SS Henry Chisholm: Operational History

SS HENRY CHISHOLM, painted by Will Huntington.

Great Lakes Maritime Collection, Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, 31105_31259_F

Operational History

During Henry Chisholm's operational life it was involved in many accidents, some minor, some serious, which was not unusual for bulk freighters of the period. The high number of accidents was often a reflection of the operation of vessels built to the maximum dimensions of practical navigation. The long series of incidents began the day the ship was launched. Soon after the launch a sailor fell through the open hatchway and was severely injured (Chicago Inter Ocean, Aug. 30, 1880).

Even the maiden voyage was not without incident. The new vessel ran aground twice. The first cargo Chisholm carried was 1800 tons of coal (Cleveland Herald, Sept. 9, 27, 1880). The ship grounded in the west draw of the Chicago Avenue Bridge, blocking it overnight. The ship was wedged between the banks of the narrow channel. Six Union Tug Line tugs were unable to budge the freighter until 250 tons of coal were removed (Ibid., 27, 1880).

Chisholm was freed only to run aground again in the Ogden Canal "within a stone's throw" of the North Side Gas Company's dock (Cleveland Herald, Sept. 28, 1880). Lightening operations were again carried out and the vessel finally made it to the dock. The reason for the grounding was a strong south wind that unexpectedly reduced the water in the Ogden Canal to 12 feet; Chisholm was drawing more than 13 feet (Ibid., Sept. 29, 1880).

The only alteration noted in the first year of Chisholm's operation was the change of steering gear from wire to chain (Cleveland Herald, June 11, 1881). In 1882 CHISHOLM ran aground in the river at Chicago and broke its wheel. It took five tugs and a locomotive to pull the ship through the Harrison Street Bridge (Ibid., Nov 4, 1882).

Repairs include a bent key connecting the piston with the crosshead in 1884 (Ibid., Aug 24, 1884). The stern bearings were repaired in 1886 (Detroit Free Press, July 2, 1886).

In 1883 Chisholm ran aground at the Willow Street bridge in Cleveland and had to lighten some ore to get off. The vessel was damaged and entered the Globe dry dock for repairs (Cleveland Herald, Oct. 13, 16, 1883).

Chisholm had been recaulked in 1890 and received a Lloyd's rating of A2 with a value of $75,000. The rating and value were both raised in 1896 when the ship was reboilered with two new Scotch boilers.

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