H.B. U96862

The H.B., a schooner-barge built in 1890, met its fateful end on October 17, 1912, in the treacherous waters of Lake Ontario. The vessel, with an official number of 96862, was constructed in Montreal, Quebec, using wood as its primary hull material. D. Tait was the skilled builder behind its creation.

Designed as a schooner-barge, the H.B. featured a single deck and was equipped with three masts. It measured 171 feet in length, 34 feet in beam, and had a depth of 13 feet. With a gross tonnage of 541, the H.B. was a substantial vessel, capable of transporting sizable cargo.

Tragically, the H.B.’s final journey turned into a devastating disaster. While en route from Oswego, New York, to Montreal, Quebec, loaded with coal, the barge encountered a fierce storm. In the midst of the tempestuous weather, the tow line connecting the H.B. to the tugboat WILLIAM PROCTOR snapped, leaving the barge adrift in the violent waters of Lake Ontario.

As the H.B. and two other barges drifted aimlessly, disaster struck. Off the Galloup Island Light, approximately twenty miles from Sackett’s Harbor, the ill-fated barge succumbed to the merciless forces of the storm, plunging to the depths of the lake. The tragic incident claimed the lives of five individuals out of the seven on board.

Among the victims were J. D. Schamp, Steven Lebux, Fred Lahance, and 16-year-old Alice Derusha, the daughter of Captain John Derusha, who commanded the H.B. The loss of life was a stark reminder of the dangers faced by seafarers navigating the unpredictable waters of Lake Ontario.

Following the tragic sinking, efforts were made to salvage the remaining barges. The steamer Nicaragua spotted the Menominee, one of the adrift barges, and the tugboat Proctor, along with the barge Buckley, rescued the crew and brought them to Cape Vincent. However, as they returned to retrieve the Menominee, the barge succumbed to the turbulent waters and sank, though its crew members were saved.

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