Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Thomas H. Smith was correct, thank you for the help!!

Thank you both! I thought I had it figured out with the Thomas H. Smith as well, but everything I can find indicates her home port was Milwaukee rather than Sturgeon Bay.

Chicago, Nov. 11 - The stmr. Arthur Orr collided with and sunk the steam barge Thomas A. Smith, off Racine at 3:30 this morning.
The crew of the Smith were rescued without loss of life and were brought here on the Orr. The Smith was commanded by Capt. Thomas Olson and the Orr by Capt. Montague. The Smith was bound from this port to Menominee to load lumber and the Orr was running light from Milwaukee here. The dense fog which hung over the lake caused the accident. When first seen by the crew of the Orr the Smith was 300 ft. away. The engines were reversed, but it was too late and she struck the Smith a little aft the port hatch and cut in about 3 feet. Boats were lowered from both steamers at once, and the 12 men which formed the Smith's crew were all rescued without trouble. The Smith was owned by A. Leatham and Smith of Sturgeon Bay and was worth about $15,000. She was built at Manitowoc in 1881.
Detroit News-Tribune
November 12, 1893

edit to last post:

A book of mine lists the same wreck as a wood steam barge and the picture of the vessel makes her out to be a handsome boat with an early classic laker build. She was made for John Leathem and Thomas H. Smith (Founders of the Leathem and Smith Quarry in Sturgeon Bay), making it almost certainly home ported in Sturgeon Bay and a stone carrier.

Possible candidate:

Thomas H. Smith

Type at loss : propeller steam tug, wood
Build info : 1881, Rand & Burger, Manitowoc, WI

Sunk by collision with propeller Arthur Orr in fog off Racine, WI, November 11, 1893. Vessel was bound from Chicago for Menominee, MI; crew rescued by Orr, no lives lost. Final enrollment surrendered at Milwaukee, WI, December 31, 1893, and endorsed "total loss."

I am looking for some help deciphering clues about a particular wreck. I've been provided several clues by a friend, from which I am to determine the name of the ship and the name of the lifesaving service captain that rescued her captain. So, here are the clues I've been given to work with.

1.) She was traveling home from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
2.) She went down off Racine, WI
3.) Her home port was Sturgeon Bay
4.) She was in the stone trade
5.) Her keel was laid in Manitowoc.

I've not been able to come up with much so any help that anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!