Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-08-19, Page 13Wednesday, August 19, 2015 • News Record 13 The wreck of the Wexford: November 9, 1913 The steamer Wexford was one of 12 ships lost with all hands during the Great Storm of November 1913. Without a survivor to bear witness to her death strug- gle against Lake Huron's fury, her tragic tale had until recently almost disappeared from memory. Local marine historian, Paul Car- roll has rescued the Wex- ford's exford's saga from the depths of oblivion in his book The Wexford (2010). The propeller driven steamship the Wexford was built in England by Doxford, Williams & Sons in 1883. Although her pri- mary source of power was steam, the Wexford was schooner rigged for sail if the need arose. She was built for the European bulk carrier trade and operated by the British trading com- pany, R.M. Hudson & Son until she was purchased by a French company and briefly sailed under the name "Elise" from 1898-1903. Captain W. J. Bassett of the Western Steamship Company purchased her for service on the Great Lakes in 1903 when she reverted to her original name Wexford. The first record of the Wexford's arrival in Goderich was on June 25, 1903 when she arrived with a load of grain from Fort William. Throughout the Wex- ford's life on the Great Lakes, Carroll has Huron History David Yates discovered that she had a series of mishaps that required extensive repairs to keep her seaworthy. At the coroner's inquest held in November 1913 imme- diately after the storm, the owner admitted that "the Wexford had only been in drydock about six times in ten years" for repairs. Frank Bruce Cameron, aged 24, became the Wex- ford's new captain in Octo- ber 1913. Cameron had sailed on the lakes since he was 14 -years -old. He was the son of Captain Alexan- der Campbell Cameron, whom Carroll called a "master mariner." He mar- ried Blanche Moore in 1912. Despite a slashed artery in his foot, Cameron was on the team that earned Collingwood its first Ontario Hockey Champi- onship. In 1912, Cameron earned a Masters' certifi- cate which qualified him to captain a lake freighter. The Wexford was Cap- tain Cameron's first com- mand. On the night of November 8/9, 1913, when Cameron decided to set sail during a lull in the vio- lent storm that had swept across Lake Superior, he would have been mindful of the shipowners' need to make profits and to prove to them that he was an able lake captain not intimi- dated by rough weather. Carroll also makes the interesting observation that Cameron may have wanted to make his bride proud of her captain. Despite the storm warn- ing signals, the Wexford and several other vessels entered Lake Huron sometime on the night of November 8/9. With 96,000 bushels of grain, the Wexford passed through the Sault Locks and stopped briefly at Hays Lake and DeTour, Michigan to take on coal before heading into Lake Huron's open waters bound for Goderich. The storm that had raged the day before appeared to have blown itself out. Early Sunday morning, the winds died down to about 15 knots and barometric pressure rose. Seasoned mariners call this lull in a hurricane a "sucker hole" created when the storm's cyclonic winds shift from the north and west. The counter clockwise rotation of the hurricane meant that its high winds were churning towards the lakes from the north and east. Captain Stephen of the steamer Kaministiquia Follow us on Twitter. Ewitter, @ClintonNewsRcrd clintonnewsrecord.com x4.51 Huron Superior Memorials MONUMENTS FLAT MARKERS INSCRIPTIONS Appointments in the privacy of your own home anytime MICHAEL 5. FALCONER - MANAGER RES 482-3664 • CELL 525-2281 WHO PUNCHED DALE IN THE FACE? If you know please respond to: Clinton News Record Attn: Dale Box 39 Clinton ON NOM 1L0 recorded the last known sighting of the Wexford 15 miles off Point Clark in calm waters. Some idea of the speed and violence with which the storm struck Lake Huron can be learned from the testimony of Gordon Jamieson, a long-time resident of the Point Clark area, when he remembered that on his way to church that Sunday, the lake was as calm as glass, by the time church was over, it was obvious that no boat could be safe in the water." As wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour, 30 foot waves and blizzard condi- tions swept in from the north-east, the Wexford was overtaken by the "white hurricane." For the Wexford's crew, the vessel must have got madden- ingly close to finding ref- uge in the Goderich har- bour. Yet, the Wexford's engines lost the struggle against Lake Huron's high winds and blinding snow and heavy seas pulled the Wexford away from safety. George Ruffle, a Goder- ich Grain Elevator fore- man, testified at the inquest that he had seen the Wexford off Goderich 'fighting a gale." Others testified that they heard the shriek of her whistle over the sound of the hur- ricane in a vain attempt to get help from shore. If true, it was the last anyone would see of the Wexford for 87 years when she was found off of St. Joseph in 75 feet of water on August 25, 2000 by Donald Chalmers with "an inexpensive fish finder according to an article by Tim Cummings in the Goderich Signal -Star. Although the Wexford was found sitting upright on the lake floor, her wreck betrays nothing of the story of the men and woman who crewed her. It is not even known for sure how many crew members sailed aboard her on her last fateful voyage. Captain Bassett of the Western Steamship Com- pany could not even say for certain how many were aboard the vessel because he claimed 'the ordinary crew on lake freighters are [sic] a roving lot': Carroll has confirmed 23 names for the Wexford's crew. Identified by the scar on his foot caused by his hockey injury, Captain Cameron's body washed up on the shore near Kettle Point and was one of at least seven bodies taken to Thed- ford. It is not even known if all of the bodies of the Wex- ford's crewwere recovered. Among other crew mem- bers was 16 -year-old wheelsman Orrin Gordon who was probably the youngest member of the crew. It was his second season on the lakes. An English couple, Mr. and Mrs. George Wilmott, served as cook and stew- ardess respectively. They had purchased tickets to return to England in December. Donald McDonald and his cousin, Murdoch, from Goderich were also on board. Donald's father, Captain Malcolm McDon- ald commanded the Life Boat Station at Goder- ich. It was to him that the Wexford's last whistle blows were directed (Cap- tain McDonald would lose another son, Roderick, on the steamer Merida in October, 1916). CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 ATTENTION , Youth Ages 7-19 sj BLYTH JUNIOR BROOMBALL REGISTRATIO For 2015/2016 Season - Wednesday, August 26, 7-9 pm - Blyth Arena Wednesday, September 9, 7-9 pm - Blyth Legion New players require COPY of birth certificate Players younger than 7 welcome, Atom team based on numbers EVERYONE WELCOME! Call Vicky 519-523-4870 Saturday August 29, 2015 & Sunday August 30, 2015 • Ask Questions About the Leagues • Great Exercise • Youth Fitness Tax Credit available • Meet New People • Computerized Bowling • All ages welcome • Snack Bar & Licensed • Leagues start in September Join us from 1 pm to 5pm for TOONIE BOWLING! Come bowl a game for only $2 OR talk to a league member and bowl a game for FREE! 38120 Zurich-Hensall Rd, Zurich ON NOM 2T0 Call Us: 519-236-4923 Email Us: tcbowlinglanes©hay.net