1927                                  George M. Humphrey     1                                  1988

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 796
Launched Dec 30, 1926

605’ LOA, 580’ LBP, 60’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 2200 IHP

Enrolled at Cleveland OH
586.3 x 60.2 x 27.9, 8004 GT, 6311 NT     US 226276     to:
Kinsman Transit Co., Cleveland OH (home port Fairport OH)

Entered service 1927

Home port to Wilmington DE 1932

Sunk June 15, 1943 in collision with str. D. M. Clemson in fog in Straits of Mackinac.  No loss of life.  Loaded with iron ore for South Chicago IL.  Sank in 78’ of water.  First 600-foot vessel to be lost on the Great Lakes.  Wreck declared a menace to navigation by the United States Corps of Engineers and assigned to Capt. John Roen, Sturgeon Bay WI, who raised her in the summer of 1944 in what was hailed as an outstanding salvage of a sunken vessel.  Repaired at Sturgeon Bay winter 1944-1945.
Remeasured to 8021 GT, 6314 NT

Sold 1945 to Roen Transportation Co., Sturgeon Bay WI and renamed Captain John Roen.

Operated 1945 season by Pioneer Steamship Co., Hutchinson & Co., Mgr.

Operated 1946 season by Interstate Steamship Co.

Operated 1947 season by Boland & Cornelius, Buffalo NY

Sold 1947 to American Steamship Co., Buffalo NY, Boland & Cornelius, Mgr.

Converted to self-unloader winter 1947-1948 at Manitowoc WI by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co.
Remeasured to 8211 GT, 6471 NT

Renamed Adam E. Cornelius  (2) late 1947

Repowered 1955 with steam turbine engine

Renamed Consumers Power  (3) 1958

Cargo hold and unloading tunnel replaced 1975 at Ecorse MI by Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.

Boilers converted to oil firing 1976 at Ecorse MI by Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.

Chartered 1980 to Erie Sand Steamship Co., Erie PA

Laid up Dec 6, 1985 at Erie PA and did not operate again

Sold for scrap 1988 to Corostel Trading Ltd.  Resold to Taiwan shipbreakers.  Cleared Lauzon QC June 14, 1988 with str. John T. Hutchinson towed by Panamanian tug Omega 809.  Tow arrived at Kaohsiung Taiwan Oct 2, 1988.

IMO 5078997

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember III p. 76

 

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