KEYSTORM C129749

Table of Contents

History
Historical Photogallery
2008 Photos Tom Rutledge CC
YouTube video CC Dan Gildea
External Links

Freighter
20 – 105ffw
250f Length
St. Lawrence River
N44 35.358 W75 40.625

Table of Contents

History #

On October 26, 1912, the steamer KEYSTORM, loaded with coal valued at $120,000, sank in the St. Lawrence River near Alexandria Bay. The vessel, owned by the Keystone Transportation Company of Montreal, struck Howe Island Reef at around 4 o’clock in the morning. The crew managed to land safely while the ship was still ashore and were subsequently taken to Brockville. The KEYSTORM found its final resting place in 120 feet of water.

In August 1913, there were discussions about calling tenders for the retrieval of the sunken steamer. The Keystone Transportation Company, seeking to salvage their vessel and its cargo, awarded the contract to A.J. Lee of Montreal, who represented the Compressed Air Salvage Co. The salvage company took on the task on a no-cure-no-pay basis, with their payment depending on the value of the recovered items.

Efforts to raise the KEYSTORM began in October 1913. The Compressed Air Salvage Co., equipped with divers and a wrecking outfit aboard the STM. RELIANCE, initiated wrecking operations near Chippewa Pt., St. Lawrence River. Their plan involved using compressed air to pump into the vessel’s hold, displacing the water and allowing it to float. This innovative method drew considerable interest from vessel owners and industry observers.

Mills Listing provided additional details about the KEYSTORM. The vessel was built in Wallsend, England in 1910, measuring 250 feet in length, 43 feet in beam, and with a gross tonnage of 1673. It was propelled by a screw and had a modern steel structure. The final location of the KEYSTORM was near Brockville, Ontario, Canada, where it met its tragic fate of wrecking in a fog on October 26, 1912. The wreck was later sold in 1917 to J. Richardson & Son of Kingston, and the coal cargo was removed in 1919.

The salvage operation faced considerable challenges due to the depth of water where the KEYSTORM lay submerged. However, the successful recovery of the vessel and its cargo, estimated to be worth between $250,000 and $300,000, would be a significant accomplishment for the contractor. The KEYSTORM’s sinking in 1912 marked the end of its brief service as a steel steam barge.