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    VESSEL NAME:   St. Clair
    OTHER NAME(s): -
    OFFICIAL NO:   23109
    DATE OF LOSS:  9 July 1876
    CAUSE OF LOSS: Fire  
    LOCATION:      Lake Superior, abt. 5 mi. off Fourteen Mile Point
    RIG TYPE:      Propeller, freight and passengers
    HULL TYPE:     Wood
    BUILDER:       at Algonac, 1867
    OWNER(S):      Ward Line
    MASTER:        Capt. Robert Rhyness
    TONNAGE:       236 t.
    DIMENSIONS:    ?
    CASUALTIES:    26
    
                   Was carrying cattle, flour, feed &c. from Duluth to
                 Houghton when a fire was discovered in her hold which
                 spread throughout the vessel within minutes. Many of 
                 those who were not trapped below deck (deck hands
                 slept in the foc'sle and the fireman aft of the engine
                 room) piled into a metallic lifeboat which capsized
                 several times, throwing all into the frigid waters
                 of Lake Superior to perish.
                 
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 The Kalamazoo Gazette
 Friday, 14 July, 1876
 
         Marquette, Mich., July 13. - The following is as correct
       list of the passengers and crew of the steamer St. Clair,
       as has been possible to obtain; The saved were Robert 
       Rhyneas, captain; Thomas Bothman, first mate; Daniel Stringer,
       first engineer; Thomas Fortier, wheelsman; John B. Sutpher,
       passenger from Duluth; The bodies recovvered of those who
       were lost were Patrick Manning, lookout; Charles Forrest,
       wheelsman; Wm. McDaniel, second engineer; Wm. Francis, cook;
       Samuel Burns, and a Frenchman called John, firemen; Willie
       Smith, cabin boy; Collins, steward; Alex Shea, Duluth;
       Thomas B. Mellen, Ishpeming, G. H. Beardsley, David Lawrence,
       Ontonagon; of the passengers. Those whose bodies have not
       been recovered are Judge J. W. Edwards, Marquette; Mr. Mc-
       Kinlon, two Scotchmen, and an Irishman, from Duluth; H. L.
       Eaton, Whitehall, Mich., Neil Leitch, Manistee; and a deck-
       hand called "Shorty," from Cleveland; deck-hand from Hancock,
       called Mike, and an Indian from Ontonagon, the latter acting
       in the capacity of wood passer, and on duty in close proxim-
       ity to where the fire originated, the second engineer and
       fireman all being lost. It is impossible to get at the origin
       of the fire any nearer than has been already reported.


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Sources: Merchant Vessel List - 1869, 1871, 1874
         Isabella County Enterprise - 19 July 1876
         Cleveland Herald - 11 & 17 July 1876