The steambarge John E. Hall was built in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1889. It had an official number of 76790 and was constructed by Hanson & Scove, with H.M. Scove serving as the master carpenter. The vessel was owned by Samuel E. Hall from Manitowoc. It had a wooden hull, one deck, and two masts.
The John E. Hall had a length of 139 feet, a beam of 28.6 feet, and a depth of 10.9 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 343 tons and a net tonnage of 279 tons. The propulsion system consisted of a screw, driven by a high-pressure engine with one cylinder. The engine, manufactured by Grand Haven Iron Works in Grand Haven, Michigan, had dimensions of 24.5 x 30 inches. The vessel was equipped with an 8.5 x 12.5-foot firebox boiler.
On December 13, 1902, the John E. Hall foundered in a northeast gale and snowstorm near Main Duck Island, Ontario, in Lake Ontario. The vessel was carrying a cargo of coal at the time. It had previously lost its tow, the barge John R. Noyes. The crew of seven members, including Captain G.N. Spencer and three seamen, were rescued by the tug Crusader. The vessel ultimately sank in about six fathoms of water, approximately one mile from land and midway between Pultneyville and Bear Creek.
The information provided includes historical records and newspaper excerpts from the year 1903 and earlier.
