SS James Gayley

James Gayley in Buffalo, New York, c. 1910
History
United States
NameJames Gayley
NamesakeJames Gayley
OwnerMitchell & Company
OperatorCleveland Steamship Company
Port of registryFairport, Ohio
BuilderAmerican Ship Building Company, Cleveland, Ohio
Cost$260,000 ($7.6 million in 2024)[a]
Yard number410
Launched29 March 1902
ChristenedMary Gayley
Maiden voyage15 May – 27 May 1902
Out of service7 August 1912
IdentificationUS official number 77523
FateSank on Lake Superior
General characteristics
Class & typeLake freighter
Tonnage
Length
  • 436 feet (132.9 m) (o/a)
  • 416 feet (126.8 m) (p/p)
Beam50 feet (15.2 m)
Depth28 feet (8.5 m) (moulded)
Installed power
Propulsion1 × propeller
Capacity7,000 long tons (7,112 t)[b]
Crew23

SS James Gayley was an American lake freighter in service between 1902 and 1912. She was built by the American Ship Building Company in Cleveland, Ohio, for the Cleveland Steamship Company. Upon the end of her maiden voyage on 27 May 1902, James Gayley became the inaugural vessel to utilise the automatic Hulett unloading rigs in Conneaut, Ohio, to discharge her cargo of iron ore loaded in Two Harbors, Minnesota. She hauled ore, coal and grain, and is known to have been involved in two accidents prior to her loss.

On 6 August 1912, at 12:00 (EST), James Gayley passed through the Soo Locks into Lake Superior with a cargo of coal she had loaded in Buffalo, New York, four days earlier, bound for Duluth, Minnesota. She was under the command of Captain Millard M. Stewart. A thick fog shrouded the lake, greatly restricting visibility. Early on the following day, while about 43 miles (69.2 km) east of Manitou Island, she was struck on her starboard side, aft of her collision bulkhead by the ore-laden freighter Rensselaer. As James Gayley began to sink rapidly, her crew and passengers were taken aboard Rensselaer, and were later transferred to the freighter Stadacona. James Gayley sank in between 16 and 20 minutes, while Rensselaer survived the collision, albeit with a severely damaged bow. In the aftermath of the accident, both the captain of Rensselaer and the first mate of James Gayley had their licenses suspended.

The wreck of James Gayley has never been found. As of 2025, she is the second largest undiscovered shipwreck both on Lake Superior and on the Great Lakes generally, behind the freighter D. M. Clemson.

History

Background

The gunship USS Michigan became the first iron-hulled vessel built on the Great Lakes, upon her launching in 1843, in Erie, Pennsylvania.[2] By the mid–1840s, Canadian merchants were importing iron vessels prefabricated in the United Kingdom.[3] The first iron–hulled merchant vessel built on the lakes, Merchant, was built in 1862, in Buffalo, New York.[4] Despite Merchant's clear success proving the potential of iron hulls, ships built from wood remained preferable until the 1880s, due to their lower cost, as well as the abundance of high quality timber and workers trained in carpentry.[5] Between the early–1870s and the mid–1880s, shipyards around the Great Lakes began to construct iron ships on a relatively large scale.[6] The most notable being the freighter Onoko, built by the Globe Iron Works Company, which became the largest vessel on the lakes upon her launch in 1882.[7] In 1884, the first steel freighters were built on the Great Lakes.[8] By the 1890s, metal had become a common hull material used on the lakes.[9] The development of the pneumatic rivet gun and the advancement of gantry cranes enabled shipyard employees to work at an increased speed, with greater efficiency.[10] This, combined with the rapidly decreasing steel prices, contributed to the rapid increase in the size of lake freighters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[11] The first 400-foot (121.9 m) freighter was built in 1895, the first 500-foot (152.4 m) freighter arrived on the scene five years later.[12]

Throughout the 1880s, the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes grew significantly, primarily due to the increasing size of the lake freighters, and the rise in the number of trips they made to the ore docks of Lake Superior.[13] As the railways were unable to keep up with the rapid production of iron ore, bulk freighters became integral to the region's iron ore industry.[13] By 1890, 56.95% of the 16,036,043 long tons (16,293,372 t) of the iron ore produced by mines in the United States was sourced from the region surrounding Lake Superior.[13] Freighters engaged in the iron ore trade frequently carried coal on upbound voyages to fuel mining equipment and infrastructure, while hauling ore when heading downbound.[14]

John Mitchell was a Canadian-American businessman and licensed vessel master primarily active in the Great Lakes shipping industry.[15] Although Mitchell operated a large fleet of vessels of various sizes and materials, its most famous members consisted of eleven almost identical steel freighters built between 1898 and 1905, designed by Mitchell himself.[c][16]

Design and construction

Freighters designed by Mitchell were considered to be especially aesthetically pleasing in design, with the Toronto Marine Historical Society of Toronto, Ontario, describing them as "very handsome steel-hulled steamers", stating very few other contemporaneous vessels could "rival them for their good looks", and "special lines".[17] Their hulls exhibited uncharacteristically curved hull sheer in comparison with other freighters of the era.[18] Their pilothouses were similarly distinctive. They were described as "turret style", featuring a squared-off front, inlaid with three large, sectioned windows.[19] Mitchell's eleven freighters were noted for their robust construction as well as for their appearance.[16]

James Gayley was built within the slip of the former Globe Iron Works Company shipyard by the American Ship Building Company in Cleveland, Ohio.[20] Assigned the yard number 410, she was named in honour of James Gayley, a chemist and metallurgist who was head of the ore department, and the first vice president of the United States Steel Corporation.[21] Customary to launching traditions on the Great Lakes, James Gayley was launched on a Saturday, shortly after 11:00, on 29 March 1902.[22] She was christened by her namesake's daughter, Mary Gayley.[23] Built to the most common dimensions prevailing among lake freighters at the time, James Gayley's construction cost $260,000 (equivalent to $7.6 million in 2024[a]).[24] At the time of her launch, The Cleveland Leader described her as possessing some of the finest furnishings on the lakes.[23]

She was built on the channel system, a longitudinal frame style introduced on the Great Lakes in the mid-1890s.[25] It constituted several rows of flanged steel plates running the entire length of a vessel's bottom, deriving its name from the "channels" between the frames.[26] This method provided vessels with additional strength, as well as preventing damage sustained in groundings from spreading to other areas of the hull, and increasing cargo capacity.[27] In spite of rapid advances in shipbuilding technology, the cargo hold of James Gayley remained reminiscent of those found on older wooden lake freighters. Between 1882 and 1904, the cargo holds of all iron and steel freighters contained stanchions, vertical columns designed to support their decks; and steel angles which were the equivalent of the knees used on wooden freighters.[28] The stanchions within her hull were located 24 feet (7.3 m) apart, at the spaces between James Gayley's twelve hatch covers, which were 8 feet (2.4 m) in depth.[29] This configuration complicated the loading and unloading of cargo, since the chutes of most ore docks were set 12 feet (3.7 m) apart, while the stanchions frequently obstructed the buckets of automated unloading rigs, frequently receiving damage from them during unloading.[d][31] She was rebuilt with arches and side tanks at a later date.[32] James Gayley's hull contained three watertight bulkheads.[33] Her cargo hold was divided into four separate compartments, the first of which was 1,650 long tons (1,676 t) in capacity, the second and third were 1,600 long tons (1,626 t), while the fourth was 1,850 long tons (1,880 t). Her overall capacity was listed as 7,000 long tons (7,112 t).[b][32]

The hull of James Gayley had an overall length of 436 feet (132.9 m), a length between perpendiculars of 416 feet (126.8 m), as well as a beam 50 feet (15.2 m) in width.[34] The moulded depth, roughly speaking, the vertical height of James Gayley's hull, was 28 feet (8.5 m).[23] The measurements of her register tonnage were calculated as 4,777 gross register tons and 3,359 net register tons, respectively.[33]

James Gayley was powered by a 1,480 ihp (1,100 kW) 90 rpm triple-expansion steam engine; the cylinders of the engine were 22 inches (55.9 cm), 35 inches (88.9 cm) and 58 inches (147.3 cm) in diameter, and had a stroke of 40 inches (101.6 cm).[33] Steam was provided by two Scotch marine boilers 13 feet 2 inches (4.0 m) in diameter, 11 feet 6 inches (3.5 m) in length, with a working pressure of 170 pounds per square inch (1,200 kPa). The boilers were each fitted with four furnaces, accounting for a combined grate surface of 88 square feet (8.2 m2), and a total heating surface of 4,292 square feet (398.7 m2). Both the engine and boilers were manufactured by James Gayley's builder.[33]

Service history

James Gayley was built for the Cleveland Steamship Company, a subsidiary of Mitchell & Company, managed by Mitchell, who also served as its president and manager.[35] Her US official number was 77523, while her port of registry was Fairport, Ohio.[36] She was involved in the ore, coal, and grain trades.[37]

In an effort to reduce United States Steel's dependence on dock workers, James Gayley's namesake championed the Huletts, a type of clamshell bucket scoop invented by and named after George H. Hulett of Akron, Ohio, installing them at Conneaut, Ohio, upon his ascension to vice president of United States Steel.[38] Michell, influenced by the recent installation of the Huletts in Conneaut, made the decision to alter the hull of James Gayley while she was under construction.[39] Her hatches were enlarged, her hold stanchions were repositioned and the tween deck present on earlier vessels was eliminated to allow the unloading machinery better access to the cargo hold.[e][40]

On 15 May 1902, James Gayley cleared Cleveland, without cargo, bound for Two Harbors, Minnesota.[f][42] She passed upbound through the Soo Locks at 14:00 EST on 19 May.[43] After arriving in Two Harbors, on 21 May, she proceeded to load 6,088 long tons (6,186 t) of iron ore.[44] She cleared the port by 23 May.[45] After crossing Lake Superior, James Gayley passed down through the Soo Locks at 14:00 on 23 May, and passed Detroit, Michigan, at 20:20 the following day.[46] She arrived in Conneaut harbour on 26 May, and left for Duluth, that same day.[47] She unloaded 95% of her cargo with the automatic unloading rigs the following day, becoming the first vessel on the Great Lakes to do so.[39]

While travelling south on Whitefish Bay on 17 May 1906, James Gayley was involved in a collision with the package freighter Troy.[48] She passed downward through the Soo Locks, onto Lake Huron, at 13:30 EST that same day.[49]

On the morning of 26 October 1907, while travelling upbound on the St. Clair River, laden with coal, James Gayley collided with the unladen, similarly upbound freighter Joseph G. Butler Jr. off Harsens Island.[g][51] After the collision, James Gayley continued her voyage.[52] While Joseph G. Butler Jr. was undamaged, James Gayley became one of the most seriously damaged vessels on the Great Lakes that year.[53] In addition to significant damage to her port bow, James Gayley's superstructure sheer strake were stove in by 1 foot (0.3 m), and she lost her anchor.[54] She was repaired in Buffalo, New York, between late 1907 and early 1908.[55]

Final voyage

200km
124miles
Approximate location of the collision

James Gayley arrived in Buffalo, from Cleveland, without cargo on 1 August 1912.[56] She departed the port the following day, laden with 7,000 long tons (7,112 t) coal, bound for Duluth, under the command of Captain Millard M. Stewart.[h][58] On board were a complement of 23 crewmen, as well as five passengers, all women from New York.[59] James Gayley steamed north past Detroit at 17:40 EST on 4 August, and passed by Port Huron, Michigan, at 03:20 the following morning.[60] She headed into Lake Superior after making her way up through the Soo Locks, at 12:00 on 6 August.[61]

An almost impenetrable fog shrouded Lake Superior, which, in addition to heavy rain, restricted visibility to a few feet.[62] As James Gayley neared the Keweenaw Peninsula early on 7 August, about 43 miles (69.2 km) east of Manitou Island, her crew spotted the freighter Rensselaer of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company bearing down on them with great speed.[63] Rensselaer, downbound for Cleveland, with a cargo of iron ore was under the command of Captain Carleton D. Secord, with the likewise ore-laden barge George H. Corliss in tow.[64] Upon sighting the other freighter heading towards them, Stewart went below decks to rouse the passengers, who were asleep in their staterooms at the time. The five women managed to reach the deck immediately before Rensselaer struck James Gayley at 01:35, on her starboard side.[65] The damage sustained was located aft of the forward deck house on her bow, reportedly behind her collision bulkhead.[i][67] As Stewart assessed the damage to James Gayley, he realised his vessel was sinking rapidly, and ordered the launch of the lifeboats.[59] However, while Rensselaer had initially veered off, she was brought alongside James Gayley. The two vessels were lashed together, allowing for most people aboard to leave.[68]

Within ten minutes, everyone had disembarked from the sinking vessel.[69] Stewart was the final person to leave. Between 16 and 20 minutes after the two freighters collided, James Gayley had dropped below the surface.[70] 19 members of the crew and all five passengers were taken aboard Rensselaer, while four crewmen, including first mate Alfred Morton, were picked up by George H. Corliss.[71] Receiving significant damage to her bow, Rensselaer initially appeared to be sinking as well. She began sounding distress calls, which alerted the freighter Stadacona, which had passed through the Soo Locks about two hours after James Gayley, about an hour after the collision.[59] The passengers and members of James Gayley's crew were transferred to Stadacona, receiving passage to Duluth.[72] George H. Corliss was picked up by the freighter J. H. Bartow, which towed her to the Soo Locks. The four crewmen of James Gayley taken aboard the barge were transferred to the freighter William C. Agnew, which took them to Cleveland.[73]

Rensselaer's damaged bow was patched with canvas and her forward collision bulkhead was braced, in aid of keeping her afloat.[74] Despite the damage to her bow, her bulkhead held, allowing her to reach Marquette, Michigan, under her own power, where she received temporary repairs.[74]

Aftermath and wreck

Although Stewart declined to discuss the events of the collision upon his arrival in Duluth, he praised Secord and Captain James Cannaly of Stadacona, while his own comportment in ensuring the safety of the people aboard James Gayley was praised by his passengers.[75] One of the five passengers in particular, E. G. Russel, paid tribute to Stewart in the immediate aftermath of James Gayley's loss:

The captain came to our stateroom and told us gently and calmly that a boat had hit us, so the five of us went on deck in our night dresses and bare footed. It was raining hard and the fog was very thick. The captain said he knew our vessel was doomed and he ordered the lifeboats over the side. However, the captain of the Rensselaer ran up alongside and lashed the boats together. The girls were transferred and then the other boat drifted away, breaking the ropes. We thought then that we were in for it, but the Rensselaer again steamed alongside and the rest of us were taken over. We thought at first the Rensselaer was also sinking and the captain of that boat began whistling for help. After more than an hour the signals were answered and we all cheered as the Stadacona appeared through the fog.[59]

Neither James Gayley nor Rensselaer were insured by their respective owners.[73] In order to ascertain the responsibilities for the accident, the testimonies of crews of both vessels were recorded in Cleveland, in August 1912, and presented to the lawyers responsible for arbitrating the case.[76] A report published by the Detroit Free Press on 9 August speculated James Gayley had directly contravened Rule 14 of the US pilot rules by travelling at an excessive speed.[j][77] Harvey D. Goulder represented the owners of James Gayley, while H. A. Kelley, an attorney for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company acted on behalf of Rensselaer.[73]

By 3 September, Mitchell and Harry Coulby, the president of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company had settled out of court, electing to split the damages.[78] James Gayley and her cargo were worth about $330,000 (equivalent to $7.74 million in 2024[a]), while the repair costs to Rensselaer amounted to $10,000 (equivalent to $235,000 in 2024[a]).[k][79] From 15 October, Secord and Morton had their licenses suspended for 20 and 30 days respectively by the steamboat inspectors in Marquette.[80] Secord appealed his sentence to Captain Charles H. Westcott, supervising steamboat inspector for the eighth district of Buffalo. Westcott upheld the sentence.[81]

The wreck of James Gayley has never been found. As of 2025, she is the second largest undiscovered shipwreck, both on Lake Superior and on the Great Lakes, behind the 468-foot (142.6 m) freighter D. M. Clemson.[l][83]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Johnston, Louis & Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 30 November 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  2. ^ a b Some sources listed her capacity as 6,200 long tons (6,299 t) on a 18-foot (5.5 m) draught, or 6,600 long tons (6,706 t).[1]
  3. ^ In order of construction, they were Hendrick S. Holden, H. C. Frick, M. A. Hanna, William E. Reis, Walter Scranton, John J. Albright, James Gayley, William H. Gratwick, Frank H. Goodyear, Moses Taylor, and Pendennis White.[16]
  4. ^ It would not be until 1904 that the traditional construction methods were dispensed with in favour of steel arches and sloped side "hopper" tanks, in the freighter Augustus B. Wolvin.[30]
  5. ^ The absence of a tween deck would become a standard feature of lake freighters within two years.[39]
  6. ^ One source stated she was bound for Duluth, Minnesota.[41]
  7. ^ Contemporary sources referred to Joseph G. Butler Jr. as Joseph Butler or Joseph G. Butler, while the Bowling Green State University lists her full name.[50]
  8. ^ Some sources claim 7,100 long tons (7,214 t) of coal.[57]
  9. ^ A later report by Dr. Julius F. Wolff Jr. stated James Gayley was struck on her port side, 65 feet (19.8 m) aft of her bow.[66]
  10. ^ Rule 14 stipulates "every steam shall, in thick weather by fog, falling snow, heavy rainstorms or other causes, go at moderate speed".[77]
  11. ^ James Gayley alone was estimated to be worth around $250,000 (equivalent to $5.86 million in 2024[a]).[78]
  12. ^ The 550 foot (167.6 m) Canadian freighter James Carruthers, lost during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, was previously the largest shipwreck on the Great Lakes, prior to her discovery in May 2025.[82]

References

  1. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1912b), p. 11; The Marine Review (1912a), p. 65; The Marine Review Publishing Company (1903), p. 225.
  2. ^ Thompson (1994), pp. 31–32.
  3. ^ Bugbee (1962a), p. 25.
  4. ^ Bugbee (1962a), p. 24.
  5. ^ Bowlus (2010), p. 85; Bugbee (1962a), p. 26; Thompson (1994), p. 32.
  6. ^ Bugbee (1962b), pp. 48–50; Thompson (1994), p. 32.
  7. ^ Thompson (1994), p. 31.
  8. ^ Bugbee (1962b), p. 50; Thompson (1994), pp. 40–42.
  9. ^ Bugbee (1962b), pp. 49–51.
  10. ^ Stonehouse (1990), p. 65.
  11. ^ Stonehouse (1990), p. 65; Thompson (1994), pp. 59–84.
  12. ^ Thompson (1994), pp. 59–84.
  13. ^ a b c National Park Service (2018), p. 16.
  14. ^ National Park Service (2018), pp. 5–7.
  15. ^ The Scanner (2000a), pp. 4–5.
  16. ^ a b c The Scanner (2000a), p. 5.
  17. ^ The Scanner (2000b), p. 4.
  18. ^ The Scanner (1988), p. 8.
  19. ^ The Scanner (1988), p. 8; The Scanner (2000b), p. 5.
  20. ^ Bowling Green State University (2021); The Cleveland Leader (1902a), p. 5.
  21. ^ Bowling Green State University (2021); The Buffalo Commercial (1902), p. 7; The Plain Dealer (1902b), p. 8.
  22. ^ The Plain Dealer (1902b), p. 8; The Scanner (1988), p. 7.
  23. ^ a b c The Cleveland Leader (1902a), p. 5.
  24. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1902), p. 7; The Plain Dealer (1902a), p. 8.
  25. ^ The Marine Review (1895a), p. 6; The Marine Review (1895b), p. 14.
  26. ^ The Marine Review (1895a), p. 6; The Marine Review (1895b), pp. 13–22.
  27. ^ The Marine Review (1895b), p. 21.
  28. ^ Thompson (1994), p. 91.
  29. ^ Green (1912), p. 101; Thompson (1994), p. 90.
  30. ^ Thompson (1994), pp. 90–92.
  31. ^ Thompson (1994), pp. 90–91.
  32. ^ a b Green (1912), p. 101.
  33. ^ a b c d Herriman (1905), p. 83.
  34. ^ Green (1912), p. 101; The Marine Review (1912a), p. 65.
  35. ^ Mitchell Schaefer & Fanslow (1983), pp. 251–252; The Cleveland Leader (1912b), p. 11.
  36. ^ Bowling Green State University (2021); Herriman (1905), p. 83.
  37. ^ Gillam (2012), p. 14.
  38. ^ The Marine Record (1902), p. 5.
  39. ^ a b c The Marine Review (1912b), p. 312.
  40. ^ The Marine Record (1902), p. 5; The Marine Review (1912b), p. 312.
  41. ^ The Plain Dealer (1902c), p. 7.
  42. ^ The Plain Dealer (1902c), p. 7; The Plain Dealer (1902d), p. 8.
  43. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1902b), p. 9.
  44. ^ The Duluth News Tribune (1902a), p. 12; The Marine Review (1912b), p. 312.
  45. ^ Minneapolis Daily Times (1902), p. 3.
  46. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1902c), p. 7; The Duluth News Tribune (1902b), p. 14.
  47. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1902d), p. 11; The Plain Dealer (1902d), p. 8.
  48. ^ Gillam (1993), p. 22.
  49. ^ Detroit Free Press (1906), p. 14.
  50. ^ Bowling Green State University (2023); The Marine Review (1907b), p. 28; The Plain Dealer (1907).
  51. ^ The Plain Dealer (1907), p. 8.
  52. ^ The Marine Review (1907a), p. 25.
  53. ^ The Marine Review (1907a), p. 25; The Marine Review (1907c), p. 31.
  54. ^ The Marine Review (1907a).
  55. ^ The Marine Review (1907c), p. 31.
  56. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1912a), p. 11.
  57. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912b), p. 9; The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25.
  58. ^ Detroit Free Press (1912a), p. 1; The Buffalo Commercial (1912a), p. 7.
  59. ^ a b c d The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7.
  60. ^ The Plain Dealer (1912a), p. 10; The Times Herald (1912a), p. 3.
  61. ^ The Times Herald (1912b), p. 9.
  62. ^ The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25.
  63. ^ Detroit Free Press (1912b), p. 12; The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7; The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25.
  64. ^ The Buffalo News (1912), p. 5; The Cleveland Leader (1912b), p. 11.
  65. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7; The Duluth News Tribune (1912), p. 1.
  66. ^ Wolff (1969), p. 145.
  67. ^ The Cleveland Leader (1912c), p. 11; The Times Herald (1912c), p. 6.
  68. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7; The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25.
  69. ^ The Times Herald (1912c), p. 6.
  70. ^ The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25; The Duluth News Tribune (1912), p. 1.
  71. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7; The Cleveland Leader (1912b), p. 11.
  72. ^ The Buffalo Times (1912), p. 25; The Cleveland Leader (1912c), p. 11.
  73. ^ a b c The Cleveland Leader (1912c), p. 11.
  74. ^ a b Detroit Free Press (1912b), p. 12.
  75. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912c), p. 7; The Times Herald (1912c), p. 6.
  76. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912d), p. 7; The Cleveland Leader (1912c), p. 11.
  77. ^ a b Detroit Free Press (1912c), p. 4.
  78. ^ a b The Buffalo Enquirer (1912), p. 5.
  79. ^ Wolff (1969), p. 146.
  80. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912e), p. 13; The Buffalo Commercial (1912f), p. 9.
  81. ^ The Buffalo Commercial (1912f), p. 9.
  82. ^ Baillod (2025); Lofton (2025); Witsil (2025).
  83. ^ Baillod (2025).

Sources

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