On this day May 2, 1891, the steel steamer E. C. POPE was launched. It was kind of a big deal as is told in the following article from the Marine Record of April 30, 1891. About 600 important guests were invited “along with them a fair sprinkling of ladies”.
“The magnificent steel steamer E. C. POPE was successfully launched from the Wyandotte yards of the Detroit Dry Dock co., at 4:30 p.m., on Saturday, May 2nd.
“Elegant invitation cards had been issued by the company and the Steamer GARLAND was chartered to convey the guests from Detroit to the shipbuilders Wyandotte yards. The afternoon was fine and a large number of the principal citizens availed themselves of the Detroit Dry Cock Co.’s courteous invitation, as well as others from Chicago, Buffalo and Cleveland, carrying along with them a fair sprinkling of ladies, who, were fully imbued with the belief that she could not be properly launched and christened without their presence.
“About 600 invited guests left the foot of Woodward avenue on the river steamer GARLAND at 3 p.m., Senator McMillan’s handsome yacht the IDLER dressed in bunting soon steamed alongside and when abeam saluted the GARLAND with one gun and slipped away ahead as if the river steamer had been to an anchor, as she carried the Senate commission and directors of the Detroit Dry Dock Co. the “go by” was considered to be all right by the GARLAND though the yachts LURLINE, DAWN and IDA M. also had to be excused.
“The GARLAND went along however with her party of visitors and at 4 o’clock the guests were allowed the privilege of mounting the grand stand erected by the company, or of remaining on board to view the launch. The ladies with their characteristic perversity almost all chose the latter alternative while newspaper men, business men and others who knew nothing about launches and christenings piled away on the beach. No sooner had the several deputations obtained advantageous points, than Mr. Kirby, or rather the Mr. Kirby’s, had regulated the time that the leviathan should be slipped into the drink and accordingly telephonic communications was opened up between the two principals, Joe Kirby’s boy and already drawn out a plan of procedure and “as wisdom emanates from the mouths of babes and suckling’s,” so had he to be guided by his letter of instructions from the aged tyrant of 48 months.
“Your correspondent’s timepiece was neither regulated to sidereal, solar, lunar, nautical, local or civil time, but between all of these he located the exact moment of the keel striking the water at 4 hrs. 27 min. 35 sec. p.m. from the meridian of observation and he sincerely courts celestial observation by daily accredited observers to the contrary. At the precise moment recorded, the keel of the E. C. POPE struck the water, and steam yachts, Senate commissions, interested, uninterested and the common herd yelled their congratulations on the birth of another marine monster, all went well and the natal day of the largest carriers on fresh water was duly heralded, attended, christened and tooted to the best advantage.
“The E. C. POPE was built for the Dry dock Transportation Co. and will be used in the lake freight business. She was named in honor of E. C. Pope, the well-known Cleveland merchant. Mr. Pope was present at the launch with a party of Cleveland friends, including Mrs. And Miss Pope, Mrs. Irvin, C. E. Pennewell, S. R. Badgley, A. C. Dustin and F. C. Smith, J. M. Thomas, of Niles, O., was also with him and as we have said vessel men from several other ports besides Detroit attended the ceremony, so that we may be excused at this time from enumerating the individual count.
“The E. C. POPE will be the largest carrier on fresh water, without exception, or qualification. Her dimensions are 334 feet 6 inches overall, 314 feet keel, 42 feet beam, and 24 feet depth of hold. She will be propelled by a triple expansion engine having a 44 inch stroke. The cylinders are 22, 35 and 56 inches respectively in diameter. The propeller is sectional one 13 feet and 2 inches diameter. Two steel cylindrical boilers, each 14 feet 3 inches by 11 feet 6 inches will furnish the power at a working pressure of 160 pounds. The hold is divided into eight separate water tight compartments, which may contain 950 tons of water ballast. The boat is fitted with a Worthington ballast pump. A Providence steam windlass and steam capstans furnished by the American Ship Windlass Co., Providence, R. I., Williamson steam steering gear, and all the modern appurtenances of a first-class steamer. Three pole masts, without sails, are carried.”
Photo at top of page dated 1937
At Port Washington, Wis.
In January 1918, the POPE was commandeered by the United States Shipping Board, was fitted for saltwater service and went to the coast in 1919. In 1920 she belonged to the Inter Coast Steamship Company of Boston. In 1924, she went into the auto trade for the Thompson Transit Corp. of Cleveland. She finished her career with Nicholson Universal and Nicholson Transit since about 1927. The POPE was refit as a crane ship in the 1920s and was laid up at Detroit from 1932 to 1935. She went back into service in 1936 carrying scrap iron.
Carrying the name E. C. POPE her entire career, she was sold for scrapping in 1951.
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
