1917                        Horace S. Wilkinson     2                  1973

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Toledo OH by Toledo Shipbuilding Co., Hull 137
Launched April 21, 1917

600’ LOA, 580’ LBP, 60’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 12’, coal-fired quadruple expansion engine, 2000 IHP

Enrolled at
588.3 x 60.0 x 27.0, 8338 GT, 6829 NT     US 215122     to:
Great Lakes Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port Oswego NY)

Entered service May 29, 1917

Fleet sold 1957 to Wilson Marine Transit Co., Cleveland OH

Damaged Sept 14, 1962 in collision with str. Carol Lake in Welland Canal

Converted 1963 to an unmanned barge at Superior WI by Fraser-Nelson Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.  Houses and machinery removed and notch cut in stern for push tug.
Remeasured to 535.8 length and 7598 GT, 7398 NT

Renamed Wiltranco I later in 1963

Laid up at Buffalo NY Sept 1963 because the vessel was certified for operation only in fair weather.

Chartered 1966 to Bulk Navigation & Towing Co., Lakewood OH.

Tow line to tug parted Oct 26, 1967 leaving Buffalo NY and vessel driven ashore 5 ½ miles east of Sturgeon Point near Hamburg NY.  Floated free Oct 28 and grounded again.  Abandoned to the underwriters as a constructive total loss and removed from documentation.

Sold at auction late 1967 to Great Lakes Marine Salvage Co.

Sold 1969 to Escanaba Towing Co., Escanaba MI, floated, repaired at Detroit MI and returned to service in 1970.  Unofficially renamed Wiltranco.

Owning company failed 1973 and vessel sold at Marshal’s Sale to Industrial Fuel & Asphalt Co., Grand Rapids MI.  Resold for scrap to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON.  Resold to Spanish shipbreakers.  Cleared Montreal QC Aug 22, 1973 with str. J. Clare Miller towed by German tug Fairplay X.  Tow arrived Santander Spain Sept. 21, 1973.

See history in Scanner March 2009 (#319)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember II p. 403

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