USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.. > Part 67
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G. P. Griffith, 587, Buffalo, 1845, burned on Lake Erie in 1850, 250 lives lost. Superior 2d, 507, Perrysburg, 1845, wrecked on Lake Superior, 35 lives lost, in 1856. Astor. 200, Green Bay, 1845, condemned.
London, 456, Chippewa, 1845, made a bark called Oliver Lee, wrecked in 1857. Helen Strong, 253, Monroe, 1845, wrecked near Barcelona in 1847, 2 lives lost. Romeo, 180, Detroit, 1845, made a ferry boat in 1858, and taken to Toledo. Albany, 669, Detroit. 1846, wrecked at Presque Isle, Lake Huron, in 1853. Hendrick Hudson, 759, Black River, Ohio, 1846, burned at Cleveland in 1860. Louisiana. 900. Buffalo, 1846, wrecked at Port Burwell in 1857.
Saratoga, 800, Cleveland, 1846, wrecked at Port Burwell in 1854. Canada, 800, Chippewa, 1846, made a bark and lost on Lake Michigan in 1855. Islander, 73, Kelly's Island, 1846, sunk at St. Clair Flats by ice in 1861.
.. Baltic, 825, Buffalo, 1847 made a barge in 1863.
Sultana, 800. Trenton, 1847, made a barge and wrecked in 1858. A. D. Patchin. 870. Trenton, 1847, wrecked at Skillagalee in 1850.
Baltimore, 500, Monroe, 1847, wrecked at Sheboygan in 1855. Diamond, 336, Buffalo, 1847. broken up at Detroit in 1860. Pacific, 500, Newport, 1847, made a barge, and lost on Lake Michigan in 1867. Ohio 24, 600, Cleveland, 1847, dismantled at Erie in 1859.
Sam Ward, 150, Newport, 1847, made a barge, and running yet.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
1 Southerner, 500. Trenton, 1847, wrecked on Lake Erie in 1863. Arrow, 350, Trenton, IS4S, condemned in Green Bay in 1863. Alabama. 600, Detroit, 1818, sunk near Buffalo in 185 1.
Franklin Moore, 300, Newport, 1848, broken up in 1862.
J. D. Morton, 400, Toledo, 1848, burned on River St. Clair in 1863. Empire State. 1,700. St. Clair, 1548, made a dry dock at Buffalo in 155%. Queen City, 1.000, Buffalo. 1818. made a barge and lost on Lake Huron in 1866. Globe. 1,200, Detroit. 1815, converted into a propeller.
Columbia, 167, Fairport. ISIS, wrecked on Lake Huron in 1866.
Charter, 350, Detroit. ISIS, made a propeller and lost in 1854 on Lake Erie.
Albion, 132, Maumee City. IS4S, broken up in 1865.
John Hollister. 300, Perrysburg. ISAS, Furned on Lake Erie, rebuilt, and lost on Lake IIuron.
Atlantic, 1. 100, Newport, 1819, sunk at Long Point by collision. 150 lives lost. Mayflower, 1,300. Detroit, 1849, wrecked at Point au Pellee in 1851. Keystone State, Buffalo, 1819, foundered on Saginaw Bay in 1861, 33 lives lost.
Telegraph, 101, Truago, Mich., 1819, sunk by collision with schooner Marquette. 1559, on Lake Erie.
Dart, 297. Trenton, 1859|dismantled in 1866.
Dover, SI, Port Dover. 1859, wrecked near Port Dover in 1855.
Ocean, 900, Newport, 1859, made into a barge in 1867.
Fox, 162, Buffalo, 1859. burned at Newport, Mich., in 1863.
Gore, 119, Lake Ontario, 1559. dismantled at Detroit.
May Queen, 688, Trenton, 1859, burned at Milwaukee in 1866.
Arctic, 857, Newport, 1551, stranded on Lake Superior in 1860, at Huron Island. Ruby, 251, Newport, 1551, broken up at Saginaw.
Bay City, 479, Trenton, 1551, wrecked at the Clay Banks in 1562.
Buckeye State. 1.271, Cleveland, 1851. burned in Buffalo. dismantled in 1857.
Northerner, 514, Cleveland, IS51. sunk in 1856 by collision with steamboat Forrest Queen, on Lake Huron.
Swan, 166, Detroit, 1551, burned at Toledo, 1852, and af Algonne in IS5 1.
Pearl, 251, Newport, 1551. broken up in 1869.
Plough Boy. 450. Chatham. 1851, renamed the T. F. Parks, burned in 1870 at Detroit.
Mazeppa, 250, Lako Ontarto, IS51, wrecked on Lake Huron in 1856.
Minnesota, 749, Maumee. 1551, wrecked at Summer's Island, Green Bay, 1561.
Caspian, 1,050, Newport. 1851. wrecked at Cleveland pier in 1852.
Lady Elgin, 1,037. Buffalo, 1551, sunk by collision with schooner Angusta, on Lake Michigan. 1S60; 100 lives lost.
Iowa. 981, Buffalo, 1852, made a propeller and finally a barge in IS6S, lost in 1969. Cleveland 20. 571. Newport, 1552, wrecked at Two Heart River. Lake Superior. in 1 Golden Gate, 771, Buffalo, 1552, wrecked at Erie in 1556; 1 life lost.
Huron 20. 348, Newport. 1552, in commission.
Traveler. 603, Newport, 1552, burned at Chicago in 1951, and at Eagle Harbor, 1865. Michigan 2d. 612. Detroit, 1817. made a barge, and lost on Lake Erie in 1569. Crescent City. 1.710, Buffalo, 1553. dismantled in 1559.
Queen of the West. 1, 551, Buffalo. 1853. dismantled in 1859.
Mississippi. 1.529. Buffalo, 1553. dismantled in 1562.
St. Lawrence, 1. 541, Buffalo. 1853, made a bark, and wrecked at Buffalo in 1563. E. K. Collins, 950, Newport. 1553, barned at mouth of Detroit River in 1954: 23 lives lost. Ariel, 165, Sandusky, 153, burned opposite Belle Isle. Detroit River, in IMES. Garden City. 150. Buffalo, 1553, wrecked near Detour, in ISot. Canadian, 389, Chatham, 1553, broken up in 1568.
Kaloolah, 150, Buffalo, 1553, wrecked at Sangeen in IS62.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
J. Whitney. 238, Saginaw, 1853, made a barge in 1867.
Northern Indiana, 1,470, Buffalo, 1853, burned on Lake Erie in 1856; 56 lives lost.
Southern Michigan, 1,470, Buffalo, 1853, dismantled.
Forester, 504, Newport, 1853, dismantled in 1865 and made a barge. Plymouth Rock, 1,991, Buffalo, 1854, dismantled in 1857.
Western World, 1,000, Buffalo, 1854. dismantled in 1857.
North Star. 1,106, Cleveland, 1854, burned in February, 1862, at Cleveland.
Illinois 2d, 826, Detroit, 1854, made a barge in 1869, and lost same year on Lake Huron.
R. R. Elliot, 321. Newport, 1854, dismantled in 1866 and made a barge.
Clifton, 247. Chippewa. 1854, dismantled in 1866 at Owen Sound.
Forest Queen, 462, Newport, 1855, dismantled in 1866, and made a barge.
Planet, 1, 164. Newport. 1855, dismantled in 1866 at Manitowoc, and made a barge.
Island Queen, 173, Kelly's Island, 1855, in commission.
Amity. 217, Chatham. 1856, wrecked on Long Point in 1867.
Magnet, 256, Saginaw, 1856, in commission.
Western Metropolis, 1,860, Buffalo, 1856, made a bark, and wrecked on Lake Michigan in 1864.
City of Buffalo, 2,000, Buffalo, 1857, made a propeller, and burned at Buffalo.
City of Cleveland, 788, Buffalo, 1857, made a barge, and lost on Lake Erie in 1868. Princess, 109, Algonae. 1858, broken up in 1869.
Olive Branch, 89, Detroit, 1858. broken up.
Gazelle, 422, Newport, 1858, wrecked at Eagle Harbor in 1860.
Sea Bird. 638, Newport, 1859, burned on Lake Michigan in 1868; 72 lives lost.
Detroit (steamship). 1,113. Buffalo, 1 59, made a propeller in 1871.
Milwaukee (steamship), 1.113, Buffalo, 1859, wrecked at Grand Haven in 1868.
Bonnie Boat, 125, Huron, Ohio, 1859, wrecked at Kincardine in 1869.
Comet, 385, Newport, 1860, in commission.
Philo Parsons, 221, Algonac, 1861, at Chicago.
Sunbeam. 398, Manitowoc, 1861, foundered in Lake Superior in 1863; 21 lives lost. Bruce, 100, Goderich. 1862. broken up.
Emerald 2d, 249, Algonac, 1862. in commission at Saginaw.
Morning Star, 1.1-11, Trenton, 1862. sunk in Lake Erie in July, 1862, by collision with bark Courtland; 32 lives lost.
Sarah Van Epps, 179 Fort Howard, 1862, in commission.
Susan Ward, 359. Detroit, 1862, made a barge in 1870.
Young America. 89, Algonac, 1862, in commission.
Stephen Clement, 602, Newport, 1863, made a barge in 1869. Heather Bell. 149, Detroit, 1863, in commission. Reindeer, 320, Saginaw, 1863, in commission, Capt. Orr. Silver Spray, 269, Port Dalhousie, 1561, in commission.
W. J. Spieer, 446, Port Sarnia, 1861. Grand Trunk ferry.
L. G. Mason, 139, Grand Rapids, 1864, at Saginaw. George Dunlap, 358, Green Bay, 1864, plying on Green Bay.
C. W. Reynolds, 171, Toledo, 1864. plying at Saginaw. J. B. Smith, 141. Algonac, 1864, plying at Detroit. Wave 2d. 159, Algonac, 1861, plying at Saginaw.
Keweenaw, 635, Marine City, 1865, plying to Lake Superior.
City of Toledo, 362, Toledo, 1865, plying on Lake Michigan, Capt. J. P. Hodges. Wanbuno. 180. Port Robinson, 1865, plying on Georgian Bay.
Minnie (tlat), 242, Saginaw, 1865. Gen. Sheridan, 100, Cleveland, 1865. W. R. Clinton, 395. Marine City, 1866, plying to Saginaw, Capt. P. Kenyon. City of Sandusky, 132, Sandusky, 1866, plying on Saginaw Bay. Orion. 636, Manitowoc, 1866, plying on Lake Michigan.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Saginaw. 563, Marine City, 1866, plying on Green Bay.
Evening Star, 342, Saginaw, 1866, plying at Sandusky.
Mackinaw (flat), 191, Detroit, 1866, plying on the river.
Alpena, 617, Marine City, 1866, plying on Lake Michigan.
Marine City, 573, Marine City, 1866, plying to Mackinac.
R. N. Rice, 1,030, Detroit. 1866, plying between Detroit and Cleveland, Capt. Mckay.
Great Western, 1,200, Windsor, 1866, iron ferry steamer at Detroit.
Union, 1,000, Windsor. 1866, ferry for railroads at Detroit.
Frances Smith, 625, Owen Sound, 1867, plies to and from Owen Sound.
Manitowoc, 773, Manitowoc, 1867, plies on Lake Michigan.
Northwest, 1.100, Manitowoc, 1867, plies to Cleveland, Capt. Viger.
Dominion, 221, Wallaceburg, 1863, plies to Chatham, Capt. Steinhoff.
Jay Cooke, 150, Detroit. 1568, plies to Sandusky, Capt. Goldsmith.
Dove, 427, Trenton. 1568, plies to Mahlen, Capt. Sloan.
J. K. White, 80, Cleveland, 1868. plies to Toledo.
Ivanhoe, 223, Buffalo, 1869. plies to Niagara River.
Manitoba. 800, Port Robinson, 1871, plies to Collingwood and Lake Superior.
Cumberland, 750. Port Robinson, 1871, plies to Collingwood and Lake Superior.
North Star, 300. Green Bay. 1571, plies on Green Bay route.
There were several others which plied to and from Detroit, of the smaller class, not noted in the above. The following brief mention of steamers was omitted in the foregoing. The Cynthia, a small steamer plying between Chatham and Maklen, was burned near the latter port in 1538. The steamer O. H. Perry (small) burned at Sandusky in 1969. The J. P. Ward, 167 tons, built at Detroit in 1857, burned al Bay City in 1855, and her bottom built into a vessel. The steamers Reindeer and Freetrader (both pollywogs). Canadian boats, were lost in 1857. The former was wrecked at Big Point Au Sable. Lake Michigan, and 23 lives lost. The latter was burned at Port Stanley. C. W. The Fremont was burned at Sandusky in 185S. The Sebastopol. built in Cleveland in 1854 or 1855, was wrecked at Milwaukee in 1555, and the Canada 2d wrecked at Bar Point, Lake Erie, and was burned previously on River St. Clair, in 1855. The steamer America, built at Port Huron, and about 600 tons, was wrecked ou tho rocks at Dunkirk in 1851. The steamer Bruce Mines foundered on Lake Huron, and one life lost. The Belle, a small boat, built at Buffalo, and first commanded by Capt. Frank Porow, was wrecked on Georgian Bay in 1952. The Telegraph No. 2, formerly a lower lake boat, was burned at the head of Lake Erie in 1552, and a Canadian steamer, the Queen Victoria, wrecked at the head of Niagara River in 1951. A steamer called the Atlas was wrecked near Grand River, C. W., in 1851, and the Wave Ist, built at Dotroit, wrecked near same place same year. The Col. Crockett was lost near St. Joseph in 1834. Of her career, we know nothing; she was
of the smaller elass. The Mezeppa 2d was brought from Lake Ontario in IS56. and was shortly after wrecked on Lake Huron. In 1847, a steamer called the Experiment, brought from Lake Ontario, navigated Lake Erie, and was broken up on the Detroit River a few years since. In 1548, the Dispatch came from the lower lakes, and plied on Lake Erie, and eventu- ally became a tug on the rivers. She was broken up at Chatham in 1560.
Communication between Lakes Erie and Ontario was first opened up in 1831. via Port Robinson and Chippewa, thence via Niagara River to Lake Erie. The first vessels to pass through (and they arrived simultaneously) were the British schooner Ann and Jane and the American schooner Erie and Ontario. The event was duly celebrated. Subsequently. the out let was extended to Port Colborne and to Port Maitland, on Lake Erie, the former twenty miles distant from Buffalo, the latter forty miles. The introduction of propellers on the northern lakes was first inaugurated by the arrival on Lake Erie, early in 1512, of the Vanda lia. a sloop-rigged craft, built at Oswego, and 150 tons burden. Since that date, upward of 700 have been set afloat on the upper and lower lakes. In 1812. the Chicago and Oswego, each 150 tons burden, were built at Oswego. In 1513, the Herenles and Sampson - the former built at Buffalo, the latter at Perrysburg were the first built on the upper lakes: the Hercules was 275 tons, the Sampson 250 tons burden. The Emigrant came ont same year at Cleveland, 275
440
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
tons, and the Independence at Chicago, 262 tons. The Racine and New York also came out that year at Oswego. In 1844. the Porter, 310 tons, at Buffalo. In 1845, were the following: The Syracuse, of Oswego; Henry Clay, of Dexter; Island, of Kingston; Oregon, of Cleveland, Princeton, of Perrysburg; Phoenix, of Cleveland; and Detroit of Detroit. The tonnage of these last named was from 300 to 400 tons. In 1846, the following were commissioned: The James Wood, of Dexter; Genesee Chief. of Rochester; Milwaukee, formerly Vandalia, of Oswego; Ontario, of Rochester; Pocahontas, of Buffalo; California, of Buffalo; St. Joseph, of Buffalo; Earl Cartheart, of Malden: Queen of the West, of Malden; Lady of the Lake, of Cleve- land; Oneida, of Cleveland; Goliah, of St. Clair, Mich. ; Delaware, of Black River, Ohio; Globe, of Manmee City; Odd Fellow, of Grand River, Mich., and Cleveland, of Cleveland. The ton- uage of these last boats ranged from 300 to 400. In 1847, the Pangasset, Manhattan and Boston were all commissioned at Cleveland; tonnage respectively 320, 330, 350. In 1848, the Gen. Taylor, Sandusky, Montezuma and Charter Oak came out at Buffalo (the latter previously a vessel), the Republic, Monticello and Ohio at Cleveland. The following pro- pellers have passed out of existence. There being several years during which no lake records were published, we make no attempt to furnish complete details:
Goliah, burned on Lake Huron in 1848, and 18 lives lost.
Monticello, wrecked on Lake Superior in 1851.
Henry Clay, cargo of flour, rolled over in Lake Erie in 1851.
Vandalia (Canadian), sunk by collision with schooner Fashion in Lake Erie in 1851. City of Oswego, sunk by collision with steamboat America on Lake Erie in 1852.
Ireland, burned on the St. Lawrence River in 1852.
Sampson, cargo of flour, wrecked near Buffalo in 1852.
Oneida. cargo of flour, capsized off Erie in September, 1852, all lost -19 lives.
James Wood, cargo of flour, wrecked near Ashtabula in 1852.
Genesee, burned at Rochester, L. O., in 1852.
The Independence, wrecked on Lake Superior in 1853.
Princeton, cargo of merchandise, sunk off Barcelona in 1854.
H. A Kent, burned off Gravelly Bay, Lake Erie, in 1854.
Bucephalus, foundered on Saginaw Bay in 1854; 10 lives lost.
Boston, sunk by collision with a vessel on Lake Ontario, in 1854.
International, burned at Black Rock, N. Y., in 1854. Cincinnati, went ashore in a gale at Point au Barque in 1854.
Westmoreland, foundered near the Manitous, Lake Michigan, in 1854, 17 lives lost.
Rossiter, lost in a gale at head of Lake Michigan in 1855.
Charter Oak, foundered in Lake Erie in 1855, 11 lives lost.
Delaware, wrecked in a gale at Sheboygan, in 1855, 10 lives lost.
Fintry, exploded off Port Stanley in 1856, 10 lives lost.
Forest City, sunk in Lake Michigan by collision with schooner Asia in 1855.
Oregon, exploded head of Detroit River in 1855, 17 lives lost.
Lord Elgin, wrecked on Lake Ontario in 1856
St. Joseph, ashore and total loss at Fairport in 1856.
Sandusky, ashore at Conneaut in IS56.
J. W. Brooks, foundered on Lake Ontario in 1856; all lost-22 lives. Phoenix, burned on Lake Michigan, November. 1846, 190 lives lost.
B. L. Webb, burned on Lake Superior in 1856, 1 life lost.
Brunswick, foundered ou Lake Michigan in 1856, 1 life lost.
Tinto, burned at Kingston. Lake Ontario. in 1856.
Charter, wrecked in a gale at Fairport in 1856.
Pangassett, burned at Dunkirk in 1856.
Protection, sunk by steamer Boston, on River St. Lawrence, in 1856.
Toledo Ist, foundered at her anchors off Port Washington, 1856, 42 lives lost.
Falcon, burned at Chicago in 1856.
Louisville, burned off Chicago in 1857, one life lost.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Republic, burned at Sandusky in 1857.
Oliver Cromwell, sunk in the Straits by collision with schooner Jessie, in 1857. City of Superior, wrecked at Eagle Habor. 1857. Napoleon, wrecked at Sangeen, Lake Huron, in 1857. St. Nicholas, wrecked at Sleeping Bear in 1857.
Forest City. burned off Port Stanley. C. W., in 1858. Indiana, sunk in Lake Superior in 1858.
North America, burned at St. Clair Flats in 1858.
Ontario, went to California in IS50.
Manhattan, wrecked at Grand Marias River, Lake Superior, in 1859.
Oriental, cargo of provisions, lost on Skillagalee, with two wrecking pumps, in 1859. Troy, foundered with cargo of wheat on Lake Huron in 1859, 23 lives lost. Ohio, exploded and sunk off Erie, in 1859. 2 lives lost.
Milwaukee, sunk by collision with schooner J. H. Tiffany in 1859, near Skillagalee. Lady of the Lakes, exploded and sunk in Lake Erie in 1859, 2 lives lost.
Peninsula, wrecked on Lake Huron in 1853.
M. B. Spanking, burned at Forrester. L. H., in 1860; bottom made into a vessel.
Mount Vernon, exploded on Lake Erie in 1860. 2 lives lost.
(lobe, formerly side wheel, exploded at Chicago in 1860, 16 lives lost.
Wabash Valley, stranded at Muskegon in 1860.
Dacotah, wrecked at Sturgeon Point, L. E .. in [$60, and all lost. 35 lives. Jersey City, lost by same storm. with 19 lives.
Ogontz. converted into a vessel in 1860. Cataract, burned off Erie, Penn., in 1861, I lives lost.
L. L. Britton, stranded off Calumet, Lake Michigan, in 1861. Banshee, sprung a leak and sunk off South Bay, Lake Ontario, 1861, 1 life lost. Oshawa, went ashore at South Bay, Lake Ontario, IS6I. Gen. Taylor, wrecked at Sleeping Bear, Lake Michigan. in 1862. Bay State, sunk in Lake Ontario in 1862, all hands lost-22 lives. Pocahontas, wrecked at Long Point, Lake Erie, in 1862. Euphrates, wrecked on Sandusky Bar in 1862. C. Mears, sunk by collision with propeller Prairie Stato in Lake Michigan in 1562. B. F. Bruce, burned near Port Stanley. Lake Erie, in 1862. California, wrecked on Gull Island Reef. Lako Erie, in 1862. Jefferson, dismantled at Cleveland in 1863.
Detroit Ist, dismantled and made a barge in IS63.
(ilobe Ist, burned and sunk in Saginaw Bay in 1563, resurrected and made a barge. Vermont, sunk in Lake Erie, by collision wilh propeller Marquette, in 1863. Water Witch, lost in Lake Huron, with all hands, in 1863. 20 lives lost. Nile, exploded at Detroit dock in IS61, 6 tives lost.
Racine, burned off Rond Eau, 1864, bottom made a bark: S lives lost. Sciota, sunk in Lake Erie by collision with propeller Aretic. in 1861, 9 lives lost. Ogdensburg, sunk in Lake Erie by collision with schooner Snowbird, IS6l. Kenosha, burned near Sarnia in 1864. Powabic, sunk in Lake Huron by collision with propeller Meteor, 1864. 100 lives lost. Illinois, sunk at Point an Pellee by collision with propeller Dean Richmond, in 1865. Stockman, burned at Bear Creek in 1865. Broekville, wrecked at Big Point Au Sable Lake Michigan 1865, 3 lives lost. City of Buffalo, burned at Buffalo in 1866. Mary Stewart, wrecked at Grand Haven in 1866. Whitby, lost on Lake St. Francis in 1866. F. W. Backus, burned at Raeine in 1866. Wisconsin, burned on Lake Ontario in 1967, 50 lives lost. Acme. wrecked in a gale off Dunkirk 1567.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
North, burned on River St. Clair 1867.
Antelope, burned at Buffalo 1867, made a steam barge.
Portsmouth, wrecked on Middle Island, Lake Huron, 1867. Owego, wrecked off Barcelona in 1867. 5 lives lost. Sunnyside, wrecked at Pine River, Mich., 1867.
Genesee Chief, burned at Detroit in 1868, made a barge. Gov. Cushman, exploded at Buffalo in 1868, 12 lives lost. River Queen, burned at Marine City in 1868, made a tug. Hippocampus, burned on Lake Michigan, 1868, 26 lives lost. Perseverance, burned on Lake Ontario, 1868, 14 lives lost. Congress, (formerly Detroit 2d), wrecked at Thunder Bay, 1868. Queen of the Lakes, burned at Marquette. 1869.
Boscobel, burned on River St. Clair in 1869, 3 lives lost. Forrest Queen, sunk by ice off Clay Banks 1869. Omar Pasha, burned at Muskegon, 1869. Avon, wrecked at Presque Isle, Lake Huron, 1869. Hunter, sunk by collision with propeller Comet in Detroit River, 1869. Belle, burned off Port Washington, 1869, 2 lives lost.
Colonist, sunk in Lake Huron with valuable cargo. 1869.
Equator, wrecked at North Manitou, Lake Michigan, 1869. Free State, wrecked on Graham Shoals, 1871. valuable cargo.
Anna Horton, wrecked at Kincardine ir 1871.
R. G. Coburn. foundered on Saginaw Bay, 1871, valuable cargo. 42 lives. Navarino, (new) burned at Chicago in 1871.
Evergreen City, wrecked at Long Point, 1871.
Alex. Watson, burned on River St. Clair. 1871.
J. Barber, burned on Lake Michigan, 1871, 2 lives lost.
From the foregoing, which, as previously stated, mentions those only which have become extinct, and by no means includes all, owing to absent records, including 1870, of which no re- port was given, it appears there were 45 propellers burned, 10 lost with all hands, 7 exploded, and 120 total losses, besides 544 lives lost. The history of the Lake Marine from 1871 to the present time is summarized for the chronological table. Like the commerce of the lakes, it has increased rapidly, not so much in number, as in magnificence of the vessels employed.
LIGHT- HOUSES.
The light-houses along the lake and river front of St. Clair are in the Eleventh In- spection District, which embraces all the northern lakes. The aids to navigation on the river and lake front of St. Clair County include the light-house at the head of the Old Cut, at Sonth Pass, in latitude 42° 00' 33", longitude 82' 12' 30", built in 1859; the Beacon, built in 1859, 1,000 feet from South Pass; two lights on the St. Clair Flats Canal, built in 1871, and the Fort Gratiot light, built in 1825, rebuilt in 1862. in latitude 42' 00' 22" north, longitude 82° 24' 44" west. In connection with this light is an eight inch steam fog whistle, a descrip- tion of which is given in the history of Fort Gratiot. These aids to navigation on the St. Clair River, come next in order of usefulness to the improvements of the river and canal at the St. Clair Flats.
443
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
FINANCES AND STATISTICS.
The true beginning of the Age of Progress in Michigan must be credited to the period in which it assumed the name and importance of a State. A financial mania was abroad. This distemper seized upon the Legislature in 1836 37. They enacted a system of internal im- provement without a parallel in the grandeur of its conception. They ordered the construction of hundreds of miles of railroad, crossing the State in all directions. This was surpassed by the river and canal improvements. There were a few counties not touched by either railroad or river or canal. and those were to be comforted and compensated by the free distribution of money among them. To inflate this balloon beyond credenee, it was ordered that work should be commenced on both ends of each of these railroads and rivers, and at each river crosssing. all at the same time. The appropriations for these vast improvements were over $5,000,000. and Commissioners were appointed to borrow the money on the credit of the State. Remem ber that all this was in the early days of railroading, when railroads were luxuries: that the State had whole counties with scarcely a cabin; and that the population of the State was less than 200,000, and some idea can be formed of the vigor with which those brave men undertook the work of making a great State. In the light of history, I am compelled to say that this was only a premature throb of the power that actually shumbered in the soil of the State, It was Hercules in the cradle.
From this rash enterprise sprung a sound financial policy, which belonged not only to the State Legislature, but also extended to the county and township boards throughout Michigan. In 1857, as spring graduated into summer, appearances failed to indicate the coming of the storm that threatened to involve the entire country in rain. During the latter part of August, the suspension of the Life Insurance and Trust Company at Cincinnati, with liabilities quoted at $5,000,000, came with unexpected suddenness, and created a havoc in financial ranks from which recovery has only been accomplished after years of industry, pluck and unmois ured confidence. This crash was succeeded by others, as is well known. with similar depress ing and ruinous results. These warnings preceded the advance of the foe into the West, and caused people to reflect on what might be in store for them. There were many, doubtless, ad- monished of what was coming: but a majority, flattering their peace of mind with the thought that the city and county would escape unscathed. declined to outline their connections regard ing impending troubles until too late to provide any remedy to mitigate their severity. There wore some, however, who saw the horizon dark and portentous with the coming storm, and put their house in order to resist its violence. When it came, as a consequence, if not protected entirely, they were sufficiently so to escape permanent paralysis. Its immediate presence was first manifested by the falling off in trade, the absence of new arrivals the depreciation in prop. orty vahies, and other signs of coming calamities which, though strange to the West and her people, carried with them a dread of what was to follow in their wake. Soon after, more prononneed symptoms were to be observed. Lots and lands were without markets, and none but the choicest of either were worth the cost of assessment. Visionaries, who had dwelt in cas. tles constructed by fancy. fled from the scene of their creations, appalled at the storm which they had aided in provoking. Substantial merebants, who heard the muttering, hastily. and in every instance when it was too late, sought to take their latitude and ascertain how far they could be driven from their true course and yet survive. Nearer and nearer approached the crisis. closer and closer came the advance of that intangible agency which was to wreck so many hopes, strand so many enterprises and commit the fruit of years of labor to an adversity. both remediless and hopeless. The crash succeeded these premonitions of its coming, and carried afl before it. Hundreds were irretrievably ruined in an hour, and men who felicitated themselves upon the possession of resources, ascertained, when beyond salvation, that these resources
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