Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= NOTICE TO USERS - These files are protected by the The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Information contained herein is provided for research purposes and may be freely linked to. Copying for redistribution or presentation by any person, persons or organization is not allowed without the written permission of the author/submitter. Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Wells Burt OTHER NAME(s): - OFFICIAL NO: 80365 DATE OF LOSS: 20 May 1883 REASON: Storm LOCATION: Lake Michigan, off Evanston RIG TYPE: Schooner, 3 masted HULL TYPE: Wooden BUILDER: Detroit Dry Dock Co. - 1873 OWNER(S): James S. Dunham, of Chicago MASTER: Capt. Thomas Fountain TONNAGE: 756 gt DIMENSIONS: 200 x 34 x 14 CASUALTIES: 10 (all) Bound for Chicago with 1,500 tons of chestnut coal when struck by the savage storm of May 20 and lost with all hands. The owners were able to recover most of the coal but the wreckers "lost" the vessel. On 25 June 1890 Capt. Richard Brewer of the tug HOOD discovered a buoy marker of sorts. A long drifting stick was found to be tethered to the wreck of the WELLS BURT. Capt. Fountain had been in command of the big schooner CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE which sunk on 29 July 1874 and was investigated as a possible victim of barraty (intentional sinking of a vessel). The vessel owners, not believing the accusations, gave Capt. Fountain command of the WELLS BURT. Following the loss of the WELLS BURT the Dunhams placed a monument, a broken spar carved in marble, to Captain Fountain in Rosehill Cemetery. Among the lost: Thomas Fountain - captain Daniel Fountain - (passenger, son of the captain) W. Coady - first mate John W. White - seaman W. McCarthy - seaman Thomas Hickey - seaman Jeff Powers - seaman Thomas George - seaman two men and one boy, names unknown ======================================================================== Sources: Mansfield "History of the Great Lakes," 1899 Annual List of Merchant Vessels - 1882 Chicago Tribune, 16 July 1883 R. L. Polk Marine Directory of the Great Lakes - 1884 The Toronto Daily Mail, 24 May 1883 The Milwaukee Journal, 26 June 1890 The Milwaukee Sentinel, 21 November 1988 Last updated 12 September 2016