History #
The WILLIE BROWN was indeed a wooden propeller steam tug built in 1868 by G. Notter in Buffalo. It had dimensions of 47 feet in length, 13 feet in beam, and 6 feet in depth. The tug had a gross tonnage of 20 tons and a net tonnage of 10 tons.
On December 6, 1889, the Willie Brown experienced a total loss due to a fire in East Saginaw, Michigan. However, despite being reported as a total loss, the tug was later recovered and remained registered until 1906. During the incident, there were no reported casualties. The Willie Brown was owned by McLean & Bridges of East Saginaw at the time.
Additionally, the tug encountered another sinking incident in the Saginaw River at Saginaw in April 1891. It is unclear whether this sinking was a separate event or related to the previous fire incident. Unfortunately, further details about this particular sinking are limited.
In November 1874, the Willie Brown also experienced a mishap when it burst a flue in Chicago, resulting in a property loss of $100.
Overall, the Willie Brown had a history marked by incidents such as fires, sinkings, and mechanical failures. It was involved in multiple accidents throughout its operational years.
