According to a special report from the Inter Ocean dated October 22, 1883, a distress signal was spotted by the captain of the tug Barons around 5 o’clock in the morning, approximately five miles from Charlotte on Lake Ontario. The signal led them to the barge Pacific, which was drifting helplessly on the lake. The Pacific had lost its rudder and sustained significant damage to its side. The captain of the Pacific explained that they were being towed by the tug Caribeen from Montreal to Fair Haven, along with the John Marsh, the Eugene, and another barge. However, they were caught in a severe gale, causing the tow line to break and the barges to drift apart. During the chaos, the Pacific collided with one of the other barges, resulting in damage to both vessels. Within five minutes of the collision, the light on the John Marsh disappeared, and the vessel was never seen again. The John Marsh was running empty with a crew of three men and one woman, who were presumed to have perished. Unfortunately, their names were not known. The Eugene, on the other hand, managed to hoist its sails and safely reach port. The Caribeen sought refuge in Oswego and eventually arrived in Charlotte to retrieve the Pacific. It was reported that Lake Ontario experienced exceptionally rough conditions during that Saturday and Sunday, according to experienced sailors.
The John Marsh, a barge with a tonnage of 300 and only four years old, was declared a total loss on Lake Ontario in 1883. Its value was estimated at $3,500. This information was recorded in the Lost Tonnage on the Lakes in 1883 report published in the Marine Record on December 27, 1883.
The Marsh barge, which foundered on October 22, 1883, was appraised at an approximate value of $4,000, with the same amount being reported as the estimated loss. These details were included in the Casualty List for 1883 published in the Toronto Globe on December 4, 1883.
