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|Ship name=S.S. ''City of Erie''
|Ship name=S.S. ''City of Erie''
|Ship namesake=[[Erie, Pennsylvania]]
|Ship namesake=[[Erie, Pennsylvania]]
|Ship owner=Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company
|Ship owner=[[Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company]]
|Ship operator=
|Ship operator=
|Ship builder=Detroit Dry Dock Company
|Ship builder=[[Detroit Dry Dock Company]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship original cost=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=February 26, 1898
|Ship launched=[[February 26]], [[1898]]
|Ship hull number=126
|Ship hull number=126
|Ship completed=
|Ship completed=
|Ship maiden voyage=June 19, 1898
|Ship maiden voyage=[[June 19]], 1898
|Ship homeport=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=US 127242
|Ship identification=US 127242
Line 44: Line 44:
|}
|}


The '''''City of Erie''''' was a [[paddle steamer|sidewheeler]] [[steamboat]] on [[Lake Erie]]. It was famous for being one of the fastest ships on the Great Lakes, at the time. It also won a race against a newer, rival ship.
The '''''City of Erie''''' was a [[paddle steamer|sidewheeler]] [[steamboat]] on [[Lake Erie]]. It was famous for being one of the fastest ships on the [[Great Lakes]], at the time. It also won a race against a newer, rival ship.


== Construction ==
== Construction ==
The ''City of Erie'' was built in 1898 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company in [[Wyandotte, Michigan]] for the Cleveland Buffalo Transit Company (C&B).<ref name="mhsd"/> It was designed by [[Frank E. Kirby]]. The ship was launched on February 26, 1898 and made its [[maiden voyage]] on June 19, 1898.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title='City of Erie' launched |date=February 27, 1898 |work=New York Times |accessdate=January 11, 2008 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D07E0DE1030E333A25754C2A9649C94699ED7CF}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Cleveland: The Making of a City |last=Rose |first=Walter Glanson |year=1990 |publisher=[[Kent State University Press]] |location=[[Kent, Ohio|Kent, OH]] |page=589 |isbn=0873384288 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=IT1NVT1vEwUC}}</ref>
The ''City of Erie'' was built in [[1898]] by [[the Detroit Dry Dock Company]] in [[Wyandotte, Michigan]] for the [[Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company]] (C&B).<ref name="mhsd"/> It was designed by [[Frank E. Kirby]]. The ship was launched on [[February 26]], 1898 and made its [[maiden voyage]] on [[June 19]], 1898.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title='City of Erie' launched |date=February 27, 1898 |work=New York Times |accessdate=January 11, 2008 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D07E0DE1030E333A25754C2A9649C94699ED7CF}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Cleveland: The Making of a City |last=Rose |first=Walter Glanson |year=1990 |publisher=[[Kent State University Press]] |location=[[Kent, Ohio|Kent, OH]] |page=589 |isbn=0873384288 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=IT1NVT1vEwUC}}</ref>


== Operations ==
== Operations ==
The ''City of Erie'''s route was from [[Cleveland, Ohio]] and [[Erie, Pennsylvania]] to [[Buffalo, New York]]. It was nicknamed the "Honeymoon Special" from the number of newlyweds who travelled to Buffalo, bound for [[Niagara Falls]], on the ''City of Erie''.<ref name="detnews">{{cite news |last=Lochbiler |first=Don |title=The race between two centuries |work=[[The Detroit News]] |date=June 26, 1999 |accessdate=January 12, 2008 |url=http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=84}}</ref> Starting in 1929, the ''City of Erie'' operated between Cleveland and [[Port Stanley, Ontario]].<ref name="mhsd"/>
The ''City of Erie'''s route was from [[Cleveland, Ohio]] and [[Erie, Pennsylvania]] to [[Buffalo, New York]]. It was nicknamed the "Honeymoon Special" from the number of [[newlywed]]s who travelled to Buffalo, bound for [[Niagara Falls]], on the ''City of Erie''.<ref name="detnews">{{cite news |last=Lochbiler |first=Don |title=The race between two centuries |work=[[The Detroit News]] |date=June 26, 1999 |accessdate=January 12, 2008 |url=http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=84}}</ref> Starting in 1929, the ''City of Erie'' operated between Cleveland and [[Port Stanley, Ontario]].<ref name="mhsd"/>


== Steamboat race ==
== Steamboat race ==
After a friendly race between the ''City of Chicago'' and the ''City of Milwaukee'' in September 1900, a Chicago&ndash;newspaper boasted the winner (the ''City of Chicago'') was the "fastest on the lakes".<ref name="detnews"/> A paper in [[Detroit, Michigan]] subsequently listed nine other vessels (including the ''City of Erie'') that could have easily beat the ''City of Chicago''. The list failed to mention the newest ship built for Detroit's White Star Line, the [[Tashmoo (sidewheeler)|''Tashmoo'']]. The ''Tashmoo'', also designed by Kirby, was built in 1900 and was built specifically for speed.<ref name="detnews"/> The president of Detroit's White Star Line offered $1,000 to any ship that could beat the ''Tashmoo'' in a race. J. W. Wescott, president of the C&B, accepted the challenge. The set course was {{convert|82|nmi}} long, going along the ''City of Erie'''s regular route from Cleveland to Erie.<ref name="detnews"/>
After a friendly [[race]] between the ''City of Chicago'' and the ''City of Milwaukee'' in September [[1900]], a Chicago&ndash;newspaper boasted the winner (the ''City of Chicago'') was the "fastest on the lakes".<ref name="detnews"/> A paper in [[Detroit, Michigan]] subsequently listed nine other vessels (including the ''City of Erie'') that could have easily beat the ''City of Chicago''. The list failed to mention the newest ship built for Detroit's [[White Star Line]], the [[Tashmoo (sidewheeler)|''Tashmoo'']]. The ''Tashmoo'', also designed by Kirby, was built in 1900 and was built specifically for speed. <ref name="detnews"/> The president of Detroit's White Star Line offered $1,000 to any ship that could beat the ''Tashmoo'' in a race. [[J. W. Wescott]], president of the C&B, accepted the challenge. The set course was {{convert|82|nmi}} long, going along the ''City of Erie'''s regular route from Cleveland to Erie.<ref name="detnews"/>


The ''City of Erie'' was initially ahead but was soon overtaken by the ''Tashmoo''. The ''Tashmoo'' eventually slowed and was passed as soon as it was out of sight of the shore because the "wheelman [of the ''Tashmoo''] was not used to steering [only] by compass."<ref name="detnews"/> The ''Tashmoo'' was later forced to slow again due to an overheating condenser.<ref name="detnews"/> The ''City of Erie'' beat the ''Tashmoo'' by 45 seconds, with the ''Tashmoo'' still gaining ground.<ref name="nyt2"/> The owners of the ''City of Erie'' refused to have a rematch, although it was admitted that the ''Tashmoo'' was the faster ship.<ref name="detnews"/>
The ''City of Erie'' was initially ahead but was soon overtaken by the ''Tashmoo''. The ''Tashmoo'' eventually slowed and was passed as soon as it was out of sight of the shore because the "wheelman [of the ''Tashmoo''] was not used to steering [only] by compass."<ref name="detnews"/> The ''Tashmoo'' was later forced to slow again due to an overheating condenser.<ref name="detnews"/> The ''City of Erie'' beat the ''Tashmoo'' by 45 seconds, with the ''Tashmoo'' still gaining ground.<ref name="nyt2"/> The owners of the ''City of Erie'' refused to have a rematch, although it was admitted that the ''Tashmoo'' was the faster ship.<ref name="detnews"/>


== End of service ==
== End of service ==
On September 27, 1909, the ''City of Erie'' collided with the schooner, ''T. Vance Straubenstein''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three go down with ship |work=New York Times |date=September 28, 1909 |accessdate=January 13, 2008 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D06E4D61F31E733A2575BC2A96F9C946897D6CF}}</ref> The schooner was sunk, drowning three people.
On [[September 27]], [[1909]], the ''City of Erie'' collided with the schooner, ''T. Vance Straubenstein''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three go down with ship |work=New York Times |date=September 28, 1909 |accessdate=January 13, 2008 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D06E4D61F31E733A2575BC2A96F9C946897D6CF}}</ref> The schooner was sunk, drowning three people.


The ''City of Erie'' was taken out of service in 1938 and was scrapped in Cleveland in 1941.<ref name="mhsd"/>
The ''City of Erie'' was taken out of service in [[1938]] and was scrapped in Cleveland in [[1941]].<ref name="mhsd"/>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 00:38, 10 May 2009

Postcard of the City of Erie
Postcard from 1907 depicting the City of Erie
History
United StatesUS
NameS.S. City of Erie
NamesakeErie, Pennsylvania
OwnerCleveland Buffalo Transit Company
BuilderDetroit Dry Dock Company
LaunchedFebruary 26, 1898
Maiden voyageJune 19, 1898
IdentificationUS 127242
FateScrapped in 1941[1]
General characteristics
TypeSidewheel steamer
Tonnage2,498 gross tons[4]
Length316 feet (96 m)[2]
Beam78 feet (24 m)[3]
Height18 feet (5.5 m)
Installed power2,200 ihp walking beam engine[1]
Capacity450 passengers[5]

The City of Erie was a sidewheeler steamboat on Lake Erie. It was famous for being one of the fastest ships on the Great Lakes, at the time. It also won a race against a newer, rival ship.

Construction

The City of Erie was built in 1898 by the Detroit Dry Dock Company in Wyandotte, Michigan for the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company (C&B).[1] It was designed by Frank E. Kirby. The ship was launched on February 26, 1898 and made its maiden voyage on June 19, 1898.[5][6]

Operations

The City of Erie's route was from Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York. It was nicknamed the "Honeymoon Special" from the number of newlyweds who travelled to Buffalo, bound for Niagara Falls, on the City of Erie.[7] Starting in 1929, the City of Erie operated between Cleveland and Port Stanley, Ontario.[1]

Steamboat race

After a friendly race between the City of Chicago and the City of Milwaukee in September 1900, a Chicago–newspaper boasted the winner (the City of Chicago) was the "fastest on the lakes".[7] A paper in Detroit, Michigan subsequently listed nine other vessels (including the City of Erie) that could have easily beat the City of Chicago. The list failed to mention the newest ship built for Detroit's White Star Line, the Tashmoo. The Tashmoo, also designed by Kirby, was built in 1900 and was built specifically for speed. [7] The president of Detroit's White Star Line offered $1,000 to any ship that could beat the Tashmoo in a race. J. W. Wescott, president of the C&B, accepted the challenge. The set course was 82 nautical miles (152 km; 94 mi) long, going along the City of Erie's regular route from Cleveland to Erie.[7]

The City of Erie was initially ahead but was soon overtaken by the Tashmoo. The Tashmoo eventually slowed and was passed as soon as it was out of sight of the shore because the "wheelman [of the Tashmoo] was not used to steering [only] by compass."[7] The Tashmoo was later forced to slow again due to an overheating condenser.[7] The City of Erie beat the Tashmoo by 45 seconds, with the Tashmoo still gaining ground.[3] The owners of the City of Erie refused to have a rematch, although it was admitted that the Tashmoo was the faster ship.[7]

End of service

On September 27, 1909, the City of Erie collided with the schooner, T. Vance Straubenstein.[8] The schooner was sunk, drowning three people.

The City of Erie was taken out of service in 1938 and was scrapped in Cleveland in 1941.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "City of Erie". Marine Historical Society of Detroit. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
  2. ^ "Great Lakes Vessels Online Database". Historical Collections of the Great Lakes. Bowling Green State University. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Steamer 'City of Erie' wins 100–mile race". New York Times. June 5, 1901. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  4. ^ Mansfield, J. B (1899). History of the Great Lakes. Vol. 1. J. H. Beers and Co. OCLC 5721692.
  5. ^ a b "'City of Erie' launched". New York Times. February 27, 1898. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  6. ^ Rose, Walter Glanson (1990). Cleveland: The Making of a City. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press. p. 589. ISBN 0873384288.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Lochbiler, Don (June 26, 1999). "The race between two centuries". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
  8. ^ "Three go down with ship". New York Times. September 28, 1909. Retrieved January 13, 2008.
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