W. L. Wetmore (Propeller), U80196, collision, 8 Sep 1890

A serious collision took place in the rapids at 1:30 this morning, in which the schooner TREMBLE was sunk and one sailor drowned. The large steambarge W.L. WETMORE with the barge BRUNETTE was coming into the river. The steambarge BLANCHARD, with the schooner TREMBLE was coming up. The BLANCHARD whistled for the WETMORE to take the American side and was answered. The two steambarges passed 200 feet apart. The barge TREMBLE did not make it and was struck by the WETMORE and went down in the rapids in 3 minutes. One man, asleep at the time, drowned. The rest of the crew was taken aboard the car ferry HURON.
      The steambarge WETMORE is badly damaged and is now lying at the waterworks dock with her bow, above the waterline, badly stove in. The sunken schooner was owned by J.T. Fitzpatrick of Cleveland, was loaded with coal and is now lying in the channel on the American side, with her bow to the east, with her spars out of the water about 3 feet. She lies in the channel and is a great danger to incoming vessels.
      Port Huron Daily Times
      Monday, September 8, 1890

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      COLLISIONS NEAR PORT HURON.
      A stearner Crashes Into and Sinks a Schooner.
      Another Steamer, Trying to Avoid the Wreck, Collides With a Ferry.
      Early yesterday morning the steamer B. W. Blanchard was towing the large lake schooner MI. E. TREMBLE near Port Huron. The steamer and schooner met the steambarge W. L. WETMORE. Signals to pass to starboard were exchanged. The steamers passed each other, but the WETMORE and TREMBLE approached each other and collided with a fearful shock. The schooner sank at once. All of the crew escaped but William
McMaugh of Kingston, who went down with the vessel. The WETMORE was damaged considerably. Her bows were smasbed and she is leaking. The TREMBLE is insured for $23.571. She was one of the largest schooners afloat in the lakes.
      The steamer R. P. RANNEY and tow, the schooner JOHN MARTIN, were following the BLANCHARD. In trying to avoid the wreck the RANNEY struck the Grand Trunk Ferry HURON and was damaged extensively.
      Buffalo Evening News
      September 9, 1890

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      The Murphy Wrecking Company are at work removing the wreck of the TREMBLE, sunk in the rapids.
      Port Huron Daily Times
      Wednesday, October 29, 1890

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      Murphy is not making very good success in working on the TREMBLE. He is waiting for a new diving outfit.
      Saginaw Courier-Herald
      Thursday, October 30, 1890

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      The barge SUPERIOR ran into and sunk Murphy's wrecking schooner BEN HUR, on the St. Clair River Saturday night at 7 o'clock. The BEN HUR had been engaged in wrecking the sunken boat TREMBLE and was lying alongside the wreck when she was hit. The wrecking outfit of the BEN HUR is a total loss, everything going to the bottom.
      Port Huron Daily Times
      Monday, November 10, 1890
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      BEN HUR, schooner of 314.53 gross tons; 297.85 tons net. Official U.S. No. 3411. Built Dunnville, Ont. 1874. Home port, Detroit. 138 x 25.6 x 11.2. Remarks - Formerly British schooner M.C. UPPER.
      List of Merchant Vessels
      of the U. S. A. for 1892

      . . . . .
Steam screw W.L. WETMORE. U. S. No. 80196 Of 1216 gross tons. Built Cleveland, Ohio, 1871 by Quayle & Martin. 213.7 x 33.4 x 12.6 Wrecked Rabbit Island, Georgian Bay November 29, 1901
      Herman Runge List