Other Names
- MAYOR SCULLY
- NEPTUNE LINE No. 10
- Barge
- ?
- Still Missing
- Westfield NY
The AMERICAN SAILOR, previously known as the MAYOR SCULLY and NEPTUNE LINE No. 10, was a barge primarily used for bulk freight. It was built in 1918 and had a displacement of 429 tons. The vessel’s dimensions were recorded as 112.0 feet in length, 29.2 feet in width, and 13.3 feet in depth. Its official number was U.S. No. 167386.
Tragically, on November 2, 1937, the AMERICAN SAILOR met its demise in a storm off the coast of Barcelona, NY, although some sources mention Westfield as the location. The incident occurred in Lake Erie, and the vessel was carrying a cargo of sulfur at the time. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the disaster.
The AMERICAN SAILOR was part of a tow led by the tug BALLENAS and was accompanied by fellow barges, the AMERICAN SCOUT and BETTY HEDGER. Unfortunately, detailed information about the sinking is scarce, making it difficult to ascertain the precise circumstances surrounding the vessel’s loss. Reports from the Merchant Vessel List indicate that the AMERICAN SAILOR foundered off Westfield, NY, with one person on board, but no additional information is available.
The loss of the AMERICAN SAILOR was recorded in the 1938 Merchant Vessel List, which confirmed the vessel’s official number and provided its gross tonnage as 429 tons. The report stated that the sinking occurred on November 2, 1937, in Lake Erie, off Westfield, NY. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident.
According to the 1935 Merchant Vessel List, the AMERICAN SAILOR was a freight barge with a crew of one. It was owned by the New York Scow Corporation and operated out of New York, NY. The vessel’s previous names were listed as the MAYOR SCULLY and NEPTUNE LINE No. 10, indicating its prior service history.
The sinking of the AMERICAN SAILOR stands as a solemn reminder of the dangers posed by severe storms on the Great Lakes. The lack of detailed information surrounding the vessel’s loss underscores the challenges faced by historians and researchers in reconstructing the events of maritime disasters.
