On this day February 2, 1897, the Chicago Shipbuilding Company launched the steel steamer CRESCENT CITY for Mr. A. B. Wolvin, president and manager of the Zenith Transit Co. Mrs. Wolvin, wife of the president, christened the 406 foot steamer. The CRESCENT CITY did her owners proud her first year by breaking all grain records carrying corn and oats.
CRESCENT CITY – one section “Tween decks loaded”
In November 1905 the CRESCENT CITY was driven ashore at Duluth during a 70 mph gale that swept across Lake Superior. The wind swung her stern around so that the ship was broadside to the shore. Her stern was so close to land that the Captain and crew threw a ladder to the shore and walked off in safety, abandoning her. The CRESCENT CITY was scuttled to prevent her from pounding on the rocks. This storm, labeled the Witch of November 1905, ended up destroying or damaging 29 vessels and killing 36.
CRESCENT CITY ashore near Duluth, November 1905
Wreckers worked on releasing her in May of 1906. Finally on June 6th she was released from the rocks. She was taken in a “practically sinking condition” to the dry dock at Lorain where her repairs were estimated to cost at least $100,000.
CRESCENT CITY dated June 25, 1941
A frequent visitor to Milwaukee, the CRESCENT CITY was written up in the following article from Milwaukee Journal of April 17, 1930, as groping its way into the harbor. After the recent fog in Milwaukee, I think we can relate.
Brings Autos From Detroit
Crescent City Gropes Way Into Harbor, Opening Season
For the second time in as many years, the steamer CRESCENT CITY, Capt. William J. Edgar, opened navigation into Milwaukee for the season of 1930 by tying up at the Nicholson-Universal dock, 410 South Water st., at 7 a.m. Thursday.
With the SULTANA, of the same fleet, the CRESCENT CITY broke through the ice barrier of the straits of Mackinac Monday, but encountered more difficulty in the run up the lake from Green Bay than was met with on the first part of the trip that began at Detroit.
Storm, Then Fog
The ship was due here Wednesday, but off Sheboygan the seas kicked up by the northeasterly gale made the going rough and Capt. Edgar headed into the seas by changing his course and heading for Grand Haven across the lake. To have continued on to Milwaukee would have subjected the ship to the trough of the heavy seas and the possibility of losing some of the deckload of motor cars over the side.
After riding out the storm off Grand Haven, the Crescent City started back across the lake for Milwaukee, only to get outside here before daylight in a fog so thick that the sailors couldn’t see the bow from the pilot house.
Groping Way Into Harbor
“All we could do was paddle around,” said Capt. Edgar. “We knew we were just off Milwaukee, but finding the harbor entrance piers in that thick weather was another matter. We had to feel our way in, guided by the foghorn.
“To make matters worse our radio direction finder went haywire and we couldn’t pick up the characteristic code of the radio beacon at the breakwater. After sunrise we picked up the pierhead lights and shaped a course between them and so into the river.”
The CRESCENT CITY carried a $200,000 cargo of automobiles for Milwaukee and Wisconsin dealers. There were 223 cars unloaded at the Nicholson dock. The ship will return to Detroit with Nash cars bound for eastern markets.
CRESCENT CITY, Spring of 1950
The CRESCENT CITY sailed for several companies during her career: Zenith Transit, American Steel & Wire, Pittsburgh Steamship, Nicholson-Universal Steamship, the Maritime Commission, Overlakes Freight, Boland & Cornelius, T. H. Browning during whose ownership she was renamed CARL W. MEYERS in 1950, Delta Lake Ship Co., Continental Grain.
The CARL W. MEYERS
In 1959 the MEYERS was sold by Delta Lake Ship Corp. to the Steel Company of Canada and she was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario.
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
This story was originally posted on February 2, 2024.
