History
The Ada E. Allen was a wooden steambarge built in 1872 by William Allen on Walpole Island, Ontario. It had a length of 90 feet, a beam of 22 feet, and a depth of 6.3 feet. Originally built as a bark, it was later converted into a steambarge in 1873. The vessel had an official number of 74066 and was owned by William Allen of Wallaceburg, Ontario.
The Ada E. Allen had a gross tonnage of 107 and a net tonnage of 68. It was propelled by a single screw and was equipped with one boiler. The steambarge was primarily used for transportation on the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair.
On September 21, 1887, the Ada E. Allen caught fire while moored at Heard’s Dock near Amherstburg, Ontario. To prevent the spread of the fire, the vessel was cut loose and drifted to Bois Blanc Island, where it burned to a total loss. The fire occurred while the steambarge was carrying a light load. There were no reported casualties in the incident.
The Ada E. Allen had undergone several rebuilds and repairs throughout its history. It was rebuilt to increase its tonnage, with rebuilds in 1878 raising it to 135 tons and in 1881 raising it further to 170 tons. Major repairs were also conducted in 1884.
The vessel was owned by J. Atkinson of Pelee Island, Ontario, at the time of its loss. The Ada E. Allen had recently been laid up, and its crew had been discharged due to its poor condition prior to the fire. The property loss resulting from the fire was estimated to be $1,000.
Please note that there is some discrepancy in the reported date of loss. The official record states September 21, 1887, while the other source mentioned September 22, 1887.
