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The Detroit Marine Historian Journal of Marine Historical Society of Detroit Volume 35, No. 11 - July, 1982 Published Monthly Annual Dues $8.00 Rev. Peter Van der Linden, Editor - 29825 Joy Road - Westland, Michigan 48185 WHEELER'S SIX SISTERS By Fr. Pete Van der Linden C. F. BIELMAN Young Photo Built in 1892; US 126887; Hull #92; 2,056 gross tons; originally owned by the Stewart Transit Company (C. F. Bielman, Manager) of Detroit. Abandoned due to age in 1927. RRR KK Many steel ships have been fabricated from the same plans drawn up by a naval architect. Witness the nearly identical sisters of so many years ago like the Lakers of World War I and those sailing today like the WILLIAM A. ROESCH, PAUL THAYER and WOLVERINE, the "River Class" self-unloaders. Identical sisters in wooden vessels were rare, six identical sisters almost unheard of, except for Wheeler's six sisters. ww In the early 1890's, F. W. Wheeler & Co., a West Bay City, Michigan shipyard, built six almost identical sister ships. They were all 291 x 41 x 19.8 and had identical triple expansion steam engines: 20", 32" and 54" diameter cylinders with a 42" stroke, all built by the Frontier Iron Works in Detroit. The only