. The frightful force of the explosion was shown in the bottom of the tug being blown out, supported as it was by the pressure of water. (Full report below)

When it was seen that the tug was not worth saving, everything movable was taken out. The total value of what was saved about equalled the expense of getting the tug into dry dock.

The Marine Review, November 5, 1891

We have received a copy of the Report of the Local Inspectors at Chicago, Cyrus H. Sinclair and Stuart H. Moore, to James A. Dumont, supervising inspector general of steam vessel of the United States, on the explosion of the boiler of the tug Charles W. Parker, in Chicago river on Oct. 4. The inspectors deal fully with the accident and attribute it to the use of Chicago river water for making steam. The Parker with three other tugs was engaged in an effort to release the steamer H. S. Pickands from the bottom of the east draw of Archer avenue bridge when the explosion occurred, resulting in the loss of ten lives and injury to others.

The Report of the Inspectors says:

The boat was working with a full head of steam, when she blew out the crown sheet of her boiler. The boiler was found about 500 feet from the scene of the explosion, and an examination showed that it was in good condition, except that the crown sheet and stays leading to top of dome and shell had disappeared, the fusible plug being but partly melted out. Three days later, we examined the hull of the boat which had been placed in dry dock and found the missing crown sheet with nearly all of the stays attached. An examination of the engine disclosed the fact that at the time of the explosion, or an instant before it, the engine had been reversed from going ahead to backing up motion. We have made a very careful investigation of the cause leading up to this accident, and find that the captain and engineer of the boat were considered very careful, reliable and experienced men, having had years of experience in this line of work, and they both knew full well the dangers of the locality in which they were engaged. The water in this portion of the river is of a very dangerous character, owing to the proximity of the slaughter and gas houses on the river, and from the facts that we have been able to obtain it is our opinion that this accident was caused by the use of this water for making steam. The effect was to cause. the boiler to foam badly, thereby making it almost impossible for the engineer to keep the water in the boiler at the proper height. The sudden stopping and starting of the engine, if the water in the boiler was low, would be sufficient to cause this accident. This boiler was well built and if well taken care of and under ordinary condition, would have lasted a life-time.

Cecelia

Ships of John Gregory

The Cecelia (US No. 5548) was originally built in White Lake, MI as a three-masted Barquantine.¹ John Gregory built her in Chicago on September 16, 1868. She was a tidy 118 feet long and had a gross weight of 176 tons. She was first owned by James Larsen & Co., of Chicago, Mr Larsen was also her captain. In April 1879 she was rebuilt as a schooner.

The Cecelia had a mishap in May of 1871 when she collided with a Chicago bridge and lost her mizzenmast and outfit.

Capt. Evans of the U.S. Treasury Department revenue cutter Andrew Johnson (US No. U.S.R.C.S.) recently rescued the barque Cecelia, of Chicago, stranded on the south end of Manitou Island on October 14, 1872. The vessel and cargo were valued at $40,000 or more. This makes the 20th vessel rescued within two years by Capt. Evans .

During September 1873, the schooner Prince Alfred (Canada No. 7406) received serious damage from a collision with the schooner Oriental, about 3 miles below Port Colborne, in the Welland Canal, and came to this city for repairs. She arrived Sunday evening, and is receiving attention at the hands of Messrs. Mills & Welch. The Oriental is the same craft that collided with and sunk the bark Cecelia at the head of the lake a few days since. Wreckers are engaged in raising the schooner Cecelia sunk a few days since at Pt. Pelee. The Cecelia had on board a cargo of wheat and was owned by Michelson of Chicago. She was valued at $14,000. The Coast Wrecking Co., which for the past few days has been engaged in raising the schr. Cecelia, sunk at Pt. Pelee passage, has accomplished that undertaking in a brief space of time. She was brought to the surface on Thursday and arrived at the drydock the next day.

The locations of Cecelia’s wrecks.

Inter Ocean, , September 11, 1885

THE CECELIA LOST.
Messrs. Ripley & Son received a dispatch yesterday stating that the old schooner Cecelia, of Chicago, had gone on the reef at Jacksonport, and would be a total loss. She was taking on cordwood at the pier when the first storm came up, and she was hauled out into the lake and anchored for safety. The northeast wind Wednesday night was so severe that she dragged her anchors until the vessel was thrown upon the reef, when she was quickly pounding to pieces.. Over 150 cords of wood were also lost by the disaster.

Captain Smith telegraphed that the crew were all safe and that they would assist him to strip the wreck as soon as the sea went down. The Cecelia was owned by John Longs and Captain Smith, both of this city. She was valued at $4,000, and was uninsured, although the cargo was insured for its full value, in the America Insurance Company. The Cecelia was built in 1868 by Gregory, at White Lake. Her’s has been an unfortunate career since she began to run in the Jacksonport pier trade. In the fall of 1883 she ran on the same reef, and again last fall, but each time tugs went promptly to her assistance, and saved her from being wrecked.

Chicago, Sept. 11.—After she had finished loading starves at Wheatley’s dock below Point au Pelee, Ontario, a storm started and began dragging her anchors and was hurled by the wind and waves against the dock, damaging her quarter. Her bulkwards and cabin were washed away by the shifting of the astves and in order to prevent further damage she was scuttled and sunk in about nine feet of water. An agent of the Cecilia was at this port the day before negotiating for a tug and a pump. Her owner at the time was William Johnson of Chicago and he had her raised immediately.

After taking on a load of wood at Reynold’s Pier (Jacksonport) on September 9, 1885, the Cecelia anchored offshore to weather out a storm. Her anchors did not hold, and she was blown ashore just south of Reynold’s pier. Attempts to remove her were unsuccessful. The Cecelia was also owned by John Long, who now had two vessels wrecked in the same location. Hailed from Chicago. Stranded and wrecked in one of the most powerful storms of the decade. Her three anchors would not hold her against the gale. Hailed from Chicago and owned by Capt. John Long. Ashore in almost exactly the same spot on 24 Sep, 1884 – almost exactly a year earlier. She was valued at $4,000.

On September 8, 1885 the schooner Cecelia was at Reynold’s pier at Jacksonport, Wisconsin loading wood. Because of prevailing storm she moved offshore and anchored to weather out the storm. Her anchors dragged and she was thrown onto the beach on the south side of Reynold’s pier.

Door County Advocate, September 17, 1885

Capt. B. Smith, one of the owners of the schooner Cecelia wrecked at Jacksonport, went to Chicago on Friday and returned today (Wednesday) for the purpose of removing everything of value from the vessel and conveying it to Chicago. He says he has tried to get a wrecking outfit to go to the Cecelia from Chicago and Milwaukee for the purpose of getting her off, but no one would undertake the job for much less than the vessel’s worth. Captain Smith has not yet decided whether he will purchase another vessel or not, but it is quite certain that nothing will be done toward releasing the Cecelia.

Door County Advocate September 24, 1885

The wreck of the schooner Cecelia lies on the south side of Reynold’s pier, about ten feet of her bow being under the pier. In case a strong southerly wind should set in, it is believed that the wreck will be driven through the pier, causing much damage thereto. An attempt was made to save the schooner’s masts by pulling them out, but it being found impossible to remove them in that manner, they were cut away.

There are two shipwrecks in front of the park just offshore at Jacksonport. The two wrecks can be identified as the Perry Hannah (US No. 11178) and the Cecelia. Trying to determine which wreck is which is a problem since what is left is very broken up there was only six feet difference in length between the two vessels. Further archaeological investigation is needed to determine their identities.

The wrecks of the Cecelia and Perry Hannah (US No. 11178) were found near Door County, WI at Reynold’s Pier in eight feet of water. An attempt was made to save the schooner’s mast by pulling them out, but it being impossible to remove them in that manner, they were cut away.

Cecelia and Perry Hannah Wrecks

NOTES:

¹ A barquentine is a sailing ship of three or more masts with the atmost mast fore-and-aft rigged, and the others square-rigged.

Bismarck

Ships of John Gregory

Chicago Tribune, December 21, 1870

To Be Built at Sheboygan.—Messrs. Tyson A. Robinson’s new tug is to be built at Sheboygan, by John Gregory. The contract calls for a vessel 150 feet in length over all, 24 feet beam, and 12½ feet hold, with upper works enclosed, and sleeping apartments back of the pilot-house on the promenade deck, The price to be paid for her is $13,000.

Sheboygan Times, July 8, 1871
[Milwaukee, July 5th, 1871.]

Ed. Times:-The excursion trip, to-day, of the fine Tug Bismarck, built at your city, has suggested that it is almost time for me to again report myself as promised. I shall not attempt any description of the boat but leave that to those better posted in marine matters than I pretend to be, the marine reporters for the Wisconsin and News, of this city, being of the party, and the reporters of the Racine Advocate and Argus came on board at Racine. The presence of her builders, Messrs. Thayer and Gregory as members of the party, and the occasion itself, very naturally pointed much of the conversation towards your locality, and it was universally conceded that if Sheboygan will be true to herself and her public spirited men, which we outsiders know she has not been in the past, a bright future is before her. The Northern Railroad men are really in earnest in their deternination to cut your county in two, and one of the strong reasons given for it was, to retain the ship building interests, insurance mon being determined to send their repairing business to other ports. I understood that Mr. Thayer had two large jobs offered him to-day, but he holds them open until your Dry Dock enterprise shall be decided.

The project of building a Lake Shore Rail Road from this city to Chicago is being pushed forward as though it was really intended, but those in the secret understand that if the Chicago & North Western Railway Co. will abandon their project of building a road from Janesville through Waukesha thence northward, thus cutting off Milwaukee and effectually penning them up in a corner, then the new Lake Shore Road from here to Chicago will be given up.

Yours,
Semi-Occasional.

Sheboygan Times, July 8, 1871

[From the Evening Wisconsin, July 6.]
Trial Trip of the New Tug Bismarck.
Yesterday, upon invitation extended by Mark S. Tyson, of the firm of Tyson & Robinson, about fifty of our leading citizens embarked on the large new tug Bismarck, just completed, for the purpose of witnessing her trial trip. Previous to starting, the party spent an hour in making a thorough examination of the boat. Her handsome model and faultless lines were the admiration of all, and there seems to be but one sentiment in regard to her, namely, that she is the finest tug afloat upon fresh water. In this opinion, it would probably be well here to state, they are fully sustained by men of experience in such matters.

The Barge Line.
The Bismarck was built by Messrs. Tyson & Robinson to tow barges, of which they will soon have four in commission. Three of these barges are now, and of the same size, and have carrying capacity for 400,000 feet of lumber each. They are named the D. W. Filer, Emma E. Tyson, and Eva L. Robinson. The hull of the propeller Equator is to be rebuilt immediately, and converted into a barge for the line, which will then be complete. Her carrying capacity is estimated at 550,000 feet. The employment of barges is not an experiment. They have been used with great success upon the lower lakes for many years past, and are increasing in numbers so rapidly as to threaten to drive sailing vessels entirely out of the business. Several barge lines have been in operation on this lake for the last six years, with, we believe, an equal measure of success. Messrs. Tyson & Robison are therefore tolerably certain of remunerative returns upon their investment in the business, which will amount to upwards of $100,000.

The Bismarck.
The hull of the Bismarck was constructed the present spring at Sheboygan, by the Dry Dock Company of that place, under the superintendence of Mr. John Gregory, of Chicago, who designed the model.—Were not Mr. Gregory’s reputation as a marine architect already well established, this masterpiece of his handiwork would, of itself, be sufficient to make one for him. The dimensions of the boat are:

Length of keel 138 feet—over all, 151 feet 6 inches; breadth of beam at load line, 24 feet; depth of hold at lowest transverse section or dead flat, 13 feet.

The following are the minimum sizes of the different timbers forming the hull:

Keel moulded 10 inches, sided 13 inches; stem same as keel: stern-post sided at heel 13 inches, at head 16 inches keelson, sided and moulded, 14 inches; frames moulded at heel 13 inches, at bilge 11 inches, at heads 6½ inches, sided 11 inches; ceiling on flat of floor 3 inches, from lower bilge strakes to top of clamps 6 inches thick all—strakes being scarfed and keyed and fastened throughout with two bolt und two spikes in each frame, also edge-bolted where practicable.

Outside plank from bilge to gunwale 4 inches thick, bottom 3 inches; breadth of strakes 6 inches on top. All of the outside plank are squared, fastened, and butt-bolt-ed. The deck beams are sided 11 inches, moulded 12 inches, at centres 8 inches, at ends 7 inches; distance between bears 30 inches. Each bear has one lodging and one hanging knee at the ends, through fastened. The timber used in the hall is the very best white oak of second growth. Every precaution has been taken to secure them against decay, the principal agent adopted for this purpose being salt, of which large quantities were used.

We doubt very much if there is another tug upon the lakes possessing as large and convenient or better arranged accommodations than the Bismarck. The cabin located in the stern of the boat, below the main deck, is 28 feet long, 13 feet wide, and 7½ feet high. It contains two staterooms 9×9, and twelve open berths, which are supplied with the best of mattresses and coverlets. The berths are hung with rep curtains, and ornamented with gilt cornices. The cabin floor is inlaid with black walnut and white maple, a circular saw, also the name of the boat and firm name, being dexterously wrought in it with. the same material. The kitchen and pantry, which challenge comparison; adjoin the cabin forward, into which they open. Their length is 9 feet, and combined width 21 feet. Off the pantry, in the cabin, is a small room for glass ware. In the rear of the cabin are a store room, water closets, etc. In the bow of the boat, on the main deck, are rooms for the deck hands, firemen and porter. Abaft the pilot house, on the hurricane deck, is a texas which contains rooms for the captain, mates and wheelsmen, also an extra room for the accommodations of guests. The captain’s and the spare room are 7×11 feet in size, and furnished in elegant style.—The size of the rooms for the mates and wheelsmen is 6×5½.

All of the rooms in the texas; as well as in the cabin below, are supplied with water the same as in a first class hotel, the supply being obtained from tanks, placed under the hurricane deck, which are filled with lake water by force pumps. From this description it will be seen that Messrs. Tyson & Robinson have spared no pains to secure the comfort of those on board the tug, as well as of the passengers who may cross the lake in her.

The engine is a low-pressure oscillator, with 42-inch cylinder and 36-inch stroke. With a fall head of steam it attains 300 horse pawer. This engine was formerly in the propeller Equator, but has been thoroughly refitted throughout at a heavy expense, and is once more as good as new. The size of the boiler in 10×19 feet. It is capable of furnishing an abundance of steam for all emergencies. There are also two handsome force pumps in the engine room, for fire and other purposes.

The Bismarck is intended for towing alone. She is supplied with the latest improvements in the way of capstans and other light machinery. The joiner work on the boat was done under the supervision of Edward McGraw, of Chicago», who made an excellent job of it. The machinery was put up by Messrs. Andrew Lanahan and Chas. Rees; the steam heating apparatus and water pipes by M. M. Leehy; the steam pipes connected with the engine by B. W. Felthausen. The painting was done by T. P. Collingbourne.—The engine was refitted at the establishment of M. W. Stowell & Co. The handsome eagle, also the fine specimens of carving upon the stem and stern, are the work of Gustav Haug, of this city, one of the best artists in the West.

The Trial Trip.
Shortly before noon the lines were cast off, and the Bismarck steamed out into the lake. Her progress at first was necessarily slow, owing to the danger of heating the journals of the engine. As it was, several stoppages were rendered necessary from this cause. When off Oak Creek tables were spread on the cabin deck aft, and the party sat down to a collation worthy of the host and the occasion. Dinner over, a meeting was organized by the election of Moritz Schoeffler as President and Louis Bleyer Secretary. On motion, the Chairman appointed a committee of five, consisting of Messrs. Black, Carey, Thorson, P. Burnham and Thos L. Ogden, to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting. After a brief absence the committee reported the following, which were adopted by acclamation:

Resolved, That for the generosity, and hospitable trip afforded to us by Mark S. Tyson, on the new tug Bismarck, and for the kindness shown us by Capt. D. Cochrane and the officers and crow, we tender our grateful thanks, with the assurance that the event will always prove a bright spot in our recollections.

Resolved, That we look with pride on the energy which has built the steamer and the barges connected with the enterprise, and regard it as an evidence of what Milwaukee businsss capacity can do; and we will watch with pride and hope the future career of the Bismarck and her enterprising owners.

The meeting over, the party dispersed in groups, to enjoy the beautiful day and delightful ride. A plentiful supply of liquid refreshments, particularly lager, also of cigars, added greatly to the zest of the occasion. The jokes perpetrated upon a faithful follower of the great Bismarck, by some of his friends, also tended to keep the company in mirthful mood. Towards evening the tug steamed into Racine harbor, where we remained nearly an hour. Shortly before six o’clock the whistle recalled those who had stayed up town, and we started on our return trip, reaching Milwaukee shortly after nine P. M. During a portion of the homeward run the engine attained a speed of eighty revolutions a minute, and we were bowled along at the rate of fourteen miles an hour. One incident of the day’s doings must not be omitted: A sum of money was collected and enclosed in a champagne bottle, together with a copy of the constitution and bye-laws of the Knights of Pythias, and some business cards; also a note requesting the finder to donate one-half of the money to an orphan asylum. This done, one of the gentlemen made a feeling speech, and consigned the bottle to the waters of the lake.

After the party had landed, another meeting was called, at which Messrs. Deuster, Snyder, Bagnall, Collingbourne and Schoeffler were appointed a committee to make arrangements for an excursion by a party of our business men to Manistee, upon the Bismarck, at an early day.

The Officers of the Tug.
The officers of the tug won the good opinion of all by their gentlemanly and courteous demeanor. The following is a list:

Captain Cochrane is well known along the entire chain of lakes as an excellent sailor and whole souled gentleman. That he has given satisfaction to Messrs. Tyson & Robinson, in whose employ he has beon for a number of years past, is evident from his promotion to this command.

Daily Milwaukee News, July 9, 1871

Business Prosperity.—A marked instance of success in particular line of business is seen in that achieved by Messrs. Tyson & Robinson, two Milwaukee men, who are operating in the manufacture and. sale of lumber, with three large mills at Manistee, Michigan, shipping their products to this city and Chicago. Such is the amount of lumber turned out in a day, that the ordinary method of shipping by chartered schooners has been proved inadequate to keep the mill yards clear and the company have built four barges to take tbe lumber away to tow these they have built the mammoth tug Bismarck, which lately made ita trial trip, and so thoroughly proved itself what is was intended to be, the most powerful, the largest and most reliable, as mell as the most elegantly modeled and adorned tug that ever graced the waters of the great lakes. The princely hospitality extended by Mr. Tyson to the invited guests who attended the trial trip, showed him to be a gentleman of large heart, and an acquaintance with his partner, Geo. W Robinson, of Manistee,-and. the agreeable. recollections in the mind of the writer, of courtesies extended by each of these gentlemen, makes patent the fact the fortune installed on the right men this time. May this giant tog ever float securely, in storm and calm, and repay ten fold the commendable enterprise which has placed her in service.

Chicago Tribune, July 12, 1871

NEW TUG.—The splendid new tug, Bismarck, of which so much has been said, arrived in car harbor on yesterday, having in tow thew barge D. L. Filer (U.S. 35311), freighted with 350,000 feet of lumber from Manistee. The Bismark was built at Sheboygan by the well-known shipbuilder John Gregory, and was launched last month. She is the property of Messrs. Tyson & Robinson, of Manistee, who intend to employ her to wing their barges—the D. L. Filer, Emma, E. Tyson, and Ewa L. Robinson—blew in this port and Manistee. The following figures show her dimensions:

Length over all, 151 feet 6 inches; length of keel, 138 feet; depth of hold, in shortest place, 19 feet; breadth of beam, 24 feet; measures 91-103 tons, new enrollment, and cost $40,000.

The Bismark can also be employed in the passenger trade, accommodating in the neighborhood of seventy passengers. She has a fine low-pressure oscillating engine, 43×36 inches. The Bismark is commanded by Von Bi-mark David Cochrane, a navigator of large experience. Bon voyage.

Racine County Argus, July 8, 1871

Tug Bismarck.-This splendid craft made a trial trip last. Wednesday from Milwaukee to this port. She is probably the largest tug on the lakes, being 151 feet over all, 24 feet beam and 12 feet hold, with an engine of 172 horse power. She is designed for towing barges from the mills of her owners—Messrs. Tyson & Robinson-in Manistee. Her officers are D. Cochrane, one of uour jolly, always happy sailors, captain; Niel Chatterson, first mate; Andrew Lanigan, first engineer. She was built by Thayer, of Sheboygan, and the work superintended by Mr. Gregory. Her attachments are all of the most modern and improved styles, and make her one of the most convenient and handsome boats afloat. As we are about going to press we are denied the pleasure of giving as thorough a description of her as we would like. Among the excursionists were Messrs. Tyson, Ludington, Durand, (brother of Mr. I. S. Durand, of Racine,) Deuster, Bleyer, assistant editor Daily Wisconsin, Chappell, correspondent Daily News, Thayer, and many others.

A Sheboygan, Wisconsin newspaper reported that the launch of a new 140 foot tug named the Bismarck was so significant that the city declared the day an official holiday. It was built by John Gregory and Alfred Stokes in 1871 for Mark J. Tyson of Milwaukee and George W. Robinson of Mainstee, Michigan. The Bismark (US No. 2767) was one of the largest tugs to sail the Great Lakes. The tug was originally 285 gross tons and her dimensions were 147 feet long, a beam of 24 feet and 12 feet depth. It was renamed Justice Field in 1884, Traveller (Canada No. 111930) in fall of 1889 or the spring of 1890 and finally to G.R. Gray in 1921.

The engine was originally in Equator (US No. 7233), which stranded on North Manitou Island in a heavy storm on 17 November 1869, and was rebuilt into the barge Eldorado (US No. 135117) in 1871 at Milwaukee.

Chicago Tribune, October 10, 1872

Messrs. Tyson & Robinson, of Milwaukee, sold to N. Ludington, of Chicago, on Monday, the tug Bismarck, and the barges Eldorado, Emma Tyson, Eva S. Robinson (US No. 36462), and D. L. Filer (US No. I 35311), for the sum of $9,000. They are A. No. 1 vessels, the four barges having been built last spring at Milwaukee; the tug has been in service two years. The vessels hereafter will engage in the lumber trade between Chicago and ports of Lake Michigan.

Chicago Tribune, October 6, 1880

The Menominee Barge Line Company intend to dispose of the tug Bismarck after the close of navigation, and supply her place next spring with an entirely new, larger, and more powerful craft, one that will be capable of towing a fleet carrying upwards of 2,000,000 feet of lumber. The business of the Barge Line Company has increased to such enormous proportions as to demand a larger tug. No details have yet been arranged. Indeed the fact that a change is in prospect has only just leaked out.

Inter Ocean, June 8, 1881

THE BISMARCK’S “BAZOO.”
And the Citizen’s Committee.
When tugs with two, three, and four monster barges are stringing beind them (the craft being 150 and 200 feet apart) are proceeding along on the lake at night, especially during foggy weather, there is great danger of other steamers and vessels colliding with them, or attempting to pass between them. A judgement of about to $15,000 has just been given the owner of the schooner Grace Channon for the sinking by collision with the tug Favorite, under these circumstances. Captain Perrett, of the tug Bismarck, has avoided such accidents by using a peculiar whistle, which all our lake craft have come to know. It is of that “Modoo yell” style, like the harbor tug O. B. Green used to have, often called the “trombone,” the “telephone,” and the “screecher.” The Bismarck seldom uses it in the harbor here, and it is a great protection to her and her barges, as well as other craft on her trips between Chicago and Green Bay. Yesterday Captain Perrett was cooly notified by the Citizens’ Committee of Chicago that he must no longer use this peculiar whistle, and he, just as cooly, says he shall continue to use it just so long as he sees fit.

The captain adds that he hopes the Citizens’ Committee will see that the Bismarck’s barges do not lie (as they do now) where they blockade the North channel of Rush street bridge. The owners of this barge line have asked for the privilege of lying at the government pier, but it has been refused.

A great deal of tug whistling in the North Branch might be avoided by the harbor tugs if the Citizens’ Committee were to see that the bridge-tenders are on watch nights and awake.

Chicago Tribune, March 21, 1884

The Menominee Barge Line sold the tug Bismarck to H. G. Blanchard, of Detroit, for $11,000.

Chicago Tribune, May 20, 1884

The tug Bismarck, a propellor of 286 tons burthen, lately bought of the Marinette Barge Line by H. G. Blanchard, of Detroit, has just made her first trip to Tonawanda with her consorts F. M. Dickenson, Emerald, and Little May.

Detroit Free Press, April 1, 1884

Capt. H. G. Blanchard will bring his tug Bismarck from Chicago as soon as the ice is all out of the straits. She will be employed in the Saginaw lumber trade.

On July 16, 1884, she was renamed Justice Field.

Buffalo Commercial, August 2, 1890

The Marquette Mining Journal says:

The tugs Justice Field and Smith started Wednesday for Bay City with what is believed to be the largest raft of logs ever taken from this part of the Lake Superior region, The raft contains 5,000,000 feet, and is towed in a huge boom. The logs are owned by John C. Brown, and were cut up the Percheekie River, driven to Lake Michigamme, and brought thence by rail. The raft contains a fine lot of logs, but the air along the St. Mary’s River will be blue with expressions theological, but not orthodox when it goes through. If there is anything the average vesselman naturally fears, hates and despises, it is a raft.

Port Huron Daily Times, April 15, 1891

At Bay City, the Saginaw Bay Towing Association are giving their tug Justice Field a general rebuild. She will in the future be known as the Traveler.

Buffalo Morning Express, July 10, 1891

The name of the tug Justice Field will be changed to Traveler as soon as the papers reach port from Washington. She has gone to Marquette after a raft for F. E. Bradley & Co. Her owners ought to wait a week, afterward, and then change it again. Her original name, it will be remembered, was Bismarck.

Racine Daily Journal, June 2, 1892

Inland Lloyd’s supplement for June makes record of ratings and values of steamers as noted as follows:
Tug Traveler, formerly Bismarck and then Chief Justice Field, A1½, $28,000.

Traveler and Menodora
About 1901

Buffalo Commercial, April 11, 1902

Tug Traveler Sold.
Special to The Commercial.
Bay City, April 11.—Capt. B. Boutell has sold the tug Traveler to James Playfair of Midland, Ont., who will use the boat in connection with his lumber business. Capt. Boutell has also sold the tug Ella Smith to the Buffalo Dredging Co. of Buffalo.

Aberdeen Herald, August 2, 1902

The tug Traveler has been lying at the ship yard for the week, where she is being overhauled. A new deck is being put on, and all worn out places renewed.

Detroit Free Press, July 19, 1906
A contract has been received by the Midland Towing & Wrecking Co., of Midland, Ont.. from the Canadian government, authorizing the company to remove the barge Tasmania from the path of vessels in Lake Erie.

The big tug Traveler (US No. 75598) stopped here yesterday, with enough dynamite aboard to blow the wrecked barge into smithereens. Those along the river front who knew what constituted the! tug’s cargo were nervous.

The Tasmania was a Corrigan boat, and was lost in one of the big gales of last fall, with her crew of eight men, The vessel and her cargo were valued at $17,000.

The wreck is supposed to lie three miles southwest of the Southeast shoal lightship. The Tasmania was in tow of the steamer Bulgaria when she foundered.

Tacoma Daily Ledger, November 14, 1906

Tug Traveler Barbound.
Hoquiam,, Nov. 18.—The tug Traveler, in command of Captain Sneider, is bar-bound here awaiting favorable weather to leave on her way for the Coquille river, where she will be used for towing lumber barges to San Francisco.

Port Huron Times Herald, April 12, 1915

Has New Position.
Capt. F. B. Ely, who has formerly been in the employ of the Reid Wrecking company, has entered the services of the Russel Timber company of Port Arthur, and will command the tug Traveler.

The Montreal Gazette, May 24, 1921

TUG COST $200,000
G. R. Gray Carries Wireless Equipment
Toronto, May 23.-Built at a cost of $200,000, the tug G. R. Gray, with engines and boilers of the most modern type, and carrying wireless equipment, left this city tonight for Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where she is to be turned over to her owners, the Spanish River Pulp & Paper Company The vessel, which is 151 feet over all, 24 feet beam, 14 feet molded depth, was built by the Toronto Dry Dock Company here. Captain T. I. Ganley is in command of the tug, and at the “Soo” he will turn it over to Captain J. L. Ramsay.

The G. R. Gray is named after the manager of the wood department of the Spanish River Company. It will be used in towing pulpwood to the company’s mills.

Sault Daily Star, August 23, 1926
Michipicoten Harbor, Aug. 19.-The Prairie Club, of Chicago, are enjoying the fishing and bathing of Michipicoten.

The Tug, G. R. Gray, left Wednesday with a raft of over 7,000 cords of pulp wood, the largest raft that has been towed down the lake this season.

The Tug, Commodore returned from Brule Harbor, Saturday, after rounding up a raft for Tug Gargantua.

Nig Gerard, chief engineer on Tug Commodore, works with his sleeves rolled up. Wonder if that new wrist watch is the reason.

One of the historic tugs like the Sampson is the tug G. R. Gray, which fine craft is shown with a big tow of pulp wood logs. She plies between the lower Soo River and Saulte Ste. Marie, Ontario. She was formerly the renowned Traveller.

Sault Star, June 22, 1936

The paper mill tug G. R. Gray, is again in service according to word at the mill this morning after an inspection trip to Midland recently. The entire mill fleet is operating at the present time, the mill reported.

Sault Daily Star, December 24, 1941 (Excerpt)

“We were on Beacher Island (Lake Superior), or at least some of us, from Wednesday until Monday when the tug G. R. Gray picked us up. We had only been sheltered by brush windbreaks and the chief engineer, who was in charge of doling out the food, gave us two cups of rolled oats twice a day.

“With the arrival of the tug the crew was taken to Agawa Bay and to the Boissineau camps from where they walked to the railway the following day to entrain by A.C.R. for the Soo, which they reached on Dec. 19.”

Sault Daily Star, July 29, 1946

Waterfront strollers on Saturday night, heat dodgers, ex-sailors and small boys—did some wistful and admiring staring at two of the smartest yachts that have tied up at the C.P.R. docks this season.

The one was a 54-foot yawl with a name to match its appearance—the Evening Star of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; the other a diesel-powered cabin cruiser from Chicago, the Nautilus. The Nautilus is the last word in luxurious marine transportation, but the sailing vessel was the centre of attraction. The tall mainmast of the Evening Star could he seen from almost anywhere in the east end of the city.

On the other side of the dock were the powerful paper company tugs, the Magpie and the Abitibi. On the west side of the dock, too, continuing in retirement, is that tired old veteran the G. R. Gray.

Commodore

The G.R. Gray was last listed in Lloyd’s Register in 1959, however the tug was last operated in 1943, then laid up at Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, until 1947, when she was removed to Thessalon, Ontario and abandoned at a boneyard.

Vessel History

Justice Field

Traveller

G. R. Gray

Owner History:

G. R. Gray

Alert

Ships of John Gregory

Inter Ocean, July 23, 1874

New Tug.
A new tug built by John Gregory for O. B. Green, and christened the Alert, was out on the river yesterday on her trial trip. The new craft is of smallish size, being only seven feet longer than the Martin Green, but is pretty well modeled and strongly put together. She will be employed in Mr. Green’s business, and will tow vessels as a rule. Captain Napier will have charge.

Chicago Tribune, July 24, 1884

The new tug Alert, which has been receiving its engine near Kinzie street bridge, has been completed, and is now ready for service. She is small, well modeled, and strongly built, and Capt. Napier has charge of her. Mr. O. B. Green is the owner.

Since speed was very important in reaching distressed ships, tug races in the Great Lakes were very common. Unless a disabled ship sent for a specific tug, it was usually first come, first served in freeing the ship and or bringing her in for repairs.

The Alert was involved in several races. On Nov 28, 1878, she raced another John Gregory-built tug, the O. B. Green (US No 18913) and lost. It is documented that she raced the S. S. Coe (US No 23450) on April 22, 1880, but no winner was given. On August 16, 1902, she did win a race against the Fred Drews (US No. 121151).

Chicago Tribune, March 31, 1881

UNION LINE OF TUGS.
The list of tugs that will form the Union Line the present season is now about complete. As will be seen by the array of names appended, the combination is a formidable one:

Negotiations are pending for the purchase of another powerful to be added to the fleet. Should they be consumminated the fleet will c onsist of eighteen boats, all but four of which range from medium to the largest size harbor tugs.

Inter Ocean, June 14, 1883

BURNING OF THE TUG ALERT.
Marinette, Wis., June 13, 1883—The Alert, owned by O.B. Green, of Chicago, burned to the water’s edge last night and sank at the mouth of the river. The flames communicated to the lumber on the dock belonging to Sawyer, Goodman & Co., destroying 250,000 feet, valued at $30,000, but uninsured. The Alert was valued at $10,000 but was insured at Chicago at an unknown value.

J. W. Hall Great Lakes Marine Scrapbook, June, 1883

Horn’s Pier, Mich., June 14.—The tug Alert burned to the water’s edge last night on Menominee; also the tug Menominee River was badly injured by fire, but not at the same time. The Alert is owned by Green’s Dredging Company, Chicago, and the Menominee River by the Kirby Carpenter Company, of Menominee, Mich.

Inter Ocean, July 19, 1883

The tug Alert, recently destroyed by fire at Menominee, is being rebuilt.

Chicago Tribune, March 27, 1888

There is no bridge at Wells street, yet there is a Wells street bridge; there is no Dearborn street bridge, though there is a bridge at Dearborn street. Three thousand persons, male and female, shivered two mortal hours in the March wind of yesterday afternoon in order to spring this riddle on their friends before the answer should appear in the morning papers. And this is the answer:

Though there is still a Wells street bridge there is no bridge at Wells street because the Wells street bridge has been floated down the river; there is thus a bridge at Dearborn street to be sure, but the Wells street bridge at Dearborn will never be the Dearborn street bridge until it is possible to cross it without the aid of a derrick or a balloon.

After many days of promises and of getting up at unholy hours in the morning the multitudes who had set their hearts on seeing Wells street bridge sail majestically down to Dearborn street or plunge ignobly to the bottom of the creek at 5:30 yesterday gave vent to their feelings in a prolonged shout of exultation. At that hour the bridge moved slowly off the center pier. Notwithstanding Engineer C. L. Strobel of the Keystone Bridge Company, attired in a new lavender spring overcoat and red walking gloves with heavy black stitching on the backs. stood solitary and calm on the top of the swaying structure-notwithstanding this sublime spectacle of confidence based upon infallible scientific calculations, the crowd was not unmindful of the duty which always derives upon onlookers under such circumstances. Their shouts of warning and command were incessant. but the men engaged in the work paid not the slightest attention.

The rain and sleet of Sunday retarded preparations, so that the moving was accomplished twelve hours later than intended. At 10 o’clock yesterday morning the work was abandoned for the same reason. An hour or so of warm rain and south wind however, decided the men to go on with the work. The two pairs of scows with their deck-works of heavy pine timbers were soon placed under the bridge on each side of the center pier, the scows having been filled with water till their decks were nearly on level with the surface of the river. The weight of the bridge, denied of all flooring and other woodwork, was about ninety tons. In order to raise the bridge off the center pier it was therefore necessary to pump that much water out of the scows. The pumping began at noon and continued until the voyage began. Sixteen men worked four hand-pumps on each scow. When it was observed that a portion of the weight of the bridge was borne by the scows the pumping out process was materially hastened by stream-siphons operated from two tugs the Alert and the Allen. When the bridge began to clear the pier a force of men went to work taking off the rims of iron which serve for bearings for the wheels upon which the bridge revolves. These rims. the wheels. and the heavy iron cap of the pier with its track and cog-rim. were left behind. They will have to be transferred to the same position at Dearborn street, however. before the bridge can be lowered and the scows laken from under it.

The structure swayed from side to side and the scows seemed hardly able to bear their burden.

READY TO BEGIN THE VOYAGE
“Strobel knows what he’s about.” said a man in a tarpaulin. “You see there are two scows eight or ten feet apart upon which the timbers supporting the bridge are placed. The bridge wiU make its voyage end foremost. If there were only one scow at each end of the bridge a little inclination would shIp the water in It to one side and over the thing would go. There being two scows this is mpossible. While the bridge is being turned endwise with the current you observe that the greatest care is used to prevent any sudden jar that might change the centre of gravity.”

With the tug Alert behind and the Allen in front to guide the strange craft. and with Mr. Strobel. dapper and natty, walking aloft issuing orders, the bridge was floated down to Clark street. As a precaution against accidents a guy-line made fast to schooners along the south shore was paid out by a gang of men on the rear larboard corner of the hindmost scow. When the Allen blew her whistle Clark street bridge could not have held a dozen more people. An ineffectual attempt was made- to drive them off, and then the bridge turned. It ‘Has opened barely fifteen minutes. The distance between the piers at Clark and Dearnborn streets is so short that it was necessary to begin to turn the front end of the floating bridge to the only one of the trip—the north before the rear scows had cleared the draw. What might have been a serious accident—the only one of the trip—was narrowly escaped here. While the Allen was pulling at the front scows those behind drew dangerously near the pier. A workman saw the danger and yelled to the Captain of the Alert:

Back ‘er, Cap, quick!

Then he and half a dozen of his fellows threw their shoulders against the pier and prevented a collision, though the end of the scow grated against the heavy timbers with a thrillingly suggestive sound.

At 6:45 the Wells street bridge rested on the scows above the pier at Dearborn street.

Inter Ocean, January 1, 1910

Nearly frozen, three employes of the city of Hammond were rescued early yesterday morning by the tug Alert, after battling for life while being carried out into the lake by a large ice floe.

The three men were Joseph Kasper, engineer Hammond water works; Josph Modeski and Benjamin Knuckle. They left shore in a small rowboat before daylight to clear the accumulation of slush ice at the city water works intake.

They anchored the boat, and bad been working some time when they noticed a large ice floe rapidly bearing down on them. Before they could shift their position it struck the boat. They attempted to split the ice with their oars, but the anchor chain gave way, and they were swept away in the grinding mass of ice.

Signals With Lantern on One.
Kasper tied a red handkerchief over a lantern and waved it on the end of an oar
His father, Jacob Kasper, who was waiting on shore, saw the danger signal, surmised something was wrong, and telephoned South Chicago.

The tug Alert was at once dispatched to where the men had been working.

Ball to Keep Boat Afloat.
In the meantime the sliding ice had stove a large hole in the bottom of the boat, and all three men were forced in a desperate effort to keep the boat afloat.

The lantern was lost overboard, and the tug, unable to locate the men, cruised for nearly an hour, until by the aid of a searchlight the rapidly filling boat was sighted.

When rescued Modeski was unconscious and the other two men were badly frozen. The boat sank a moment after the men were taken on the tug.

The last enrollment papers were filed on 28 Feb 1913 and was abandoned in 1915.

The Alert

Alert Owners: