Philadelphia
Package Freighter · United States · Lost 1893 · Saginaw Bay & the Michigan Thumb
An Anchor Line freighter that rammed the Albany in fog, took her crew aboard, then sank herself, with 16 lives lost.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Philadelphia was an iron package freighter built in 1868 at Buffalo and later ran for the Anchor Line on Great Lakes package freight routes. On November 7, 1893, in dense fog off Pointe aux Barques, she collided with the steamer Albany, took Albany's crew aboard after the collision, and then began sinking herself as wind and chop rose. Her crew and Albany's survivors took to two yawls; one reached shore safely, but the other capsized, drowning all aboard. Sixteen lives were lost from Philadelphia in the combined disaster.
Vessel
- 1868
- US 20142
- David Bell
- Buffalo, New York
- Iron
- 236 ft
- 34.3 ft
- 1464
- Steam, low-pressure engine, coal-fired
- Anchor Line (Erie & Western Transportation Company, Pennsylvania Railroad)
Loss
- November 7, 1893
- Collision
- About 12 miles off Pointe aux Barques, Lake Huron
- Lake Huron
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- 16
- Hoff
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Within the Thumb Area Bottomland Preserve
Position
- 44.11° N 82.69° W
- Approximate position
- Pointe aux Barques, Michigan
Position approximated from the 12-mile-off Pointe aux Barques description; not independently surveyed in the sources reviewed.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (78/100)
The wreck's precise resting position, depth and condition are not established in the sources reviewed.
Build details, ownership, loss narrative, casualty figures.
History of the Great Lakes, Volume I (1891-1898)
Detailed collision and sinking narrative, casualty count, rescue account.
