Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: TELEGRAPH
• Official Number: None
• Type at Loss: Sidewheel Steamer, Wood, Passenger & Package Freight
• Builder: J.W. Abbott, Truago (now Trenton), Michigan
• Year Built: 1849
• Specifications:  Length: 130 ft (39.6 m) Beam: 18 ft (5.5 m) Depth: 8 ft (2.4 m)
• Tonnage: 181 tons
• Date Lost: August 2, 1858
• Cause: Collision with the Schooner Marquette
• Place of Loss: Approximately 40 miles north of Cleveland, Lake Erie
• Cargo: Unknown
• Loss of Life: None

Vessel Type

The TELEGRAPH was a wooden Sidewheel Steamer, primarily designed for passenger and package freight service on the Great Lakes. Sidewheel steamers like the TELEGRAPH were common during the mid-19th century, known for their speed and ability to navigate both open waters and narrower channels, making them essential for connecting rapidly growing cities along the Great Lakes.

Description

Built in 1849 by J.W. Abbott at Truago (now Trenton), Michigan, the TELEGRAPH measured 130 feet in length with a beam of 18 feet and a depth of 8 feet. She was registered at 181 tons, placing her in the category of medium-sized steamers of the era, capable of efficiently transporting both passengers and freight.

Equipped with side-mounted paddle wheels, the TELEGRAPH was powered by a steam engine that provided the propulsion necessary for her trade routes across Lake Erie and possibly other connected waterways.

History

Operating during a critical period of Great Lakes expansion, the TELEGRAPH served the bustling passenger and freight routes linking Cleveland, Detroit, and other key ports. Steamers like her were vital in moving people, agricultural products, manufactured goods, and raw materials across the growing industrial centers of the Midwest.

Though specific details about her service history are limited, vessels of this class often ran scheduled routes, stopping at multiple ports to pick up and deliver both passengers and goods, contributing to the economic boom in the region during the mid-1800s.

Final Disposition

On August 2, 1858, the TELEGRAPH collided with the Schooner MARQUETTE approximately 40 miles north of Cleveland in Lake Erie. The circumstances of the collision are not fully documented, but such incidents were common due to poor Visibility, congested shipping lanes, or miscommunication between vessels in busy waterways.

Despite the severity of the collision, no lives were lost, and the crew and passengers were safely rescued. However, the TELEGRAPH sustained catastrophic damage and sank quickly, becoming a Total Loss.

Resources & Links

• • Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• • Great Lakes Vessels Database
• • Library and Archives Canada
• • Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD)

Conclusion

The loss of the TELEGRAPH highlights the dangers of early steam navigation on the Great Lakes, where rapidly increasing maritime traffic often outpaced the development of safety regulations. While no lives were lost in the incident, the wreck remains a part of Lake Erie’s rich maritime history, representing the early era of Steamboat travel that helped shape commerce and settlement patterns across the Great Lakes region.