EMPEROR: HISTORY

Construction

When the steel bulk freighter EMPEROR was launched on December 17, 1910 (Port Arthur Daily News April 8, 1911), it was the largest ship ever built in Canada (Duluth News-Tribune April 9, 1911). It was built as hull number 28 by the Collingwood Shipbuilding Co. of Collingwood, Ontario, for James Playfair’s company, the Inland Lines Ltd of Midland, Ontario. Playfair would eventually build up a substantial fleet of Lakes carriers, and EMPEROR was his first large vessel. Evidently, Playfair had a penchant for giving his ships names that related to royalty, for in later years he would own vessels with names like EMPRESS OF MIDLAND, EMPRESS OF FORT WILLIAM, and MIDLAND KING (Greenwood 1983:53).

The length of EMPEROR was 525 feet, breadth 56.1 feet, and depth 27 feet. Moulded depth was 31 feet and the draft could go as deep as 27 feet. The gross tonnage was 7,031 and the registered tonnage was 4,641. The original registry number assigned to the vessel at its home port of Midland was 126,654. The transcript of the Register states EMPEROR had one deck, two masts, was schooner-rigged with a plumb bow and elliptical stern.

The new ship was built of steel and designed on the arch and web frame system of construction to create an unobstructed cargo hold under the 30 hatches. Each of the hatches was 9x36 feet wide and placed on 12-foot centers. There was an ore chute at each hatchway (Railway and Marine World Jan. 1911:89). The ship had 11 bulkheads; the engine room was 67 feet long.

The hull was equipped with 7 side-ballast and water-bottom tanks with a capacity of 5,021 tons (Transcript of Register). The tanks were directly connected with 7” steel suction pipes. A combination header connected to sea valves and ballast pumps allowed the ship to rapidly take on or discharge ballast water. There was no separation between the side and bottom tanks.

The pilothouse, captain’s and mates’ quarters were forward; boilers and engine were aft with the crew’s quarters. Between the forward and aft superstructures, the deck was clear, free of spars and other obstructions in order to allow rapid loading and unloading of its bulk ore cargo (Canadian Railway and Marine World Feb 1911:188).

EMPEROR was powered by an inverted, triple-expansion steam engine built by the Collingwood Shipbuilding Company. The engine had cylinders of 23, 38.5, and 63 inches on a 42-inch stroke, and received steam at 180 pounds of pressure from two Scotch boilers 15.5 feet in diameter and 12 feet in length. The engine produced an indicated horsepower of 1,500 (Transcript of Register) at 82 revolutions per minute. Registered nominal speed was 10 knots. By the time the vessel sank, its normal speed loaded was 11 knots.

The last recorded major hull modifications were done in 1944. The Canada Steamship Lines Company installed new side tanks and tank tops at a cost of $160,000 (Toronto Globe and Mail June 5, 1944).

Operational History

EMPEROR was launched December 17, 1910, but was not ready to go into commission until April 1911 (Port Arthur Daily News April 8, 1911). By the time the ship was ready for its first trip, the captain selected was G.W. Pearson, and C.L. Smith was chosen to be the chief engineer for the season (Canadian Railway and Marine World March 1911:283).

The huge bulk carrier’s first season commenced with a major incident. The ship broke its main shaft in Thunder Bay, Lake Huron, and was towed to Detroit, Michigan (Canadian Railway and Marine World June 1911:573; Port Arthur Daily News May 26, 1911).

The broken shaft on the first trip out was not the most serious mishap to befall EMPEROR during its first season. While anchoring in the Canadian canal at Sault Ste. Marie, the ship rode over its anchor, causing it to tear a hole in the hull. The freighter sank the few feet to the bottom, blocking the channel. It was released, and after temporary repairs were made, proceeded on to Midland, Ontario (Canadian Railway and Marine World Nov. 1911:1048).

A court found the canal employees to blame for ordering the flooding of the lock without inquiring if the vessel was ready. The court stated it believed that it was customary for the master of a vessel to sound one blast of the whistle as a signal to the canal authorities to begin flooding. Although the officers were exonerated, the responsibility was placed on the watchman on board who “happened to be a deckhand and, therefore, irresponsible” (Canadian Railway and Marine World Dec. 1911:1347). The court added that it believed it necessary for masters to have copies of the regulations governing the operation of locks and canals.

In May 1926, James Playfair sold EMPEROR to the Canada Steamship Lines Ltd of Montreal, Quebec. Playfair was listed as the sole owner of the 64 shares of the ship (Transcript of Register).

Another incident occurred October 29, 1926, when EMPEROR was grounded on Major Shoal near Mackinaw City, Michigan. The ship was released uninjured at 4:00 that afternoon after jettisoning 900 tons of ore (Detroit Free Press Oct. 27, 1926). It is not known how EMPEROR dumped the ore.

The 1926 ore season closed November 17. The season had been the busiest on record for the industry at Hamilton, Ontario, with an average of 110 ore carriers a month unloading at the docks of the Steel Company of Canada. The last ship of the season to bring down a cargo that season was EMPEROR (Detroit Free Press Nov. 20, 1926).

In 1936, EMPEROR lost a rudder (Toronto Evening Telegram June 4, 1947). A man was washed overboard at the same time. EMPEROR ran aground in 1937 off Bruce on Lake Huron, and was soon released (Toronto Evening Telegram June 4, 1947).

Wreck Event

EMPEROR struck Canoe Rocks off Isle Royale June 4, 1947 and sank in about 30 minutes. Three officers and nine crew were lost. The following account was developed from the official investigation of the disaster conducted by Canadian officials on June 6 and July 2 and 3, 1947.

EMPEROR had brought up a load of coal and unloaded at the coal docks at Fort William. The freighter had immediately moved from the coal docks to the Port Arthur Iron Ore Docks to load ore. The loading of ore took six to seven hours. The first mate had supervised the loading and took the watch after they cleared the breakwall.

The doomed ship was laden with 10,479 tons of bulk iron ore (removed from the Steep Rock Mine) stowed in its five holds when she cleared Port Arthur at 10:45 p.m., June 3, downbound for Ashtabula, Ohio. The ship’s draft was 21 feet 3 inches forward and 27 feet 3 inches aft.

The steamer was in seaworthy condition and well-equipped with suitable charts and sailing directions for the intended voyage. EMPEROR was also carrying a gyro compass, echo meter, sounding machine, ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore telephone, and the “latest modern type of Marconi direction-finding equipment,” in addition to the usual compasses and other equipment. EMPEROR, however, did not carry a full crew. There was no third mate.

The weather was good, the wind light, and visibility excellent. These favorable conditions held for the short voyage. The navigation lights of Passage Light and Blake Point should have been clearly visible. Passage Island Light should have been visible from Trowbridge Light outside Thunder Cape, and Blake Point Light should have been visible for at least an hour before the wreck occurred.

The watch sequence established that Capt. Eldon Walkinshaw had the watch until midnight when the first mate, James Morrey, took over. He had the watch from midnight to 6:00 a.m., and spent that time seated in a chair in the front of the wheelhouse. Evidence brought out that Morrey was in charge of loading the vessel in port before departure during most of the six hours he normally would have been off duty and, as a result, was probably overtired during his watch and fell asleep.

According to the testimony of J. Leonard, wheelsman, who was on duty the watch before the accident, the courses were plotted by the first mate at Thunder Cape. The course steered from Welcome Islands to Thunder Cape was 138 degrees true with a 2-degree alteration to pass the steamer BATTLEFORD. Leonard, who was inexperienced in the upper lake region (this was his first time steering downbound from the Lakehead), believed the course was altered to 98 degrees true abreast of Trowbridge Light. The mate did not take a four-point bearing, a bearing on the light, nor did he use the radio beacon on Passage Light. Leonard went off watch at 4:00 and stated Passage Island Light was 10° off the port bow. He turned the wheel over to J. Prokup. The mate did not check the course at the watch change.

There was no record of the ship’s course until it passed Welcome Island at the mouth of Thunder Bay. At Thunder Cape Light, the normal downbound course should have been set to 98 degrees true; however, the court determined that the course was not set until the ship was abreast of Trowbridge Light, some 3 miles beyond Thunder Cape Light.

EMPEROR struck Canoe Rocks shortly before 4:15 a.m. According to various accounts, the ship stayed afloat from 20 to 35 minutes.

By the time the first reports of the wreck appeared in the newspapers, the survivors were already in Fort William, having been rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Aboard the 126-foot, 240-ton cutter KIMBALL, under the command of Lt. C.R. Clark, KIMBALL had been in the vicinity of Isle Royale repairing navigation lights, and was headed to the Coast Guard base at Cleveland by way of Canoe Rocks when the distress message from EMPEROR was intercepted. It took them about 35 minutes to reach the wreck (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette June 4, 1947).

KIMBALL picked up 21 survivors and the body of the first cook, Evelyn Schultz, of Owen Sound, Ontario. The survivors were brought to the Port William City Dock on the Kaministiquia River at 9:30 a.m. They were taken from there to the Salvation Army Hostel. Some of the survivors moved to the Royal Edward Hotel. By the evening of the 4th, all would be residing there with Canada Steamship Lines picking up the bill (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 6, 1947). The company gave each wreck survivor $100 for clothes and essentials. The survivors were transported to EMPEROR’s downbound destination aboard a Canadian Pacific Railway sleeping car provided by Canada Steamship Lines.

Soon after the cutter arrived, the survivors began to relate stories of their grim struggle. There had been no panic after the ship struck. Eleven of the crew were still missing, including the captain, who was last seen on the bridge of his wrecked ship (Winnipeg Free Press June 4, 1947).

Two lifeboats were launched, one from each side of the ship, but both ran into difficulties. The one on the starboard side lost a bilge plug, and when the 10 sailors aboard were rescued, they were knee-deep in water. The port lifeboat pulled away from the wreck but was sucked under by the ship when it went down. Four men were clinging to it when KIMBALL arrived. The suction from the sinking ship also pulled crew members below the icy waters—some said they had been drawn down 30 to 40 feet as the freighter sank. Second Mate Peter Craven of Port McNicoll, Ontario, said he was pulled under twice by the suction (Winnipeg Free Press June 4, 1947).

Seven men were towed to safety on Canoe Rocks by the starboard lifeboat that returned to pick up other survivors. The men on the rocks were taken off by a motorboat launched from KIMBALL. Two men, suffering from shock and exposure, had to be carried aboard the cutter (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947; Montreal Gazette June 5, 1947).

Exposure to the waters of Lake Superior is serious at any time during the year. On the day the wreck occurred, there was little hope for those lucky enough to get out of the water because the air temperature read in the mid-30s on this “summer” day. In fact, it was the coldest June 4 reading in Michigan’s history (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette June 4, 1947).

“It was lucky that we were on the west side of Isle Royale,” Lieutenant Clark of KIMBALL said. “We had intended to go along the east side. We received the call about 4:00 a.m. and we were underway at 4:17, and were picking up survivors at 4:50. It was told by one of the survivors that suction took one of the lifeboats under. The two halves of the EMPEROR must have sunk in a hurry” (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947).

When KIMBALL left the site with the survivors, the only trace of the ship above the water was the mast jutting some 15 feet above (Minneapolis Star June 4, 1947). However, pictures taken after the wreck show the top of the pilothouse was exposed.

Chief Engineer Merritt Dedman, a 63-year-old veteran of 32 years on the Great Lakes, was awakened when the ship struck and told the following story to the press:

“I didn’t have to have anyone tell me something seriously was wrong. I threw on my clothes and went down to the engine room. I listened as I ran down a passage. The engine started to race and I knew then that the propeller was gone. It was a case of waiting with our fingers crossed until the captain gave the order to abandon ship. He wasn’t long; about 10 minutes, I would say.”

Dedman got into the starboard lifeboat and found himself up to his knees in water. They picked up several men in the water and cruised around until they were picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947).

Peter Craven, the second mate, related his experiences during the sinking:

“As the ship began to list sharply the captain gave his abandon ship order. The first boat was lowered and floated without too much trouble and men piled down ropes to get in while others jumped into the water. I jumped in and managed to get in the second boat but she was capsized by suction of the sinking ship. Most of the missing were in or about this second boat. Down we went. When I came up I reached the surface a moment before the boat came up overturned.”

He climbed on the boat with Louis Caille and Ed Brown. “We were a wet, cold bunch as we waited for the rescue ship to reach us. I’m still shivering. Gee, that water was cold” (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947).

Bill Randall, a wheelsman, was on watch near the bow of the ship. He also gave his account to the newspapers (Port Arthur News Chronicle, June 4, 1947):

“It was pitch black and I couldn’t see a thing, but I knew something serious had happened. I noticed the ship begin to sink almost immediately at the bow.”

He knew it was “only a matter of time” before they went under.

“I would say the men kept remarkably calm. I don’t think they realized we were sinking as fast as we were. When the time came to abandon ship, things began to happen so fast that no one had much time to get scared.”

He said water was “up to the winches” when the order to abandon ship was given. He saw the captain rush from the wheelhouse as waves came over the side and toppled him on his back. “I didn’t see him after that.” (The same source states that not one of the survivors saw Capt. Walkinshaw in the water.)

Randall noted one pathetic scene: He saw Paul Perry, a watchman, walking at the stern with his suitcase in his hand. Apparently Perry could not swim, for he made no attempt to jump overboard with the others. “He didn’t say a thing; he just stood there and went down with the ship.”

Only one account located mentioned exploding boilers. Night Steward Art Laframboise said he was cooking a meal when the ship struck. He rushed out and helped launch a lifeboat:

“I helped pull two men into the lifeboat, and they were still jumping from the sinking freighter when the boilers exploded. Instead of drawing us in, the force of the explosion pushed us out… That was lucky. I was careful to steer the lifeboat straight away from the ship as she went down; otherwise, if we had been traveling in a parallel direction, I don’t think we’d have made it. A few hundred feet ahead…”

“We saw a rock sticking out of the water, so we made for it and discharged our cargo. Then we went back to pick up some more survivors… By this time the ship had gone down. On the way over to the Coast Guard cutter we picked up the body of the first cook, Mrs. Schultz. Her clothes were torn and I figured she went down with their boat, and then was blown to the surface when the boilers exploded” (Montreal Gazette June 5, 1947).

The Albrecht account below contradicts what Laframboise thought happened to Schultz. Albrecht was on the aft deck with all three of the women when the ship went down and saw them aboard a lifeboat. This was apparently the port lifeboat that capsized from the suction of the ship sinking.

Nick Louia would remember his first voyage as a sailor:

“I jumped over the side. I went under pretty deep and when I came up I hit my forehead on the overturned lifeboat. Then I swam to a mattress and stayed on until the other lifeboat picked me up. The water was like ice” (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 4, 1947).

The Minneapolis Star (June 4, 1947) carried the experience of Ernest Albrecht, 18, a coal passer who was the youngest of the 21 survivors. Albrecht was preparing to go to bed when he learned the ship was going down. When he heard the news, he dressed rapidly, grabbed a life jacket, and rushed to the afterdeck, where he helped lower the two lifeboats. He waited until the three women cooks were aboard and started to follow them.

“Before I got into the boat I was standing by the after house. Then the ship gave a lunge and water came rushing over like a waterfall. The port lifeboat was thrown against the after house bulkhead, with severe persons in it. I thought my time had come as the boat threatened to pin me to the cabins, but luckily I was just pushed out of the way. The next thing I knew I was in the water, floating with the decker. The port lifeboat was overturned and a few feet away. I couldn’t swim in that water; it was so cold, so I climbed on the boat and hung on it until I saw the cutter coming.”

Fran. Savearoux, deck hand, said:

“I was bounced out of my berth, still in a sound sleep, when the crash came.”

He added:

“I ran down into the damage room. There the second mate told the men to put on life belts and prepare the lifeboats to be lowered. I then jumped into the water… a sinking section of the ship drew me and the second cook, Mabel Cochrane, under the water. The suction was bad, but I fought my way to the surface and came up in a lifering. I was later picked up by a lifeboat and brought to safety” (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 4, 1947).

The survivors were a hardy lot. Young Albrecht, who was just starting his career as a Lakes sailor, said from his hospital bed that he was planning to ship out again in a few weeks. Perhaps he summed up the attitude shared by some of the other survivors, and many of those who had made their living on the Great Lakes, when he said:

“We can’t let one little shipwreck get us down” (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 4, 1947).

Shortly after the survivors returned safely to Fort William, the search for the missing was resumed. KIMBALL’s Lt. Clark and his crew of 12 left port about 10 o’clock the morning of June 4 to “hunt around Canoe Rocks for survivors and bodies” (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947)

Alan J. Linfoot, general agent, announced that Canada Steamship Lines had chartered another vessel, COASTAL QUEEN, owned by the Northern Engineering Company, to go to the wreck site to continue the search and also to attempt recovery of bodies still trapped on board the wreck. COASTAL QUEEN had a diver, E.J. (Doc) Fowler, aboard. Fowler was a veteran diver who was employed by Pigeon River Timber Company and was on loan to C.S.L. (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 5, 1947). Small launches were also aboard QUEEN to enable the many small bays and inlets of Isle Royale to be searched.

The charter vessel left at 6:00 p.m. (reported elsewhere as 3:00 p.m.) on the 4th, and diving operations were planned for that evening (Montreal Gazette June 5, 1947; Toronto Globe and Mail June 5, 1947; Fort William Daily Times Journal June 5, 1947).

KIMBALL’s crew found the body of another woman during the search they conducted after returning to the site the afternoon of the disaster. It was identified as that of Marie Tobachuk, a porter. She was found about 4 miles from the site, floating upright, supported by her life jacket (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 5, 1947). The Coast Guard returned her to Fort William that evening (Montreal Gazette June 4, 1947). The two lifeboats and a company raft were also reported in the same general area.

At first there was some confusion regarding the number and identity of the missing from the wreck. The official company list of the dead and missing released from its corporate headquarters in Montreal named only 11 persons. Company officials in Fort William stated that there were indeed 12 missing or dead. The 12th missing crew member was J. Prokup (also Praykop and Pronupof), a wheelsman. Prokup had replaced Sepchuk, who left the ship the night before it sailed. Sepchuk surprised everyone when he walked into the company headquarters on the day of the wreck to pick up his pay (Toronto Globe and Mail June 6, 1947; Montreal Gazette June 5, 1947).

EMPEROR’s crew usually consisted of 35, but two men were left behind when it departed Fort William on its last trip (Montreal Gazette June 5, 1947).

Malcom Melsaacs (or Melsaacs, Winnipeg Free Press June 5, 1947) and Melville Anderson were the two men on the normal EMPEROR crew roster not aboard when the ship took its last voyage. Anderson, a wheelsman, had been suffering from eye trouble and stayed ashore (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 5, 1947). A day earlier, the same paper stated that a fireman and third mate were not on the ship.

This would have been Melsaacs’ second trip on the Lakes. His luck had changed for the better. As a saltwater sailor, he was torpedoed three times during the war (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 4, 1947).

James Burzio was not as fortunate as those who had missed the boat. Burzio, who was among the missing, shipped aboard EMPEROR as a coal passer on June 3—the ship’s last night afloat (Fort William Daily Times Journal June 4, 1947).

Capt. Norman Keoch, operating manager of Canada Steamship Lines, told the newspapers that his company’s ships had the most modern safety devices obtainable, and apart from that:

“EMPEROR was one of the most seaworthy ships in the company’s lines. We feel that our fleet is one of the best-maintained fleets on the Great Lakes. There has been more safety practice on the Great Lakes in the past 10 years than ever before…”

Operators are endeavoring to obtain lesser premiums on insurance rates—"and with telling results" (Toronto Globe and Mail June 6, 1947).

Reoch’s comments were in response to those made by Harry Davis, president of the Canadian Seaman’s Union (Toronto Globe and Mail June 5, 1947). The night of the wreck, Davis had called for an immediate investigation into the sinking and demanded that the C.S.L. be represented on any board set up that would probe the worst Lake tragedy in five years.

“Too many Lake ships are far too old to be sailing with such heavy cargoes as ore, and altogether too many safety regulations are being violated. It is high time to call a halt to the needless tragedies.”

He stated that the union had always fought for adequate safety regulations and would continue to do so.

“We of the union mourn the loss of these men along with their relatives. We consider, however, that the best memorial to those lost in this tragedy is to ensure such future calamities shall not take place” (Montreal Gazette June 4, 1947).

Captain Reoch, however, labeled the Davis statement as that of “an opportunist,” and stated that Lake ships are inspected periodically by the British Corp Register (a classification society) and approved by the Steamboat Inspection Service, Ottawa (Toronto Globe and Mail June 9, 1947).

Three investigations were soon convened regarding the cause of the disaster. One was begun by the U.S. Coast Guard under the direction of Lt. Cmdr. S.D. Lavue, inspector, from Duluth. The Coast Guard was required to make an investigation because the incident happened in U.S. waters. The other inquiries were the ones by the Steamship Inspection Branch of the Canadian Transport Department (this would be a preliminary investigation, with a formal inquiry to follow), and the Canada Steamship Lines, to be conducted by H.B. Harker, of Toronto, shore captain for the company (Toronto Globe and Mail June 6, 1947). There may have been a fourth inquiry—it was reported that the Fort William coroner was also investigating the cause of the accident (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette June 5, 1947).

The most informative document of the many inquiries into the wreck is that of “The Preliminary Inquiry into the Circumstances Concerning the Sinking of the S.S. EMPEROR”, conducted by Capt. W.M. Morrison, Supervisor and Examiner of Masters and Mates for the Department of Transport, Province of Ontario, on the 6th day of June 1947 (Canadian Archives). Ten of the survivors were interviewed under oath, and the questions and answers are contained within this document.

The Canadian Legislature expressed its concern over the wreck. More navigational aids were urged in the Commons as a result of EMPEROR’s loss. T.L. Church led the discussion. Church declared that there were no aids to navigation on the Lake at the spot where the ship struck the reef, and he asked what the Government was going to do to protect shipping. Transport Minister Chevrier replied that, if Church knew the facts, he would not make the statements he did (Montreal Gazette June 6, 1947).

Apparently the Canadian Seaman’s Union also conducted an inquiry on the wreck. A report of its findings was released June 18, and excerpts and company responses appeared in the press (Montreal Gazette June 19, 1947). In the union’s report, L.G. McManus, national secretary, charged that an officer of EMPEROR had disregarded warnings that the ship was nearing dangerous rocks, and that, due to “hasty davits,” the crew had difficulty in launching lifeboats. According to McManus, survivors of the sinking told the union that the ship had been sailing short one mate since the beginning of the season, and the chief and second mates had shared the missing mate’s wages between them. The union charged further that, contrary to regulations of the Canada Shipping Act, no lifeboat drills had been held aboard EMPEROR that season. McManus went on to say that “facts revealed by investigations conducted by the union” had moved the union to request the government to include C.S.U. representatives in the government inquiry board that was investigating the sinking. The union wanted unlicensed survivors to be called as witnesses during the inquiry.

Capt Norman J. Reoch issued a statement in response to the union’s report on behalf of Canada Steamship Lines (Montreal Gazette June 18, 1947). He declared the report “false and irresponsible.”

The formal investigation to be done by request of Transportation Minister Chevrier was announced (Montreal Gazette June 19, 1947). Justice F.H. Barlow of the Supreme Court of Canada presided, Capt. F.J. Davis and Angus G. McKay acted as assessors, Hugh Plaxton of Toronto acted as counsel for the Transport Department. The investigation opened at the Osgoode Hall, Ottawa, July 2. Representatives of the Canadian Seaman’s Union had been invited to attend.

The court findings were announced July 26 (in Court Documents). Honourable Lionel Chevrier, Minister of Transport, today announced the findings of the investigation into the stranding and sinking of the S.S. EMPEROR in Lake Superior on June 4 last with the loss of 12 lives. The report places the blame for the wreck on James Morrey, the first mate, “who did not keep proper watch.” In this connection, the report expressed the opinion “that the system which prevailed which required the first mate to be in charge of the loading of the ship during the period when he should have been off duty, resulted in his becoming over-tired, suffering as he was from loss of sleep.” James Morrey was drowned when the vessel sank.

The ill-fated vessel had loaded 10,429 tons of iron ore and had sailed from Port Arthur at 10:55 p.m. on June 3. The captain was in charge of the watch till midnight when the first mate, James Morrey, relieved him for the midnight until 6 a.m. watch. The evidence indicated that the first mate was overtired and the report emphasizes the fact that “James Morrey was a man of wide experience on the Great Lakes, that he was most efficient, and that he had an excellent record previous to this unfortunate accident.”

Recommendations of the Court of Investigation are as follows:

1. We recommend that some system be evolved, either by employing a third mate or otherwise, if feasible, to prevent a mate or other officer from taking charge of a ship when he is suffering from loss of sleep or is in a state of exhaustion by reason of his duties. We find that the eight-hour day prevails with the engine room officers and crew but not with the officers in the forward end. We cannot understand why the eight-hour day should not prevail throughout the ship, and we would so recommend.

2. The evidence does not disclose, and so far as we know there is no requirement by which a ship is equipped with a system of electrical gongs, throughout the ship, to be used in case of a disaster, such as collision, fire, or grounding. We recommend that a regulation be passed requiring all Lake vessels to be so equipped.

3. In our opinion, the evidence does not disclose that sufficient lifeboat and fire drills were held to familiarize the changing crew with their proper stations and proper duties, in order that the same may be carried out speedily and efficiently. We recommend that lifeboat drill and fire drill be held weekly during the summer season and that at least twice during the navigation period, apart from the spring inspection, that lifeboat drill and fire drill be held in the presence of and under the supervision of, an officer from the Department of Steamboat Inspection.

1. In view of the submissions made we have given consideration to whether or not wooden lifeboats should be used. We are of the opinion that wooden lifeboats are far superior to any other.

The evidence submitted before the Court of Investigation showed that the vessel was in a good and seaworthy condition as regards hull, machinery, lifesaving and other equipment. All necessary charts and sailing directions were on board and in addition, the following equipment in excess of Department of Transport regulations had been installed: gyro compass, echo sounding machine, ship-to-shore radio telephone and radio direction finder.

The Board of Investigation fully exonerates the master, Captain Eldon Walkinshaw, and says: “We are of the opinion that under all the circumstances he did everything possible most promptly and efficiently.” He sent out a distress signal by radio immediately after the vessel struck, in response of which the United States Coast Guard vessel KIMBALL, located nearby, came to render assistance. In this connection, the report says “We cannot commend too highly the action of the captain and crew of the KIMBALL for the prompt assistance which they rendered.” As a result, 21 of the crew were saved. Most of those who lost their lives were in the second lifeboat which was being launched and was sucked down when the EMPEROR sank.

Newspaper stories at the time of EMPEROR’s loss compared the high shipwreck concentration at the northeastern end of Isle Royale to Keweenaw Point and Whitefish Point, which had been known as the “Graveyard of the Great Lakes” (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947). Most of the wrecks that occurred at Keweenaw Point were ships driven ashore during storms. The wrecks on Whitefish Point have been due primarily to vessels converging into the narrow channel heading out of the Upper Lake, and then colliding, usually during fog. The Isle Royale wrecks have been principally attributed to a “combination of storms and mistaking the travel routes, the latter, in former days particularly, being due to magnetic disturbances which sometimes affect the steamer compasses in that area” (Port Arthur News Chronicle June 4, 1947)

The loss of EMPEROR was the worst disaster on the Great Lakes since the year 1942, when three incidents were recorded: 25 drowned in a launch in Georgian Bay, 14 elsewhere in a tug, and 18 in a barge in Lake Erie. EMPEROR’s demise was the first event on Lake Superior resulting in a loss of life since 1940, when the steamer ARLINGTON went down in a gale with the loss of one crew member. The worst year on Lake Superior prior to the EMPEROR wreck was 1927, when KAMLOOPS disappeared in a storm with 22 crew aboard (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette June 4, 1947). The worst year since the turn of the century on the Great Lakes was 1913, when a 2-day November storm wrecked 13 vessels, and 240 people drowned. It was estimated that, since the turn of the century, more than 100 ships have gone down on the Great Lakes, and more than 2,000 seamen have lost their lives (Winnipeg Free Press June 4, 1947).

EMPEROR was the most recent large ship to be wrecked on Isle Royale.

Salvage

The first diver to view the remains of the EMPEROR was E.J. (Doc) Fowler. On Thursday, June 12, 1947, Fowler made three dives of about 30 minutes’ duration in an attempt to recover some of the bodies of those still missing from the wreck (Port Arthur News Chronicle, June 14, 1947). The dives had been planned to take place during the original search operations carried out by COASTAL QUEEN after the wreck, but weather conditions did not allow them to be done.

There are no records of commercial salvage on EMPEROR. Soon after the advent of scuba diving, EMPEROR became a popular diving attraction in Lake Superior. The continued exploration of EMPEROR led to the discovery of what Fowler sought. In 1975, the clothed and preserved remains of one of the crew was discovered by sport divers in the area of the engine room (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette, Sept. 2 and 3, 1975). The body was discovered by members of the Inland Divers Club of Duluth and was reported to the National Park Service. Park headquarters said that no further diving attempts to recover the remains were planned due to the depth and the difficulty in reaching the remains (Daily Mining Gazette, Sept. 3, 1975). The remains were reportedly removed by Canadian divers and sunk in deep water. Occasional reports of additional remains have reached the Park Service. However, none have been verified.