City of Buffalo (Bark), U4407, sunk, 9 Sep 1875

"September 1875 - - Bark CITY OF BUFFALO sunk at Port Huron."
      "Hist.,of the Great Lakes "
      by Mansfield p.731

      . . . . .
     
The barque CITY OF BUFFALO, ore laden, while passing through the Sault River struck a rock and began leaking. The leak was not discovered until the vessel was outside, and with the gale upon her. She arrived at Sand Beach Friday morning at the harbour of refuge with six feet of water in her hold, and in an attempt to enter, went on the beach to leeward. She sank in sixteen feet of water. Her crew were saved. This was undoubtedly the vessel reported in distress by the propeller FOUNTAIN CITY.
      Toronto Daily Globe
      Thursday, September 16, 1875
     
      . . . . .
     
      The wrecking steamer MAGNET reports the barque CITY OF BUFFALO wrecked at Sand Beach, too far beneath the surface to be raised, except it is by the aid of pontoons.
      Toronto Daily Globe
      Monday, September 20, 1875
     
      . . . . .

      September Gale.-- On Thursday and Friday of last week a terrible gale raged on the lakes, causing many disasters Besides the loss of the EQUINOX many other vessels were wrecked or damaged. The schooner JOHN DUNN went ashore at Chicago Friday night and will prove a total loss. She was built last season at a cost of $23,600 and was insured for $12,000. The schooner MAJOR FERRY and scow-schooner M.J. GAINES also went ashore at the same time and place. The bark TANNER sank off Milwaukee, her master, Capt. Howard, being drowned. The schooner ONEONTA was driven into the north pier at Chicago Friday night, her master, Capt. Sam Bean, being drowned. The bark CITY OF BUFFALO, ore laden, while passing through the St. Mary's River struck a rock and began leaking. Upon her arrival at Sand Beach, Lake Huron, there was six feet of water in her hold. The vessel was beached and sunk in sixteen feet of water. The crew was saved The scow THOMAS RICHARDS of Detroit is on the beach near Port Hope, Lake Huron. Her crew were saved. The tug RESCUE was unable to tow the schooner FAREWELL through and beached her near Marine City in the St. Clair River, where her grain will be transferred. The tug MAYFLOWER with six barges in tow was caught in the severe gale opposite Port Austin and cut loose all of her tow but two, the EDWARD KEAN and the SPAULDING. Three of those cast adrift dropped anchors but dragged them, owing to the violence of the gale, and drifted on to the Port Austin reef. The SOPHIA SMITH, being light, went on broadside against the rocky shore and her crew without much difficulty stepped off on the land. The crews of the barges on the Port Austin reef were taken off by shore boats. Numerous other reports of lost deck loads, serious leaks and carrying away of sails and rigging of vessels on Lake Michigan were received and the general opinion expressed was that the storm of Thursday and Friday and its effects is the most serious that has taken place on the lakes for many years.
      Amherstburg Echo
      September 17, 1875
     


The bark CITY OF BUFFALO ashore near Sand Beach, has gone to pieces.
      Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
      September 22, 1875 3-5



      After a vain attempt to raise the CITY OF BUFFALO, which sank at the entrance to the Port Austin Harbour on the morning of the 10th. of September, the owner Wm. Christie, returned to his home in Erie, Penn. While at Sand Beach he purchased lumber at Pack, Jenks & Co. of Rock Falls, to aid in raising his vessel, to the amount of nearly $?00, giving a draft on a bank in Erie. The draft was forwarded, but returned protested, with the word that Mr. Christie had forbidden payment. Thereupon Pack, Jenks & Co. at once attached all rigging and furniture that had been taken off. Other parties also attached for various debts and the papers were served upon the Master of the CITY OF BUFFALO just before he left for his home in Erie, the property attached is worth more than enough to pay all the claims against it.
      Toronto Daily Globe
      Thursday, October 7, 1875
     



RAISING SUNKEN CARGOES. -- The Port Huron Correspondent of the Detroit Post says:
      "An effort will be made without delay to get at the cargo or railroad iron in the schooner SALTILLO, which sunk in the rapids here twenty-three years ago. Captains Irwin Dugan and M. Quigley, of St. Louis, are in town quietly making their preparations. The work was begun last year, but owing to the severe weather which prevailed during the fall, no satisfactory progress was made. These gentlemen are prepared with batteries to blow the SALTILLO decks off, when the cargo in her hold can be reached with little trouble by means of a diving bell, as the current is too strong to permit divers to descend in armor. The same parties will engage in raising the cargo of iron ore on board the schooner CITY OF BUFFALO, which sank near Sand Beach Harbor of Refuge last fall, and which an effort will be made to raise the vessel if she is not to much broken up.
      Cleveland Herald
      Monday, May 8, 1876
     



FIRST FROM THE CITY OF BUFFALO. -- The scow UNCLE SAM has arrived here with the first installment of the ore which was sunk in the schooner CITY OF BUFFALO near Sand Beach last fall. More is to come, and the prospects are that the schooner will get off without much damage.
      Cleveland Herald
      Monday, May 29, 1876
     

The bark CITY OF BUFFALO, which sank off Sand beach in 1875, directly in the passage is to be blown up in order to get her out of the way.
      Detroit Tribune
      Friday, June 15, 1877


      A submarine diver is at Sand Beach engaged in blowing up the sunken bark CITY OF BUFFALO to pieces. She is obstructing the channel.
      Port Huron Daily Times
      Friday, June 15, 1877


Quinn the submarine diver of this port is now at Sand Beach engaged in blowing up the bark CITY OF BUFFALO, which sunk at that place in 1875 and lies directly in the channel.
      Detroit Free Press
      June 15, 1877


     
NAME: CITY OF BUFFALO
RIG: Bark
OFFICIAL NO: 4407
SIGNAL LETTERS:
LOA:
BEAM:
DEPTH:
GROSS: 340.22 (Pre-list; 1869; 1870; 1871; 1872; 1873; 1875; 1876; 1877; 1878)
NET:
YEAR BUILT:
STATE:
CITY:
HOME PORT: Erie, PA (Pre--list; 1869; 1870; 1871; 1872; 1873; 1875; 1876; 1877; 1878)
YEARS LISTED: Pre-list; 1869; 1870; 1871; 1872; 1873; 1875; 1876; 1877; 1878.
NOTES:
      MVUS, Pre-list to 1885