  Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 923 Registered: 11-2005 |
All right, I know how she sank. I know the rumor about no one wanting to leave "because the band was too good." But my grandfather told me tales of the ship and said that an attempt was made to raise the vessel (since it sank in only 18 feet of water), but "they broke its back." Cracked its hull. I can't find any reference to this online, though. Anyone know for sure? I was going to go to Dossin and see if I can learn more, but I thought I'd ask here first. Thanks. Postcard of the 'moo: http://i215.photobucket.com/al bums/cc280/buildingsofdetroit/ Postcards/Tashmoo-1.jpg | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1974 Registered: 11-2003 |
Although I can not put my finger on them at this time, I know that over the last several years,respected marine journals like Telescope, Inland Seas, and The Historian have all mentioned at one time or another that inept salvage operations at Amherstburg resulted in hull damage to theTashmoo so affecting the integrity of the ship that she was scrapped rather than returned to service. | ||
Irvine_laird Member Username: Irvine_laird Post Number: 78 Registered: 02-2007 |
Your grandfather is correct, Rhymeswithrawk. The curator at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum told me a few months ago that the attempt to raise the Tashmoo damaged the keel. He used the same words your grandfather used: "they broke its back." | ||
Walkerpub Member Username: Walkerpub Post Number: 177 Registered: 12-2003 |
 painting by Peter Rindlisbacher The Fate of the Tashmoo For decades, she was the best-loved vessel on the Detroit River. The Tashmoo, with a capacity of 4,000 passengers, sailed the Detroit, Tashmoo Park and Port Huron route for only 50 cents. Tashmoo Park was once an immensely popular resort near Harsen’s Island at the north end of Lake St. Clair. The ship once broke loose from her moorings near Woodward Avenue during high winds with no one aboard, and slammed into the old Belle Isle Bridge on December 8th, 1927. On June 18th, 1936, she was chartered for a moonlight ride by the Pals Club, a Hamtramck, Michigan social group. A crowd of 1,400 gathered at the foot of Griswold. On her way home, a shock was felt throughout the ship at ll:20 p.m. Passengers were told that there was engine trouble. Jean Calloway’s orchestra played on and the dancing never was more lively. But in the engine room, it was a different story. The Tashmoo had struck a submerged rock. The wound was mortal. As water poured in through a hole in the hull faster than the pumps could handle it, the engine room crew stoked the boiler fire in a swirling, waist-deep flood. Capt. Donald MacAlpine called for full speed ahead. Ten minutes after the shock, the Tashmoo docked at the Brunner-Mond Co. coal wharf above Amherstburg on the Canadian side. Only after passengers and crew were safely ashore did the grand old steamer sink to the bottom in 18 feet of water (small photo centre). Deemed unrepairable, she was eventually scrapped and the Tashmoo’s days of glory were over. From "The Best of the Times Magazine- 2006 edition" , available from Walkerville Publishing http://thetimesmagazine.com/book.html |
