- Type of Wreck: Propeller
- Location of Wreck: Main Duck Island – N43 54 255 W76 46 124
The steam screw Manola, officially registered as U.S. No. 92170, was a steel bulk freighter that played a significant role in the Lake Superior iron ore trade. Built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1890 by the Globe Iron Works, the Manola had a gross tonnage of 2,725 tons and a net tonnage of 1,835 tons. With dimensions measuring 282.4 feet in length, 40.3 feet in width, and 21.2 feet in depth, the vessel served in freight service and had a crew of 20.
Equipped with three masts and powered by a triple expansion engine, the Manola boasted an impressive 1,200 indicated horsepower and 241 rated horsepower. By 1921, the vessel had been fitted with electric lighting. Throughout its operational history, the Manola underwent modifications and changes in tonnage and dimensions.
In 1894, the Manola encountered trouble when it ran aground near the mouth of the U.S. Sault Ste. Marie Canal at Red Stack. Temporary repairs were carried out in a Cleveland dry dock, and the vessel was later repaired in a South Chicago dry dock in 1895, involving the replacement of 15 hull plates. In 1901, the Manola’s owner became part of U.S. Steel, and the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. took over as the operator.
On January 25, 1918, the Manola was sold to the U.S. Shipping Board. To facilitate its transition to saltwater operations, the vessel was cut in two for passage through the St. Lawrence Canals. However, tragedy struck on December 3, 1918, when the forward section of the Manola, under tow by the American tug Michigan, sank west of Main Duck Island near Kingston, Ontario. The loss of life amounted to 11 or 12 individuals.
The stern section of the Manola was acquired by the Montreal Transportation Co. from Charles A. Barnard KC, who served as counsel to Montreal Transportation Co. and was a member of the Canada Steamship Lines syndicate. The vessel underwent reconstruction at Davie Shipbuilding in Lauzon in 1920, receiving a new forward section and various modifications to adapt it for saltwater operations. However, despite these alterations, the Manola continued to operate exclusively on the Great Lakes.
In 1920, the Manola was sold to Canada Steamship Lines and renamed Mapledawn. In 1923, the vessel underwent lengthening at Collingwood, and its pilot house was relocated just aft of the forward hatch. On June 1, 1923, the Mapledawn was involved in a collision with the Century Coal’s barge Brookdale off Alexandria Pier in Montreal, resulting in the sinking of the Brookdale.
Tragedy struck the Mapledawn on November 30, 1924, during a snowstorm, when it was wrecked in 20 feet of water, approximately 100 yards off the west side of Christian Island in Georgian Bay. The vessel, en route from Fort William, Ontario, to Midland, Ontario, with a cargo of barley, succumbed to the treacherous conditions. Though salvage efforts were made, with approximately 75,000 bushels of barley and some machinery being recovered, much of the hull was eventually scrapped in 1942.
The Manola, with its rich history in the iron ore trade and subsequent transformations, left its mark on the Great Lakes shipping industry. Despite its ultimate fate, the vessel remains a testament to the challenges and risks faced by seafarers and the importance of maritime transportation in the region.
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