Image as a wreck from GLMD, with REDFORD alongside
The schooner FLORA EMMA, captained by Thomas Fox from Port Hope, Ontario, encountered a destructive gale on November 16. The vessel, loaded with 144,000 feet of lumber, broke free from its moorings in the outer harbor of Oswego. It subsequently ran aground near the shore end of the east breakwater. Fortunately, the crew members were rescued by the life-savers, and there were no casualties.
The FLORA EMMA, a two-masted wooden schooner, was built in 1872 by W. Redmond in Picton. Some sources attribute the construction to McClennan, with Redmond listed as the owner. The specifications of the vessel were recorded as 97 feet in length, 23 feet in beam, and 8 feet in depth, with a tonnage of 154.
On November 16, 1893, the FLORA EMMA met its demise in the harbor at Oswego during a severe storm. Strong westerly gales and blizzard conditions caused the schooner to break loose from its moorings and be blown along the shore. Eventually, it came to rest on the East Pier and broke apart. The crew members were safely rescued by the Lifesaving Service, utilizing a breeches buoy. In a tragic turn of events, the tug ELIZA J. REDMOND, which attempted to assist the FLORA EMMA, was also lost.
Prior to this incident, the FLORA EMMA had already experienced difficulties. In November 1886, the schooner had gone ashore and suffered damage near South Bay in Lake Huron. Additionally, in July 1881, while sailing near Port Hope, the vessel was struck by a squall that resulted in the loss of both masts and the jibboom. The tug A. WRIGHT came to its aid and towed it back.
In July 1881, the FLORA EMMA also incurred damages during a gale near Port Hope, requiring an estimated repair cost of $1,000.
The FLORA EMMA had no other recorded names throughout its history.
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