1885                                               Tioga                                     1919

Iron Great Lakes package freighter

Built at Buffalo NY by Union Dry Dock Co., Hull 39
Launched Dec 3, 1884

300’ LOA, 285’ LBP, 39’ beam, 17’ depth
2 decks, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, steeple compound engine, 850 IHP

Enrolled at Buffalo NY June 19, 1885 (#52)
285.5 x 38.9 x 14.0, 2085.16 GT, 1744.24 NT     US 145405     to:
Union Steamboat Co., Buffalo NY (home port Buffalo NY) (a subsidiary of the Erie Railroad Co.)

Entered service 1885

Fleet went into receivership 1894.  John King and J. G. McCullough were appointed receivers. Reorganized 1896 as Union Steamboat Line.

Suffered explosion July 11, 1890 from barrels of naphtha being unloaded at Chicago IL.  At least 25 lives lost (almost all of them stevedores doing the unloading).  Repaired at Buffalo NY and returned to service.

Rebuilt 1903
Remeasured to 25.7 depth and 2320 GT, 1684 NT

Fleet sold Feb 22, 1916 to Great Lakes Transit Corporation, Buffalo NY
The railroads were required to divest themselves of competing vessels under the provisions of the Panama Canal Act of 1912.  Great Lakes Transit Corporation was organized to own and  operate these vessels.

Sold April 13, 1917 to Superior Transit Co., Superior WI, Chester A. Massey, Mgr. (home port to Superior WI)

Wrecked Nov 26, 1919 on Eagle River Reef, Keweenaw Peninsula, Lake Superior.  No lives lost. Downbound with cargo of grain, forced on reef in heavy storm.  This was the last iron package  freighter in commission on the Great Lakes.

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember p. 377

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