On this day January 14, 1946, the BADGER STATE struck a sunken ship at the mouth of the Grijalva River in the Gulf of Mexico and sank. The BADGER STATE had sailed many waters and changed her name a few times in her career of 30 plus years.
Photo at top of page: BADGER STATE in 1939 sailing for the Federal Motor Ship Corp.
FORDONIAN is 1916 sailing for Canada Steamship Lines
Built in 1912 at Glasgow, Scotland, by the Clyde Ship Building & Engine Company for passenger and cargo service on the Great Lakes for the Canada Interlake Line, she was named FORDONIAN. She measured 250 feet in length, 42.8 feet in beam and 16.10 feet in depth and was a motor driven freighter.
There was a lot of interest in this “oil motor-driven vessel” especially the lack of 24 to 30 hours of time needed to get up steam. The Marine Review of September 1, 1912 noted the following:
“The FORDONIAN has been built under Lloyd’s survey. A noticeable feature of the design of oil motor-driven vessels is that the machinery space is only about one-third of that which is necessary for steam engines, and the absence of boilers and boiler casings leaves a large amount of hold space for the cargo, and for more deck space for the use of passengers than would be possible with steam engines. A motor ship has also considerable advantages over the equivalent steamship; there is more economy in fuel in the former type of vessel, while she requires no stokers or coaling, and there are no stand-by losses when not under way, and no discharge of ashes, and an important matter for passengers and cargo is the absence of heat. A most important fact is that the FORDONIAN will have a radius of navigation on the same bunker capacity of at least four times that of steam and she will be able to effect an immediate starting against a 24 to 30 hours’ delay in getting up steam.”
FORDONIAN sailing for Mutual Steamship Lines
It is reported the FORDONIAN was the third motorship to cross the Atlantic. She was of interest to all. Marine Review of July 1913 ran a five page article on her including diagrams of her inboard profile, deck plans, engines, and machinery.
The Great Lakes News of March 1941 gave a rather complete history of her which is reprinted here:
“She came here as the FORDONIAN, and was a wonder ship on arrival. When Playfair, of Midland, took her over she was re-named CALGARY. She then traded on the lakes to Montreal for the Mutual Steamship Co., which later was taken over by Canada Steamship Lines. Later she became the YUKONDOC, one of the Patterson Steamship Co. Fleet. The Hudson brothers, the late Capt. Archie and Capt. Dalton Hudson, then bought her, and she was the first ship to pass through the new Welland Canal when it was completed from Port Weller to Port Colborne. At this time her name had been changed again, and she was known as the GEORGIAN. Later she ran aground in Lake Michigan and almost tore her entire bottom out. From the rocks of Lake Michigan was taken to Ogdensburg, and, after repairs and rebuilding, she came off the dry dock there as the BADGER STATE.”
BADGER STATE at the Phoenix, NY, canal, sailing for the Federal Motor Ship Corp.
She had been rebuilt in 1934 as an Oil Screw and renamed BADGER STATE, May 17, 1934. She traded from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Lakes via the New York State Barge Canal, carrying merchandise and canned goods. At that time, the BADGER STATE belonged to the Federal Motor Steamship Corp. of New York City.
In 1942 she sailed off the Lakes for the Maritime Commission. In 1946, at the time of her loss, she was temporarily employed in the Atlantic coast trade.
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
This story was originally posted on January 18, 2024.
