SIMLA C112114

Bulk Freighter
98ffw
225f Length
Wolfe Island Graveyard, Lake Ontario
N44 06 976 W76 33 606

SIMLA, a wooden canaller with the official number C 112114, had a significant presence on the Great Lakes from 1914 to 1921. Originally, the vessel measured 1,490 tons gross and 973 tons net. However, in 1912, it underwent a remeasurement, resulting in new figures of 1,196.87 tons gross and 730.94 tons net. The SIMLA had a capacity of 40,000 bushels of wheat or 1,200 tons on a 14-foot draft. Its dimensions were recorded as 225.6 feet between perpendiculars and 230.75 feet overall. The ship was launched on May 9, 1903, at Garden Island, Ontario, featuring a round stern design.

Propelled by a three-cylinder triple expansion engine, the SIMLA had a total of 750 indicated horsepower and 400 rated horsepower, which were installed by Polson Ironworks in Toronto. The vessel received an exceptional rating from Lloyd’s Register in 1906, being classified as A1*, their highest category, and valued at $70,000. However, by 1914, its value had decreased to $22,000, and its insurance rating remained at 100/100.

In 1908, the Calvin Co., known for constructing their own ships, including the SIMLA, assigned the vessel to the ore trade between Deseronto and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The ship encountered a grounding incident on May 6, 1911, near Longue Pointe, Montreal, requiring substantial repairs. On July 16, 1914, the Montreal Transportation Co. purchased the SIMLA from H.A. Calvin.

The SIMLA experienced several noteworthy incidents during its service. It ran aground on Isle Perreault in Lake St. Louis on November 4, 1915, while traveling from Montreal to Port Colborne, Ontario. A collision occurred with the FAIRFAX (C 111966, 1,367 tons gross) and the Montreal Transportation Co.’s steamer ADVANCE in the Lachine Canal on August 21, 1916, resulting in damages that were subsequently repaired.

On October 3, 1916, the SIMLA struck a shoal off Coronation Island, approximately two miles above Brockville, Ontario, leading to its sinking. However, the vessel was salvaged by Donnelly and taken to Kingston Dry Dock for major repairs. In 1918, along with several other Montreal Transportation Co. vessels, it was sold to Angel B. Lagueruela of Havana, Cuba, for $110,000, with a deposit of $50,000. However, the buyer defaulted on the purchase.

Under Montreal Transportation Co. ownership, the SIMLA was involved in another incident on March 31, 1919, while towing the Montreal Transportation Co. (formerly Calvin) barge BURMA at Port Dalhousie, Ontario. The barge collided with the west entrance pier and sank. In 1921, as part of the final winding up of the Montreal Transportation Co. fleet, the SIMLA was transferred to Canada Steamship Lines ownership. It remained in their possession until 1926, but its usage significantly declined, and it was eventually laid up at Portsmouth, Ontario.

Tragically, on November 18, 1926 (also reported as November 23), the SIMLA burned to the waterline at its layup berth. The vessel’s engines were salvaged and subsequently installed in the Canada Steamship Lines freighter MAPLEHEATH, formerly known as TOILER (C 129767), in 1929. The MAPLEHEATH retained the engines until 1959. The SIMLA was removed from the register in 1929. Later, on September 6, 1937, it was raised by Sin Mac Lines, Limited, and scuttled in deep water off Kingston, Ontario, in Lake Ontario.

The SIMLA holds historical significance as it may have been the last remaining wooden bulk carrier on the Great Lakes at the time. Its name, which refers to a city in India, might be connected to the diplomatic efforts concerning Tibet during the vessel’s construction, eventually leading to the Simla Convention of 1914.