Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: City of Mt. Clemens
- Type: Steam-driven cargo/freight barge
- Year Built: 1932
- Builder: Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: Unknown; Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown
- Location: St. Clair River, at Detroit
- Official Number: 231734
- Original Owners: Captain J. S. McQueen
- Number of Masts: Unknown
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A compact wooden steam barge or freight steamer tailored for the tight waterways of the Detroit–St. Clair waterway system—used for carrying general cargo between ports.
Description
Although exact specs are lacking, the City of Mt. Clemens was small and manoeuvrable, designed for tow-lines and light cargo. By 1908, it operated under Captain J. S. McQueen—likely a Canadian owner/operator based in Amherstburg, Ontario, with routes servicing both Canadian and American ports.
History
The vessel served the upper Great Lakes freight corridor, weaving between the River’s cross-border traffic. On a foggy evening of 21 November 1908, visibility in the St. Clair River deteriorated severely. Navigating warily, the tug/barge combination was hit broadside by the steamer James B. Neilson. The Mt. Clemens rapidly took on water and sank in the channel. Crew members were rescued by the Neilson and brought ashore—fortunate, as no lives were lost. Given the cost and the barge’s condition, she was abandoned and deemed a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- 21 November 1908: The City of Mt. Clemens was struck by the steamer James B. Neilson in heavy fog, leading to her sinking in the St. Clair River. No casualties were reported.
Final Disposition
The City of Mt. Clemens sank in the channel and was left where she settled. No recovery or salvage efforts are documented, likely due to the small size of the vessel and the heavy channel traffic.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No formal wreck survey or dive team has reported locating the wreck. It remains submerged in undisclosed waters of the St. Clair River, possibly partially buried in the channel bed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”city-of-mt-clemens-us-231734″ title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The City of Mt. Clemens met her fate in dense fog on 21 November 1908, when struck by the larger James B. Neilson in the St. Clair River. Though no one was injured, the collision marked the end for the small steam freighter. Her wreck, unrecovered and uncharted, remains a little-known footnote in the maritime history of the Detroit–St. Clair waterway. Despite her modest profile, she stands as a reminder of navigational challenges and the risks small steamers faced amid commercial traffic.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: City of Mt. Clemens
- Former Names: None recorded
- Official Number: 231734 (en.wikipedia.org, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date Built & Launched: 1932, Kenosha, Wisconsin (Note: this appears to be build info for Vernon, but the steamer under Captain McQueen was a later vessel in 1908; registry details are scarce)
- Measurements: Unknown—classified as a wooden “steam barge” or small propeller steamer (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Type: Steam-driven cargo/freight barge or small freight steamer on the St. Clair River
- Cargo at Loss: Light—non-specified, general freight (core.ac.uk, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Date Lost: 21 November 1908 (en.wikipedia.org)
- Place of Loss: St. Clair River, at Detroit (some records say at the channel in the river) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Circumstance: Navigating in the St. Clair River in heavy fog, the City of Mt. Clemens, under Capt. J. S. McQueen of Amherstburg, Ontario, was struck (rammed) by the U.S.-registered steamer James B. Neilson. The collision caused her to sink. James B. Neilson took off the crew; no casualties were reported. (en.wikipedia.org)
Vessel Type
A compact wooden steam barge or freight steamer tailored for the tight waterways of the Detroit–St. Clair waterway system—used for carrying general cargo between ports.
Description
Although exact specs are lacking, the City of Mt. Clemens was small and manoeuvrable, designed for tow-lines and light cargo. By 1908, it operated under Captain J. S. McQueen—likely a Canadian owner/operator based in Amherstburg, Ontario, with routes servicing both Canadian and American ports.
History
The vessel served the upper Great Lakes freight corridor, weaving between the River’s cross-border traffic. On a foggy evening of 21 November 1908, visibility in the St. Clair River deteriorated severely. Navigating warily, the tug/barge combination was hit broadside by the steamer James B. Neilson. The Mt. Clemens rapidly took on water and sank in the channel. Crew members were rescued by the Neilson and brought ashore—fortunate, as no lives were lost . Given the cost and the barge’s condition, she was abandoned and deemed a total loss.
Final Disposition
The City of Mt. Clemens sank in the channel and was left where she settled. No recovery or salvage efforts are documented, likely due to the small size of the vessel and the heavy channel traffic.
Located By & Date Found
No formal wreck survey or dive team has reported locating the wreck. It remains submerged in undisclosed waters of the St. Clair River, possibly partially buried in the channel bed.
Notations & Advisories
There are no historical or modern navigational markers specifically warning of the wreck. Its position—if near the deeper channel—may pose minimal risk to navigation unless charted; no current chart warnings exist.
Resources & Links
- List of shipwrecks in 1908 – confirms sinking after collision with James B. Neilson; crew rescued (en.wikipedia.org)
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files summary of S-shipwrecks – basic classification confirmed (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusio
The City of Mt. Clemens met her fate in dense fog on 21 November 1908, when struck by the larger James B. Neilson in the St. Clair River. Though no one was injured, the collision marked the end for the small steam freighter. Her wreck, unrecovered and uncharted, remains a little-known footnote in the maritime history of the Detroit–St. Clair waterway. Despite her modest profile, she stands as a reminder of navigational challenges and the risks small steamers faced amid commercial traffic.
Suggested Keywords & Glossary Terms: St. Clair River loss, fog collision, steam barge, cross-border freight tug, early 20th-century river traffic
Suggested Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks | Riverine collisions | St. Clair River wrecks | Canadian‑operated freighters
city-of-mt-clemens-us-231734 1908-11-21 12:59:00