Wheelhouse Photo by John Veber

The condition of this wreck is what every wreck diver dreams of.  The unexpected sight of a fully intact wheelhouse is a rare experience. 

Initial dives by the SeaView crew were conducted in 1994. Aside from the visit to the wreck by the HMS Cormorant mini-sub, the SeaView crew were the first to ever dive this shipwreck.  The identity of this tug was not known at this time and its spectacular condition inspired further investigation.

It would be one full season before the conclusive identity of the tug was revealed.

While doing some careful investigation Dan Lindsay found the painted name still visible on the stern under the quaga mussels which proved the tug to be the "Smith".   The lettering beneath the name indicates the home port of Montreal.
 

   
Name Across Stern

   
Diver on the Bow  

The "Smith" was built in 1881 in Buffalo as the "Albert J. Wright".  Built as an excursion steamer for Buffalo she was used before and after the excursion season towing barges up and down the lakes.  Her size for a tug was a lengthy 127 feet,  a beam of 22 feet and a depth of 9.   

She was sold out of Buffalo hands in 1885 and went to Chicago.  After 1 year it changed ownership to Port Huron and in 1893 the "Wright" was sold to Leatham & Smith Towing & Wrecking Co. of Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin.  She went through rebuilds during this time and renamed the "Smith".

Chadburn in Wheelhouse 

First Sight of Wheelhouse

In 1916 her registry was surrender at Milwaukee to a Canadian company, Reid Wrecking Company of Sarnia.  Last owner of the vessel was Sincennes - MacNaughton Co. Ltd. of Montreal.  Her final engine was a two cylinder fore-and-aft engine with cylinders of 30 and 54 inch diameters and a 45 inch stroke. 

Newspapers of the time wrote of her sinking on Oct. 24, 1930 saying that the condemned tug  was under tow from Port Colborne to Sarnia for repairs.  While being towed by the tug Manistique,  she foundered and sank in 20 fathoms of water off Long Point.

Chadburn & Wheel

   Whistle on Stack

Help on the research came from Pat Labadie and Door County Museum of Sturgeon Bay.  Photos are courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library.  Jack Messemer of Buffalo also helped with this research.