Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== ANNUAL REPORT of the LAKE CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION 1913 ============== [150 - 153] THE GREAT NOVEMBER STORM It is painful to report the loss of so many lives in the great storm which swept the whole lake region from November 8th to 11th. There have been many storms in the past supposedly violent, but this one was unprecedented. It raged with uncommon force, especially on Lake Huron, and proved to be the most destructive in the history of the lakes. As nearly as can be traced, 235 sailors lost their lives in this storm, 44 of them on Lake Superior, 7 on Lake Michigan, 6 on Lake Erie, and 178 of them on Lake Huron. Every effort was made by your association to recover the bodies of the dead and through the efficiency of Welfare Plan records, it was possible to identify practically every body recovered. The storm threw a great pall on lake shipping and practically demoralized lake trade for the balance of the season. The storm appears to have begun early on the morning of November 8th, striking Lake Superior from the northwest. Vessels generally remained in port on that lake during the day or sought shelter along the north shore. During a lull of a few hours, in which it appeared that the sea was going down and that the worst of the blow was over, the bulk freighter H. B. Smith, of the Hawgood fleet, put out from Marquette. A few hours after leaving port the gale broke out with in- creased violence from the northwest, forming heavy seas in which the Smith foundered with all on board. The Canadian steamer Leafield also foundered with her crew of eighteen on Lake Superior, after striking the rocks off Angus Island. The greatest havoc, however, was wrought on Lake Huron on Sunday, November 9th, and appears to have been the result of a conflict of elements which it was impossible to foresee. The northwest gale had practically died down to a breeze of about fifteen miles from the northwest, the sea being quiet, the barometer, however, remaining very low. Obviously in such a condition there was nothing to disturb an experienced navigator on the course that the vessels usually follow in crossing the lake. However, about noon a fresh wind began blowing from the north, shift- ing to northeast, with increasing velocity until with- in an hour or two a heavy gale was raging. The steamers Charles S. Price, Isaac M. Scott, John A. McGean, Argus and H. M. Hanna, Jr. had entered the lake early Sunday morning, upbound with coal, and the steamer Hydrus and Carruthers entered it downbound early Sunday morning, the former with ore and the lat- ter with grain. The Canadian steamers Wexford and Regina were also making the passage of the lake. What happened to eight of these ships will never be known, as they foundered with every member of the crew. The steamer H. M. Hanna, Jr. was thown upon Port Austin reef in the gale and broke in two, but her entire crew was saved. The last seen of the steamer John A. McGean and the Isaac M. Scott was about 10:30 Sunday morning, somewhat north of Tawas, and it is presumed that when the northeast gale struck them that they headed into it in order to endeavor to make the east shore of Lake Huorn. The steamer Charles S. Price, which had entered Lake Huron at approximately the same hour as the Scott, had evidently attempted to put back, as her overturned hull was discovered about eleven miles northeast of Fort Gratiot light. As to what happened aboard these various steamers is as yet merely conjecture, but the subject will doubtless receive such expert investigation as it is possible to give. In this connection the experience of the H. M. Hanna, Jr. is very valuable, as it is definitely known that she could not keep her head to the sea and was subjected to very heavy rolling and pounding in the trough. In the case of these ships that have disappeared, many things may have happened, such as cargo shifting by heavy rolling in the trough; engine room flooded by following seas and possibly the stokehold as well; rivets loosened through continued pounding, or hatches carried away. It is important to point out, however, that the ships destroyed represented not only the best of lake practice, but of English and Scotch yards as well. Two of the ves- sels, the Wexford and Leafield, were typical British tramps and had weathered gales in all parts of the world. No lake master can recall in all his experience a storm of such unprecedented violence with such rapid changes in the direction of the wind and its gusts of such fearful speed. Storms ordinarily of that velocity do not last over four or five hours, but this storm raged for sixteen hours continuously at an average velocity of 60 miles per hour, with frequent spurts of 70 and over. Obviously with a wind of such long duration, the seas that were made were such that the lakes are not ordinarily familiar with. The testimony of masters is that the waves were at least 35 feet high and followed each other in quick succession, three waves ordinarily coming one right after the other. They were considerably shorter than the waves that are usually formed by the ordinary gale. Being of such height and hurled with such force and such rapid suc- cession, the ships must have been subjected to incredible punishment. Masters also relate that the wind and sea were frequently in conflict, the wind blowing one way and the sea running in the opposite direction. This would in- dicate a storm of cyclonic character. It was unusual and unprecedented and it may be centuries before such a combi- nation of forces may be experienced again. The lessons of the storm, however, will not be lost. It had not been thought possible hitherto that a bulk freighter, with its great flat bottom, could be forced to turn turtle, but some unknown combination of circumstances certainly caused the Charles S. Price to do so. How this could possibly be accomplished may be fathomed by those competent to investigate the subject. Certainly the revela- tion comes to us with something of a shock. As stated, the whole subject will undoubtedly be investigated to de- termine whether modification of structure or increase in power in our larger vessels is necessary. Some disposition has been shown to blame the Weather Bureau, but the Weather Bureau probably could not have given more adequate warning than it did. There is no rea- son to believe that the Weather Bureau could have foreseen the incredible character of this storm on Lake Huron with the unexpected shift in the direction of the wind. However, it might be well to consider some more specific designation of degrees in storms. Possibly if the numerical system were adopted whereby the velocity of an approaching storm was expressed by a numeral, it would indicate more clearly what might be expected than does the present system. ===========================================================================