The Great Lakes freighter SS Henry Steinbrenner was a 427 feet (130.1 m) long, 50 feet (15.2 m) wide, and 28 feet (8.5 m) deep(4}, dry bulk freighter of typical construction style for the early 1900s primary designed for the iron ore, coal, and grain trades on the Great Lakes. Commissioned by the Kinsman Transit Co. of Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

 she was launched as hull number 14 by Jenks Ship Building Co. of Port Huron, Michigan

Port Huron, Michigan

Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...

.{4} Her design featured a forward forecastle containing crew cabins topped with an additional cabin and pilot house. The mid section was a long nearly flat deck over the cargo holds only interrupted by 12 hatches fitted with telescoping type hatch covers. The aft end featured a large cabin situated over the engine room containing the galley, mess rooms, and crew quarters and was topped with a smoke stack and air vents. The Steinbrenner later featured a "doghouse" cabin aft of her smoke stack to house added crew from a change in the crew watch system on the Great Lakes.{4}

Career

The Steinbrenner had an eventful first two decades on the Great Lakes. On December 6, 1909 the Steinbrenner was downbound loaded with iron ore when she was involved in a collision on St. Marys River

St. Marys River (Michigan-Ontario)

The St. Marys River , sometimes written as the St. Mary's River, drains Lake Superior, starting at the end of Whitefish Bay and flowing 74.5 miles southeast into Lake Huron, with a fall of ....

 with the nearly new . The Steinbrenner sank in the river and was declared a total constructive loss, but was recovered on May 10, 1910, repaired and returned to service.(4} She would resume a rather uneventful pattern of trading until she once again collided with another ship. This time she struck the in a foggy Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay is a large bay on the eastern end of the southern shore of Lake Superior between Michigan and Ontario. It begins in the north and west at Whitefish Point in Michigan, about 10 miles north of Paradise, Michigan and ends at the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie on the southeast...

 but managed to stay afloat. After $5000 in repairs, she once again resumed trading.{4}

Final Voyage

At 5:11 AM on May 10 1953, the 52 year old ship left Superior, Wisconsin

Superior, Wisconsin

Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...

, with nearly 7000 tons of iron ore for the steels mills on Lake Erie

Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

. Weather conditions were good at the time but forecasts called for rougher weather later in the day. Leaving despite unfavorable forecasts wasn't rare for captains of this time. Weather reports were less accurate than modern forecasts and most captains and crews had endured several storms during their careers.

Later that afternoon the Steinbrenner met with the forecast gale as strong winds and large waves buffeted the vessel. Although he secured his ship's deck, Captain Albert Stiglin did not have his crew place tarpaulins on the twelve leaf-type "Telescoping" hatch covers; since these were not watertight, they allowed some water to seep into the cargo holds. Around 8 pm one of the leaves on the number 11 hatch worked loose and allowed water to pour into the hold. Crew members were dispatched to secure the cover but, as the storm intensified, 80 mph winds and large waves worked the leaf loose again. Complicating the issue, doors and vents were being forced open by the storm.{2} Conditions were now too treacherous to send crews out on deck. Pumps were started but the flooding continued. Captain Stiglin tried to keep the waves from causing more damage but by morning other hatch covers had worked loose and the ship staggered to make headway. After a few more maneuvers it became all too apparent that the ship was doomed. Shortly after 7:00 AM on May 11 1953, an SOS

SOS

SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...

 was broadcast. At 7:35 AM, an abandon ship signal was blown on the whistle and the crew mustered at the forward life raft, and the aft lifeboats. As the ship settled in the water, confusion took hold and several men ended up in the water or were injured. The vessel sank quickly fifteen miles south of Isle Royale Light

Isle Royale Light

The Isle Royale Light is located on Menagerie Island , the most easterly of the group of small islands at the opening of Siskiwit Bay, near the southern shore of Isle Royale, and is part of the Isle Royale National Park...

.{3} Alerted by the SOS, the steamers Wilfred Sykes, Joseph H. Thompson (then the largest ship on the lakes), D.M. Clemson, D.G. Kerr, William E. Corey, and the Canadian ship Hochelaga, conducted a search for survivors. The Joseph H. Thompson found the life raft and 6 men taking refuge in it. The D.M. Clemson, under the command of Captain Arthur M. Everett, found one life boat. In heavy winds and rough seas, Captain Everett carefully maneuvered the Clemson to put the lifeboat in the ship's lee and then had the survivors lifted aboard with ropes. The men were then taken to the Captain's quarters where they were given warm food and dry clothes. {5} The Wilfred Sykes rescued the men of the other life boat.{2}{1}

Aftermath

In the end 17 men were lost in the tragedy. Fingers were pointed at the crew for not using the tarpaulins on the hatches but in a storm of that magnitude even the tarpaulins may not have been enough to keep the Henry Steinbrenner afloat. The loss of the Steinbrenner solidified the move by Great Lakes vessel operators to equip some of their older vessels with watertight single piece hatch covers during rebuilds. Examples of ships that saw this work included the S/S L.E. Block, S/S Willis B Boyer

Willis B Boyer

Willis B. Boyer is a lake freighter which served as a commercial vessel on the Great Lakes for much of the 20th Century, and is currently undergoing renovation as a museum ship in Toledo, Ohio.- History :...

, and the S/S George W. Perkins.