owned-13-14

–13-14 Blanchard estimated death-toll.* Blanchard on location of loss.**

— 14 Historical Great Lakes Vessel Accident Database, 1992.
— 14 Northern Tribune, Cheboygan, MI. “Detroit papers.” 12-9-1882, p. 8, col. 2.
— 14 Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks P.
— 14 Supervising Inspector-Gen. of Steamboats. Report…Year Ended June 30, 1883. 1883, p16.
— 14 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 188.
— 14 Wisconsin Historical Society Shipwreck Database. “R.G. Peters.”
— 14 Wisconsin Shipwrecks. “R. G. Peters (1880).” Accessed 1-6-2021.
— 13 Boston Daily Globe. “Thirteen Lives Lost.” 12-4-1882, p. 1, col. 6.
— 13 National Republican, Washington, DC. “Lost in Lake Michigan.” 12-4-1882, p. 4.)
— 13 St. Paul Sunday Globe, MN. “Burned on the Lake.” 12-3-1882, p. 8, col. 6.

* Blanchard estimated death-toll. While all of the post-1882 accounts, with the exception of the Inspector of Steamboats Report (of 1883), note 14 deaths, we have looked through dozens of newspaper accounts at the time and with the exception of the Cheboygan Northern Tribune of Dec 9, all note thirteen deaths. We cite three of these in that each added information not noted in other papers. Thus, we choose to show a range of 13-14 deaths.

**The R.G. Peters was by most accounts in the middle of Lake Michigan approximately 40 miles to the east of Milwaukee. The west side of the Lake is within Wisconsin waters and the eastside is in Michigan waters. The vessel was Manistee, MI owned and according to the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website, was on a trip from one Michigan port to another. Thus, within the State data document, this loss will be placed in the Michigan section.

Narrative Information

Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats: “December 1. – The barge ‘R. G. Peters’ was entirely destroyed by fire, on Lake Michigan, resulting in the death of fourteen persons.” (Eighth District. 1883, p. 16.)

Swayze: “R.G. Peters
….
“Type at loss: propeller, wood, bulk freight ‘steambarge’
“Build info: 1889, Milwaukee Ship Yard, Milwaukee
“Specs: 386 t [tons]
“Date of loss: 1882, Dec 1
“Place of loss: about 40 miles off Milwaukee
“Lake: Michigan
“Type of loss: storm/fire
“Loss of life: 14 (all)
“Carrying: in ballast
“Detail: She burned in a blizzard-gale and foundered while bound for Manistee, MI from
Chicago. No wreckage or bodies were ever identified, but the accident was reported by her consort, the schooner A.W. LUCKEY. Owned by L. Sands of Manistee. All but one of the crewmen were from that city.” (Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter P. Accessed 9-7-2009.)

“She burned and foundered while bound for Manistee, MI. No wreckage or bodies were ever identified, but the accident was reported by her consort, the schooner A.W. Luckey.” (Accessed 1-5-2021.)
“Owned by L. Sands of Manistee.”

Swayze: “R G Peters. Steam barge of 386 t. [tons]

“Lake Michigan: The lake alone knowns the location of the remains of the steamer R G Peters and the 14 persons who were with her on December 1, 1882. On that date, she was travelling the normal course between Racine and Milwaukee when she simply sailed off the map. No wreckage or sightings of the vanished ship ever shed light upon her final whereabouts.” (Swayze. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 188.)

Wisconsin Shipwrecks:

Built: 1880
Sank: 1882
Lives Lost: 14
Vessel Type: Steam screw
….
County: Milwaukee
….
Builder: Milwaukee Shipyard Co.
Owners: John Canfield, Manistee, Michigan.
Final owner: Louis Sands, Manistee
Home Port: Grand Haven, MI

“….Final Voyage: December 2, 1882: While en route from St. Joseph [MI] to Manistee [MI], the steamer R.G. Peters with the schooner barge Luckey in tow, burned to the waterline and sank about 40 miles off Milwaukee. A heavy gale and snowstorm was blowing when the crew of the Luckey saw the Peters burst into flame early in the morning of 12/2/1882. Being partially disabled with a split mainsail and dysfunctional centerboard, the Luckey was unable to save any of the 14 persons aboard the steamer. Ole Swansen, a mate on the Luckey said ‘It was a tough sight to see the steamer burn right before our eyes and not be able to life a hand to save the poor fellows aboard of her’ Several theories explaining the origin of the fire were advanced. It may have been the result of a defective boiler or the Peters’ fuel supply of wood slabs may have caught fire.” (Wisconsin Shipwrecks. “R. G. Peters (1880).”)

Newspapers

Dec 2: “Chicago, Dec. 2. – A tug this evening picked up the lake barge A. W. Luckey, ten miles down the lake in a disabled condition and towed her into port. The captain of the Luckey stated that the steam barge R. G. Peters was towing the Luckey last night when suddenly the Peters caught fire forty miles off Milwaukee, and before aid could be rendered sank stern first with Capt. Olsen, Mate Larsen and eleven others, comprising the crew. The Luckey tried to assist them, but the wind was high and the barge became unmanageable. The Peters was a nearly new vessel, valued at $32,000, owned by L. Sands, of Manistee, ranks first class, and was insured.” (St. Paul Sunday Globe, MN. “Burned on the Lake.” 12-3-1882, p. 8, col. 6.)

Dec 3: “Chicago, December 3. – Thursday night [Nov 30] the steam barge R. G. Peters, having in tow the sail barge A. W. Lucky, encountered a terrible storm in the middle of the lake off Milwaukee while bound from Chicago to Manistee [MI] for lumber. In the midst of the storm the Peters caught fire and burned like tinder. The line was burned off and the Lucky drifted, unable to render assistance to the crew of the Peters, who could be seen rushing around frantically trying to launch a boat. The Peters soon gave a lurch and went down. Captain John Larsen and crew, mostly Swedes, thirteen in all, perished. The sea was running frightfully high and the crew of the Lucky were compelled to witness the terrible disaster without being able to render any assistance. The Lucky was disabled by the storm, but, with a piece of sail, finally arrived near Chicago, and was towed in last night. The Peters was owned by Sands of Milwaukee, and valued at $32,000.” (Boston Daily Globe. “Thirteen Lives Lost.” 12-4-1882, p. 1, col. 6.)

Dec 4: “Chicago, Dec. 3. – The captain of the barge A.W. Luckey, one of the consort of the steamer R.G. Peters, has arrived here, bringing news of the loss of the Peters with all on board. The Luckey was sighted ten miles down the lake Saturday afternoon by the tug Tom Brown. She was in a disabled condition, and was drifting with the wind. On arriving at the port the captain of the Luckey gave the details of the loss of the Peters substantially as follows: At 2:30 o’clock this morning the Peters, with the Luckey in tow, was in the center of Lake Michigan, heading for Manistee, when she suddenly took fire, but from what cause the captain of the Luckey could not ascertain. She was going at a moderate rate of speed, and the Luckey was some distance in her wake. The night was dark, and a blinding snow storm was in progress. Suddenly the crew of the Luckey saw a mass of flames about up and then all was dark again. A few seconds afterward there was another blinding glare, and the crew of the Peters could be seen for an instant struggling with the flames nd manning the life-boats. The sea was running very high and both vessels were rolling violently. After another brief interval of darkness, the flames broke out with great fury, and were seen to be amidships. The crew of the Luckey lost no time in attempting to get nearer the burning steamer, but the gale was so strong that they were unable to reach her. After burning brightly for ten or fifteen minutes the Peters was struck by a heavy wave, which seemed to sweep her decks from one end to the other. She was for a moment on the crest of another billow, gave a lurch to one side, and disappeared. The Luckey drifted about in the vicinity until daylight in the hope of finding some of the crew, but not one could be seen. All the crew had evidently perished. There were thirteen all told, including the captain.” (National Republican, Washington, DC. “Lost in Lake Michigan.” 12-4-1882, p. 4.)

Dec 4: “Chicago, Dec. 4. The lake barge A. W. Luckey, one of the consorts of the steam-barge R. G. Peters, arrived here at a late hour Saturday night, bringing news of the loss of the R. G. Peters with all on board….

“The Peters was commanded by Capt. Chas. Smith, of Manistee, a man aged about 40 years and a very careful and competent man. He was unmarried, but had relatives living at Manistee. The mate was John Larsen, aged about 42 years, and one of the best known and well-liked steamboatmen on the waters of Lake Michigan. His home was in Milwaukee, where he leaves a wife and several children. The first engineer was George Mullin, a resident of Manistee, where his relatives reside. The second engineer was named Finan. He was a resident of Manistee, but formerly lived at Oak Creek, Wis. The names of the balance of the crew are unknown.” (Logansport Daily Pharos, IN. “In Raging Seas…the Burning of the Steam-Barge R. G. Peters.” 12-4-1882, p. 1, col. 4.)

Dec 9: “Detroit….The season of navigation wound up with several very serious disasters, a number of lives being lost. The steam barge R. G. Peters, which has loaded a number of times at this port, was burned on Lake Michigan last week, and the entire crew, fourteen in all, were lost. She had her consort, The A. W. Lucky, in tow but it is claimed the latter’s center board was gone, which made her unmanageable so that her crew could do nothing, they claimed, to save the unfortunate crew of the Peters. The Lucky reached Chicago all right and the officers and men are severely censured for not making an effort to save the crew that perished.” (Northern Tribune, Cheboygan, MI. “Detroit papers.” 12-9-1882, p. 8, col. 2.

Sources

Boston Daily Globe. “Thirteen Lives Lost.” 12-4-1882, p. 1, col. 6. Accessed 1-5-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-daily-globe-dec-04-1882-p-1/

Historical Great Lakes Vessel Accident Database. 1882 Search Results. Accessed at: http://www.ship-wreck.com/shipwreck/wreckdb/wreckdbresults.php [Broken link; 1-5-2021.]

Logansport Daily Pharos, IN. “In Raging Seas…the Burning of the Steam-Barge R. G. Peters.” 12-4-1882, p. 1, col. 4. Accessed 1-6-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-tribune-dec-04-1882-p-1/

National Republican, Washington, DC. “Lost in Lake Michigan.” 12-4-1882, p. 4. Accessed 1-6-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/national-republican-dec-04-1882-p-4/

Northern Tribune, Cheboygan, MI. “Detroit papers.” 12-9-1882, p. 8, col. 2. Accessed 1-6-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-northern-tribune-dec-09-1882-p-15/

St. Paul Sunday Globe, MN. “Burned on the Lake.” 12-3-1882, p. 8, col. 6. Accessed 1-5-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/saint-paul-daily-globe-dec-03-1882-p-8/

Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats. Report of the Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1883. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1883. Accessed 1-5-2021 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu09189980&view=1up&seq=23

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks P. Accessed 1-5-2021 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/swayze/shipwreck/p.htm

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

Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Historical Society Shipwreck Database. “R.G. Peters (1880).” Accessed 1-28-2009 at: http://www.maritimetrails.org/research_shipwrecks_details.cfm?VESSELID=517

Wisconsin Shipwrecks. “R. G. Peters (1880).” Accessed 1-6-2021. Accessed 1-6-2021 at: https://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/Vessel/Details/517?region=LowerLakeMichigan