On December 9, 1900, during a severe winter gale on Lake Erie, the iron ore barge CHARLES F. FOSTER, in tow of the steamer IRON DUKE, sank about 10 miles off Erie, Pennsylvania. Tragically, eight people on board the barge lost their lives. The CHARLES FOSTER was part of the fleet owned by James Corrigan of Cleveland and had been carrying iron ore from Duluth to Erie at the time of the incident. The vessel was valued at $19,000, and its cargo consisted of 1,000 tons of iron ore, which was insured.
According to Capt. Ashley of the IRON DUKE, the storm and heavy seas were so intense that the tow line between the vessels parted just as the CHARLES FOSTER plunged into a large wave and rapidly sank, without any warning. Despite efforts to locate the missing crew, they were not found, and it was assumed that they had perished in the sinking.
The circumstances surrounding the sudden sinking of the CHARLES FOSTER raised questions among vesselmen, as the vessel was considered seaworthy, and it was unclear how it could have made such a rapid dive to the bottom of the lake. The condition of the schooner was believed to be good, and James Corrigan, its owner, had invested in repairs to ensure its seaworthiness. However, vesselmen pointed out that vessels of this class should typically be laid up for the winter by November 25, and it was unusual for the CHARLES FOSTER to be still operating in such harsh conditions.
James Corrigan had experienced a series of unfortunate incidents during the navigation season of 1900, including the sinking of another of his vessels, the schooner R. HALLARAN, on Lake Superior, and the capsizing of the schooner-yacht IDLER off Cleveland, which resulted in the loss of several lives, including members of Corrigan’s family.
The wreck of the CHARLES FOSTER was later sighted on the route from Buffalo to Cleveland, about 7 miles offshore and between 6 and 7 miles west of the Erie Peninsula. Capt. William S. Hoag of the steamer JAMES B. NEILSON reported that the wreck was a dangerous obstruction to vessels, with one of its masts projecting 5 feet above the water at a 45-degree angle.
The CHARLES FOSTER was a schooner with a gross tonnage of 997.84 tons, built in Milan, Ohio, in 1876. Its dimensions were 227.0 feet in length, 36.0 feet in beam, and 15.0 feet in depth. The vessel’s homeport was Huron, Ohio.
