Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

John A. Paige (US 150215)

Explore the remains of the John A. Paige, a wooden steam tug that caught fire and sank in Lake Superior in 1892, with no casualties reported.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: John A. Paige
  • Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
  • Year Built: 1881
  • Builder: Thrall, Green Bay, Wisconsin
  • Dimensions: 74 ft × 16 ft × 8 ft
  • Registered Tonnage: 52 GT | 26 NT
  • Location: Near Siskiwit River, off Cornucopia, Wisconsin
  • Official Number: US 150215
  • Original Owners: W. H. Singer, Chicago

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type: Wooden propeller steam tug

Description

Built in 1881 in Green Bay, John A. Paige was a small but robust steam tug, purpose-built for inland water towing tasks common in the lumber and raft industries. Her compact size (74 ft length) made her nimble for river and lake applications.

History

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date of loss: September 6, 1892
  • Location: Near Siskiwit River, Lake Superior, off Cornucopia, Wisconsin
  • Cargo/Activity: Assisting in assembling a large raft of sawlogs
  • Incident detail: “She caught fire while assembling a large raft of sawlogs and was burned to a total loss. The fire was thought to have been due to an overheated boiler.”
  • Casualties: None reported
  • Crew actions: After reaching shore, the crew walked about 30 miles to Bayfield, Wisconsin.

Significant Incidents

  • Fire incident leading to total loss of the vessel.
  • Remarkable crew trek of 30 miles to safety after the incident.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the John A. Paige is considered a total loss and was abandoned after burning to the waterline. The burned hull remains likely sank to the lake bottom.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Wreck Site & Condition

  • Wreck: Burned hull remains likely sank to lake bottom
  • Site location: Off Siskiwit River mouth, near Cornucopia
  • Condition: Burned to waterline; considered “total loss” and abandoned
  • Notridge hazard: No navigation warning recorded; shallow water zone but likely dispersed debris

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”john-a-paige-us-150215″ title=”References & Links”]

The John A. Paige burned and sank on September 6, 1892, while engaged in log-rafting operations on Lake Superior. The incident caused no casualties, and her crew made a remarkable 30-mile trek to safety. While her burned remains were abandoned in situ, the site remains a promising candidate for remote sensing surveys.

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.

Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
Built: 1881 by Thrall, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Tonnage: 52 GT | 26 NT
Dimensions: 74′ × 16′ × 8′
Registry: U.S. (Sault Ste. Marie)
Owner: W. H. Singer, Chicago
Master: Captain D. Courlik (circa 1892)
(Wikipedia)

Final Voyage & Loss

  • Date of loss: September 6, 1892
  • Location: Near Siskiwit River, Lake Superior, off Cornucopia, Wisconsin
  • Cargo/Activity: Assisting in assembling a large raft of sawlogs
  • Incident detail: “She caught fire while assembling a large raft of sawlogs and was burned to a total loss. The fire was thought to have been due to an overheated boiler.”
    (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia)
  • Casualties: None reported
  • Crew actions: After reaching shore, the crew walked about 30 miles to Bayfield, Wisconsin (Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Vessel Profile & Service

Built in 1881 in Green Bay, John A. Paige was a small but robust steam tug, purpose-built for inland water towing tasks common in the lumber and raft industries. Her compact size (74 ft length) made her nimble for river and lake applications.

Wreck Site & Condition

  • Wreck: Burned hull remains likely sank to lake bottom
  • Site location: Off Siskiwit River mouth, near Cornucopia
  • Condition: Burned to waterline; considered “total loss” and abandoned
  • Notridge hazard: No navigation warning recorded; shallow water zone but likely dispersed debris

Sources & Documentation

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (“P” section) provide build, loss, and crew survival details (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • Local period newspapers (Wisconsin, Michigan, Canadian border editions) likely reported:
    • Sudden onshore fire and crew trek
    • Fire suppression and rescue logistics
  • Station logs of the U.S. Life-Saving Service at Siskiwit or Bayfield may document the crew’s overland journey and initial assistance

Next Steps for Research

  • Newspaper Archives (Aug–Oct 1892):
    • Bayfield County Press, Cornucopian, Superior Telegram, or Duluth News Tribune
  • U.S. LSS Logbooks:
    • Circa late 1892, stations near Bayfield, Houghton Harbor, or Cornucopia
  • Archival Maritime Context:
    • Lumber rafting logs or owner W.H. Singer’s business records
  • Sonar Survey Program:
    • Target area: Lake Superior off Siskiwit River (2–5 nm offshore), depths 30–80 ft
    • Search for burned-mate debris scatter patterns; wooden hull fragments may still lie buried nearby

Conclusion

The John A. Paige burned and sank on September 6, 1892, while engaged in log-rafting operations on Lake Superior. The incident caused no casualties, and her crew made a remarkable 30-mile trek to safety. While her burned remains were abandoned in situ, the site remains a promising candidate for remote sensing surveys.

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