1906 Edward Y. Townsend 1968
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Superior WI by Superior Shipbuilding Co., Hull 515
Launched Aug 18, 1906
Longest vessel on the Great Lakes when launched and when entered service (Daniel J. Morrell launched and entered service later that season at same dimensions (until Kerr class of 1907 – superseded Morgan class of earlier in 1906)
602’ LOA, 580’ LBP, 58’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1878 IHP
Enrolled at Marquette MI Aug 23, 1906 (Temp #7)
586.0 x 58.0 x 32.0, 7438 GT, 5673 NT US 203449 to:
Cambria Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, M. A. Hanna & Co., Mgr. (home port Fairport OH)
Permanent enrollment at Cleveland OH Aug 27, 1906 (#26)
Entered service Sept 1906
Fleet transferred 1927 to management of Bethlehem Transportation Corporation, Cleveland OH, H. K. Oakes, Mgr. (home port to Wilmington DE)
Remeasured 1944 to 586.5 x 58.2 x 27.4, 7763 GT, 6179 NT
Repowered 1954 with Skinner Unaflow engine.
Suffered crack in hull Nov 29, 1966 travelling upbound light on northern Lake Huron (in the same storm in which her sister ship and fleetmate Daniel J. Morrell foundered further south on Lake Huron). U. S. Coast Guard cancelled her certificate and she was laid up at Sault Ste.Marie MI.
Sold 1968 to Sea-Land Service Inc. for trade into U. S. Maritime Commission on vessels in the reserve fleet. Resold to Spanish shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC Oct 1, 1968 with str. Dolomite towed by Dutch tug Hudson. Broke free from tow Oct 7 in storm in the Atlantic Ocean about 400 miles southeast of St. Johns Newfoundland and sank. Rest of tow arrived Oct 20, 1968 at Santander Spain.
See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember II p. 358
0635
was part of the crew in that storm
Any way to get a crew names log of this ship for the summer of 1965? Not sure, but might also have been on the Morrell in summer of 1966?
I was a deckhand on her that summer.
Good Day to Both Seamen of The S/S Edward Y. Townsend & The
S/S/ Daniel J. Morrell. I was told by former USCG Captain that Lakes Erie was quite rough for both Morrell & Townsend the night both vessel sailed from Lackawanna to lower Detroit River Light dropped anchor to wait out wind and to look for any cracks in hull before proceeding to Windsor for coal was there any damaged? While on on this Subject. Captain Arthur I. Crawley of Morrell called any vessel in Lake Huron on Weather Condition on Lake Huron, William Clay Ford, (WCF) Answered and said Stay off Lake Huron too rough for 1906 vessel for least 24 Hours or when this storm dies off. Capt. Crawley said I want to stick my head out and see for myself, The (WCF) did not respond back. Now you know why!