Identification & Site Information

• Name: ATLAS
• Former Names: None reported
• Official Number: 200815
• Date Built and Launched: 1903
• Builder: Unknown, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Home port: Chicago, Illinois
• Final Owner: Unknown
• Vessel Type: Wooden Steam Lighter (Propeller-Driven)
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power: Steam propulsion (screw propeller)
• Measurements:
• Length: 116 ft (35.4 m)
• Beam: 30 ft (9.1 m)
• Depth: 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 232 tons
• Net Tonnage: 115 tons
• Primary Cargo: Unknown ( building materials or general freight)

Vessel Type

The ATLAS was a wooden steam Lighter, a type of propeller-driven cargo vessel used for hauling Lighter loads, including building materials, coal, and general freight.

Lighters like the ATLAS were designed for:

• Navigating tight rivers and harbors
• Transporting cargo between ships and docks
• Serving as support vessels for larger freight operations

Its shallow Draft (only 4 feet deep) made it well-suited for river operations, but also meant it was vulnerable to damage in collisions.

History

The ATLAS operated for only four years before it was lost in a collision in the Chicago River in 1907.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1903: Built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a steam-powered Lighter.
• 1907, June 26: Collided with the Clark Street Bridge abutment in Chicago and sank.

Final Disposition

The ATLAS was lost on June 26, 1907, when it collided with an abutment of the Clark Street Bridge in Chicago and sank in the river.

The Disaster

• The vessel was navigating the Chicago River when it struck the Clark Street Bridge abutment.
• The impact caused severe Hull damage, and the vessel quickly sank.
• All six crew members escaped without injury.
• The wreck may have been removed or Abandoned, but no further records detail what happened next.

Despite its short service life (1903-1907), the ATLAS was a common example of small, workhorse steam lighters used in Great Lakes ports.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the ATLAS‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented in the Chicago River.

Given the urban environment and frequent dredging, it is likely the vessel was salvaged or covered by river debris.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in the Chicago River.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Local Archives:
• Chicago Maritime Museum (Possible records of shipwrecks in the Chicago River)
• Illinois State Archives – Maritime Section (Potential documents related to ship losses)

Conclusion

The ATLAS was a small but vital cargo vessel, operating in the Great Lakes and the Chicago River. Its loss in 1907 due to a bridge collision highlights the hazards of navigating urban waterways, where tight spaces and heavy traffic made accidents common.