1910 A. M. Byers 1974
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Cleveland OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 448
Launched May 7, 1910
524’ LOA, 504’ LBP, 54’ beam, 30’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1760 IHP
Enrolled at Cleveland OH June 14, 1910 (Temp #53)
504.0 x 54.0 x 30.0, 6364 GT, 4841 NT US 207504 to:
North American Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, R. A. Williams, Mgr. (home port Duluth MN)
Entered service June 1910
Fleet transferred 1920 to Reiss Steamship Co., Sheboygan WI
Home port to Wilmington DE 1928
Converted to self-unloader 1955 at Toledo OH by American Ship Building Co.
Remeasured to 6193 GT, 4765 NT
Renamed Clemens A. Reiss (2) 1959
Fleet sold June 1969 to American Steamship Co., Buffalo NY. (Fleet managed by Boland & Cornelius but continued as a subsidiary under its former name.)
Renamed Jack Wirt 1970
Sold 1972 to Erie Sand Steamship Co., Erie PA
Sold for scrap 1974 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON. Resold to Spanish shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC May 8, 1974 with str. Ben W. Calvin towed by Polish tug Koral. Tow arrived Valencia Spain before June 7, 1974.
IMO 5075919
1004
Looking for information and schematics on SS Byers A.M. Man that works for company I works for was present when it sank. His wife would like to give him info for Xmas present.
Thanks John
My dad Clarence Daggett sailed on the A. M. Byers as second mate and was on that ship when it collided with the E. M. Ford and sunk in the north channel of Harsens Island in 1956. My dad sailed with the Reiss Steamship lines for many years retiring in 1969 to take care of my mother who had muscular dystrophy. They have both since passed away, but seeing your site brought back many memories of waiting for his ship to pass Port Huron so we could wave at him. He and my mother kept ship in Cleveland in the winter when I was only two years old.
The A. M. Byers was in a collision with the vessel E. M. Ford on April, 20,1956. My father (Robert/Bob) was onboard the A. M. Byers when it was struck. My family has photos and newprint showing the incident. It was his first day aboard. The A. M. Byres sank in 17 minutes time.
Gordon LaPlaunt