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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Challenge OTHER NAME(s): Vigilant OFFICIAL NO: 4574 DATE OF LOSS: 10 November 1873 CAUSE OF LOSS: wrecked LOCATION: Milwaukee harbor, Lake Michigan RIG TYPE: Schooner HULL TYPE: Wood BUILDER: Sackets Harbour Navy Yard, N.Y. - 1852 OWNER(S): at Racine, WI MASTER: Captain Young or Charles Smith TONNAGE: 99.31 t DIMENSIONS: small CASUALTIES: 1 Bound for Rowleys Bay from Racine with cargo for Osborn & Co., when the wind veered and it began to snow, soon becoming a blinding snow storm. The cap- tain attempted to find safety at Milwaukee but, upon entering between the piers, found the passage blocked by the schooner Ellen Gerlach which had come in just ahead of the Challenge, but struck the north pier and swung across the channel. A crash ensued and the Gerlach ground the smaller Challenge against the pier. Abandoned to the underwriters. Some newspaper articles claim her to be 68 tons berthen, but MVL shows another schooner, Challenge, belonging to Pentwater, MI., of that tonnage. The Challenge shown belonging to Racine is 99.31 t. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Racine County Argus Thursday, 13 November, 1873 It is our painful duty to record the loss of the Schr. Challenge, of this port, Cha's Smith, master. The following account is as near as we can ascertain at present. The Schr. Challenge sailed from Racine on the 11th of this month, bound for Rowleys Bay, having on board a full load of supplies for Osborn & Co., of that place. All went well until between 7 and 8 o'clock that evening, when the wind veered to the N.E., and it commenced to snow. At this time the Challenge was off Fox Point, ten miles north of Milwaukee. The wind coming to the northard, the captain deemed it safe to make a harbor, and bore up for Milwaukee. While the vessel was running back, the wind shifted to the N.E. with a heavy squall and blinding snow storm. When the pier lights were made it was snowing so thick that it was impossible to see ten yards ahead. The Challenge entered between the piers all right and would have been safe but for an obstruction, which proved to be another vessel - the Ellen Gerlach, of Cleveland. She entered the harbor before the Challenge, but struck the north pier, which caused her to swing across the channel and block up the pass- age. Challenge, following close behind, did not see her till within a few feet, when the mate, who was forward, sung out, "there is a vessel ahead, hard up." The Gerlach moved astern as much as the Challenge paid off, and when they met, the Challenge stem took the Gerlach on the starboard quarter. There was a crash, and the whole head-gear, jib-boom and bow-sprit come on board. Both vessels dropped along side the South pier. The Challenge being the smallest vessel, the Gerlach chafed her to pieces against the pier. The Challenge soon filled and rolled over. Her top-masts are gone, also sails, booms and gaffs, are all gone, and the vessel is a total wreck. She now lays sunk in Milwaukee harbor, on her beam ends, and has been abandoned to the underwriters, a total loss. She is insured for $2,500, in the N.W. National. At this hour (Wednesday night) the vessel has not been rescued, although the tug Muir and a boat from the U. S. Revenue steamer tried to tow her inside the harbor, their (sic) being a heavy ground swell on, could not render her any assistance. We will now try and give the history of this noble but ill-fated vessel. The Challenge was origianlly built in 1852 in Sackets Harbour Navy Yard, New York, for the government. She was called the Vigilant. After 4 years on Lake Ontario she was taken to Youngstown and broken up for the debris. The schr. Challenge was laid down and built for the light house department. As an oil tender, she was many years employed in this capacity, when she was sold to go in the Merchant Marine. She has been ashore on the Lakes Ontario, Erie and Michigan. She has been a total wreck three times before belonging to Racine, and since that time she has had two serious mishaps, the last one two years ago when she sank in Sheboygan, and became a total wreck, costing over five thousand dollars to repair her. But from the appearance of the vessel at present, there is little hope of her recovery. ======================================================================== Sources: The Inter-Ocean - 15 November, 1873 (Capt. Young) Racine County Argus - 13 November, 1873 (Capt. Cha's Smith) Merchant Vessel List - 1871, 1873