The steam screw S.K. MARTIN, formerly known as CITY OF ST. JOSEPH, was a vessel with a gross tonnage of 302 tons and a net tonnage of 240 tons. It was built in 1883 at Benton Harbor, Michigan, and its home port was Chicago, Illinois. The ship measured 152 feet in length, 28 feet in width, and had a depth of 11 feet.
On an unspecified date in 1912, the S.K. MARTIN encountered a tragic incident near Erie, Pennsylvania. The vessel foundered while carrying 12 persons on board. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and all individuals on board were safely rescued before the ship went down.
The cause of the ship’s foundering is not mentioned in the available information. However, it is noteworthy that the vessel had been in service for nearly three decades since its construction in 1883. The loss of the S.K. MARTIN serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks faced by vessels operating on the Great Lakes, even for those with a long history of service.
