8 ’s Underwater Heritage December 2002

Coming Events Feb. 22, 2003 Great Lakes Shipwreck Film Festival. Sponsored by the Ford Seahorses, Ford Performing Arts Center, Dearborn, MI. For information check their web site at www.fordseahorses.org. March 15-16, 2003 Ghost Ships Festival. Milwaukee, WI. For information contact Brendon Baillod, [email protected] or check their website, www.ghost-ships.org. April 12, 2003 Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association Spring Meeting. Manitowoc, WI. For information contact P. J. Creviere at 920-337-0270 or [email protected]. April 25-27, 2003 Our World Underwater. Rosemont, Il. For information check their web site at www.ou rworldunderwater.com or email to [email protected]. June 7-15, 2003 Door County Shipwreck Survey. WUAA will be mapping various sites in the Bailey’s Harbor area. For details contact Russ Leitz, 715-258-2935 or [email protected].

Wisconsin Underwater Archeological Association P.O. Box 6081 Madison, WI 53716

For those interested in the study and preservation of Wisconsin’s underwater history and cultural resources. Wisconsin’s UNDERWATER HERITAGE

Vol.12 No. 4 A publication of the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association December 2002

Collision at Sea: The Loss Of The Schooner Daniel Lyons by Dr. Richard Boyd and Janet Defnet

An old marine maxim warns: “A fire famous Goble Shipyards in Oswego, 20,000 bushels of wheat consigned art sea can ruin your whole day”. New York, and was owned by to J. B. Griffin and Company in Black No doubt the same could be said for George Goble and Dan Lyons, both Rock (Buffalo), New York. Riding a a collision at sea on any given night. prominent businessmen in that city. fresh west wind, the vessel made an In the hey-day of the sailing ship, The Goble Shipyard produced dozens effortless trip northward and by pre- any abrupt and unscheduled noctur- of lake boats over a 40-year period, dawn Friday was passing the Lake nal meeting of two vessels usually several of which are now popular Michigan port of Algoma, Wisconsin, resulted in a marine disaster, and shipwreck dive sites, including the then known as Ahnapee. It was a such was the case with the schooner Lyons. In 1873, Goble and his ship- crisp fall night and the lake surface Daniel Lyons in the 1870’s. building partner, James Macfarlane, glistened with bright moonlight The Lyons (also listed in some coincidently constructed three nearly as the schooner glided northward reports as the Daniel Lyon) was identical schooners, namely the Sam with first mate Owen Madden at very much the typical three-masted Cook, Atlanta and Daniel Lyons. the helm. The wind shifted slightly Great Lakes schooner: she measured The first five years of the Lyons’ to the northwest, so Madden began 138 feet long with a 26-foot beam, career were tediously uneventful tacking north by east along the Door 11-foot draft and a gross weight of until October 17, 1878. On that fate- County coastline. 318 tons. The vessel, official regis- ful Thursday morning, the Lyons Eventually a set of running lights try number 6780, was built by the departed about 1 am with appeared in the distance about a mile away. Both red and green col- ors were readily visible through the clear night, so a ship was obvi- ously approaching directly from the northeast. This turned out to be another schooner, the Kate Gillett, carrying a cargo of fence posts from Cedar River, Michigan. She belonged to J. V. Taylor of Taylor, Bush and Company and was bound for Chicago. continued on page 4

A flotilla of schooners in Sarnia Harbor about 1873. The two-masted vessel anchored above the docked steamer Sarnia is the West Side, a product of the Goble Shipyards which is typical of the two and three masted canal schooners built there. Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library/Wisconsin Marine Historical Society. 2 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage December 2002

Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association News

Fall Meeting Report June 7 through 15, 2003 is Dates for next year’s meetings scheduled for diving on and drawing were set. The spring meeting will be The Fall meeting of the associa- the wrecks in the harbor of Bailey’s April 12 and the fall meeting will be tion was held on Saturday, October Harbor. on September 27. Location and pro- 12, 2002 in the Sellery Room at the gram to be determined. State Historical Society Building in P. J. Creviere reported that he is Madison. working on putting lighthouse log We adjourned for lunch and in books on computer. the afternoon took a very interest- The business meeting was ing tour of the Historical Society brought to order by President Work done on the whaleback Meteor October 5 and 6 was dis- archives. The Society is constantly Russell Green. The treasurer, Tom making more information available Villand reported a balance of $3626. cussed. Eight WUAA members worked on cleaning, scraping and online. WUAA members are encour- Articles and information for the next aged to check out the Wisconsin newsletter are due December 1, and priming the engine room. We hope to organize another work session for Historical Society website at www.wi the due date for the following news- sconsinhistory.org. letter is March 1. next spring. Russell Green reported on the progress of the Maritime Trails proj- New For State ect. Underwater Archeology He also informed us that a The WHS underwater archeology Federal court has awarded owner- office has moved to a new building, ship of the to the state of at 523 Atlas Avenue, in Madison. Wisconsin. He also said that the The new facility will have a larger, Appomattox could be a possible improved conservation lab. The new future WUAA project/workshop. telephone number is 608-221-5909.

Whaleback Meteor. photo by Tom Villand

Wisconsin’s and provides support President Activities Coordinator Underwater to members’ research Russ Green Cathy Klecker and publication projects. Madison, 608-221-5909 Marshall, 608-655-3769 Heritage is pub- Annual membership dues lished quarterly by the Vice-President Website Manager are $15. For membership Wisconsin Underwater Hank Whipple Colin Zylka information, contact the Archeology Association, Madison, 608-245-1222 Waukesha, 262-524- secretary or write to the a nonprofit association Secretary 0145 address below. of individuals and orga- Russel Leitz Directors nizations interested in Send correspondence to: Waupaca, 715-258-2935 Richard Boyd WUAA studying and preserving Treasurer Delafield, 262-646-2092 the underwater cultural PO Box 6081 Tom Villand Robert Korth resources and historical Madison, WI 53716 Madison, 608-221-1996 Gresham, 715-787-4444 sites of Wisconsin. email: Newsletter Editor Janet Defnet In addition to publish- [email protected] Danny Aerts Mukwonago, 262-363- ing this newsletter, the website: Middleton, 608-821-0048 9874 Association also holds www.mailbag.com/users/ semiannual meetings wuaa/ December 2002 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 3

Bailey’s Harbor Summer Spring Meeting Plans In Memoriam of 2003 Field Project The Spring meeting of the Clark Willick, of Appleton, age 75, A WUAA 2003 summer field project Association will be held on died Monday, November 25, 2002, will be held at Bailey’s Harbor from Saturday, April 12 at the Wisconsin at Appleton Medical Center. Clark June 7 to June 15, with the surveys Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. was born on May 11, 1927, in of three shipwreck sections that lie The morning will feature a pre- Burlington, Wisconsin, to the late to the east of the wreck site of the sentation by John Karl on celestial William and Harriet (Berndt) Willick. Christina Nilson, in a lagoon shore- navigation. Clark worked as a construction diver for many years in Wisconsin and ward of the Old Bailey’s Harbor A business meeting will fol- surrounding states. He also worked Lighthouse. The goal of the project low the presentation. After lunch as a millwright for a number of is to do a complete field survey and there will be a tour of the museum, years in the Fox River Valley. Clark site drawings of these three sites in including the new addition. order to determine if any of them never did retire and was still pursu- Two other activities are possible. are a part of the Nilson and if not ing his diving activities up until the The museum now offers sleepovers what ship(s) do they represent. time of his death. He was a member in the submarine, Cobia. Those of the Fox Valley Scuba Club and the The Nilson was built in 1871 as interested may be able to do so on Wisconsin Underwater Archeology a three-masted schooner by Hanson the Friday night before the meet- Association. & Scove at Manitowoc and was ing. We may also organize a dive to employed in the bulk cargo trade. scrape zebra mussels off the hull of During a blizzard on October 24, the Cobia. The mussels add weight 1884 after she had transited Death’s to the submarine, causing it to sit Door but was unable to enter the too low in the water. Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal to seek Please contact P. J. Creviere if shelter, she reversed her course try- you are interested in either of these ing to find shelter at Bailey’s Harbor. activities or if you have other ques- Blinded by the snow she struck hard tions about the meeting. You can on the Outer Reef at Bailey’s Harbor. call P. J. at 920-337-0270 or email Unable to extricate herself she soon [email protected]. became a total loss. Her cargo of 525 tons on pig iron bound from The Wisconsin Maritime Jahn Opheim in the Escanaba to Chicago was eventually Museum’s $6.1 million renovation wheelhouse of the Meteor. photograph by Tom Villand salvaged. The Nilson was “rediscov- and expansion project will double ered” in the summer of 1997, imme- its size to 60,000 square feet. The diately reported to the Wisconsin larger facility will incorporate an Historical Society, and became operating steam engine, COBIA ori- the focus of the Society’s and entation theatre, Wisconsin-built WUAA’s 1998 and 1999 summer Boat Gallery, children’s water room, site surveys. For more information an additional WWII periscope, a about the Nilson see Wisconsin’s Little Lakefarer’s Room for toddlers, Underwater Heritage, Vol.8, No. 2, submarine concourse, state-of-the- May 1998. art library, and much more. For information on the museum check Those interested in participat- their web site at www.wimaritimemu ing in the 2003 field survey should seum.org. contact Russ Leitz by phone at 715- 258-2935 or email [email protected]. x4 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage SeptemberDecember 20022000

Collision At Sea: The Loss Of The Schooner Daniel Lyons continued from page 1

The Gillett continued to close on aged. Nevertheless, the captain and jib-boom along with much of the the Lyons … soon only a green run- crew remained aboard until the head-gear. Leaking badly, the ves- ning light was visible to the Lyons’ schooner began settling at the stern. sel headed for Chicago, hugging the crew. Because green is the starboard Then they quickly retreated to the shoreline in case it became neces- marker, it was assumed that the safety of the Gillett as the Lyons sary to enter a nearby port. The oncoming vessel had shifted course pulled free and plunged bow first two crews took turns at the manual and was now proceeding directly into 115 feet of water. pumps to control the incoming water south, allowing the two ships to As commonly evolves with as the vessel headed south. At 5 am pass starboard to starboard. But marine tragedies, a slightly differ- on Saturday morning, the schooner minutes later, only the red (port) ent account of the sinking story with its exhausted mariners arrived light was discernible, indicating that also exists. In both cases, the basic safely in the Windy City. the Gillett was now on a crossing details remain the same until the Once ashore, Captain Jerry track and a collision might be at vessels collide. The second version McCarthy of the Gillett issued a pub- hand. The Lyons’ helmsman quickly then relates that the captain and lic statement which in no way con- attempted to turn away, but it was crew of the Lyons gathered most of ceded any fault for the collision. His too late … the sails lost wind, luffed, their possessions and disembarked account implied that the wheelsman and his vessel was rammed halfway in the lifeboat. Only the cook, W. H. on the Lyons had contributed to the between the main and mizzen masts Barder, lost his clothes and valu- accident. McCarthy said that upon on her starboard side! ables. Soon after the Lyons vanished seeing the Lyons’ lights coming The collision had occurred about into the deep, the Kate Gillett picked north by east, he had changed his 3:45 am on Friday morning about up the castaways. History does not course one point (about 11 degrees) three miles offshore from the small clarify which of these two versions to the west. The helmsman on the Door County community of Clay of the sinking is the correct one. Lyons, upon detecting this course Banks. The two vessels remained The Gillett had not escaped the change, had tried to turn away and impaled together for about 15 min- collision unscathed. She had sus- lost the wind. Quickly realizing that utes, but it was soon apparent that tained considerable damage to the he could not safely cross the Lyons’ the Lyons had been mortally dam- starboard bow and had lost her bow, McCarthy maneuvered to clear her stern, a fatal move, as it played out. The Gillett impacted the Lyons at a full nine knots! As to be expected a conflict- ing report was tendered by Captain Holland of the Lyons. He had refused a Chicago Times interview, but persistent reporters extracted information from the schooner’s crew which was not refuted by Holland. The story, as told from the viewpoint of the Lyons’ personnel, related that the captain of the Gillett erred by trying to pass across the bow, when a simple easterly adjust- ment of his course would have allowed a safe and easy starboard

The West End in Sarnia Harbor about 1873. Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library/Wisconsin Marine Historical Society. x Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage September 2000 December 2002 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 5

passage. Even under modern Rules spring storm. Unable to safely enter egated to the marine courts where of the Road, as the craft with the the Milwaukee harbor, her captain an unfavorable judgment frequently wind aft, the Gillett would be bur- decided to drop anchor south of the decimated the losing party. dened to grant the Lyons clear pas- entry. Unfortunately, both anchors The sinking of the Lyons also sage. Whatever navigation rules one dragged and the craft stranded 1500 offers a sample of the imperfect applies, it still seems apparent that feet from shore in 18 feet of water chronicling of maritime mishaps the Gillett was the offending vessel. where the waves slowly pounded which commonly took place during A lawsuit against the own- her to pieces, forcing the crew the great age of sail. The conflicting ers of the Gillett seemed likely. into the rigging. When the horrific reports describing what happened Unfortunately, according to marine event finally ended, the vessel had after the two schooners had collided law of the time, in a favorable court disintegrated, six crew members was hardly an unusual situation. decision the owners of the Lyons had perished, and the captain of Depending on how, when and where could only recover the offending Milwaukee’s Lifesaving Service had the information was obtained, vari- vessel. In other words, the own- been relieved of command due to ant accounts were often derived and ers of the Lyons would be awarded errant judgment calls he made dur- reported after a marine disaster. In the schooner Gillett itself! Whereas ing several failed rescue attempts! many cases, the true sequence of the Lyons had been a reasonably Within the realm of Great Lakes events remains unresolved to this new vessel in fine shape with an maritime mishaps, the story of the very day. Even in our modern era of A-1 marine rating, the Gillett was Lyons is in no way a unique or nearly instant, worldwide electronic aged and near the end of her use- exceptional case. Certainly many information gathering, similar fac- ful life. Thus a judgment awarding other shipwrecks resulted in greater tual inaccuracies still permeate the the Gillett to owners of the Lyons losses of life and material goods. news media during major stories. would result in a net financial loss, However, the Lyons could be consid- The tale of the Lyons does not equal approximately to 85 percent of ered a paradigm of the haphazard end here. Captain Councer of the the total value of the Lyons and her circumstances which often shrouded schooner Skylark reported that the cargo. Clearly, this would be a very the demise of a Great Lakes sailing sunken vessel’s maintopmast was substantial monetary setback! ship. For example, the legal entan- still jutting above water on October Fortunately, the owners of the glements and financial shortcomings 19, 1878. Confusion subsequently Lyons did carry insurance: the characterizing this particular sinking occurred in Door County over the Chicago Cargo Pool had insured were typical of many which occurred vessel’s identity, and the local news- the grain for $10,500. The vessel during the late decades of the 19th paper, the Door County Advocate, itself, however, was only insured for century. Numerous shipmen, includ- reported it was the Two Katies. This a total of $8,000 through policies ing many captain-owners, found is an example of another common with Orient Insurance and Detroit themselves financially wounded or type of maritime reporting error: that Fire and Marine, each providing wiped out by various disaster-at-sea caused by the similarity of names. $4,000 of coverage. Since the actual scenarios. The Lyons story exempli- The Two Katies had collided with the value of the hull was reported to fies one such potential riches-to- propeller Waverly off Whitefish Point be $15,000, a significant financial rags maritime calamity. and had then beached in Bailey’s loss still occurred even with insur- All too commonplace were com- Harbor as a total loss. No doubt the ance payback. Historical reports are plex maritime accidents where Two Katies, which had nothing to do unclear as to whether further litiga- blame or guilt was hard to assess. with the Lyons incident, was con- tion was instigated and how this Reconstruction of the exact cir- fused with the Kate Gillett! matter was finally resolved. cumstances surrounding a given During the following weeks, History further records that accident was often impossible in other eyewitnesses passing the Wisconsin waters were very hos- the aftermath. Many investiga- wreck site confirmed that a single tile to Daniel Lyons, owner and tions degraded into “we said, they mast was protruding above the namesake of the lost schooner. said” finger-pointing accusations surface. Eventually fall storms over- Another vessel which Lyons owned, by the concerned captains, usu- whelmed this final remnant and the M. J. Cummings, was lost near ally backed up by their respective the wreck then lay undisturbed for Milwaukee in 1894. This ship, crews who were the only witnesses. over 100 years. In the mid-1980’s en route to Racine with a load of Subsequently, the determination coal, was running before a howling of fault and liability was often rel- continued on page 6 x6 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage SeptemberDecember 20022000

Collision At Sea: The Loss Of The Schooner Daniel Lyons continued from page 5 the site was located by a team of Although the ship is indeed split, Selected References Wisconsin shipwreck divers fol- breakage occurred in such a man- Ahnapee Record, 24 Oct., 1878. lowing tips from local fishermen. ner that the internal structure can Chicago Inter Ocean, 21 Oct., 1878. With the cooperation of Algoma be examined and studied without Chicago Inter Ocean, 22 Oct., 1878. fisherman Andy LaFond, these div- any specialized penetration diving. ers salvaged two anchors and some Underwater light conditions and vis- Door County Advocate, 31 Oct., assorted rigging from the wreck in ibility on the wreck are often quite 1878. 1985. Accounts of this salvage proj- good, especially in late summer Harrington, Steve and Cooper, David. ect reported that the salvors had a and fall. Zebra mussels are present, Diver’s Guide to Wisconsin Including serious falling out over the dispersal but are not yet a major hindrance Minnesota’s North Shore, 116-118. of the recovered artifacts. to viewing the vessel’s structure. Maritime Press, Mason, MI, 1991. Milwaukee Sentinel, 21 Oct., 1878. The wreck remained largely Since three-masted schooners like unvisited and unstudied until the the Lyons became a primary work- Milwaukee Sentinel, 23 Oct., 1878. early 1990’s when it was briefly horse on the Great Lakes in the late Palmer, Richard F., “George Goble: investigated by the Wisconsin 1800’s, this wreck offers a handy Shipbuilder of the ‘Old School’”. Underwater Archeology Association field laboratory where such a ves- Inland Seas, 47, no. 1, 1991, 16-25. as part of an ongoing survey of sel can be studied archeologically by “Underwater News”, Great Lakes Wisconsin’s submerged cultural fairly routine procedures. Log, 19 Oct., 1985. resources. Dive publications has Like certain other shipwrecks, Warnes, Kathy, “The Case of the Too described the wreck as broken, scat- the Lyons has been designated to Cautious Captain”. Soundings, 27, tered and uninteresting. As reported, receive an official Wisconsin state no. 2, 1987, 3-5. the wreck is broken, but generally mooring buoy so that divers can along a longitudinal axis which visit the wreck without inflicting caused the hull to fold open, expos- damage by dragging grapples or ing the internal structure, especially anchors. Placement of a mooring the centerboard box. This intact 3 will likely occur within the next by 25 foot wooden housing tow- two to three years, thereby provid- ers ten feet above the bottom with ing easy access to the sunken ves- its windlass and pennant chain still sel. Of course, since the passage of attached. A rare site for a diver to the Federal Abandoned Shipwreck behold! Act and related Wisconsin statutes, The bow of the ship is collapsed removal of artifacts from shipwrecks onto its port side, again exposing is now illegal. Hopefully, the Lyons the internal framing; the anchor will remain a reasonably pristine windlass and chain are fully acces- site for those who visit shipwrecks sible. A significant pile of chain lies recreationally as well as for those beneath the windlass on the crum- who wish to study them as historical pled side, but the anchors, as men- resources. tioned, are gone. Dead eyes are still strapped to the side of the hull. The main mast lies across the split hull about 40 feet back from the bow and projects out into the sand bot- tom with its trestle platform still in place; a large double block remains chained to its base. Many other arti- facts lie scattered about the sandy bottom and buried therein. x Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage September 2000 December 2002 Wisconsin’s Underwater Heritage 7

More Association News

Wisconsin Meteor Cleanup nice article, including photographs, Maritime Trails Successful in the Duluth News Tribune. The ultimate goal of the Superior At long last, the first two Wisconsin Eight WUAA members; Danny Public Museums is to completely Maritime Trails historic markers are Aerts, Cathy Green, Russell Green, restore and refloat the ship. Money installed! Please check out the latest Pat Labadie, Russel Leitz, Larry is being sought to pay for some Notes from the Field entry, which Mishkar, Robert Tom and Tom repairs, but volunteer work can documents the placement of the Villand participated in the cleanup contribute greatly and is very appre- and Pilot Island markers. project on the whaleback Meteor on ciated. WUAA hopes to organize http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ October 5 and 6. The crew worked another work session next year. shipwrecks/notes/ on cleaning, scraping and priming The was built in Superior the engine room, one of the most Meteor The Fleetwing’s marker is located in 1896 by Alexander McDougall’s visible and impressionable areas of at the public boat ramp at Garrett American Steel Barge Company. the ship. Although it was hard work, Bay, near Gills Rock, Door County. It was first launched as the everyone thought it was worth the Frank The second marker, highlighting the . In 1927 she was refit- effort. A private tour of the ship was Rockefeller wrecks at Pilot Island, can be found ted and renamed the . In one benefit the volunteers received, South Park at the Northport Ferry Terminal 1942 she was rebuilt as a petroleum in addition to much appreciated cof- (Washington Island Ferry) at the tip tanker and named the . For fee and donuts and a fine lunch pro- Meteor of Door County. Four more wrecks more on the history of the Meteor vided by museum staff. will be marked by next spring, and and other whalebacks see the article we plan on adding more markers There was a lot of publicity by Pat Labadie in the September every year. involved in the project, including 2002 issue of Wisconsin’s Special thanks to: Jeff Gray who coverage by three TV stations and a Underwater Heritage started the Trails program, the town of Liberty Grove who greatly assisted the Society by pouring the Cleanup crew in the Meteor engine room. concrete bases that anchor the signs, photograph by Tom Villand and Larry Mishkar Jim Robinson of the Shoreline Resort who also helped out with logistics, and John Karl and UW Sea Grant Institute who also helped to make things happen. We are excited about implement- ing this new aspect of the Trails and welcome comments and suggestions, especially from those of you that we will be working with on additional historic markers. Thank you again to all of our supporters. Catherine Green Underwater Archaeologist Maritime Preservation and Archaeology Program Wisconsin Historical Society 816 State Street Madison, WI 53706-1482 608-221-5909 [email protected]