1919 — Nov 22, Steamer Myron sinks, Lake Superior gale, off Whitefish Point, MI — 16

— 16 Blanchard.*

— 18 Burlington Hawk Eye, IA. “Floats 20 Hours on Wreckage on Lake Superior,” 11-25-1919
— 18 Galveston Daily News, TX. “In Passing of Another Eventful Year…,” 1 Jan 1920, 16
— 18 Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “Crew of 18 is Lost,” Nov 24, 1919, p. 5.
— 17 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 255.
— 17 Burlington Hawk Eye, IA. “Floats 20 Hours on Wreckage on Lake Superior,” 11-25-1919
— 17 Morning Press, Escanaba MI. “38 Vessels and 74 Lives Lost on Lakes 1919.” 1-4-1920, 2
— 17 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 164.
— 16 Boston Daily Globe. “Storm Over Lake Ends Search for Myron’s Crew,” 27 Nov 1919, 9.
— 16 Escanaba Morning Press, MI. “Licenses of Two Captains Taken in Myron Case.” 8-12-1920, 1.
— 16 U.S. Bureau of Navigation. Merchant Vessels of the United States…1920, p. 447.
— 16 U.S. Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report…1920, p. 16.
— 16 Wolff. Lake Superior Shipwrecks…Maritime Accidents and Disasters. 1990, p. 163.

* Blanchard estimated death toll. Both the Bureau of Navigation and the Steamboat Inspection Service reported sixteen deaths. The Escanaba Morning Press of Aug 12, 1920, reported sixteen deaths. This reporting was on the hearings of the Steamboat Inspection Service on Captain Neal’s [Myron captain] charge that the captains of two other steamers failed to attempt meaningful rescues or alert the Coast Guard. We assume that a paper covering the hearings, including Captain Neal’s testimony, would accurately report his testimony as to how many people were aboard his vessel.

We can understand how the number of eighteen fatalities came about. Early reporting, and reports based on early reporting, estimated there were eighteen aboard. This was before the captain was found alive. And, it did not help that the company owing the boat said it did not know exactly how many people were aboard. Thus, after his rescue, some reports indicated that seventeen died.

Narrative Information

Swayze: “Myron. Wooden lumber hooker of 676 t. and 186 ft., launched in 1888 at Grand Haven, MI, as the steamer Mark Hopkins.

“Lake Superior: When downbound with a load of lumber and the schooner-barge Miztec (qv) in tow, this steamer was blasted by a vicious northwest gale. The veteran lumber hooker began t leak profusely, and by the time she reached the vicinity of Whitefish Point, it was apparent that she was going to go down. The barge was cut loose and the Myron’s crew made ready to abandon ship. However, huge waves and a howling wind made it impossible to launch a boat, even though the big steamer Adriatic had placed herself to windward of the stricken ship. Three rescue attempts were made by the local unit of the U.S. Lifesaving Service, but to no avail. Within sight of the lifesavers and the other vessels, the old Myron took her plunge. Only one of her 18 crew survived the Nov. 22, 1919 accident. The wreck was located in 1972.”

Wolfe: “All 16 crewmen who abandoned the Myron died by drowning or freezing.” (1990, 163.)

Newspapers

Nov 24: “Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Nov. 24. – Eighteen persons, comprising the crew of the steamer Myron are believed to have been added to the victims of Lake Superior’s fury of the last two weeks. Caught in a terrific northwester, the Myron foundered a mile and a half off Whitefish point and sank in four fathoms.

“Coast guards are patrolling the shores of Whitefish point for 45 miles, hoping the Myron’s two lifeboats will be blown ashore. The United States sub-chaser 438 also is scouring the bay for possible survivors. The beach is covered with lumber, the ill-fated Myron’s cargo, but not a body has come ashore.

“The gale continues and there is little hope that passing steamers could have picked up the lifeboats, which it is believed were swamped….

“The barge Miztec, which the Myron had in tow when she left Munising, down-bound, was cut loose and was picked up by an unknown steamer which towed it into shelter at Whitefish point. The barge’s deck-load of lumber and rudder were carried away, but it is understood her crew is safe.” (Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “Crew of 18 is Lost,” Nov 24, 1919, p. 5.)

Nov 24: “Port Arthur, Ont. Nov. 24. – After floating for twenty hours on top of the pilot house of the Steamer Myron, which foundered off Whitefish Point, early Sunday, Captain W. R. Neal, commander of the lost vessel, was rescued in an exhausted condition by the Steamer W. C. Franz, which arrived here today. Captain Neal, who is in a serious condition from exposure, declared that another steamer named the McIntosh had passed close to him before the Franz appeared and had refused to pick him up, replying to his appeal for help with a promise to send a tug. Captain Neal could give no information as to the fate of the eighteen members of his crew.” (Burlington Hawk Eye, IA. “Floats 20 Hours on Wreckage on Lake Superior,” Nov 25, 1919, 1.)

Nov 26: “Sault Ste Marie, Mich., Nov 26 – A terrific storm over Lake Superior today forced coast Guards to abandon the search for the crew of the Myron, lost Saturday, and sent practically all shipping into shelter. Searchers declared upon return here that had the 16 men survived in the non-sinkable lifeboats since the Myron went down, they could not have lived through the fury of last night’s gale, accompanied by mountainous waves and near zero temperature.” (Boston Daily Globe. “Storm Over Lake Ends Search for Myron’s Crew,” 27 Nov 1919, p. 9.)

Nov 29: “Sault Ste Marie, Mich. Nov. 29. – Three of the five bodies of members of the crew of the lost steamer Myron, found encased in ice near Whitefish Point and brought here yesterday were identified today as First Mate William Lyons of Marine City, Mich.; Second Engineer Louis Bastion of Saginaw, and Michael Shea, ordinary Seaman of Tonawanda, N.Y.” (La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press, WI. “Identify Bodies.” 11-30-1919, p. 9.)

Dec 13: “Bay City – Benjamin Deford, 33 years old, watchman on the steamer Myron, which went down in Lake Superior, was buried here.” (Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. “State Briefs.” 12-13-1919, p. 2.)

April 1, 1920: “Marquette, April 1. – To answer charges resulting from investigation of the foundering of the Steamer Myron near Whitefish point on November 22 last, Capt. Lawrence J. Francis, of Lakewood, Ohio, and Capt. Kenneth McRae, of Conneaut, Ohio, vessel masters on the Great Lakes, have been summoned to appear before United States Steamboat Inspectors Gooding and Hanson at Marquette.

“The investigation started when Capt. W. B. Neal, of Bay City, skipper of the Myron and only survivor, charged that Captains Francis and McRae had made no effort to rescue him although their vessels passed close to him while he was floating on the pilothouse of his wrecked ship.

“The case is said to be the first of its kind on record in Great Lakes Marine history.” (Escanaba Morning Press, MI. “Captains Face Grave Charges.” 4-2-1920, p. 1.)

Aug 11, 1920: “Marquette, Aug. 11. – The licenses of Capt. J. L. Francis of the steamer McIntosh and Kenneth MacRae of the Adriatic, both of Cleveland, were revoked by Steamboat Inspectors Gooding and Hanson on the ground the two captains had been guilty of negligence and misconduct in connection with the sinking of the steamer Myron off Whitefish Point November 22, 1919.

“Failure to render aid to the sinking steamer when assistance would have saved some of the 16 persons who perished was the chief charge against the two. The decision was reached after hearing testimony of the helmsman of the Adriatic and the chief engineer of the McIntosh, tending to support statements of Captain Neale of the Myron that assistance would have saved several lives.

“Captain Neal was afloat on his ship’s cabin for 24 hours in the icy waters of Lake Superior.

“Local inspectors contended that Captain Francis could have saved some of the lives and failed to even try to attract the attention of coast guards by sounding his steamer’s whistle….” (Escanaba Morning Press, MI. “Licenses of Two Captains Taken in Myron Case.” 8-12-1920, p. 1.)

Sources

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

Boston Daily Globe. “Storm Over Lake Ends Search for Myron’s Crew,” 27 Nov 1919, 9. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=165551688

Burlington Hawk Eye, IA. “Floats 20 Hours on Wreckage on Lake Superior,” 25 Nov 1919, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=142616812

Escanaba Morning Press, MI. “Captains Face Grave Charges.” 4-2-1920, p. 1. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/escanaba-daily-press-mar-13-1920-p-14/

Escanaba Morning Press, MI. “Licenses of Two Captains Taken in Myron Case.” 8-12-1920, p. 1. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/escanaba-daily-press-aug-12-1920-p-1/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “In Passing of Another Eventful Year, Its History,” 1-1-1920, 16. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=42334478

Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. “State Briefs.” 12-13-1919, p. 2. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-globe-dec-13-1919-p-2/

La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press, WI. “Identify Bodies.” 11-30-1919, p. 9. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/la-crosse-tribune-and-leader-press-nov-30-1919-p-9/

Morning Press, Escanaba, MI. “38 Vessels and 74 Lives Lost on Lakes 1919.” 1-4-1920, p. 2m col. 4. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/escanaba-daily-press-jan-04-1920-p-2/

Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “Crew of 18 is Lost,” Nov 24, 1919, p. 5. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=4200879

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

United States Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce. Fifty-Second Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States…For the Year Ended June 30, 1920. Washington: GPO, 1920. Google digitized. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=mF4uAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1920. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1920. Digitized by Google. Accessed 12-14-2020 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=oafNAAAAMAAJ