SS James Carruthers

On the evening of November 6, 1913, the James Carruthers loaded a total of 375,000 bushels of wheat at Fort William, Ontario. Her destination was Ogilvie Milling in Port Colborne, Ontario, on the shores of Lake Erie. Captain William H. Wright had conferred with another downbound skipper, S.A. Lyons of the SS J.H. Sheadle, and planned to travel down Lake Superior together. Wright commented on his new boat, "We've still to learn all her tricks, and some of the lads in the fo'c'sle are complaining that the paint in their rooms is still a little sticky."^[1]

By 3 o'clock on the morning of November 8, the first hints of the storm blew over Lake Superior. The winds quickly shifted from southwest to northwest, bringing with them freezing temperatures, snow squalls, and high waves. The James Carruthers and the J.H. Sheadle were better than halfway to the Soo when the storm hit. By the evening, both vessels were locking through and snaking their way down the St. Mary's River. While going down the river the Canadian freighter passed the upbound Midland Prince. At 12:53 on the morning of November 9, the James Carruthers was sighted taking on coal at the Pickands, Mather & Company dock near De Tour, Michigan. Shortly after refueling, the James Carruthers entered Lake Huron, with the J.H. Sheadle a short distance behind. The lights of the James Carruthers were visible for a short time aboard the J.H. Sheadle as they sailed on a southeastern heading. A little after dawn, the James Carruthers disappeared into the horizon.

After the great storm finally blew itself out late on November 10, copious amounts of wreckage from several boats began to wash onto Lake Huron's shores. Evidence of the James Carruthers was slow at first, until great amounts of debris from Canada's newest and largest freighter began coming ashore, mostly near Kincardine and Point Clark. A large field of wreckage was found offshore between Kincardine and Goderich, nearly 70 miles (110 km) south of the James Carruthers's known course. Several bodies of the crew washed ashore as well, mostly around Point Clark. Captain Wright was identified by his large red mustache. Most of the bodies wore life jackets and heavy coats, indicating that they had had time to prepare for disaster. During the height of the storm late on the afternoon of November 9, several witnesses heard steamer whistles and sighted distress rockets far offshore of Inverhuron. It was concluded that the rockets were from the James Carruthers as most of her wreckage and crew were found in the vicinity. How the brand-new freighter sank, and how she came to be so far off course remain mysteries.^[1]

The wreck of James Carruthers was located upside down on 26 May 2025, in 190 feet (57.9 m) of water, on the American side of Lake Huron, 20 miles east of Harbor Beach.^[2]

43°32′07.0″N 82°20′39.1″W / 43.535278°N 82.344194°W / 43.535278; -82.344194