The BALTIMORE, originally built as the ESCANABA in 1881 by Linn & Craig in Gibraltar, Michigan, met its tragic end on May 24, 1901, in Lake Huron, southeast of AuSable, Michigan. The vessel was a wooden bulk freighter propelled by a screw. It had dimensions of 201 feet in length, 36 feet in width, and 20 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of 1161 tons and a net tonnage of 918 tons.
The BALTIMORE’s loss was attributed to a storm. While battling the gale all the way to above Thunder Bay, the vessel struck a reef, ultimately breaking in two and foundering. Of the 15 crew members on board, only two survived, resulting in a loss of 13 lives. The BALTIMORE was carrying a cargo of coal at the time of its sinking.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the engine and boiler of the vessel were recovered in October and November 1901. Subsequently, most of the remaining gear from the wreck was salvaged in 1903. The remains of the BALTIMORE can still be found lying approximately half a mile southeast of the in Lake Huron, at a depth of 22 feet.
Throughout its history, the vessel encountered several incidents, including collisions, groundings, and other mishaps. Notably, in 1883, the ESCANABA nearly capsized with a corn cargo during a storm in Saginaw Bay. In 1896, it ran aground on Gull Island reef in Lake Michigan, which required assistance from the tug MONARCH for its release. The vessel underwent ownership changes and was renamed the BALTIMORE on May 5, 1899, under the ownership of P.H. Fleming and others from Chicago.
