 Thomas Wilson inSoo Locks with two consort barges | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Thomas Wilson |
| Builder | Alexander McDougall;American Steel Barge Company |
| Yard number | Hull No. 119 |
| Laid down | November 7, 1891 |
| Launched | April 30, 1892 |
| In service | 1892–1902 |
| Fate | Sunk in a collision with theGeorge Hadley |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Whaleback freighter |
| Tonnage | 1713 gross, 1318 net |
| Length | 308 ft |
| Beam | 38 ft |
| Draft | 24 ft |
| Propulsion | Two Scotch boilers, 160 psi, One triple-expansion steam engine powering one propeller |
Thomas Wilson (Whaleback Freighter) Shipwreck | |
 Capstan and bits on the stern end of the cabin deck | |
    | |
| Location | 7/8 of a mile outside the Duluth Harbor entrance,Duluth, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 46°47′0″N92°4′10″W / 46.78333°N 92.06944°W /46.78333; -92.06944 |
| MPS | Minnesota's Lake Superior Shipwrecks MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000844[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 23, 1992 |
TheThomas Wilson was awhaleback freighter built in 1892 and used to haul bulk freight on theGreat Lakes. The ship sank inLake Superior just outside the harbor ofDuluth, Minnesota, United States, on 7 June 1902, after a collision with theGeorge Hadley. The wreck of theThomas Wilson is one of the best remaining examples of a whaleback steamer, and it is also significant for the changes made in operating procedures at the Duluth harbor. The remains of the ship were listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1992.[2]
The whaleback was designed by CaptainAlexander McDougall to carry cargoes of iron ore or grain economically around the Great Lakes. A pair of coal-firedScotch boiler engines provided steam for the three-cylinder, triple expansion steam engine which drove a single screw propeller. The hull was built of heavy steel plates double-riveted to steel angle frames. The bow and stern were of aconoidal shape, with the center part of the hull being roughly cigar-shaped. The ship was 308 feet (94 m) long, with a 38-foot (12 m)beam and a 24-foot-deep (7 m)hold. The hatches on the deck had nocoamings, vertical sections that would have prevented water from coming into the hatches. Instead the hatches were designed to be flush with the surface of the deck, and were simply bolted to the deck.[3]
On 7 June 1902, theThomas Wilson left the Duluth harbor carrying a load ofMesabi iron ore. The hatches were not yet closed, because the weather was clear and calm. Meanwhile, theGeorge Hadley, a 2073-ton wooden steamer, was inbound for the Duluth harbor. TheAnnie L. Smith tugboat directed theGeorge Hadley to divert to theSuperior harbor, since all of the Duluth coal docks were full. The captain of theGeorge Hadley ordered an immediate turn toport without noticing the direction of theThomas Wilson or blowing the required whistle signals. The captain of theThomas Wilson, concerned about the movements of theHadley but suspicious of running aground if he turned to port, ordered an immediate turn tostarboard. TheHadley struck theWilson just forward of the aft hatch and recoiled from the collision. TheWilson rolled over to port, then righted itself and began to sink by the bow. Within three minutes, the entire ship had sunk, drowning nine of the twenty-man crew. The ship and its cargo were valued at $207,000 (equivalent to $7,522,858 in 2024).[4]
As a result of the collision, new rules were instituted in the Duluth harbor:
The ship rests in 70 feet (21 m) of water less than a mile outside the entrance of theDuluth Ship Canal. The stern of the ship is substantially complete, though a large section of the hull of the midship has been broken apart due to other ships dragging anchors through the wreck. The bow is also intact with its turret, capstan, and distinct triple tow rings on the tip of the bow. The interior of the ship has survived largely intact, with relatively few items having been removed by divers.[5] Some artifacts are on display at theMeteor Maritime Museum nearby inSuperior, Wisconsin, together with information aboutThomas Wilson.
The wreck was listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the nameThomas Wilson (Whaleback Freighter) Shipwreck in 1992 for its state-level significance in the themes of engineering and maritime history.[6]
Media related toSS Thomas Wilson at Wikimedia Commons
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1902 | |
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