Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: R. Hallaran
- Type: Three-Masted Schooner-Barge (Originally Built as a Bark)
- Year Built: 1880
- Builder: J. Bailey, Toledo, Ohio
- Dimensions: 189 ft (57.6 m); Beam: 37 ft (11.3 m); Depth of hold: 16 ft (4.9 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 698 gross tons, 663 net tons
- Location: Off Stannard Rock, Lake Superior
- Official Number: 110434
- Original Owners: James Corrigan, McKinney & Co. fleet of Cleveland
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Three-Masted Schooner-Barge (Originally Built as a Bark)
Description
The R. Hallaran was a large three-masted schooner-barge, originally built as a bark in 1880 by J. Bailey of Toledo, Ohio. By 1900, she had been converted into a schooner-barge, designed to be towed by a steam-powered vessel to carry bulk cargo. She was part of the James Corrigan, McKinney & Co. fleet of Cleveland, which operated a fleet of bulk carriers on the Great Lakes. During the winter of 1899-1900, she underwent a major rebuild, possibly reinforcing her hull and rigging to extend her service life. At the time of her loss, R. Hallaran was carrying 1,600 tons of iron ore, bound from Two Harbours, Minnesota, to Conneaut, Ohio.
History
On May 2, 1900, the R. HALLARAN was being towed by the steamer M.M. DRAKE across Lake Superior when a violent storm developed. The heavy seas and strong winds caused the towline to break, leaving the schooner-barge adrift in the treacherous waters near Stannard Rock. The crew of the M.M. DRAKE attempted a daring rescue, managing to retrieve the crew of R. HALLARAN with great difficulty. Afterward, the M.M. DRAKE stayed in the area, attempting to locate and recover the vessel, but dense fog rolled in, and the R. HALLARAN drifted away into the mist, never to be seen again. She was presumed to have sunk in deep waters of Lake Superior.
Significant Incidents
- Crew rescued: All saved by the steamer M.M. DRAKE
- Cargo lost: 1,600 tons of iron ore
- Declared a total loss
- Final wreck location unknown
Final Disposition
Presumed sunk after drifting away in fog near Stannard Rock, Lake Superior, on May 2, 1900.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil—there are no confirmed reports of R. HALLARAN‘s wreck being found. Given her presumed final location in deep water, she remains one of Lake Superior’s missing wrecks.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”r-hallaran-us-110434″ title=”References & Links”]
The R. HALLARAN was part of the Great Lakes bulk cargo fleet, transporting iron ore across the inland seas. Her tragic loss in 1900, after being lost from tow in a violent storm, is a classic example of the dangers faced by schooner-barges, which were often at the mercy of their steam-powered tow vessels. Despite heroic efforts by the M.M. DRAKE to save her crew, the R. HALLARAN drifted into the fog and vanished, becoming one of the many missing wrecks of Lake Superior. Her final resting place remains a mystery, though it is likely in deep water near Stannard Rock, an area notorious for shipwrecks.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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