DEATH on the LAKE. 
As we get to the history of these very Deadly Lakes, understand this is really a sad set of tragedy, brought on by the power of Mother Nature. The loss of lives is an incredible number, staggering to say the least. In this the first part of 5, we take a look into Lake Michigan and a part of its unforgiving brutal force of relentless and ever changing weather. I looked into 5 wrecks of so many on this Lake, and the Lake its self. First Lake Michigan. It is a Glacial type of lake, located 44′ N-87″ W, it’s surface elevation 557 Ft. The St. Lawrence Seaway upon its completion opened up the Great Lakes to Ocean going vessels. Which boosted the economy for the entire area. The max length of this beast is 307 miles, max width 91 miles, surface area 22,404 sq. miles, avg. depth 279 Ft. Max depth 923 Ft., water volume 1,183 cu. miles, shore length 1,400 plus miles, 238 miles of Islands. Coming in at 55.8 sq. miles is the largest Island on the lake Beaver Island, the other islands, Garden Island, Grape Island, Gull Island, Hat Island, High Island, Hog Island, Horseshoe Island,Little Island,Pismire Island, Shoe Island, Ojibwa Island, Trout Island, Whiskey Island, & Fishermans Island. It is a beautiful Lake with its shores & Islands. 
However it can all turn into hell with-in minutes. Almost all of the wrecks on all 5, was due to changes in weather, and dramatic changes, these lakes though beautiful are the most deadliest of their kind on the planet. The era did not matter, when Lake Michigan reared its ugly head it was over. 
5 WRECKS of LAKE MICHIGAN 
ALPENA She sailed under the Flag of the USA. The PS ALPENA 
was owned by the Goodrich Line, and was built by Thomas Arnold of Gallagher & Co. out of Marine City, Michigan. Completed in 1866 and a complete overhaul at Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1875-76, Class type, Paddlewheel-Steamship. Tonnage 654, Length 197 Ft., Beam 26.66 Ft., Depth 12 Ft., Propulsion 2 – 24 Ft. radius side wheels. While enroute from Grand Haven Michigan to Chicago Illinois, with a cargo of apples and passengers on 10/15/1880, she capsized and sank. 80 lives were lost, everyone including crew perished into the deep void of Lake Michigan. On 10/16/1880 & 10/17/1880, debris began to wash ashore including a piano. Wood and apples were found washed up on a beach in Saugatuck, the beach was later renamed ALPENA Beach. 
“Powerful Enough to Split it in Half”. The SS CARL D. BRADLEY, a ship doomed to the depths of the deadly lake. 
Owner, BRADLEY TRANSPORTATION Co. Duluth Minnesota from 1927 to 1952 when it was sold to US STEEL Corp., Cleveland Ohio 1952 to her sinking in 1958. Built by AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING Co. Lorain , Ohio. Launched 4/9/1927, ID Registry # US226776. Fate sank in a storm 11/18/1958. Type-Self Unloading LAKE FREIGHTER. Tonnage 10,028 GRT. Length 639 Ft., Beam 65.2 Ft.,Depth 30.2 Ft.. Installed power 4,800 HP, 3,600 KW. Propulsion-GE High & Low pressure steam turbines, turning electric motors to a single Fixed Pitched Propeller. Capacity 14,000 Tons Stone, 12,000 Tons Coal, Largest Cargo 18,114 Tons Stone. Speed 14-16 MPH & a Crew of 35. For 22 years she was known as the Queen of the Lakes. It was to be the last voyage of the 1958 season, she was going to dry-dock for the winter. A last minute change in schedule, changes 35 lives forever. The call was to change course and head to Calcite Harbor to get a load of Limestone. At 10:00pm 11/18/1958 they set their new course, with 9,000 US gallons in her ballast tanks for stability they sail to their fate. Winds 25-35 mph with the forecast was for a Gale with 50-65 mph southernly switching to southwest. 5:35am 12 miles from Gull Island, a loud vicious sound is heard by the 1st Mate. Followed by a strong vibration, he turned and seen the ship sag aft, engines were called to full stop, and the abandon ship alarm was sounded, a mayday was able to be sent before the power failed. Then the ship broke in two, sending debris everywhere, including the life raft, entangling the one of the 2 lifeboats, death was assured. German vessel CHRISTIAN SARTORI only 4 miles from the scene witnessed the explosion, due to the winds and seas it took them 1 and 1/2 hours to get to the spot of the sinking. Nothing but debris and bodies. 15 hours after the sinking, First Mate Elmer H. Fleming 43 & Deck Watchman are found alive floating on a raft miles from the wreck. Truly horrifying set of events, 33 lives lost. 
NIAGARA 
Operator H.S. MILLER, Builder BIDWELL & BANTA Buffalo N.Y. Completed 1845, Class & Type PALACE STEAMER-PASSENGER-GENERAL FREIGHT Tonnage 1009 Gross, Length 230 Ft. Beam 34 Ft. Height 14 Ft.. Owned by COLLINGWOOD LINE. 9/23/1856 she departs Sheboygan Wisconsin, heading for Washington Wisconsin. 170 passengers & a heavy load of cargo. At 6:00pm fire breaks out in the engine room, causing the engines to shut down which left them powerless. 4 maybe 5 miles off shore, freezing waters the passengers panic, and begin jumping into the dark freezing waters. By the grace of God ships close by, arrive quickly and start to rescue those in the water. The Capt. and most of the crew survive however 60 lives are lost. One of those lost US Congressman John B. Macy. The Capt. defiantly refused to believe the fires stared in the engine room. According to him the engine room was fire-proof, and blamed combustibles stored in the cargo hatch. It was never determined how the fire ever started. 
JUST GONE 
W.H. GILCHER Owner GILCHRIST,GILCHER, & SCHUCK, Builder CLEVELAND SHIPBUILDING CO., CLEVELAND OHIO, Cost $200,000 Launched 12/18/1890, Maiden Voyage 5/13/1891, HomePort SANDUSKY, ID #US81326, Type- BULK CARRIER, Tonnage 2,414.64 GRT, 1,986.70 NRT, 3,000 DWT, Length 301.5 Ft., Beam 41.2 Ft., Depth 21.1 Ft. Propulsion CLEVELAND SHIPBUILDING CO. 3 CYLINDER Triple Expansion, Speed 9 1/2 KNOTS (10mph) Breaking the old record of 3,150 Tons of coal, when she moved 3,255 Tons of coal across the Mighty Lake Michigan. Othe cargo of her day, Wheat, corn & iron ore, also setting the heaviest Wheat load when she moved 114,982 bushels of wheat. Capt. Leeds H. Weeks, set out from Buffalo to Milwaukee on 10/28/1892. A Crew of 18, 3,080 Tons of coal at 14:30 passing thru the Straits of Mackinaw entering Lake Michigan expected to arrive by 10/30/1892. A mighty powerful storm that caused all types of issues on Lake Huron & Lake Michigan sent ships seeking cover. As the storm subsided ships began to arrive at ports. Capt. Buchanan of the Schooner SEAMAN, said he had seen a vessel struggling with the storm but that was about it, then at 20:00 Capt. Dennis of the Schooner JOHN SHAW, spotted debris floating , even a part of the Bridge and zero signs of life. 11/18/1892 on FOX ISLAND 2 bodies wearing W.H. GILCHER lifejackets were found no other bodies were ever recovered. As of 2023 the location of the wreck is still not known, that is creepy. 
WHAT HAPPEN, WHERE DID IT GO 
SS PERE MARQUETTE Operator PERE MARQUETTE RAILWAY, Builder-AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING Co. ID #150972, Launched 8/16/1902, Type-TRAIN FERRY, Fate Flooded & Sank. Wrecked discovered on 7/23/2020 in 500 feet of water. Tonnage 2,909 GRT, 1,722 NRT, Length 350 Ft., Beam 56 Ft., Depth 19.42 Ft., Installed 6 Scotch Marine Boilers, Propulsion 2 X 3000 HP, 2,200 KW, Speed 14 KNOTS (16mph). 4:30am Capt. Peter Killty is told by Helmsman that ship has lost it’s steering, at the same moment a all from the engine room 7 feet of water, pumps become overwhelmed, portholes start to seep water. A call to change course to SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, an order to jettison 9 Railcars, at 5:00am Wireless Operator sends out a CDQ, “CAR FERRY 18 SINKING HELP”. This message was repeated for about a hour. The PERE MARQUETTE 17 was very close by and got to her fast. They pulled up next to her and began rescue efforts. 27 lives are lost on the PERE MARQUETTE 18, 2 are lost from the PERE MARQUETTE 17, 29 lives in total are lost. During the rescue at 7:30 am the PERE MARQUETTE 18 suddenly sank stern first, the bow rising out of the water. As it starting it’s death dive to the bottom, the air pressure that had built up in it’s hull exploded killing any if left onboard. 62 passengers & Crew, 29 railcars filled with coal & misc. freight, gone in just a very small amount of time. This is only part One of 5, these are among the most terrifying researched topics I’ve covered, truly of the most horrifying. 
TO HELP THE SHOW, you can DONATE @CASHAPP $victorvalente820 CHECK OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/@victoravalente130 CHECK OUT THE PODCAST On SPOTIFY http://open.spotify.com/show/2NDBZGveBJPYFjwaDkyukv for those on I-Tunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-3rd-floor-podcast/id1434433319?mt=2&uo=4 Till Next time Part 2 Of The DEADLY LAKES, REMEMBER TO BOWL UP, BONG UP, And then beam up to the 3rd FLOOR PODCAST, We’ll be hangin out in TIME and SPACE…… 
“OH MY GOD THATS FUNNY”