IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #
- Vessel Name: James F. Cahill
- Vessel Type: Wooden Tanker Barge
- Built: 1914, Brooklyn, New York
- Length: 105 feet 4 inches (32.1 meters)
- Beam: 29 feet 7 inches (9.0 meters)
- Depth: 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 meters)
- Gross Tonnage: 396 tons
- Net Tonnage: 396 tons
- Owner: Carl D. Secord, Buffalo, New York
- Location: Buffalo Harbor, Lake Erie
- Date of Incident: September 12, 1928
VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #
The James F. Cahill was a wooden tanker barge designed primarily for freight service. It was constructed with a robust wooden hull typical of early 20th-century tanker barges. The vessel was relatively small for a tanker, making it suitable for operations within the Great Lakes. Tanker barges like the James F. Cahill were crucial for transporting liquid cargoes, such as oil and gasoline, across the lakes.
HISTORY #
The James F. Cahill was built in 1914 in Brooklyn, New York, for freight service on the Great Lakes. Owned by Carl D. Secord of Buffalo, New York, the barge was engaged in transporting liquid cargoes. On September 12, 1928, while moored in Buffalo Harbor on Lake Erie, the James F. Cahill caught fire. The blaze, which lasted over 17 hours, could not be contained by the fireboat William S. Grattan. As the fire burned through the barge’s mooring lines, it drifted into the nearby motor tanker B.B. McColl, causing an explosion. The incident resulted in severe injuries to several crew members of the fireboat and the tragic loss of one life.
FINAL DISPOSITION #
The James F. Cahill was completely destroyed by the fire and was declared a total loss. Despite the catastrophic fire, the William S. Grattan (later renamed Edward M. Cotter) and the B.B. McColl were both repaired and returned to service. The Edward M. Cotter continues to serve as a fireboat in Buffalo, with a storied history spanning over 115 years.
NOTMARs & ADVISORIES #
- No current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) are in effect for this wreck site.
LOCATED BY & DATE #
- The James F. Cahill’s remains were documented shortly after the fire incident in Buffalo Harbor. However, specific GPS coordinates and detailed dive site information are not available.
CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY #
The wreck of the James F. Cahill is presumed to have been scattered or removed, as it was in a heavily trafficked area of Buffalo Harbor. There is no known dive site associated with this wreck, and the condition of any remaining debris is likely poor due to the fire and subsequent harbor activity.
RESOURCES & LINKS #
TAGS #
- James F. Cahill
- Buffalo Harbor
- Wooden Tanker Barge
- Ship Fire
- Great Lakes Shipwrecks
- Edward M. Cotter
CONCLUSION #
The James F. Cahill stands as a tragic reminder of the hazards associated with early 20th-century tanker operations on the Great Lakes. The catastrophic fire that destroyed the barge also demonstrated the bravery and challenges faced by those tasked with fighting such blazes. Though the wreck itself may not be a prominent dive site, the story of the James F. Cahill continues to resonate within the maritime history of the Great Lakes.
