In November 1872, during a severe gale on Lake Superior, the barges SATURN and JUPITER, owned by Capt. E.B. Ward of Detroit, were lost near Whitefish Point with all hands on board. The SATURN and JUPITER were loaded with iron ore and were bound from Marquette to Wyandotte in tow of the steam tug GENERAL DIX. The JUPITER was commanded by Capt. Peter Howard of Detroit, and the SATURN was commanded by a man from Amherstburg. Both barges were carrying crews of eight men each.
The schooner MIDDLESEX also went ashore near Pointe Aux Pins during the same storm, but her crew was saved. On the other hand, the schooners W.O. BROWN and C.C. GRISWOLD, both laden with cargo, were reported lost with all hands on board.
The barge JUPITER had a loss of $28,000 to the ship and $13,000 to the cargo, with no insurance on the ship and insurance on the cargo. The attempt to recover the JUPITER and SATURN was eventually abandoned, as the wrecks were badly broken up and imbedded in sand, making recovery impossible. The crew of both barges perished, and none of the bodies were ever recovered.
This tragic event was reported in several newspapers, including the Port Huron Daily Times, The Toronto Mail, Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, and Detroit Free Press.
