by Wes » December 31, 2013, 10:14 am
The whaleback was designed by Captain Alexander McDougall to carry cargoes of iron ore or grain economically around the Great Lakes. A pair of coal-fired Scotch boiler engines provided steam for the three-cylinder, triple expansion steam engine which drove a single screw propeller. The hull was built of heavy steel plates double-riveted to steel angle frames. The bow and stern were of a conoidal shape, with the center part of the hull being roughly cigar-shaped. The ship was 308 feet (94 m) long, with a 38-foot (12 m) beam and a 24-foot (7 m) deep hold. The hatches on the deck had no coamings, vertical sections that would have prevented water from coming into the hatches. Instead, the hatches were designed to be flush with the surface of the deck, and were simply bolted to the deck. The Wilson was the last whaleback built without hatch coamings
On 7 June 1902, the Thomas Wilson left the Duluth harbor carrying a load of Mesabi iron ore. The hatches were not yet closed, because the weather was clear and calm. Meanwhile, the George Hadley, a 2073-ton wooden steamer, was inbound for the Duluth harbor. The Annie L. Smith tugboat directed the George Hadley to divert to the Superior harbor, since all of the Duluth coal docks were full. The captain of the George Hadley ordered an immediate turn to port without noticing the direction of the Thomas Wilson or blowing the required whistle signals. The captain of the Thomas Wilson, concerned about the movements of the Hadley but suspicious of running aground if he turned to port, ordered an immediate turn to starboard. The Hadley struck the Wilson just forward of the aft hatch and recoiled from the collision. The Wilson rolled over to port, then righted itself and began to sink by the bow. Within three minutes, the entire ship had sunk, drowning nine of the twenty-man crew. The ship and its cargo were valued at $207,000.
Image size 18X20 $35.00
wsmutch@sbcglobal.netThe whaleback was designed by Captain Alexander McDougall to carry cargoes of iron ore or grain economically around the Great Lakes. A pair of coal-fired Scotch boiler engines provided steam for the three-cylinder, triple expansion steam engine which drove a single screw propeller. The hull was built of heavy steel plates double-riveted to steel angle frames. The bow and stern were of a conoidal shape, with the center part of the hull being roughly cigar-shaped. The ship was 308 feet (94 m) long, with a 38-foot (12 m) beam and a 24-foot (7 m) deep hold. The hatches on the deck had no coamings, vertical sections that would have prevented water from coming into the hatches. Instead, the hatches were designed to be flush with the surface of the deck, and were simply bolted to the deck. The Wilson was the last whaleback built without hatch coamings
On 7 June 1902, the Thomas Wilson left the Duluth harbor carrying a load of Mesabi iron ore. The hatches were not yet closed, because the weather was clear and calm. Meanwhile, the George Hadley, a 2073-ton wooden steamer, was inbound for the Duluth harbor. The Annie L. Smith tugboat directed the George Hadley to divert to the Superior harbor, since all of the Duluth coal docks were full. The captain of the George Hadley ordered an immediate turn to port without noticing the direction of the Thomas Wilson or blowing the required whistle signals. The captain of the Thomas Wilson, concerned about the movements of the Hadley but suspicious of running aground if he turned to port, ordered an immediate turn to starboard. The Hadley struck the Wilson just forward of the aft hatch and recoiled from the collision. The Wilson rolled over to port, then righted itself and began to sink by the bow. Within three minutes, the entire ship had sunk, drowning nine of the twenty-man crew. The ship and its cargo were valued at $207,000.
Image size 18X20 $35.00 wsmutch@sbcglobal.net