Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== NAME: James H. Reed OTHER NAME(s): - REASON: Collision with Canadian stmr. Ashcroft DATE: April 27, 1944 LOCATION: Lake Erie, off Conneaut, OH TYPE: propeller, steamer HULL TYPE: steel BUILDER: Detroit Shipbuilding Co., Wyandotte, MI - 1903 OWNER: Interlake Steamship Co., MASTER: Capt. Bert Brightstone TONNAGE: 5598 gross LENGTH: 448 ft BEAM: 52.2 ft DEPTH: 29 ft CASUALTIES: 12 SURVIVORS: 26 SHIPS CRASH IN LAKE ERIE ------------ CLEVELAND-(AP)-Two ship collisions occurred in a heavy fog which swept over Lake Erie at dawn today, resulting in the feared loss of ten seamen and two lake freight carriers. The James H. Reed, operated by Pickands Mather lines for the Interlake Steamship Co. of Cleveland, sank about 40 miles north of Erie, Pa., after collid- ing with the steamer Ashcroft, operated by Canadian Steam- ship Lines, Ltd., of Montreal. Ten crewmen from the Reed were feared lost and 26 surviv- ors were taken aboard the Ash- croft, which headed for Erie. ----------------------- The Reed, a 448-foot freigt- er built in 1903 was enroute from Escanaba to Buffalo, N.Y., with a load of iron ore, and the Ashcroft was enroute from Buf- falo to Toledo, O., to take on a load of coal. ------------------------ Coast Guard officials said 26 survivors of the Reed were en- route to Erie, Pa., and that Coast Guard medical officers from Cleveland were being flown there. At least three of the survivors were reported seriously injured. Capt. Bert Brightstone, mas- ter, and R.O. Fletcher, chief engineer of the Reed, were said to be among the survivors. Canada Steamship line offi- cials said in Montreal "we do not know how many men were aboard the lake vessel," and added they had received only scanty reports because adverse atmospheric conditions ham- pered ship-to-shore radio transmission. Attempts to contact the Ash- croft from Cleveland also were ineffective. Ludington Daily News, April 27, 1944 ------------------------------------------------------ The James H. Reed sank in 66 feet of water. The hull was dynamited to the minimum 45 foot level in November, 1944. ======================================================================== Sources: [1] Merchant Vessel List, U.S.A. - 1945 [2] The Ludington Daily News, April 27, 1944 [3] Bowling Green University, Historcial Collections of the Great Lakes.