Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= USGenNet 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 USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== VESSEL NAME: Pere Marquette #18 OTHER NAMES(s): - OFFICIAL NO: 150972 DATE OF LOSS: 9 September 1910 CAUSE OF LOSS: Foundered - cause unknown LOCATION: en route from Ludington, MI to Milwaukee, WI about mid-lake. RIG TYPE: Carferry HULL TYPE: Steel BUILDER: American Shipbuilding Co., Cleveland, OH , 1902 OWNER: Pere Marquette Line MASTER: Capt. Peter Kilty TONNAGE: 2909 gt, 1722 nt DIMENSIONS: 338' x 56' x 19.42 CASUALTIES: 29 SURVIVORS: 33 The final resting place of the Pere Marquette #18 was located on July 23, 2020, by Minnesota-based wreck hunters Ken Merryman and Jerry Eliason. She rests under 500 feet of Lake Michigan with her stern buried in the lake bottom. CAR FERRY SINKS IN LAKE MICHIGAN -------- Estimated Loss of 20 Lives and Cargo Valued at over $100,000 Boat Worth $400,000 -------- WIRELESS MESSAGE FLASHED CONTINUOUSLY FOR AN HOUR -------- Crew of Fifty and Two Women Pas- sengers Were on Board Vessel That Went to Bottom of Lake 20 Miles Off Port Washington, Wisconsin -------- LUDINGTON, Mich., - Sept. 9. - One of the worst marine disasters in the history of Lake Michigan navigation occurred early to-day when car ferry Pere Marquette No. 18, flagship of a fleet of six steel car ferries owned and operated by the Pere Marquette Rail- road company sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan 20 miles off Port Washington, Wis., with an estimated loss of 20 lives. The boat was valued at $400,000 and the cargo, which included 23 loaded cars, at $100,000 to $150,000. The total loss will exceed half a mil- lion dollars, which is fully insured in Lloyds of England. "Car ferry No. 18 sinking - help." was the C.Q.D. wireless message that brought the first news of the disaster to this city about 5 a.m. to-day. The flash was repeated continu- ously for nearly an hour, but was un- signed. At 7:30 a.m. Superintendant Mercereau of the Pere Marquette car ferry line received a wireless from car ferry No. 17 stating that No. 18 sank at 7 o'clock after all on board had been rescued by life boats from No. 17. The lost car ferry carried a crew of 60 men and had on board two women passengers said to be from Saginaw. At this hour the cause of the ac- cident is unknown and the facts will not be available until No. 17 arrives here late this afternoon. Marine men are utterly at a loss to account for the disaster. No. 18 was one of the finest and most costly car ferries ever built on the Great Lakes, and only yesterday the craft was inspected by government officials at this port and found to be in first class condition in every respect. Conflicting Reports MILWAUKEE, Sept 9 - Thirty- nine members of the crew of the Pere Marquette car ferry No. 18 were lost and three saved when the car ferry sank in mid-lake about 10 miles off Sheboygan to-day, according to re- ports received here. All the members of the crew hailed from Ludington. First reports received indicate that the crew had been saved, but a later dispatch at 10:30 brought the news that only 3 out of a crew of 42 had been saved. Sank in Deep Water DETROIT, Sept. 9 - At Pere Mar- quette railroad headquarters in this city, it is said that cary ferry No. 18 had a crew of 32 to 35 men and that word from Ludington is that all were rescued by car ferry No. 17. The latter left Ludington at 5 a.m. in response to No. 18's wireless signal of distress and reached the scene of the wreck about 7 o'clock. A later statement issued at head- quarters says that the information that all the crew of car ferry No. 18 were saved came from steamer No. 17 after the latter had taken on board the members of the crew of her sis- ter ship. A dispatch from Ludington says that car ferry No. 17 has on board 30 people and five dead bodies and that 15 of the 50 who were on board are not accounted for. No. 18 sank in probably 300 or 400 feet of water and it is not expected that any sal- vage will be possible. ........... Twenty Now Said to be Lost Ludington Sept 9. - W. L. Mer- cereau, superintendent of the car fer- ry line received a wireless at 10:30 this morning stating that only 30 of 50 men on board car ferry No. 18 had been saved. The message came from a passing steamer which was in communication with No. 17 and is accepted at Pere Marquette marina headquarters as reliable. Twenty are said to be lost, including all the officers. Albany Journal, Albany N.Y. Friday, September 9, 1910 ------------------------------------ FERRY DISASTER IS UNACCOUNTED FOR ------- Investigation of Sinking of Boat Reveals Nothing of Tang- ible Nature ------- LUDINGTON, Mich., Sept 10 - That yesterday's wreck of Pere Marquette car ferry No. 18 and the loss of 29 lives was not due to a storm, to over- loading or to a breakdown in the ves- sels machinery, and that the real cause of the disaster will never be fully determined is the conclusion reached by General Supt. W. D. Trump, of the Pere Marquette rail- road, who came here yesterday to investigate the wreck. According to the report sent by Mr. Trump to Pere Marquette head- quarters in Detroit today, Captain Rus- sell, of steamer No. 17, was merely asked by Captain Kilty, of No. 18, to stand by when he arrived at the scene, Captain Kilty evidently not be- lieving that his vessel was in immedi- ate danger. Capt. Russell, however, observed that No. 18 was sinking and lowered his life boats just before No. 18 went to the bottom. According to Mr. Trump, there were 62 people on the steamer No. 18. The sixteen above the regular crew were four employees of the Chicago Navi- gation Co., with Seymour E. Coch- rane, vice-president of that company and a corps of extra scrubbers, carpet layers, etc., who were working while the boat was moving in order to save time. Mr. Cochrane was saved but his four men were lost. The first intimation those on board No. 18 had that anything was wrong was when the wheels man about 4 a.m. found that the vessel was not responding quickly. The compart- ment aft of the engine room was then found to contain a considerable amount of water, though not enough to disturb the fireman and deck hands sleeping there. Distress signals were given as the vessel continued to sink and the life boats on the port side were lowered but not cut away from the ship. Capt. Kilty continued to head the steamer for the west shore of Lake Michigan. All of the survivors jumped or were thrown from the boat when she sank and were picked up by boats from steamer No. 17. Watertown Daily Times, Watertown, N.Y. Saturday Afternoon, Sept 10, 1910 --------------------------------------- CASUALTY LIST ------------- Captain Peter Kilty of Ludington, MI Joseph Brezinski, Mate, of Manitowoc, WI W. H. Brown, Second Mate, of Ludington, MI S. F. Sczepanek, Purser, Worcester, Mass. E. R. Leedham, Chief Engineer, Ludington, MI Chalmer Rosencrans, Assistant Engineer, Ludington, MI Paul Renner, Second Assistant Engineer, Ludington, MI an unknown Oiler, Norwegian A. J. Mack, Steward, Westfield, N.Y. W. H. Cummins, Chicago, IL John Schruafuagl, Cook, Chicago, IL Michael Haythaler, Fireman, Forestville, MI Samuel Bouchie, Fireman, River Bourgeois, N.D. W. Parker, Fireman, Marine City, MI an unknown Fireman Mrs. Marian Turner, Cabin Maid, Ludington, MI Peter Hire, Watchman, Ludington, MI John H. Stone, Lookout, Norwegian Ole Bakken, Wheelsman, Ludington, MI Joseph Marlow, Scrub Boy, Ludington, MI Tom Kelly and his brother, stowaways, Detroit, MI Frank Warner, "Chicago Frank", Porter, Chicago, IL Jacobson, Seaman, residence unknown Charles Jenson, Oiler, Ludington, MI N. L. Bertrand, passenger, Ludington, MI Joe Peterson, Watchman, Steamer No. 17 Jacob Jacobson, Scrubber, Steamer No. 17 SURVIVORS --------- James Thomas, Coal Passer, Ludington, MI Dave Dondono, Scrubber, Ludington, MI Norman Wall, Head-waiter, Sanford, PA Madison Andrew, Deck-hand, Ludington, MI Toney R. Decker, Deck-hand, Grand Rapids, MI Simon Burke, Wheelsman, Cannes Cape, Briton Jas. Koob, Water-tender, Chicago, IL Joe Standingbear, Chicago, IL Ray Wiggins, Fireman, Farwell, MI Mike Petroskey, Deck-hand, Riker, Sweden Alvin Rose, Fireman, Marine City, MI Grover Cooper, 1st Porter, Beardstown, IL Vanner Charlestown, Fireman, Buffalo, N.Y. Chas. Nelson, 2nd Cook, Ludington, MI Jas. Fay, 1st Cook, Ludington, MI Fred Potvin, Cab. Watch, Ludington, MI Walter Kennedy, Scrubber, Ludington, MI Ray Rickford, 2nd Porter, Alpena, MI Geo. Trudell, Pantry, Ludington, MI Geo. Harwood, Scrubber, Ludington, MI Art. Preber, Cab. Watch, Chicago, IL Henry Jennsen, Fireman, Racine, WI E. G. Larson, Deck-hand, Custer, MI Herman Memrow, Coal-passer, Manistee, MI Mike Bucholz, Coal-passer, Ludington, MI Tom Shields, Coal-passer, Chicago, IL August Page, Deck-hand, Chicago, IL Ray Drinkwater, Chicago, IL James Riley, Coal-passer, Herrisburg, PA Stanley Chubb, 1st Porter, Ludington, MI Frank Young, Chief Steward, Ludington, MI Ray Anderson, Deck-hand, Ludington, MI Seymour B. Cochrane, Chicago, IL ======================================================================== Sources: "Shipwrecks of the Lakes", Dana Thomas Bowen, 1952 Ludington Chronicle, September 14, 1910 Ludington Record-Appeal, September 15, 1910 WZZM Grand Rapids, MI., 16 September 2020