Thomas D. Stimson US 25922 (Virginius)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Virginius (renamed Thomas D. Stimson in 1887)
• Type: Wood-hulled screw-propelled barge
• Year Built: 1881
• Builder: Daly & Son
• Dimensions: 160.6 ft × 31.6 ft × 11.6 ft (49.0 × 9.6 × 3.5 m); 509 GRT (468 NRT)
• Registered Tonnage: 509 GRT (468 NRT)
• Location: St. Clair Flats, near Riverside, Michigan
• Official Number: 25992
• Original Owners: Torrent & Farr (Muskegon, MI)
• Number of Masts: None

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Originally constructed as a powered barge (Virginius), she received a significant refit in 1887—including a centerboard, additional deck, and machinery upgrades—enabling independent steam-powered movements. She served in timber and coal towing operations across the Upper Great Lakes.

Description

The Virginius was a wooden-hulled screw-propelled barge equipped with a steeple compound engine. After her renaming to Thomas D. Stimson in 1887, she was enhanced for towing operations, allowing her to operate independently.

History

• 1881–1882: Owned by Torrent & Farr (Muskegon, MI); towed coal in partnerships (e.g., with Pacific in Toledo–Milwaukee trade).
• 1887: Rebuilt, renamed Thomas D. Stimson, enhanced vessel structure and propulsion.
• 1887–1903: Regular towing assignments (e.g., Newsboy, Atmosphere, Rogers & Donaldson, Harvey Bissell).
• 4 Sep 1890: Collision with Welland Canal Lock 18.
• May 1893: Grounding in Lake George.
• 1903: Final measurements: 159.1 ft × 31.6 ft × 11.6 ft; 422 GRT (418 NRT).

Significant Incidents

• 30 June 1903: The vessel burned and was destroyed at St. Clair Flats while loaded with lumber due to a fire sparked by an exploding lamp onboard.

Final Disposition

• Date & Location: 30 June 1903; burned and destroyed at St. Clair Flats, near Riverside, Michigan (Algonac area), while loaded with lumber.
• Cause: Fire sparked by an exploding lamp onboard; the vessel was beached to prevent sinking and consumed by the blaze.
• Cargo: Lumber.
• Casualties: None known.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No archaeological surveys or dive expeditions have recorded final wreckage. Portions of hull remains may lie ashore near Algonac in shallow water zones, though no official documentation exists.

Resources & Links

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The Virginius / Thomas D. Stimson typifies a Great Lakes cargo barge upgraded into a self-powered towing vessel. After two decades of service and multiple reconfigurations, her career ended in a lamp-induced fire in 1903, sparing no structural remnants. Her loss highlights fire hazards aboard wooden steam- and lamp-equipped tow vessels. While her final resting place remains unverified, her legacy endures in Great Lakes marine history.