The ''John M. Osborn'' was a wooden steam barge that sank in Lake Superior in 1884 with the loss of five lives. The ''Osborn'' was just 2 years old when the larger, steel-hulled ''Alberta'', which was called a "steel monster" and "terror of the lakes", rammed her. The wreck of the ''Osborn'' was discovered 100 years after her sinking. The wreck was illegally salvaged in the 1980s. Many of ''Osborn's'' artifacts became the property of the State of Michigan after they were seized from Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The State allows the museum to display the artifacts as a loan. The wreck of the ''Osborn'' is now protected by the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve as part of an underwater museum.

Construction

The ''John M. Osborn'' was a

propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...

wooden steam barge built in 1882 by Morley and Hill in Marine City, Michigan. She was then rebuilt in 1884 in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

for increased tonnage. She was owned by George F. Cleveland and the Cleveland Mining Ore Company.

Final voyage

Captain Thomas Wilford's wife Fannie and his two daughters, Cora and Adelaide were on board the ''Osborn'' on her final day of 27 July 1884. They enjoyed a sunny day walking the deck, attending Sunday school services, and talking to the sailors, including the mate, George F. Cleveland, who also owned the ''Osborn''. The children were to be put to bed as night fell and a thick fog developed. Mrs. Fannie Wilford was uneasy and stayed near her husband's side on deck near the bow. The wooden ''Osborn'' was downbound for the Soo Locks with a cargo of 1,120 tons of iron ore and towing two schooner barges, the ''George W. Davis'' and the ''Thomas Gawn''.Stonehouse, Frederick (1973). "The Great Wrecks of the Great lake: A directory of the shipwrecks of Lake Superior", p. 53. The Book Concern, Printers, Hancock, Michigan, USA. LCCN 73-75623. The ''Alberta'' was upbound with her usual number of passengers and freight on her regular run between Owen Sound, Ontario and Port Arthur, Ontario. The ''Osborn'' carefully whistled her approach through the fog but one ship whistled once for a

starboard Port and starboard are nautical terms for watercraft and aircraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the bow (front). Vessels with bilateral symmetry have left and right halves which are ...

course and the other ship whistled twice for a port course. Shipwreck historian Frederick Stonehouse wrote:

As reported in the local papers, 'the barge blew three whistles, the ''Alberta'' answering, and checked down to seven miles per hour, but in a moment the ''Osborn'' appeared under the ''Alberta's'' bow and the latter struck her midway between the main and mizzen masts on the starboard side, cutting her almost in twain.'

When the larger , 2,282 ton, steel steamer ''Alberta'' rammed the smaller , 891 ton, wooden ''Osborn'', she penetrated to the center of the ship cutting her almost in two. The large gash in the ''Osborn's'' hull caused the water to hit her hot boilers which exploded and immediately killed two crewmen. ''Alberta'' stayed locked with ''Osborn'' long enough for Captain Wilford and his wife to transfer to her. One of the ''Alberta's'' passengers jumped to the ''Osborn'' to save three lives, including Captain Wilford's children. While this rescuer from ''Alberta'' was still below decks, the ''Osborn'' broke free and sank, taking his life along with those of two crewmen. Following the collision, the press vilified ''Alberta''. In her first year of service, she was involved in four minor collisions and a fifth major collision that sank the ''Osborn''. The ''Cleveland News Leader'' said of the ''Alberta'', "This huge steel monster, during the few months she has been afloat has become the terror of the lakes. Proud of her reputation as one of the fastest side-wheel steamers on fresh water, she has been run in an extraordinarily reckless manner." The ''Buffalo Daily Courier'' reported, "Since the collision much has been said about he ''Alberta''being cumbersome and unwieldy, to which the accident was partially attributed. A lawsuit brought by the owners of the ''Osborn'' and her cargo lasted nearly three years. The United States District Court ruled both vessels were at fault for excessive speed for conditions. The ''Osborn'' loss was about $88,000 and the ''Alberta's'' damages was about $20,000. Following admiralty rule for both vessels at fault, the damages were divided by deducting the ''Alberta's'' loss from the ''Osborn's '' loss, and equally dividing the remainder with the pecuniary result being that ''Alberta's'' owners paid the owners of ''Osborn'', and her cargo $33,000. Years later Stonehouse concurred that thick fog and both ships traveling too fast for conditions was the likely cause of the disaster.

Wreck history

The wreck of the ''John M. Osborn'' was discovered in 1984, 100 years after she sank; the discoverers were the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society LSHSand the Oddessey Foundation of

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

. In 1985, shipwreck historian Frederick Stonehouse wrote, "Reportedly the ''Osborn'' is nearly intact and a time capsule of an earlier era of Great Lakes maritime history." However, Great Lakes diver Steve Harrington reported by 1990, "The remains of the ''J.M. Osborn'' were discovered in the mid-1980s and were quickly stripped for the benefit of a local museum. State officials turned a blind eye to the salvage operation."Harrington, Steve (1990, 1998), p.p. 321 - 333. ''Divers Guide to Michigan'', p.321, Maritime Press & Great Lakes Diving Council, Inc., St. Ignace, Michigan, U.S.A. Michigan's Antiquities Act of 1980 prohibited the removal of artifacts from shipwrecks on the Great Lakes bottomlands. The

Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the state of Michigan charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governo ...

1992 raid on the GLSHS offices and Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum included seizure of artifacts that were illegally removed from the ''John M. Osborn''.

Wreck today

Artifacts from the ''Osborn's'' wreck are on display in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum as a loan from the State of Michigan by a 1993 settlement agreement with the GLSHS following the DNR raid on the museum in 1992. The ''Osborn'' lies in of water at in Whitefish Bay of Lake Superior. Scuba diving to the ''Osborn'' wreck requires advanced technical diving skills. Great Lakes diver Steve Harrington reported, "Today, the ''J.M. Osborn'' is upright and mostly intact. Divers enjoy exploring the hull, cargo holds, and cabins of the vessel. The name board and other key artifacts were recovered by the museum." The ''Osborn'' wreck is protected for future generations by the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve as part of an underwater museum.

References

External links

''John M. Osborn'' wreck photos
{{DEFAULTSORT:John M. Osborn Steamships Maritime incidents in July 1884 Shipwrecks of Lake Superior Ships sunk in collisions Merchant ships of the United States 1882 ships Steam barges Ships built in Marine City, Michigan