James Fisk and Jay Gould were notorious corporate raiders in the 19th century known for their involvement in various financial schemes and their close ties to corrupt politician Boss Tweed. One of their notable exploits was the infamous “Black Friday” in 1869 when they attempted to corner the gold market, leading to a financial panic.
During their control of the Erie Railroad, Fisk and Gould commissioned two propellers named after themselves to transport passengers and freight on the Great Lakes. They also operated a pair of sidewheel passenger ferries in New York Harbor, which were likewise named after them. Interestingly, Fisk and Gould would only ride on the ferry that wasn’t named after them to avoid being recognized by the public. Each ferry featured a portrait of its respective namesake in the grand salon.
Regarding the Great Lakes propeller James Fisk Jr., it was converted into a lumber-hooker in 1901. However, in 1906, tragedy struck when the vessel caught fire and burned to the waterline, ultimately sinking in the St. Clair Flats. Witnesses on Harsens Island reported that the burning ship made a spectacular sight as it steamed past them engulfed in flames.
The James Fisk Jr., classified as a bulk freighter, was built in 1870 in Buffalo, New York, by Bidwell & Banta. It was initially owned by the Union Steamboat Line, with Stephen Caldwell serving as Vice President. The vessel had a wooden hull, two decks, and a single mast. Its propulsion system consisted of a steeple compound engine with two cylinders measuring 24 inches and 54 inches and a stroke of 36 inches. The engine, producing 400 horsepower at 74 revolutions per minute, was manufactured by Shepard Iron Works. The vessel was also equipped with an 8-foot-6-inch by 18-foot tubular boiler and an 11-foot wheel. The James Fisk Jr. measured 216.3 feet in length, 32 feet in beam, and 12.4 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 1095.95 and a net tonnage of 946.23. The vessel had a capacity of 1200 tons.
On November 14, 1906, the James Fisk Jr. suffered a devastating fire at Muir’s Landing on the St. Clair River. The ship was beached, and the crew managed to escape in small boats. The vessel was burned to the waterline as a result of the fire.
Interestingly, the James Fisk Jr. had encountered a previous incident in 1901 when it sank in Lake St. Clair after a collision while towing the barge H.C. Sprague. Both vessels were later recovered from this mishap. The H.C. Sprague was subsequently renamed Nellie Lyon. However, both the James Fisk Jr. and the Nellie Lyon met their final fate due to subsequent fires and now rest as permanent fixtures in the St. Clair Flats.
Its sister ship, the JAY GOULD, is sunk in Lake Erie.
You must be logged in to post a comment.