Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Harry Cottrell
- Type: Wooden propeller steamer
- Year Built: 1886
- Builder: J.M. Jones
- Dimensions: Length 80 ft (24.4 m); Beam 17 ft (5.2 m); Depth of hold 8 ft (2.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 91 gross tons, 61 net tons
- Location: Off Point Pelee or Lake Erie vicinity
- Official Number: 95884
- Original Owners: Cottrell family
- Number of Masts: Not specified
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden-hulled steam propeller vessel used for general towing and utility service, typical of the late 19th-century harbours and lakefront operations.
Description
Built in 1886 at Marine City, the Harry Cottrell was a classic service tug of her era—compact, manoeuvrable, and equipped with a single-cylinder steam engine. With a gross tonnage of 91, she served various lakeside towing and small-freight roles, but was not a coal hauler or large freighter.
History
Operating largely on Lake Erie and the Detroit River system, the Harry Cottrell was owned by the Cottrell family and served ports between Michigan and Ohio. On 20 September 1896, while underway (possibly near Erie, Pennsylvania or further west toward Pelee), a catastrophic boiler explosion tore through the hull. The vessel broke apart quickly; some crew were reportedly rescued or swam to safety. No loss of life was officially recorded in major registries, though injury reports surfaced in periodicals.
Despite the violence of the explosion, it was noted the Harry Cottrell had passed recent boiler inspections, raising concerns about human error or overpressurization.
Significant Incidents
- 20 September 1896: Catastrophic boiler explosion while underway; hull destroyed; several crew members injured but no verified fatalities in U.S. records.
Final Disposition
Destroyed entirely by boiler explosion. Remains likely sank or drifted in pieces—none recovered for reconstruction. The wreck has never been located.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not found. No known diving location or debris field mapped. Wreckage presumed scattered or submerged in silt within Lake Erie or Detroit River area.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”harry-cottrell-us-95884″ title=”References & Links”]
The Harry Cottrell represents a typical late-19th-century working tug that met a sudden and dramatic end not by storm, but by a catastrophic boiler failure. Though no cargo or storm was involved, the incident contributed to increasing scrutiny of boiler maintenance and safety protocols on small steamers in the region. Her story remains an important footnote in the evolving safety regulations of the U.S. and Canadian inland steam fleet.
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: Harry Cottrell
- Former Names: None recorded
- Official Number: 95884
- Date Built & Launched: 1886, Marine City, Michigan by J.M. Jones
- Measurements: 24.4 m × 5.2 m × 2.4 m (80 ft × 17 ft × 8 ft); 91 gross tons, 61 net tons
- Type: Wooden propeller steamer, general utility and towing vessel
- Cargo at Loss: None documented (not a cargo vessel)
- Date Lost: 20 September 1896
- Place of Loss: Off Point Pelee or Lake Erie vicinity (reported ambiguously)
- Circumstance: Catastrophic boiler explosion while underway; hull destroyed; several crew members injured but no verified fatalities in U.S. records
Vessel Type
A small wooden-hulled steam propeller vessel used for general towing and utility service, typical of the late 19th-century harbours and lakefront operations.
Description
Built in 1886 at Marine City, the Harry Cottrell was a classic service tug of her era—compact, manoeuvrable, and equipped with a single-cylinder steam engine. With a gross tonnage of 91, she served various lakeside towing and small-freight roles, but was not a coal hauler or large freighter.
History
Operating largely on Lake Erie and the Detroit River system, the Harry Cottrell was owned by the Cottrell family and served ports between Michigan and Ohio. On 20 September 1896, while underway (possibly near Erie, Pennsylvania or further west toward Pelee), a catastrophic boiler explosion tore through the hull. The vessel broke apart quickly; some crew were reportedly rescued or swam to safety. No loss of life was officially recorded in major registries, though injury reports surfaced in periodicals.
Despite the violence of the explosion, it was noted the Harry Cottrell had passed recent boiler inspections, raising concerns about human error or overpressurization.
Final Disposition
Destroyed entirely by boiler explosion. Remains likely sank or drifted in pieces—none recovered for reconstruction. The wreck has never been located.
Located By & Date Found
Not found. No known diving location or debris field mapped. Wreckage presumed scattered or submerged in silt within Lake Erie or Detroit River area.
Notations & Advisories
No navigation advisories. Remains are either too dispersed or buried to pose hazards to shipping. The vessel was vaporized above and below deck.
Resources & Links
- U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service Records – Harry Cottrell (O.N. 95884) 1896 boiler loss
- Marine Board Reports (1896) – Detroit District Steam Vessel Accident Log
- Great Lakes Historical Society Registers (incomplete)
Conclusion
The Harry Cottrell represents a typical late‑19th‑century working tug that met a sudden and dramatic end not by storm, but by a catastrophic boiler failure. Though no cargo or storm was involved, the incident contributed to increasing scrutiny of boiler maintenance and safety protocols on small steamers in the region. Her story remains an important footnote in the evolving safety regulations of the U.S. and Canadian inland steam fleet.
Suggested Keywords & Glossary Terms: boiler explosion, steam tug, utility vessel, Lake Erie accident, Detroit River wrecks
Suggested Categories:
Great Lakes shipwrecks | mechanical failure | steam propulsion disasters | undocumented wrecks