Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Monteagle
- Type: Wooden-hulled bulk-freight propeller steamer
- Year Built: 1884
- Builder: Robert Mills & Co., Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: 222'6" × 34' × 21'6" (67.8 m × 10.7 m × 6.6 m); two decks
- Registered Tonnage: ~1,273 GT; 1,035 NT
- Depth at Wreck Site: 4.9 m / 16 ft
- Location: Lake Munuscong, St. Mary's River
- Official Number: 91684
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A substantial wooden propeller freighter designed for large cargo runs, propelled by coal-fired boilers and a fore-and-aft compound engine (600 ihp). With a spacious two-deck configuration, she was built for heavy bulk freight, typical of late-19th-century lake commerce.
Description
The Monteagle was a wooden-hulled bulk-freight propeller steamer, built in 1884. She was designed for transporting large cargoes, primarily grain, across the Great Lakes. The vessel featured a two-deck layout and was powered by coal-fired boilers driving a compound engine.
History
On 19 September 1909, while downbound from Duluth to Oswego, the Monteagle struck a submerged crib in Lake Munuscong. The collision disabled her hull, and during salvage efforts, a fire broke out. The fire spread quickly, leading to the abandonment of the vessel, which burned to the waterline before sinking in approximately 5 feet of water.
Earlier in 1909, a separate incident involving a wooden crib fire near Chicago resulted in numerous fatalities, although this was unrelated to the Monteagle.
Significant Incidents
- Struck submerged crib on 19 September 1909.
- Fire consumed the vessel by 22 September 1909.
- No crew fatalities; all crew members survived the incident.
Final Disposition
The Monteagle settled upright in shallow water and remains partially submerged to this day. The wreck is burned but intact, and no fatalities occurred during the incident.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck is uncharted as a dive site but lies in known shallows, potentially accessible to technical divers. There is no formal archaeological reporting on her current state.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”monteagle-us-91684″ title=”References & Links”]
The Monteagle serves as a dramatic example of how mechanical failure—such as colliding with a submerged obstruction—can lead to catastrophic outcomes, even in calm waters. Her loss highlights the operational risks faced by vessels of her size and the limited salvage capabilities of the time.
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: Monteagle
- Official Number: 91684
- Built: 1884 by Robert Mills & Co., Buffalo, New York
- Vessel Type: Wooden-hulled bulk-freight propeller steamer
- Dimensions: 67.8 m × 10.7 m × 6.6 m (222′6″ × 34′ × 21′6″); two decks
- Tonnage: ~1,273 GT; 1,035 NT
- Cargo at Loss: Wheat
- Crew at Loss: None — all survived
- Date Lost: Struck submerged crib 19 September 1909; fire consumed her by 22 September 1909
- Final Location: Lake Munuscong, St. Mary’s River (16 ft / 4.9 m water) (greatlakesvesselhistory.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Vessel Type & Description
A substantial wooden propeller freighter designed for large cargo runs, propelled by coal-fired boilers and a fore-and-aft compound engine (600 ihp). With a spacious two-deck configuration, she was built for heavy bulk freight, typical of late-19th-century lake commerce (greatlakesvesselhistory.com).
History of Loss
Downbound from Duluth to Oswego on 19 September 1909, the Monteagle struck a submerged crib in Lake Munuscong. The impact disabled her hull and soon after, during salvage efforts, she caught fire. The blaze took hold rapidly, the ship was abandoned, and she burned to the waterline before sinking in ~5 m of water (greatlakesvesselhistory.com).
That fire horror wasn’t unique—earlier in 1909 a wooden crib fire near Chicago killed dozens, but that was a stationary structure unrelated to the Monteagle‘s fate .
Final Disposition
The vessel settled upright in shallow water and remains there to this day, burned and partially submerged. No fatalities occurred during the incident.
Located By & Date Found
Though uncharted as a dive site, the wreck lies in known shallows and may be accessible to technical divers. No formal archaeological reporting on her current state exists.
Notations & Advisories
The shallow wreck poses minimal navigation risk but could be visible or hazardous to small craft. No official hazard markers are in place.
Conclusion
The Monteagle serves as a dramatic example of how mechanical failure—like hitting a submerged obstruction—can trigger cascading disasters, even on calm waters. A vessel of considerable size and importance to freight transport, her loss reflects both operational risk and the limited salvage capabilities of the era.
Keywords: wooden bulk steamer, submerged crib collision, Lake Munuscong wreck, Great Lakes grain carrier fire
Categories: Great Lakes shipwrecks | Lake Huron/St. Mary’s River wrecks | early 20th-century freighters | propeller steamer accidents