Site Description #
- Bulk Freighter
- 30ffw 10m
- 230ft Length
- Lake Erie
- 42° 51.900′ N 079° 09.233′ W
Chronological History more info from C.Patrick Labadie #
On Thanksgiving Day in 1911, the steamer Raleigh met a tragic fate in the turbulent waters of Lake Erie, half a mile off Point Abino near Port Colborne. Captain Harry Beauvais, the captain of the Raleigh, recounted the harrowing tale of the rescue. The storm seemed relentless, making it difficult for them to find a safe opportunity to leave the ship. However, around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, they decided it was too dangerous to remain on board any longer.
Two boats were launched, taking some of the crew members, while Mr. and Mrs. Wise, Pritchard, Smith, and Captain Beauvais remained on the Raleigh. The first boat successfully left the ship’s shelter but capsized just as it approached the shore. Luckily, the people on the shore, who had seen the distress signals, gathered at the point and rescued all the men from the first boat.
One crew member named Pritchard had a premonition and refused to board the second boat. Despite the urging of Captain Beauvais, Pritchard was determined to wait for the lifesavers to rescue him. As Captain Beauvais and the remaining crew members, Smith and the Wise couple, headed for the shore, they encountered immense waves. Tragically, the Wise couple was swept away by a massive wave, and only Captain Beauvais and Smith managed to reach the shore with the help of the crew and the people on the shore. They were both dazed and paralyzed from the cold.
Captain Beauvais mentioned that the last time they saw Pritchard was before the Raleigh broke in two. Pritchard had been standing on the stern, watching their progress through the binoculars. According to reports, as soon as Captain Beauvais and Smith were hauled ashore, the ship collapsed, and Pritchard went down with it. If Pritchard had followed Captain Beauvais into his cabin, he might have been saved, as the forward part of the vessel remained afloat when the lifesavers arrived.
The Raleigh, registered with the U.S. number 110154, was a steam screw vessel with a gross tonnage of 1,205 tons. It was built in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1871, and its home port was Detroit, Michigan. The ship was primarily engaged in freight service and had a crew of 12. The Department of Transport in Canada reported that the rudder gave way in heavy seas, leading to the ship’s loss on November 30, 1911, approximately 5 miles east of Port Colborne.
Throughout its history, the Raleigh faced various incidents and underwent several repairs and ownership changes. The ship encountered mishaps such as striking a reef and sinking, being forced aground, and suffering damage from ice. It went through multiple rebuilds and changes in ownership. However, its final fate was sealed when it foundered in Lake Erie on November 30, 1911, resulting in the loss of three lives.
Today, the wreck of the Raleigh rests at the bottom of Lake Erie, discovered by the Royal Ontario Museum in 1975. Despite the wreckage being flattened and broken, significant components of the ship’s propulsion machinery are still visible at the site, including firebox boilers, a steeple compound engine, air pump, windlass, deck winches, rudder, and capstans. The wreck serves as a testament to the perils faced by sailors and the bravery of those involved in rescue efforts during that fateful Thanksgiving Day in 1911.
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