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.

(built 1880 – capsized and sank 16 August 1913)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Reliable (no earlier names recorded)
• Year built: 1880
• Vessel type: Sandsucker scow‑schooner (wooden flat‑bottom vessel used to dredge and transport sand)
• Cargo: Sand (light, shifting bulk cargo)
• Home port / trade route: Operating between South Milwaukee (WI) and Chicago (IL), Great Lakes (Lake Michigan)
• Date of loss: 16 August 1913 — afternoon to early evening in a sudden gale storm (part of the broader 1913 storm season)

Description

According to period sources, the Reliable regularly transported sand and operated near the Milwaukee-Chicago corridor. On the loss day she had nearly completed loading by 2:30 PM when the storm hit

Final Voyage & Fate

• On Saturday afternoon, 16 August 1913, while nearly loaded—some two miles offshore of South Milwaukee—the Reliable took on a leak in the hold. The crew pumped continuously for two hours. Capt. Krumer ordered dumping of sand to lighten the vessel around 6:00 PM. Shortly thereafter, she called for help, and the steamer Chicago happened by a few hundred yards away and responded ([turn0search0]).
• Due to shifting sand cargo in the gale, the vessel capsized and sank. The crew had time to launch the yawl or small boat; all were saved, no lives were lost ([turn0search0]).

Cause & Conditions

• The loss was caused by cargo shift in heavy weather, inducing a list and capsize.
• Combined with the leak and shifting load, the vessel became unstable and quickly rolled over.
• This event occurred amid a series of storms in August 1913 on the Great Lakes, though predating the infamous November 1913 “White Hurricane.”

Located By & Wreck Condition

• No modern rediscovery or underwater survey is documented. The wreck likely lies submerged near the sinking site a few miles off South Milwaukee.
• No formal Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins were issued.

Resources & References

• Wisconsin Shipwrecks database: Provides a detailed narrative of the sinking, cargo, crew operation, timing, and outcomes—described as a “sandsucker,” leak discovered at 2:30 PM, pumping for two hours, dumping cargo before sinking around 6 PM; crew rescued by passing steamer Chicago ([turn0search0]).

Summary Table

Element	Detail
Vessel	Reliable
Built	1880
Type	Wooden sandsucker scow‑schooner
Cargo	Sand
Route	South Milwaukee – Chicago (Lake Michigan)
Loss Date	16 August 1913 (early evening)
Loss Location	~1–2 mi offshore of South Milwaukee, WI
Cause of Loss	Cargo shift in a gale; leak → instability → capsize
Casualties	None (all crew survived)
Rescue	Crew launched boat; rescued by steamer Chicago
Modern Rediscovery	None known

Next Steps & Research Leads

• HCGL (Bowling Green) Great Lakes vessel accident registers (1913 coastal section) may contain enrollment details, owner name, master’s identity (Capt. Krumer), and official registry number.
• Local newspapers (Milwaukee Sentinel, Chicago Tribune, South Milwaukee Gazette, Aug 1913) may contain eyewitness reports, interviews, or harbor records regarding the sinking and rescue.
• Official Coast Guard or Lifesaving Service logs might reference the incident, given the involvement of a nearby steamer in rescue.
• Insurance or underwriting files—depending on registration—may include financial valuations or loss claims.

Conclusion

The Reliable was a small sandsucker schooner built in 1880, lost on 16 August 1913 during a gale off South Milwaukee. A leak and shifting cargo triggered capsizing, but all crew survived via a small boat escape and timely rescue by the steamer Chicago. While modest in size and not involved in the larger November hurricane, her loss underscores operational risks faced by local sand vessels in sudden weather changes.

reliable-1880 1913-08-16 13:02:00