Other Names
- Caspin Wreck
- Schooner
- 35ffw 9m
- 136ft Length
- Point Pelee, Lake Erie
- 41 51.699 82 31.800
History
The collision between the steam barge City of Cleveland and the schooner Charger took place near the “Dummy” on July 31, 1890. The City of Cleveland, bound for Toledo, struck the Charger, which was en route from Detroit to Buffalo. The impact created a significant hole in the Charger’s port bow, causing it to sink within 10 minutes. Fortunately, two crew members, John Neville and John Bell, who were asleep in the forecastle, managed to escape through the opening made by the collision, although they suffered bruises from broken timbers. The crew of the Charger, including Captain Bates, was rescued by the tug Telegram and later transferred to the City of Cleveland, which then transported them to Toledo. Due to the suddenness of the collision, the crew lost all their personal belongings.
The Charger was carrying a cargo of 17,400 bushels of wheat, which it had loaded at the port of Detroit. The vessel itself had a value of $7,500 but was uninsured. However, the cargo was insured for $9,000 in the Detroit Fire and Marine insurance company and $7,300 in the Union Marine insurance company. The cause of the collision remained unknown at the time of the report.
According to another news source, the Buffalo Evening News, the Charger sank in Lake Erie as a result of the collision with the passenger steamer City of Cleveland near Toledo. The City of Cleveland was reportedly light and possibly unmanageable in the rough seas. Fortunately, the crew of the Charger managed to escape. The sunken vessel had an estimated value of $7,500 and was carrying 18,000 bushels of grain destined for Buffalo.
The Charger, a schooner built in 1868 by D. Rogers & Bates in Sodus Point, NY, had a length of 136 feet, a beam of 25 feet, and a depth of 10 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 277.87 and a net tonnage of 264.98. The final location of the wreck was reported to be near the Dummy Light at the mouth of the Detroit River in Lake Erie. The vessel’s final cargo, wheat, was later purchased and pumped out by J.J. Coon of Toledo, Ohio, on August 23, 1890.
Throughout its history, the Charger had various owners and underwent several repairs and renovations. It experienced a rebuilding in 1883, which included the replacement of decks, fore and aft timbers, beams, stanchions, planksheer, and rails. In 1887, it was equipped with sails. The vessel met its unfortunate end in 1890 when it was wrecked due to the collision with the City of Cleveland.
