History #
The ALICE BROOKS was a wooden propeller tug built in 1882 by Alfred Hackett in Port Elgin, Ontario. It had an official number of C80909 and was owned by E. Brooks of Port Elgin. The tug had a length of 41 feet, a beam of 12 feet, and a depth of 5 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 17 and a net tonnage of 11.
On December 7, 1885, the ALICE BROOKS was involved in a rescue attempt of the schooner MARY S. GORDON, which had run aground near the mouth of the Saugeen River on Lake Huron. While trying to free the stranded schooner, the ALICE BROOKS ran aground itself and sustained significant damage to its bottom, resulting in it becoming a total loss. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident.
The tugs JAMES CLARK and EVENING STAR were able to salvage most of the cargo from the MARY S. GORDON and some of the equipment from both vessels.
The ALICE BROOKS was registered in Owen Sound, Ontario, and had a high-pressure engine with 12 horsepower built by Corbet & Sons in Owen Sound. The vessel remained registered until December 3, 1911, when it was closed due to being wrecked on Lake Huron.
External Links #
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Marine Museum of the Great Lakes – Mills List
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Ships
