The Fred Mercur was a wooden bulk freighter that was built in Buffalo, New York, in 1882 by the Union Dry Dock Co. It had dimensions of 232 feet in length, 35 feet in width, and 18 feet in height. The ship had a gross tonnage of 1224 and a net tonnage of 966. It was originally owned by the Lehigh Valley Transportation Company and was enrolled in Buffalo.
The Fred Mercur was propelled by a screw and had three masts for sailing. It was equipped with a powerful engine, an 800-ton for-and-aft compound engine capable of delivering 99 horsepower. The ship had two cylinders and two boilers. It was designed with a robust 18-inch triple-thick hull to withstand the vibrations caused by the engine.
Throughout its history, the ownership of the Fred Mercur changed hands multiple times. It was owned by various companies and individuals, including the Iroquois Furnace Co., Frank Baird, George Hall Coal Co., George Hall Coal & Transportation Co., and W.E. Lawlar. In its final years, the ship was operated by the George Hall Coal Company of Montreal.
On July 3, 1925, during its final voyage, the Fred Mercur encountered a serious fire onboard. The captain, J.W. Scarrow, and the first mate, Charles McDonald, noticed the smoke and took immediate action. They alerted the crew and beached the ship on a rush bed near Stanley Island in the St. Lawrence River, west of Cornwall. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to intensify, and a boiler eventually exploded, causing the ship to sink with its stern in 45 feet of water.
The wreck of the Fred Mercur, located near Stonehouse Point in the main shipping channel, is marked on Canadian Chart 1413. Over the years, the remains of the ship’s superstructure have been carried away by ice, leaving nothing visible above the water’s surface.
In a previous incident in 1883, the Fred Mercur ran ashore and was scuttled near Erie, Pennsylvania. It was later released and repaired. In 1887, it was in drydock in Buffalo for bottom examination after being ashore in the rivers.
In an investigation following the stranding incident, the U.S. Local Inspectors exonerated Captain Fred Pope from blame and attributed the stranding to the neglect of the mate and second mate in reporting soundings to the captain.
Unfortunately, the Fred Mercur met its final fate in 1925 when it burned to a total loss near Cornwall, Ontario.
