1919 — Sep 9-10~, cargo steamer Munisla lost (Hurricane?), Mobile, AL to Cuba, Gulf–28-30

–28-30 Blanchard estimated death toll.*

— 47 New Castle News, PA. “Ship Given Up For Lost With Crew,” Sep 19, 1919, p. 1.
— 32 Wrecksite.eu. “SS Munisla (+1919).” 7-21-2011 update.
— 30 Anniston Star, AL. “Abandon Hope for Missing Munson Liner,” Sep 26, 1919, p. 1.
— 30 Boston Daily Globe. “SS. Munisla and Crew of 30 Believed Lost,” Sep 18, 1919, p. 4.
— ~30 Lowell Sun, MA. “Believe Ship Lost,” Sep 17, 1919, p. 22.
— 28 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 182.
— 28 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 697.
— 28 Singer S. D. Shipwrecks of Florida (2nd Ed.), 1998, p. 228.

* Blanchard estimated death toll. We choose not to use the 47 deaths noted in the New Castle News of Sep 9 in that it is too far out of keeping with other sources. All other sources cited note either 28, about thirty, or thirty deaths, with the exception of Wrecksite, which notes thirty-two, but sites Singer as the source. Singer notes twenty-eight deaths.

Narrative Information

Berman: “Munisla. St. s. [Steamer, screw]. 1,697 [tons]. 1916 [built]. Sep 9, 1919 [date]. Foundered. Sailed from Mobile, Ala., for Cuba, and has not since reported. Steel vessel. All lives (28) lost.” (Berman 1972, p. 182.)

Nash: “Sep 19 [sic]…Monisla [sic]…28 [deaths]…the 1,697-ton steam screw, built in 1916, sailed from Mobile, Ala., and disappeared.” (Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 697.)

Singer: ““Munisla – Steam freighter (steel), of New York, 1,697 tons, built in 1916 at Ecorse, Mich., 243.3’ x 43.1’ x 17’. Sailed from Mobile with a crew of 28, Sept. 9, 1919, bound for Havana. Not heard from since. Most likely sank in the September 1919 hurricane. Possible Florida wreck.” (Singer 1998, p. 225.)

Wrecksite.eu: “Munisla SS was an American cargo steamer of 1,697 tons that was lost on the 8th September 1919 when sailing from Mobile for Havana with a crew of 32. Most likely sunk in the great hurricane of 1919.” (Wrecksite.eu. “SS Munisla (+1919).” 7-21-2011 update.”)

Newspapers

Sep 17: “New York, Sept. 17 – Lack of information regarding the Munson Line steamship Munisla, which sailed from Mobile for Havana, September 7, and now is more than a week overdue, leads to the belief in marine circles that she was lost in the tropical hurricane. The Munisla carried a crew of about 30 and was loaded with lumber and general cargo.” (Lowell Sun, MA. “Believe Ship Lost,” Sep 17, 1919, p. 22.)

Sep 19: “New York (International News Service), Sept. 19 – Owners of the Munson line today gave up hope for the safety of the freighter Munisla which is nine days overdue at Havana. She carried a crew of 47 men. The Munisla hailed from Mobile on September 10; and no word has been received of her since. She was listed as missing in the terrific gulf storm.” (New Castle News, PA. “Ship Given Up For Lost With Crew,” Sep 19, 1919, p. 1.)

Sep 26: “Mobile, Ala., (United Press) Sept. 26 – Hope for the safety of the Munson Liner Munisla, now 14 days overdue from Mobile to south-side Cuban ports was abandoned when the searching vessels reported no trace had been found of the missing steamer. It is now believed that the Munisla was engulfed by the tidal wave which recently swept the Gulf of Mexico. The Munisla carried a crew of thirty men.” (Anniston Star, AL. “Abandon Hope for Missing Munson Liner,” 9-26-1919, p. 1.)
Sources

Anniston Star, AL. “Abandon Hope for Missing Munson Liner,” Sep 26, 1919, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=86331577

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

Boston Daily Globe. “SS. Munisla and Crew of 30 Believed Lost,” Sep 18, 1919, p. 4. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=161941560

Lowell Sun, MA. “Believe Ship Lost,” Sep 17, 1919, p. 22. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=56913186

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, p. 697.

New Castle News, PA. “Ship Given Up For Lost With Crew,” Sep 19, 1919, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=63016110

Singer, Steven D. Shipwrecks of Florida: A Comprehensive Listing (2nd Ed.). Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, Inc., 1998. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed 2-16-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=6j6kjZQReqkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Wrecksite.eu. “SS Munisla (+1919).” 7-21-2011 update. Accessed at: http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?154965