The American schooner Fred L. Wells encountered a disastrous incident when it went ashore four miles east of Oswego, New York, during a northerly storm. The event took place on November 6, 1900. The crew members were eventually rescued from the wreck by Captain Anderson and his life-savers from Oswego, who employed a life-boat for the rescue operation. The rescue work was challenging and dangerous due to the heavy seas. The schooner, which was bound from Sackett’s Harbor to Oswego and running light, was deemed a total loss.
According to records, the Fred L. Wells had an official U.S. number of 120246 and measured 75 gross tons. It was built in New Jerusalem, Ohio, in 1875 and had dimensions of 80.0 feet in length, 21.7 feet in width, and 7.4 feet in depth.
The Fred L. Wells had a notable history as a schooner. It was previously known as the American schooner Raney, which had been rebuilt by Shickluna in St. Catharines in 1854. After the reconstruction, it was renamed the Fred L. Wells. The vessel was owned in Buffalo and made frequent visits to Toronto’s waterfront during the 1890s. However, in 1900, the Fred L. Wells met its fate and was wrecked in Oswego.
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