The HESPER was launched on June 28, 1890, at Cleveland by Radcliffe’s yard. Built for M. A. Bradley, she was a wooden steamer measuring 269 feet over all with a beam of 41.6. After sailing in the Bradley fleet for fifteen years without insurance, she was turned over to Hutchinson & Co. in 1905 who promptly insured her. Perhaps that is what the wooden boat was waiting for, to be considered worth something.
The HESPER stranded on Beaver Bay reef on May 3, 1905, and went to pieces. Below are a few articles that describe her final voyage.
HESPER dated 1903
“UNDERWRITERS WILL LOSE $50,000
“THE STEAMER HESPER, AFTER OPERATING FIFTEEN YEARS WITHTOUT INSURANCE, WAS COVERED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS SEASON
Cleveland, May 5, 1905 – the steamer HESPER, which was lost on Lake Superior, was managed by Hutchinson & Company and was insured for $50,000. By a division of the Bradley estate some time ago, the HESPER was turned over to C. E. Grover and other stockholders in that fleet and a company to operate the steamer was about to be organized. After being operated in the Bradley fleet for fifteen years without insurance, the steamer was lost after carrying insurance less than a fortnight. A dispatch was received today by Hutchinson & Company from the captain of the HESPER, stating there was nothing left of the boat and that the crew had started for home. (Buffalo Courier, Saturday, May 6, 1905, p. 2)
Photo at top of page: HESPER dated 1904
STEAMER HESPER IS TOTAL WRECK, SALVAGE IS SMALL
Capt. John V. Tuttle, representing the London Salvage association, returned yesterday from Beaver Bay, where he went for the underwriters to make an official report of the wreck of the lost steamer HESPER. He says that she is not only a total wreck, but that there will be little in the way of salvage, not enough, in all probability, to cover the expenses of investigating the disaster.
The crew of the HEESPER had a thrilling escape from death. Fishermen at Beaver Bay told Captain Tuttle that they had never witnessed a heaving sea than prevailed last Wednesday morning, when the HESPER went ashore. The weather was foggy and the wind blew a lively gale.
The only explanation for the disaster is that Captain Heaton got off his course, and was too close in shore to retreat when he heard and saw the breakers.
“The HESPER struck a reef about 300 feet to the eastward of the place where the steamer TAMPA came to grief a few years ago,” said Captain Tuttle. “There is seven feet of water over the reef and the water is deep between it and the shore, as well as close to it on the lake side.
“The HESPER went onto the reef and pounded there for a time, and then, under the impetus of the mighty seas beating on her starboard side, she was lifted over it and sank almost immediately. In the meantime the captain and mate had each launched a boat, dividing the members of the crew between them. The signals of distress were blown when the vessel struck, and this was the first intimation that the fishermen had of the vessel having struck.
“The life boats were launched on the lee side of a small island a few hundred feet distant, and they got ashore on it. The boat containing the mate and other members of the crew, by some fortunate chance, got in the lee of another large rock and they were literally swept to the little dock used by the fishermen.
“The captain and his boat load of men were obliged to remain on the little island from about 4 a.m. Wednesday until noon the following day on account of the heavy sea. The fishermen are experts with small boats, but they did not dare try and take the men off the island until then. The crew were fortunate in escaping as they did. Not one of them was injured even slightly.
“The HESPER lies in 42 feet of water, half a mile from shore, inside the reef as I have described. Before the hull slid off into the deep water her cabins and spars were washed off and the stack had also fallen. The deck came off after the boat went down, and it is plain that she is badly broken up forward for her collision bulkhead came ashore.
“The steamer’s steel tow line is holding the fantail deck, which floats on the surface, and another section of the deck is held by the shrouds. Parts of the wrecked vessel are distributed along the coast for a distance of file miles.”
Captain Tuttle said that the sunken boat will be sold just where she lies. J. B. Wanless of the tug SARAH SMITH has gone to the scene of the disaster to see what may be recovered. He has a contract from Captain Tuttle to receive a percentage on everything of value recovered. (Duluth News Tribune, Monday, May 8, 1905)
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society
