The William Dickinson was a tugboat that had an unfortunate end in a fire at the Salt Dock in Marine City, Michigan, on September 16, 1923. Today, the wreck of the tugboat can be found near the Tag-a-Long trailer park, south of the Marine City DNR boat launch. The wreckage includes various machinery, including a large boiler lying on its side.
The William Dickinson had a notable history before its demise. In February 1895, it participated in the search for the ill-fated CHICORA on Lake Michigan. The tugboat was also involved in an incident in Chicago in August 1904 when a car fell off the Rush Street drawbridge, which had opened to allow the tug to pass. The William Dickinson quickly turned around and rescued most of the car’s occupants from the Chicago River.
The tugboat was built in 1893 at Benton Harbor, Michigan, by E.W. Heath. It was originally owned by Barry Bros. Towing Co. in Chicago, Illinois. The vessel was constructed with a wooden hull and featured a single deck. Its propulsion system consisted of a screw-driven by a high-pressure engine with two cylinders, measuring 20 1/2 inches by 20 1/2 inches by 21 inches. The engine, manufactured by R. Tarrant Iron Works, provided 375 horsepower at 150 rpm. The tugboat was equipped with a 9′ x 14′ firebox boiler built by Johnston Bros.
The William Dickinson had dimensions of 78.2 feet in length, 19.5 feet in beam, and 10.9 feet in depth. It had a gross tonnage of 78.98 and a net tonnage of 49.33.
On September 11, 1923, the William Dickinson met its tragic end when it burned in the St. Clair River in Marine City. The fire occurred at the McLouth Shipyard. Following the fire, the vessel was declared lost, and on September 29, 1923, its documents were surrendered.
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