45°43′14.34″N85°11′24.06″W / 45.7206500°N 85.1900167°W /45.7206500; -85.1900167
 Cayuga on theways, prior to her launching | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg) United States | |
| Name | Cayuga |
| Namesake | Cayuga Creek |
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Builder | Globe Iron Works Company,Cleveland, Ohio |
| Yard number | 24 |
| Launched | April 2, 1889 |
| In service | 1889 |
| Out of service | May 10, 1895 |
| Identification | USofficial number 126556 |
| Fate | Sank in a collision onLake Michigan |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Package freighter |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 40.66 ft (12.39 m) |
| Draught | 16.5 ft (5.0 m) |
| Depth | 23.5 ft (7.2 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 1 × 4–bladed fixed pitch propeller |
| Speed | c. 14 mph (12 kn) |
| Capacity | c. 3,000 long tons (3,000 t) |
| Crew | 30 |
SSCayuga was a steel-hulled Americanpackage freighter in service in the late 19th century. She was built in 1889 inCleveland, Ohio, by theGlobe Iron Works CompanyCayuga entered service the same year, carrying package freight between Buffalo andChicago, Illinois, also making stops inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, andGladstone, Michigan. Prior to her sinking,Cayuga was involved in two accidents. In the first in 1890, when she went aground in a gale just outside of Buffalo harbour; six tugboats pulled her free that same day. The second accident occurred in 1891, whenCayuga was involved in a collision with the package freighterDelaware nearCheboygan, Michigan.
On the morning of May 10, 1895,Cayuga while bound for Buffalo with a cargo of oats, flour and general merchandise. A thick fog hung overLake Michigan. AsCayuga nearedIle Aux Galets, her crew spotted the lights of thedownbound wooden freighterJoseph L. Hurd. At 4:00 or 4:30 a.m.,Joseph L. Hurd struckCayuga on herstarboard side, tearing a hole in her hull;Joseph L. Hurd lost her bow, but was kept afloat by her cargo, whileCayuga sank 25 minutes later. The passing freighterManola rescued the crews of the two vessels. The steward/cook ofJoseph L. Hurd was the only casualty.
The wreck ofCayuga was located later in 1895. Due to her value, multiple attempts to raise her were made between 1896 and 1900 by Captain James Reid ofBay City, Michigan. His efforts were plagued by problems such asdecompression sickness, the loss of several steelpontoons, aderrick barge and the alleged death of ahard-hat diver.Cayuga's wreck was re-discovered in the spring of 1969 by John Steele and Gene Turner.
In 1843, the gunshipUSS Michigan, built inErie, Pennsylvania, became the first iron-hulled vessel constructed on theGreat Lakes.[1] In the mid-1840s, Canadian companies began importing iron vesselsprefabricated by shipyards in the United Kingdom. However, it would not be until 1862 that the first iron-hulled merchant ship,Merchant, was fabricated inBuffalo, New York.[1] Despite the success ofMerchant, wooden vessels remained preferable to iron ones until the 1880s, due to their affordability and the region's abundance of timber.[2][3][4] In the early 1880s, shipyards around the Great Lakes began to construct iron ships on a relatively large scale; in 1882,Onoko, an iron freighter, temporarily became thelargest ship on the lakes.[4][5] In 1884, the first steel freighters were built on the Great Lakes, and by the 1890s, the majority of ships constructed on the lakes were steel.[6]
Cayuga (USofficial number 126556) was built on the banks of theCuyahoga River in 1889 inCleveland, Ohio, by theGlobe Iron Works Company.[7][8][9] The second of five identicalsister ships built between 1888 and 1890, she was one of the first steel freighters built on theGreat Lakes, as well as the fourteenth steel ship built by the Globe Iron Works Company.[10][11][12][A]Cayuga was named afterCayuga Creek, a stream inwestern New York.[17][B]
Cayuga's overall hulllength was 308.8 feet (94.1 m) (some sources state 306.8 feet (93.5 m) or 308 feet (94 m)) with alength between perpendiculars of 290 feet (88 m) (one source states 292.2 feet (89.1 m)).[7][9][18][19] Her beam was 40.66 feet (12.39 m) (some sources state 40.8 feet (12.4 m) or 41 feet (12 m)) wide, while her hull was 23.5 feet (7.2 m) (some sources state 22.6 feet (6.9 m) or 25.5 feet (7.8 m)) deep.[7][8][9][18]Cayuga'sgross register tonnage was 2,669, with anet register tonnage of 1,939.[7][8][18][20] She had a cargo capacity of about 3,000long tons (3,000 t); whenCayuga was fully loaded, she had adraft of 16.5 feet (5.0 m).[9]
She was powered by a 1,500-horsepower (1,100 kW) 85rpmtriple expansion steam engine. The cylinders of the engine were 24 inches (61 cm), 38 inches (97 cm) and 61 inches (150 cm) in diameter and had astroke of 42 inches (110 cm).[8][18] Steam for the engine was provided by two 11.1 by 12 feet (3.4 by 3.7 m) 160pounds per square inch (1,100 kPa)Scotch marine boilers.[8][21]Cayuga's engine and boilers were both built by the Globe Iron Works Company. She was propelled by a single, four-bladed, fixed-pitch propeller and had a top speed of about 14 miles per hour (12 kn).[8][9][10][21] She cost $250,000 (equivalent to $7.88 million in 2024[C]) to build.[19][22][23]
Commissioned by Buffalo'sLehigh Valley Transit Company whose fleet was managed by John Gordon and later W.P. Henry,[24][25]Cayuga was launched on April 2, 1889 as yard number 24, and made her maiden voyage in May that same year.[7][18][26] Although her home port was Buffalo, she was initiallyenrolled in Cleveland on May 31, 1889.[18][27] She was re-enrolled in Buffalo on June 3, 1889.[18] She carried package freight on her regular route between Buffalo and Chicago and made stops inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, andGladstone, Michigan.[8][10][18][19]
Throughout her career,Cayuga was involved in several accidents.[8] The first occurred on April 9, 1890.[8][23] She was unladen and left Buffalo harbor at around 4:00 p.m. towed by the tugS.W. Gee. Upon clearing thebreakwater in a full gale,Cayuga became unmanageable.[23] She drifted onto a shoal, broke free and onto the rocks at the foot of Georgia Street.[23] Due to the storm, the life saving crew could not shoot abreeches buoy toCayuga until the weather had abated and her stern was firmly aground.[23]Cayuga was freed at around 9:00 a.m. by six tugs.[23] Several of herkeel plates were damaged; all of her propeller blades broke off; and she lost her rudder shoe.[8][23]
In November 1891,Cayuga collided with the wooden package freighterDelaware offCheboygan, Michigan.[8]
On May 10, 1895,Cayuga, under the command of Captain George Graser, was bound for Buffalo with a cargo of 35,000 or 38,000bushels of oats, flour and 1,500 pounds (680 kg) of general merchandise.[8][19][28][29] Sources differ whetherCayuga was heading to Buffalo from Chicago or Milwaukee.[19][28][30] One source states she left Buffalo for Milwaukee on May 5, and left Milwaukee at 8:00 a.m. on May 9.[19][28][30][31] Meanwhile, the wooden freighterJoseph L. Hurd, commanded by Captain Charles E. Wilson, was bound fromDuluth, Minnesota, for Chicago with a cargo of lumber (specificallypine boards) and package freight.[17][19][28]
A thick fog obscured visibility as the wind distorted the sound of the vessels'fog whistles.[28][30] WhenCayuga andJoseph L. Hurd neared each other nearIle Aux Galets, they spotted each other's lights when they were about 10 miles (16 km) apart.[28] The fog soon concealed the vessels from one other.[28] At 4:00 or 4:30 a.m., whenCayuga andJoseph L. Hurd were less than 250 feet (76 m) apart, they were on a collision course.[17][19][28]Cayuga's engine was reversed which only slowed her down rather of stopping her.[17][19][28]Joseph L. Hurd crashed intoCayuga, tearing a hole 2 feet (0.61 m) wide and 6 feet (1.8 m) deep into herstarboard side.[19][32]Joseph L. Hurd lost 15 feet (4.6 m) of her bow, but was kept afloat by her cargo of pine boards.[17][19][30][32] The force of the collision causedCayuga to roll toport; she then righted herself, and began to sink.[19]Cayuga went down in 25 minutes.[19][32]
The crew ofCayuga andJoseph L. Hurd escaped in lifeboats and were picked up by the bulk freighterManola.[19][31][32] The only casualty of the accident wasJoseph L. Hurd's cook/steward George Johnson, who fell overboard and drowned.[22] The day after the collision,Joseph L. Hurd was towed toHarbor Springs, Michigan, by thewrecking tugFavorite.[22] She was repaired and returned to service.[22]Cayuga was insured for $175,000 (equivalent to $5.72 million in 2024[C]) and her cargo was insured for $90,000 (equivalent to $2.94 million in 2024[C]).[28][33]
Lloyd's of LondonlibeledJoseph L. Hurd's owners for $200,000 (equivalent to $6.54 million in 2024[C]).[34] The collision was determined to have been caused by mistaken passing signals.[35] Captain Graser stated in a letter to supervisinginspector general James Dumont that ifJoseph L. Hurd had also reversed her engine, the collision would not have occurred.[36][37]
The day afterCayuga sank, theChicago Tribune stated that:
Among practical marine men, it was believed that the steamer [Cayuga] could ultimately be got afloat again, but it was thought the expense would amount to nearly all she was worth. The work must be done with pontoons, and will be a long, tedious job.[22]
The first expedition attempting to locateCayuga on May 13, 1895 was cancelled due to a gale.[19] Several people searched forCayuga after she sank.[19][22] Five days after the incident, Captain Cyrus H. Sinclair of the Chicago-based C.A. McDonald & Company spent a day unsuccessfully searching for her.[22][38][39][40] He concluded that her wreck lay in between 102 and 120 feet (31 and 37 m) of water, and doubted whether she could be raised.[22] By June, the underwriters had offered a $1,000 (equivalent to $32,677 in 2024[C]) reward to anyone who could findCayuga's wreck.[41] On June 18, Captain Wilbur of the package freighterCity of Grand Haven abandoned his search forCayuga after ten days.[19]
On June 28, Captain Sinclair travelled to Cheboygan, to begin a new search.[39] Using the tugGeorge W. Cuyler, on June 30 he steamed to the position recorded by Captain Martin Swain of the wrecking tugFavorite.[39] Sinclair planned to locate the wreck by draggingGeorge W. Cuyler's anchor.[39] A few minutes after Sinclair began searching forCayuga, he managed to locate her, and planted a buoy at the wreck site.[39] The following day,George W. Cuyler and the tugMajor Dana recovered aflagpole, aboom and portions ofCayuga'sbulwarks and rigging.[39] For his efforts, Captain Sinclair was paid $2,000 (equivalent to $65,354 in 2024[C]) by the underwriters.[42]
By August 22, the underwriters had received bids from the Murphy Wrecking Company ofDetroit, Michigan, and James Reid & Sons ofBay City, Michigan, to raise the wreck.[22][43][44] On September 12, Captain James Reid signed a $100,000 (equivalent to $3.27 million in 2024[C]) contract with the underwriters to raiseCayuga's wreck .[22] Reid planned to start work onCayuga in 1896, once the ice onLake Michigan had melted.[45][46]
Captain Reid planned to position eighteen 8-inch (20 cm) thick cables underCayuga's hull, which would then be attached to ascow with a carrying capacity of 1,000 long tons (1,000 t).[31][47][48] He also planned to attach eight steel pontoons (25 feet (7.6 m) (or 30 feet (9.1 m)) long and 13 feet (4.0 m) wide, with a lifting capacity of about 500 long tons (510 t) toCayuga's wreck with thick cables, partially fill them with enough air to lift the wreck 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3.0 m) off the lake bottom, and then tow it into shallower water inLittle Traverse Bay. There it would be patched up and pumped out.[17][22][31][47][49] Most of the oats inCayuga's cargo hold were recovered.[31][47] In November, Captain Reid suspended the salvage operations, but claimed he would resume them in spring 1897.[50] By February 1897, Captain Reid claimed to have spent more than $40,000 (equivalent to $1.29 million in 2024[C]) on his salvage efforts.[31][51] On June 9, Captain Reid managed to breakCayuga free from the mud where she was embedded.[31][52] He continued to work onCayuga's wreck until 1900, when he abandoned the salvage attempts.[20][30][53][54]
Reid's salvage efforts were plagued by problems.[17][22] The pontoons attached to her hull frequently broke free.[17] Captain Reid and several of his divers sustained severe injuries anddecompression sickness.[22][31] One diver allegedly died when aderrick barge reportedly sank on top of him.[17][55] The barge later sank completely when one of the air-filled pontoons broke free and shot to the surface.[10][17] One tug used in the salvage operation burned.[56] The salvage attempts nearly bankrupted Captain Reid's company.[10][17][18][30]
The wreck ofCayuga was re-discovered in spring 1969 by John Steele and Gene Turner ofIllinois.[10] Her wreck rests with a 35°port list in 102 feet (31 m) of water at the lake bottom, and 75 feet (23 m) to her deck, southwest ofGrays Reef Light, nearIle Aux Galets.[10][57][58][59] Her cabins no longer exist.[57] The wreck is partially collapsed forward of the engine room with the bow broken away, and lying on its port side. Her stern is intact.[11][60] The remains ofCayuga's cargo remain in her hold.[61] There are also two spare propeller blades within the hull.[11][62] Four of the pontoons used during the salvage attempts are still attached toCayuga's hull and the sunken derrick barge lies off her port side.[10][11][17][57] The air hose of the lost diver was reportedly still poking out from under the derrick barge when the wreck was found.[55]Cayuga's wreck is protected by the 148-square-mile (380 km2)Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve as part of an underwater museum.[11]
