The Philip Becker, with the official number 74214, was a tugboat built in Buffalo, New York, in 1876. Constructed by J. LeRock, it had a wooden hull and a single deck. The tugboat measured 51 feet in length, 13.3 feet in beam, and had a depth of 6.4 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 28 and a net tonnage of 19.
Originally owned by Wm. McRae of Montreal, Quebec, the Philip Becker was later acquired by Hickler Bros. of Buffalo, New York, in 1879. Unfortunately, on November 17, 1879, during a blizzard and gale, the vessel foundered in Lake Ontario, approximately 10 miles off Oswego, New York. Tragically, three lives were lost in the incident. The crew members were transferred to the barge Gordon, which also sank with all hands.
The Mills List records the Philip Becker as a screw propeller vessel with the Mills number 043090. It was previously registered in the United States before being registered in Canada. The tugboat was equipped with a 14×16 engine manufactured by J. B. Sutton in Buffalo. Its primary purpose was towing. The Philip Becker met its unfortunate fate while under tow near Oswego, New York, resulting in the loss of three lives.
External Links
- Marine Museum of the Great Lakes – Mills Listing
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File
- Great Lakes Ships
- 3D Model
- Sonar Guy Photo Gallery
