The Wreck of the Steam Barge Jacques Cartier #
The Jacques Cartier, a wooden steam barge, met its unfortunate end during a severe storm on Lake Huron in late October 1878. Built in 1870 by Napoleon Muron in Detroit, the vessel was originally constructed as a passenger and package freight vessel. However, it later served as a bulk freight carrier. This article explores the details surrounding the Jacques Cartier’s loss, the harrowing experience of its crew, and the aftermath of the tragic event.
The Jacques Cartier was a wooden steam barge with dimensions measuring 85 feet in length, 19 feet in width, and 5 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 74 and a net tonnage of 66. The vessel was officially registered with the number C71253. While information about the ownership during its operational years is not available, it was sold to Canadian owners in 1875.
On October 28, 1878, Lake Huron was ravaged by a severe gale, described as one of the most intense in recent memory. During this tempestuous weather, the Jacques Cartier encountered its demise. The vessel was wrecked approximately eight miles north of Goderich, Ontario. The exact circumstances of the wreck are not detailed in the available sources, but it is mentioned that some of the crew members had to swim ashore, indicating the perilous conditions they faced.
Unfortunately, the records do not provide information on whether there was any loss of life during the wreck of the Jacques Cartier. Details regarding the cargo being carried at the time of the incident are also absent from the available sources. Therefore, it is unclear what goods or materials the vessel was transporting.
Following the wreck, the Jacques Cartier was left in a heavily damaged state. Efforts were made to salvage the vessel, but the prospects of success were not encouraging. The fate of the steam barge remained uncertain, and it is believed that it might have become a total loss. However, the machinery from the Jacques Cartier was salvaged and repurposed for a new tug being built in Marine City. The recovered machinery underwent thorough maintenance at the Fitzgerald Foundry in Port Huron.
The wreck of the steam barge Jacques Cartier serves as a poignant reminder of the perils faced by vessels navigating the Great Lakes during severe storms. The vessel, which operated as a passenger and package freight carrier before being converted to a bulk freight carrier, met its untimely end in a violent storm on Lake Huron. The exact circumstances and the fate of the crew are not fully documented, leaving some aspects of the tragedy shrouded in mystery. Nonetheless, the wreck of the Jacques Cartier stands as a testament to the challenging conditions faced by mariners on the Great Lakes in the late 19th century.
