The Charles Horn, also known as the Marion, was a propeller-type vessel built in 1889. It had dimensions of 217 feet in length, 34.58 feet in beam, and 19.75 feet in depth. With a gross tonnage of 1206.47 and a net tonnage of 978.45, it was a substantial ship. The construction of the Charles Horn took place under the supervision of Horn Lunow Transportation.
Originally built in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the vessel had an official number of 92102. Its home port was Chicago, Illinois. The Charles Horn was primarily engaged in freight service, with a crew of 17 individuals. It had a power rating of 600 indicated horsepower.
Tragedy struck the Charles Horn on May 15, 1926, when it caught fire at Point Peter in Lake Ontario. Despite the intense blaze, all 17 crew members managed to escape and were rescued by the Robert J. Buck, a Canadian steamship. The Buck remained in the vicinity until the Charles Horn eventually sank on May 16, 1926. The crew members were taken to Cape Vincent, awaiting further instructions from the vessel’s owner, Horne Lunow Transportation Company of Chicago.
The Charles Horn, previously known as the Marion, had a notable history. It was launched in Milwaukee in May 1889 and subsequently enrolled in Milwaukee. The vessel initially operated in the coal, grain, and lumber trade. In September 1889, it was involved in a collision with the Phillip D. Armour at St. Clair Flats.
The year 1890 saw the Charles Horn undergo rebuilding, resulting in two decks and a remeasurement to 217.1 x 34.7 x 19.9 feet. The managing owner at that time was James E. Danaher from Ludington, Michigan. The vessel towed the Allegany and Nelson Bloom and was engaged in carrying coal from Hoboken, New York, to Ottawa, Ontario.
In April 1899, ownership of the Charles Horn transferred to Samuel, Sidney, and Charles Neff from Milwaukee. A subsequent rebuild in May 1899 in Milwaukee led to a single deck, two masts, and measurements of 202.2 x 34.7 x 13.1 feet. The vessel had a gross tonnage of 930 and a net tonnage of 672.
Over the years, the Charles Horn changed owners several times. In 1903, it was owned by the Michigan, Indiana & Illinois Line in Chicago, with Robert Warner serving as the assistant secretary. The Morton Salt Co. became the owner on October 15, 1912, and the vessel underwent reboilering in the same year. A notable incident occurred in 1915 when the Charles Horn ran ashore near Ludington.
On June 14, 1922, the vessel came under the ownership of Horn-Lanow Transportation Co. based in Gary, Indiana. It was renamed the Charles Horn at that time. Sadly, the ship met its final fate on May 16, 1926, when it wrecked in Lake Ontario.
