History
The Alpena was a steambarge built in 1874 at Gibraltar, Michigan. It had an official number of 105351 and was constructed using wood. The vessel had a single deck and was the 12th hull built by Linn & Craig, with John Craig serving as the master carpenter. It was initially owned by Bewick, Comstock & Co. of Detroit, Michigan, and later came under the ownership of the Alpena Transportation Co.
The Alpena was powered by a screw propulsion system and featured a high-pressure engine with one cylinder. It had one boiler and one propeller, with the wheel measuring 9 feet 6 inches. The engine and boiler were obtained from the Frontier Iron Works in Detroit. The engine had 27 cylinders and a stroke of 32 inches, while the boiler measured 8.5 feet by 16 feet.
In terms of dimensions, the Alpena had a length of 154.4 feet (alternatively reported as 168.8 feet), a beam of 30.4 feet, and a depth of 10.8 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 369 and a net tonnage of 285. The vessel had a capacity to carry 800 tons of burden.
On October 26, 1891, the Alpena met its final fate. While carrying a cargo of lumber and sailing downbound in the St. Clair Flats of Lake St. Clair, Michigan, the vessel caught fire at around 10 p.m. The fire consumed the Alpena, burning it to the water’s edge. The incident occurred approximately three miles below the ship canal, leading to the vessel sinking in that location.
Throughout its history, the Alpena changed ownership multiple times. It was owned by Tyler & Co. of Buffalo, New York, in 1882, and later by Charles Bewick of Detroit and A.W. & W.B. Comstock of Alpena in 1886. Charles Hebard of Pequaming, Michigan, became the owner in 1887. In 1890, ownership transferred to Charles H. Westcott and J.W. Westcott of Detroit, as well as L.P. Mason and S.V. Haskell of Muskegon.
The Alpena had encountered various incidents before its final demise. In April 1890, it ran aground at Detour during a heavy snowstorm but was repaired in Detroit. In June 1891, a cylinder head blew while on Lake Erie, and the vessel underwent repairs in Detroit under the supervision of Hodges.
Ultimately, the Alpena met its tragic end due to the destructive fire on Lake St. Clair in 1891.
