1898 Presque Isle 1 2008
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Cleveland OH by Cleveland Ship Building Co., Hull 30
Launched May 25, 1898
428’ LOA, 406’ LBP, 50’ beam, 28’ depth
1 deck, hold beams, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, quadruple expansion engine, 1500 IHP
Enrolled at Cleveland OH July 13, 1898 (Temp #3)
407.0 x 50.0 x 24.7, 4578 GT, 3570 NT US 150786 to:
Presque Isle Transportation Co., Cleveland OH, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Mgr., (home port Ishpeming MI)
Entered service 1898
Permanent enrollment at Marquette MI July 28, 1898 (#3)
Home port to Fairport OH 1901
Cargo hold rebuilt 1915 to arch construction at Ashtabula OH by Great Lakes Engineering Works
Remeasured to 407.0 x 50.0 x 28, 4578 GT, 3486 NT
Remeasured 1922 to 406.0 length
Home port to Wilmington DE 1932
Sold 1955 to Huron Transportation Co., Detroit MI, Huron Portland Cement Co., Mgr.
Converted 1956 to self-unloading cement carrier at Sturgeon Bay WI by Christy Corporation
Remeasured to 4498 GT, 3395 NT
Renamed E. M. Ford upon reentry into service at beginning of 1956 season
Sank str. A. M. Byers April 19, 1956 in collision off Algonac MI, St. Clair River. Both vessels repaired and returned to service.
Remeasured 1958 to 4538 GT, 3388 NT
Fleet purchased 1967 by National Gypsum Co.
Laid up at Toledo OH during the 1971 season
Boilers converted to oil firing winter 1974-1975 at River Rouge MI by Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.
Broke loose from her moorings Dec 24, 1979 in violent storm while docked in Milwaukee WI harbor and damaged against opposite dock face, causing her to sink. Raised early 1980, towed to Sturgeon Bay WI, where she was repaired by Bay Shipbuilding Inc. and returned to service Aug 1980.
Fleet sold March 1987 to private investors and chartered to Inland Lakes Management, Alpena MI
Laid up Sept 1996 at Saginaw MI and did not operate again. Used as a cement storage and transfer vessel at the local LaFarge cement depot.
Sold for scrap 2008 to Purvis Marine Ltd., Sault Ste. Marie ON and towed to Sault Ste. Marie
IMO 5095608
At Sault Ste. Marie ON 2011 awaiting scrapping
X808