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Photographer: Bob (peach) Weber
Caption: “Emerald” The Schooner-Barge
Additional Description: Schooner barges had been very popular for transporting goods upon the great lakes during the late 1800's maritime era. A schooner barge is described as a cargo vessel with a reduced schooner-rig. They are intended to be towed as a barge by a powered vessel, but, capable of sailing during emergencies.

Construction of wood, 3-mast.
Built in 1869 by W. Dixon, Bay City, Michigan.
Length 139' Width 32' Depth 9' 287 gross tons
Cargo capacity 272 tons.

On November 17, 1886 the EMERALD was driven ashore in a gale off of Kewaunee when lost from a tow of steamer JUSTICE FIELD. The EMERLAD was fully loaded with a cargo of coal along with other barges in this tow. The barges were the G.W. BISSELL, LOTTIE MAY, and FLORENCE M. DICKINSON, of which the DICKENSON was also lost. The tow was bound from Toledo to Milwaukee. Five crew members of the EMERALD were lost as result of this mishap. Despite many reports to the contrary, she was recovered by Leatham & Smith, Sturgeon Bay, in August of the following year and used in the stone trade by them until abandoned to sink in Lake Michigan on November 29, 1903.
Submitted: October 6, 2012, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona.
Database Locator Identification Number: p222128
File Size: 0.155 Megabytes

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