Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: James Dempsey
- Type: Wooden lumber schooner or tug
- Year Built: 1883
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Manistee, Michigan (lumber docks)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Wooden lumber schooner or tug (exact vessel type unconfirmed but likely engaged in overnight cargo operations at the lumber docks of Manistee).
Description
No detailed construction dimensions recorded. As a vessel built in 1883, James Dempsey would have been constructed with timber planking and fastened machinery typical for small Great Lakes working craft of the late 19th century.
History
- 1883: Launched and entered service in the lumber trade.
- 10 December 1922: Docked overnight at Manistee lumber docks. While moored, James Dempsey was destroyed by a sudden and intense dock fire. All 15 individuals aboard evacuated safely; no casualties reported.
Significant Incidents
- 10 December 1922: The vessel was destroyed by a fire while moored at the lumber docks in Manistee, Michigan.
Final Disposition
- Cause: Fire while moored
- Outcome: Total loss
- Details: The fire consumed the vessel before her crew could salvage valuable equipment or fittings.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No physical remains are known to survive. The charred hull was likely dismantled as a fire hazard or salvaged for usable components. No modern wreck site exists.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”james-dempsey-1883″ title=”References & Links”]
The James Dempsey‘s end by fire while moored at a lumber dock exemplifies the common risk of wooden vessels in close proximity to flammable shore operations. Though entirely lost, the safe evacuation of all aboard suggests sound emergency response and crew efficiency. Today, the event remains a footnote in the annals of Great Lakes maritime fires.
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: James Dempsey
- Year Built: 1883
- Final Disposition: Destroyed by fire
- Date Lost: 10 December 1922
- Final Location: Manistee, Michigan (lumber docks), Lake Michigan
- Casualties: None of 15 aboard survived (all escaped safely)
Vessel Type
Wooden lumber schooner or tug (exact vessel type unconfirmed but likely engaged in overnight cargo operations at the lumber docks of Manistee).
Description
No detailed construction dimensions recorded. As a vessel built in 1883, James Dempsey would have been constructed with timber planking and fastened machinery typical for small Great Lakes working craft of the late 19th century.
History & Final Voyage
- 1883: Launched and entered service in the lumber trade.
- 10 December 1922: Docked overnight at Manistee lumber docks. While moored, James Dempsey was destroyed by a sudden and intense dock fire. All 15 individuals aboard evacuated safely; no casualties reported.
Final Disposition
- Cause: Fire while moored
- Outcome: Total loss
- Details: The fire consumed the vessel before her crew could salvage valuable equipment or fittings.
Located By & Date Found
No physical remains are known to survive. The charred hull was likely dismantled as a fire hazard or salvaged for usable components. No modern wreck site exists.
Notmar & Advisories
No official Notices to Mariners or marine hazards were recorded in association with this event.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (under “J” categories)
- Regional newspapers from December 1922, Manistee press archives
Conclusion
The James Dempsey‘s end by fire while moored at a lumber dock exemplifies the common risk of wooden vessels in close proximity to flammable shore operations. Though entirely lost, the safe evacuation of all aboard suggests sound emergency response and crew efficiency. Today, the event remains a footnote in the annals of Great Lakes maritime fires.
Keywords & Categories
- Keywords: James Dempsey, dock fire, lumber vessel, Manistee, Lake Michigan, 1922
- Categories: 20th-century Great Lakes vessels, vessel fires, Manistee maritime incidents
- Glossary:
- Dock fire: Inferno originating onshore structures spreading to alongside vessels
- Total loss: When a vessel is damaged beyond repair or salvage value