Wreck Report: Steamer INDIAN (formerly CINCINNATI, CITY OF HAMILTON, ALPS)

Identification & Site Information

• Name: INDIAN

• Other Names: CINCINNATI (original), CITY OF HAMILTON, ALPS

• Official Number: C33495

• Vessel Type: Wooden Propeller Steambarge

• Year Built: 1853

• Place Built: Buffalo, New York (by Thomas Wicks or Geo. S. Weeks)

• Dimensions:

• Length: 137 feet (41.8 meters)

• Beam: 25 feet (7.6 meters)

• Depth: 11 feet (3.35 meters)

• Gross Tonnage: 320 tons

• Net Tonnage: 200 tons

• Final Location: Kingston Harbor, Ontario

• Lake: Ontario

Vessel Type Description

The INDIAN, a wooden propeller-driven steambarge, was originally built as the CINCINNATI in 1853. With a history of significant rebuilds and changes in ownership, the vessel served various roles, including as a cargo and utility ship. Its design reflected the needs of 19th-century Great Lakes shipping, where wooden propeller vessels were key for transporting goods across the region’s inland seas.

History

The vessel had a long and eventful career under various names and ownerships:

1. CINCINNATI (1853-1857): Experienced grounding near Forestville, Michigan, in December 1854, resulting in extensive damage. The vessel was recovered and Rebuilt at Detroit in 1855.

2. CITY OF HAMILTON (1857-1858): Operated briefly under this name after sale to Canadian ownership.

3. ALPS (1858): Renamed and operated under Canadian registry.

4. INDIAN (1858 onward): Continued service after another name change, operating primarily as a cargo Steamer.

Over its lifespan, the INDIAN underwent several significant repairs and rebuilds:

• 1861 and 1863: Repairs to extend operational life.

• 1880: Extensive rebuilding, reducing its dimensions from 141×26 feet to 137×25 feet and tonnage from 452 to 320 gross tons.

The vessel suffered a series of incidents, including running ashore on East Sister Reef in Lake Erie in 1865 while carrying Pig Iron. Despite heavy damage, it was recovered and repaired.

Final Disposition

On October 26, 1885, the INDIAN was destroyed by a fire while tied up for the winter at her layup dock in Kingston Harbor, Ontario. The fire caused a Total Loss estimated at $5,000, but fortunately, no lives were lost. The vessel had been idle and carrying no cargo at the time of the incident.

Notable Incidents

• 1854: Grounded near Forestville, Michigan, presumed a Total Loss but later Rebuilt.

• 1865: Ran aground on East Sister Reef in Lake Erie, sustaining heavy damage.

• 1885: Destroyed by fire in Kingston Harbor.

Ownership

• Home Port: Montreal, Quebec

• Owner at Loss: Fraser

NOTMARs & Advisories

• The fire in Kingston Harbor posed no long-term navigational hazard, and no active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are associated with the wreck.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The remains of the INDIAN were likely removed or have deteriorated significantly over time. Given the shallow, silty waters of Kingston Harbor, any remnants are likely buried beneath sediment and inaccessible without extensive archaeological efforts.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes Database: Great Lakes Maritime History

• David Swayze Shipwreck File: David Swayze File

Tags

• Great Lakes Shipwrecks

• Wooden Propeller Steambarge

• Kingston Harbor Fire

• 19th-Century Shipping History

Conclusion

The Steamer INDIAN serves as an example of the resilience and adaptability of 19th-century Great Lakes vessels. Despite multiple incidents and extensive rebuilds, the ship continued to serve for over three decades before its ultimate destruction by fire in 1885. Its story reflects the challenges and hazards of maritime operations during the era of wooden steambarges. Today, the INDIAN remains a part of Kingston’s rich maritime history, marking the end of an era for this industrious vessel.