1876 — July 9, steamer St. Clair fire, Lake Superior, off 14 Mile Pt. ~Ontonagon, MI–26-27

— 27 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 262.
— 27 Daily Argus, Rock Island, IL. “The Propeller St. Clair Burned on Lake Superior.” 7-10-1876, 1
— 27 Daily Leader, Bloomington, IL. “Telegraphic! The Burned Steamer.” 7-11-1876, p. 1.
–10 crew
–17 passengers
— 27 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 277.
— 27 McNeil. “St. Clair (Propeller)…fire, 9 Jul 1876.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes.
— 27 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 687.
— 27 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 101.
— 26 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (July 2009).
— 26 Mansfield, John Brandts (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, p. 731.
— 26 Port Huron Daily Times, 9-11-1876; in McNeil, “St. Clair…” Mar. Hist. Great Lakes.
–10 crew
–16 passengers
— 26 Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 264.
— 26 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 207.
–25-26 Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks. 1990, p 26.

Narrative Information

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On 9 July 1876, ST CLAIR (wooden propeller freighter with some passenger accommodations, 127 foot, 326 gross tons, built in 1867, at Algonac, Michigan) had 14 crew and 18 passengers aboard along with cargo of flour, feed and deck loads of cattle as she sailed on Lake Superior. At 2:00 a.m., she caught fire about five miles off shore from 14 Mile Point. She was a wood burner and had a history of shipboard fires. The fire spread so quickly that only one boat could be launched and being overloaded, it capsized. The cries of those left on the vessel, along with the bellowing of the cattle, were heart rending. Only six survived in the one lifeboat since the cold water took its toll on those who clung to it. Eventually they righted the boat and paddled to shore, leaving the ST CLAIR burned to the waterline.” (Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (July 2009).)

Mansfield: “1876. Burning of the St. Clair. – The steamer St. Clair burned to the water’s edge while off Fourteen Mile Point, between Ontonagon and Portage Lake Ship canal, about 2 o’clock Sunday morning, July 9. She had a crew of 15 and 16 passengers were aboard. On this total 26 were lost. The fire was first discovered in the steamer’s hold, and the flames spread so rapidly that the engineers were driven from their posts before the hose could be attached. The fire enveloped all the boats except a large yawl. As it touched the water, there was a rush for the boat, and it immediately capsized. It was righted and capsized six times, and, when finally kept right side up, contained only four of the crew. They ripped up the seats and used them for paddles and cruised about in reach of the unfortunate passengers. Only two were picked up, one of whom was dead. Among the saved was Capt. Robert Phineas. When the fire broke out the St. Clair was five miles from shore. Most of the passengers put on life preservers, but the water was extremely cold and they soon perished. The St. Clair was brought out as a steambarge in 1866 at Algonac, and had been transformed into a steamer in 1875. She belonged to Ward’s Detroit & Lake Superior line, and was on her down trip from Duluth.” (Mansfield, John Brandts (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, p. 731-732).

Swayze: “St. Clair. Passenger and package freight steamer of 316 t. [tons], launched in 1866 at Algonac, MI. Lake Superior: The steamer St. Clair was carrying a cargo of cattle and general merchandise when she was lost on July 9, 1876. She is reported to have caught fire off 14-mile Point, near Ontonagon, Michigan, and burned to the water. Twenty-six of the 31 people aboard her died, most perishing from exposure in the icy Lake Superior waters….” (Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 207.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Daily Argus, Rock Island, IL. “The Propeller St. Clair Burned on Lake Superior.” 7-10-1876, p.1. Accessed 1-11-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/rock-island-daily-argus-jul-10-1876-p-1/

Daily Leader, Bloomington, IL. “Telegraphic! The Burned Steamer.” 7-11-1876, p. 1, col. 2. Accessed 1-11-2021: https://newspaperarchive.com/bloomington-daily-leader-jul-11-1876-p-1/

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (July 2009). Accessed at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/7-09.htm

Lytle, William M., compiler, from Official Merchant Marine Documents of the United States and Other Sources; Holdcamper, Forrest H. (Editor, and Introduction by). Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. “The Lytle List.” Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America (Publication No. 6), 1952. Accessed 8-16-2020 at:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015018039084&view=1up&seq=8&size=125

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. Google digitized. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

McNeil, William R. “St. Clair (Propeller), U23109, fire, 9 Jul 1876.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes (webpage). Accessed 1-11-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/55405/data?n=2

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (New Revised and Enlarged Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969.

Simonds, W. E. (Editor). The American Date Book. Kama Publishing Co., 1902, 211 pages. Google digital preview accessed 9-8-2017 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=JuiSjvd5owAC

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks: Complete Reference to Maritime Accidents and Disasters. Duluth, MN: Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc., 1990.