On what was her final voyage of the year, D. M. Clemson locked through the Soo Locks into Lake Superior on the morning of 30 November 1908, with a cargo of coal loaded two days prior in Lorain, Ohio, consigned to Duluth. She was under the command of Captain Samuel R. Chamberlain, who was scheduled to retire after D. M. Clemson's trip ended. Chamberlain chose to take his vessel on the southernmost route to Duluth, which required passage through the Portage Canal. She was accompanied by the freighter J. J. H. Brown until Whitefish Point, when the latter altered course for the north shore of the lake. J. J. H. Brown was the final vessel to verifiably encounter D. M. Clemson. Shortly thereafter, an unusually powerful snow storm descended on Lake Superior. She sank with the loss of her complete crew.
Within a few days, wreckage began to wash ashore between Crisp Point and Grand Marais, Michigan. Initially believed to be from a different freighter, the discovery of several different pieces of wreckage bearing a legible name and the confirmation she was the only missing vessel on the lake conclusively identified D. M. Clemson as the source. Contemporary sources speculated she was lost shortly after entering the storm. Modern authors have attributed her unexplained loss to structural or mechanical failure, or the loss of her hatch covers.
Despite repeated searches by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, the wreck of D. M. Clemson has never been found. She has been the largest undiscovered shipwreck on the Great Lakes since May 2025.
History
Background
The gunship USS Michigan became the first iron-hulled vessel built on the Great Lakes, upon her completion in 1843, in Erie, Pennsylvania.[2] By the mid–1840s, Canadian companies had begun to import iron vessels prefabricated in the United Kingdom. The first iron–hulled merchant vessel built on the lakes, Merchant, was built in 1862, in Buffalo, New York.[2] Despite Merchant's clear success proving the potential of iron hulls, ships built from wood remained preferable until the 1880s, due to their lower cost and the abundance of high quality timber.[3] That same decade, shipyards around the Great Lakes began to construct iron ships on a relatively large scale.[4] The most notable being the freighter Onoko, built by the Globe Iron Works Company, which became the largest vessel on the lakes upon her launch in 1882.[5] In 1884, the first steel freighters were built on the Great Lakes.[6] Within a decade of the first examples arriving, the majority of ships built on the lakes were steel–hulled.[7] The development of the pneumaticrivet gun and the advancement of gantry cranes enabled shipyard employees to work at an increased speed, with greater efficiency.[8] This, combined with the rapidly decreasing steel prices, contributed to the rapid increase in the size of lake freighters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[9] The first 400-foot (121.9m) freighter was built in 1895, the first 500-foot (152.4m) freighter was constructed five years later.[10]
Throughout the 1880s, the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes grew exponentially, primarily due to the increasing size of the lake freighters, and the rise in the number of trips made by ore boats to the ore docks of Lake Superior.[11] As the railways were unable to keep up with the rapid production of iron ore, most of it was transported by bulk freighters. By 1890, 56.95% of the 16,036,043 long tons (16,293,372t) of the iron ore produced by mines in the United States was sourced from the region surrounding Lake Superior.[11] Freighters engaged in the iron ore trade frequently carried coal on upbound voyages to fuel mining equipment and infrastructure, while hauling ore when heading downbound.[12]
Augustus B. Wolvin was a prominent businessman within the Great Lakes shipping industry, based in Duluth, Minnesota.[13] His first business venture began with a marine insurance agency, founded in 1889.[14] In 1895, Wolvin became the president and manager of the Zenith Transportation Company, with the freighter Zenith City marking his first shipbuilding venture that same year.[15] He was appointed general manager of the newly assembled fleet of vessels belonging to the United States Steel Corporation's subsidiary, the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, in 1901.[16] Shortly thereafter, Wolvin founded the Provident Steamship Company in Duluth, commissioning four large vessels for his new venture.[c][18] The contract for two of the vessels was awarded to the American Ship Building Company's yard in West Superior, Wisconsin, on 2 July 1902, following the completion of James H. Hoyt.[19]
Design and construction
D. M. Clemson (US official number157703) was built by the Superior Shipbuilding Company in West Superior, as yard number 510, costing $315,000 (equivalent to $8.58million in 2023[a]).[d][21] She was named after Daniel M. Clemson, the president of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, although her prospective name was erroneously reported by the Detroit Free Press as D. K. Clemson.[22] The original date for the launching was reported as 1 June, later revised to 27 June, with local newspapers advertising a substantial christening gala.[23] However, the event experienced delays.[24] Although customary to launch lake freighters on Saturdays, D. M. Clemson was launched on a Friday, between 16:00 and 16:30 on 3 July 1903, without a formal christening ceremony, at the behest of Wolvin.[25] Inclement weather resulted in sparse attendance.[26]D. M. Clemson and her sister ships, D. G. Kerr and James H. Reed, were among the largest vessels on the Great Lakes in 1903, with the former being built alongside D. M. Clemson in West Superior.[27]
She was built on the channel system, a longitudinal frame style introduced on the Great Lakes in the mid–1890s.[28] It constituted several rows flanged steel plates running the entire length of a vessel's bottom, deriving its name from the "channels" between the frames.[29] This method provided vessels with additional strength, as well as preventing damage sustained in groundings from spreading to other areas of the hull, and increasing cargo capacity.[30] In spite of rapid advances in shipbuilding technology, the hold of D. M. Clemson remained reminiscent of those found on wooden lake freighters. Between 1882 and 1904, the cargo holds of all iron and steel freighters contained stanchions and steel angles which were the equivalent of the knees used on earlier wooden freighters.[31] The stanchions within her hull were located 12 feet (3.7m) apart, at the spaces between D. M. Clemson's 25 hatches, which were 9 feet (2.7m) in length.[e][33] Her hull contained three watertight bulkheads.[34] The cargo hold was divided into six separate compartments, the first of which was 1,600 long tons (1,626t) in capacity; the second, third, fourth, and fifth were 1,100 long tons (1,118t), while the sixth was 1,300 long tons (1,321t). Her overall capacity was listed as 7,800 long tons (7,925t).[b][f][36]
The hull of D. M. Clemson had an overall length of 468 feet (142.6m), a length between perpendiculars of 448 feet (136.6m), as well as a beam52 feet (15.8m) in width.[37] The moulded depth, roughly speaking, the vertical height of D. M. Clemson's hull, was 28 feet (8.5m).[38] The measurements of her register tonnage were calculated as 5,531 gross register tons and 3,991 net register tons, respectively.[39] Maritime historian Frederick Stonehouse describes her as the "[r]epresenting the highest state of the shipbuilders' art".[40]The Duluth News Tribune lauded D. M. Clemson's size, referring to her as a "[m]onster".[41]
She was powered by a 1,370ihp (1,020kW) 90 rpmtriple-expansion steam engine; the cylinders of the engine were 15 inches (38.1cm), 23.75 inches (60.3cm), 36.5 inches (92.7cm) and 56 inches (142.2cm) in diameter, and had a stroke of 40 inches (101.6cm).[g][42] Steam was provided by two water-tube boilers13feet 6inches (4.1m) in diameter, 12feet 2inches (3.7m) in length, with a working pressure of 250-pound-per-square-inch (1,700kPa). The boilers were each fitted with four furnaces, accounting for a combined grate surface of 128 square feet (11.9m2), and a total heating surface of 5,000 square feet (464.5m2). The engine was manufactured by the shipyard in West Superior, while the boilers were supplied by Babcock & Wilcox of New York City.[34]D. M. Clemson's machinery enabled her to reach 12 knots (13.8mph).[41]
D. M. Clemson was the final vessel in the Provident Steamship Company's fleet of four to be completed and enter service, after James H. Hoyt, D. G. Kerr, and James H. Reed, respectively.[43] Her home port was Duluth.[34]
On 13 August 1903, D. M. Clemson began her maiden voyage for Lake Erie under the command of Captain Frank Rae, after loading 7,725 long tons (7,849t) of iron ore at the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway's ore dock in Duluth, beating the previous haulage record set by the freighter William Edenborn.[h][45] The cargo gave her a draught of 18feet 9inches (571.5cm).[46] She locked down through the Soo Locks on 16 August, at 12:20, and passed Detroit, Michigan, on 18 August, at 09:00.[47]D. M. Clemson arrived in Conneaut, Ohio, on 20 August.[48] Rae became embroiled in a labour dispute in September, due to his refusal to join the Masters' & Pilots' Association, and employing his father, another non–union member, as a mate.[49] His actions resulted in a widespread strike, which saw multiple vessels of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company idling in port.[50] He was relieved of command in October.[51]
While attempting to enter Conneaut, on 26 October 1903, D. M. Clemson ran aground on a mud bar at the harbour entrance. Contemporary accounts attributed the bar's formation to the removal of the harbour's piers in preparation for their replacement.[52] After a considerable effort, she was removed ten hours after grounding.[53] The bar was dredged shortly thereafter.[54] Less than a month later, she took on 336,365 bushels of barley, weighing 8,072 long tons (8,202t), at Duluth's Cargill Commission on 20 November 1903, setting a new record for the largest cargo of grain loaded at a port on Lake Superior.[55] The barley was destined for Buffalo.[56]
D. M. Clemson broke the record for a coal cargo with a 8,200 long tons (8,332t) load of bituminous coal, which she discharged at Duluth on 22 June 1904.[57] She broke another record a month later, on 22 July, after loading 8,441 long tons (8,576t) and 1,750 pounds (793.8kg) of soft coal destined for Superior, Wisconsin, at the Hocking dock in Toledo, Ohio, the largest cargo of that type loaded at the port.[i][59] On 12 August 1904, she stranded in the Menominee River, while laden with anthracite coal.[60] She was freed at night the following day, after 350 long tons (356t) of her cargo was removed, receiving no damage from the grounding.[61]
During the end of 1905, D. M. Clemson almost sank.[62] At 02:00 on 2 September, she left Duluth, laden with iron ore bound for South Chicago, Illinois.[63] As she proceeded across Lake Superior, weather conditions began to deteriorate. D. M. Clemson eventually encountered the full force of the storm, which The Cleveland Leader described as "unsurpassed".[64] Waves boarded her decks, smashing in two of the hatch covers. The water which entered her hold caused her cargo to shift.[63] Captain Samuel R. Chamberlain decided to turn her around, arriving in Two Harbors, Minnesota, several hours later. She had a 4-foot (1.2m)list to starboard, with little freeboard.[64] In addition to the broken hatches, she also lost several railings, and sustained other damage.[65]
She was placed in dry dock in Superior, in mid–September 1905, to repair damage to her bottom caused by ice earlier that year. Repairs were not deemed to be of the utmost importance, leading to their delay.[66] Thirteen of her plates were replaced.[67] On the night of 26 September, D. M. Clemson ran aground opposite the Minnesota ore docks in the Buffalo River due to low water levels, while underway to unload her cargo of iron ore.[68] She was drawing 19 feet (5.8m) of water at the time.[69] Although the tug Delta succeeded in freeing her, she grounded again while turning around. The wrecking tug Saginaw was dispatched to assist, but failed to free her.[70] On the morning of 27 September, increased water levels allowed her to float free, and subsequently unload her cargo at the ore dock.[71]
Upbound with coal on 13 April 1906, D. M. Clemson ran aground on Bar Point, on Lake Erie, remaining there for several hours. She was eventually freed and allowed to continue her journey, having sustained no visible damage.[72]
At 07:00 on 20 June 1907, while downbound and laden with iron ore, D. M. Clemson collided with the upbound whalebackJames B. Neilson in heavy fog off Middle Island on Lake Huron.[73]D. M. Clemson was struck on her port side, immediately forward of her coal bunkers. Despite receiving considerable damage, she proceeded on her way, her captain reporting the collision at Port Huron, Michigan, at 22:15 later that day.[74]
On the night of 20 October 1908, D. M. Clemson was bound from Conneaut, for Ashtabula, Ohio, to load coal.[75] While attempting to enter the latter port, a strong current drove her against the pier of the Ashtabula Harbor Light, damaging ten hull plates above the turn of her bilge, as well as the first water tank on her starboard side.[76] Her impact with the pier knocked it 4 inches (10.2cm) out of line.[77] As the damage sustained was above the waterline, D. M. Clemson received temporary repairs in Astabula, before leaving on a voyage for Lake Superior.[78] On October 24, while upbound with coal, she ran aground on Point Pelee, due to smoke from a forest fires obscuring visibility.[79] She was freed later that day, continuing her voyage, receiving no noticeable damage.[80]
After loading 8,000 long tons (8,128t) iron ore consigned to Ashtabula, in Duluth, on 20 November 1908, D. M. Clemson encountered a fierce storm on Lake Superior.[81] A following sea broke over her stern, flooding the crew's aft quarters, smashing the engine room skylights, and buckling cabin doors.[81] Chamberlain altered course to avoid flooding D. M. Clemson's engine. The following morning, green seas, combined with a sharp drop in temperature resulted in a thick layer of ice coating D. M. Clemson's decks. She struggled against the storm for two days, until it dissipated, allowing her to continue her journey to the Soo Locks.[81] Despite the severity of the storm, she sustained no obvious structural damage.[82] Her crew repaired the damaged fittings.[81]
Final voyage
At 09:30 on the morning of 30 November 1908, D. M. Clemson passed through the Soo Locks into Lake Superior, with a cargo of coal consigned to Duluth, loaded in Lorain, Ohio, two days prior.[83] She was under the command of Captain Samuel R. Chamberlain, who was scheduled to retire after the trip's end.[82] Chamberlain made the decision to guide D. M. Clemson on the southernmost route to Duluth, which required passage through the Portage Canal. Until Whitefish Point, she was accompanied by the freighter J. J. H. Brown, when the other vessel altered course for the north shore of the lake.[84]J. J. H. Brown was the final vessel to verifiably encounter D. M. Clemson. Shortly thereafter, an unusually powerful snow storm descended on Lake Superior. D. M. Clemson was lost with her entire crew of 24.[84]
An unconfirmed sighting of D. M. Clemson was reported by the captain of the freighter Paliki of the Algoma Central Steamship Line, who claimed to have spotted her amid heavy snow west of Whitefish Point. This sighting would have been the final time D. M. Clemson was seen afloat.[62]
Aftermath and wreck
The definitive cause of D. M. Clemson's sinking remains a mystery, and has been subject to much speculation.[85]
The wreck of D. M. Clemson has never been found, becoming the largest undiscovered shipwreck on the Great Lakes following the discovery of the 550-foot (167.6m) Canadian freighter James Carruthers in May 2025.[86] The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has sought the wreck of D. M. Clemson since at least 2002.[87] While on an expedition to locate her wreck in August 2007, they located the hull of a large freighter 8 miles (12.9km) north of Deer Park, Michigan, in 460 feet (140.2m) of water.[88] However, footage taken via remotely operated vehicle identified the wreck as the freighter Cyprus, lost a year before D. M. Clemson.[89]
1 2 Some sources list D. M. Clemson's cargo capacity as 7,500 long tons (7,620t), 7,000 long tons (7,112t), or 6,900 long tons (7,011t) on an 18-foot (5.5m) draught.[1]
↑ They were named James H. Hoyt, D. G. Kerr, D. M. Clemson, and James H. Reed.[17]
↑ One source listed the cost as $350,000 (equivalent to $9.53million in 2023[a]).[20]
↑ It would not be until 1904 that the traditional construction methods were dispensed with in favour of steel arches and sloped side "hopper" tanks, in the freighter Augustus B. Wolvin.[32]
↑ Cargo hold figures taken from measurements of D. G. Kerr, D. M. Clemson's identical sister ship.[35]
↑ The engine's first cylinder was high pressure, the second and third intermediate, and the fourth low.[41]
↑ One source listed 7,775 long tons (7,900t) of iron ore.[44]
↑ One source listed the weight of the cargo as 8,000 long tons (8,128t).[58]
"Around the Lakes". The Marine Review. 28 (1). Cleveland, Ohio: The Marine Review: 23. 1903. Retrieved 7 September 2025– via maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca.
"Ship of the Month No.168: Saskadoc". The Scanner. 21 (2). Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Marine Historical Society: 7 – 11. 1988. Retrieved 11 September 2025– via maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca.
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