Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Maud Preston
- Type: Fire barge (likely unpowered, towed by tug Fostoria)
- Year Built: 1886
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Erie
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Purpose-built as a fire barge, meaning it carried firefighting pumps, hoses, and support equipment.
Almost certainly wooden-hulled, as was common for auxiliary barges of its time; full dimensions and tonnage remain undocumented due to limited archival coverage.
Description
The Maud Preston, a wooden fire-support barge launched in 1886, suffered a catastrophic fire—likely due to spontaneous combustion of oily materials—while being towed by the Fostoria in late September 1898. The incident resulted in its total loss, with minimal documentation of bodily harm, salvage operations, or formal investigations.
History
Served between 1886 and 1898, likely stationed at ports along Lake Erie (Toledo, Cleveland, Bay City, etc.). Was being towed by the tug Fostoria when the incident occurred. Engaged in harbor support/firefighting operations, but detailed service logs are not readily available.
Significant Incidents
- The flammable cargo—pumps, hoses, oily rags, maybe coal or oil—is believed to have spontaneously combusted, a known hazard when oily materials are stored in warm conditions.
- Fire broke out while moving through Erie’s bay, rapidly engulfing the barge, leading to total loss.
Final Disposition
- The barge was completely destroyed by fire, with no known attempt to salvage.
- Records of casualties, insurance claims, or marine court inquiries are absent from online summarizations, suggesting archives have not been consulted.
- The fate of the tug Fostoria is not clearly linked to this event, and it appears to have continued service afterwards.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Archival exploration is needed to uncover more precise data on construction, ownership, crew, and the barge’s loss.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”maud-preston-1886″ title=”References & Links”]
Further research is recommended to fill gaps in the historical record, including construction data, crew manifests, and incident reports from period newspapers.
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.
Maud Preston (1886–1898) – Fire Barge Fostoria
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Maud Preston
- Vessel type: Fire barge (likely unpowered, towed by tug Fostoria)
- Built: 1886 (details sparse)
- Loss: Total loss by fire on 20 September 1898 (sometimes misreported as 20 May) while coming up Lake Erie bay with the tug Fostoria (Links to the Past, RootsWeb).
Vessel Type & Description
- Purpose-built as a fire barge, meaning it carried firefighting pumps, hoses, and support equipment.
- Almost certainly wooden-hulled, as was common for auxiliary barges of its time; full dimensions and tonnage remain undocumented due to limited archival coverage.
Operational History
- Served between 1886 and 1898, likely stationed at ports along Lake Erie (Toledo, Cleveland, Bay City, etc.).
- Was being towed by the tug Fostoria when the incident occurred.
- Engaged in harbor support/firefighting operations, but detailed service logs are not readily available.
Incident & Cause
- The flammable cargo—pumps, hoses, oily rags, maybe coal or oil—is believed to have spontaneously combusted, a known hazard when oily materials are stored in warm conditions .
- Fire broke out while moving through Erie’s bay, rapidly engulfing the barge, leading to total loss.
Final Disposition & Aftermath
- The barge was completely destroyed by fire, with no known attempt to salvage.
- Records of casualties, insurance claims, or marine court inquiries are absent from online summarizations, suggesting archives have not been consulted.
- The fate of the tug Fostoria is not clearly linked to this event, and it appears to have continued service afterwards.
Gaps & Recommended Research
- Construction data (shipyard name, official number, tonnage) remain unknown.
- Crew manifest, casualty list, or insurance records are not found in cursory searches.
- Recommendations:
- Search Great Lakes Vessel Database (Bowling Green State University) for “Maud Preston” or similarly named barges.
- Examine period newspapers (e.g., Toledo Blade, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Detroit Free Press) around Sept. 1898 for incident reports.
- Check U.S. Coast Guard investigation files or marine court records (specifically relevant to tug and barge accidents).
- Review Nicholson Transit Co. records (if they owned the tug Fostoria), often held in Cleveland maritime archives.
Conclusion
The Maud Preston, a wooden fire-support barge launched in 1886, suffered a catastrophic fire—likely due to spontaneous combustion of oily materials—while being towed by the Fostoria in late September 1898. The incident resulted in its total loss, with minimal documentation of bodily harm, salvage operations, or formal investigations. Archival exploration is needed to uncover more precise data on construction, ownership, crew, and the barge’s loss.
Keywords/Categories
- Great Lakes fire barge
- Wooden auxiliary vessels
- Lake Erie maritime incident
- Spontaneous combustion hazard
- 19th-century marine fire
Next Steps for In-Depth Research
- Search BGSU Great Lakes Vessel Database for official registry details.
- Access Chronicling America/Newspapers.com editions from Sep–Oct 1898 in Cleveland, Toledo, Erie for fire reports.
- Query US Coast Guard/Navigation Court files from 1898 for Fostoria and Maud Preston proceedings.
- Investigate whether local maritime museums (Cleveland, Toledo, Erie) hold photographs, insurance documents, or post-incident reports.