#ss nipigon

[ltwilliammowett]

When greetings go wrong

On 17 September 1892, the wooden steamer Vienna, loaded with iron ore and the barge Mattie C. Bell in tow, was underway at Whitefish Point, Lake Superior. Soon their commander noticed that a familiar vessel from the same company was coming towards them.

Vienna at Whitefish Point by Bob McGreevy (x)

It was the Nipigon with two barges from the Melbourne and the Delaware in tow. The Nipigon altered course slightly to greet the Vienna and pull ahead port to port, but in doing so she veered and rammed the Vienna hard on her port side.

The wreck of Vienna by Ken Marschall (x)

Immediately the barges were left behind and Nipigon tried to pull the badly damaged Vienna into shallow waters, but Vienna was too badly hit and sank within an hour. The entire crew was rescued unharmed, but Vienna is now lying about 45m deep in Lake Superior.