|
BLANCHARD |
|
| Date Built: 1870 | Builders: J. Martin, Cleveland |
| Construction: propeller, wood, bulk freight | Owners: |
| Dimensions: 212 x 32 x 12 1143g 1024n |
Cargo: lumber, 2-barge tow |
Condition: Boiler recovered a few days after sinking. Large steel anchor present. Remains are intermixed with several other wrecks located at North Point, including GALENA and JOHN T. JOHNSON. |
Location: North Point Reef | Depth: 12-15' |
Date of Loss: 1904, Nov 28 |
GPS: N45 01.271 W83 15.763 |
Type of Loss: Storm | Loss of Life: None |
|
Co-ordinates are informational only, they maybe inaccurate and should
NOT BE USED FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES! |
|
Inbound in a gale with barges J.T. JOHNSON and JOHN KELDERHOUSE in tow., she was driven on the reef, broke in half and sank. Abandoned, but her boiler was recovered a few days later. Built as a passenger/freight steamer, converted to bulker at Milwaukee in 1901 after a serious fire. Arch-braced.Collided with and sank the steamer ARIZONA(qv) on St. Clair Flats in 1873.
Sources: Swayze
November 28, 1904The B.W. BLANCHARD towing the schooners JOHNSON and KILDERHOUSE with a load of 600,000 board feet of lumber, bound for Detroit decided to pull into Thunder Bay to find shelter from a raging November storm. After clearing Thunder Bay Island they made their haul and headed for a safe anchorage well inside Thunder Bay. While trying to stay close to North Point to gain the protection found on it's lee side the BLANCHARD did not give North Point Reef enough berth and she went aground at about 11:00pm. The crew of 13 stayed with the BLANCHARD until 4:00am as the waves pounded her against the rocks, leaving in her one remaining yawl just before the ship fell completely apart. The ride through 1 mile of storm tossed water between the small yawl and North Point turned minutes into hours for the men. After getting to shore they had to walk to Alpena, arriving at 11:00am.
The Blanchard was owned by Fletcher lumber Company of Detroit and Captained by Wm. Crockett.
When notified of the wreck in the morning Captain Putman of the TUG RALPH put out to the site and reported that the JOHNSON was being "pounded hard and would not hold together for an hour more." The RALPH did manage to take the crew off both the JOHNSON (owned by Martin of Cheboygan) and KILDERHOUSE (owned by A.J. Zachariah of Detroit, Captained by Albert Kunna of Alpena). The KILDERHOUSE was lightened and saved from the clutches of Thunder Bay's North Point Reef.
The Schooner Barge buoyed 5 miles out North Point was believed to be the remains of the JOHNSON but Alpena's history remains foggy since the "Big Fire" destroyed much of what was recorded.
Thunder Bay Island Life Station "Wreck Report"