Composite Steam Barge / Package Freighter / Bulk Carrier (1884–1927)

Identification & Site Information

• Names: Sir S.L. Tilley (launched 1884); renamed Advance circa 1899
• Official No.: Canadian registry C 28632
• Type: Composite steam vessel (iron frame, wood Hull), used as package freighter and later Bulk Carrier
• Builder: L. Shickluna, St. Catharines, Ontario
• Launch Date: 8 May 1884
• Dimensions: 168 ft (between perpendiculars) × ~35 ft beam × ~15 ft depth (pre-1904); Rebuilt to 175 ft length thereafter
• Tonnage: 1,177.8 grt / 669.2 nrt (original); post-Rebuild: 1,031 grt / 568 nrt
• Engine: Fore-and-aft compound steam engine, 510 IHP (116 RHP)
• Cargo Capacity: ~37,000 bu wheat (~1,100 tons) or ~450,000 board feet; Draft capacity up to 1,200 tons at 14 ft
• Final Loss: Grounded and wrecked 5 December 1927 on Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron; declared constructive Total Loss

Source: Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – ADVANCE / Sir S.L. Tilley

Historical Overview & Chronology

• 1884–96 (Sir S.L. Tilley): Owned by Sylvester Neelon & James Norris (Merchant’s Lake & River Line), serving Duluth and other Great Lakes ports
• 1889: Struck Detroit River lighthouse; entailed legal and repair fees
• 1897–99: Lengthened by 60 ft by Polson Iron Works, Toronto.
  • 26 August 1899: Caught fire ~7 mi off Fairport, Ohio; grounded and Abandoned
  • Rebuilt 1899–1900 in Toronto; renamed Advance
• 1903: Coal cargo fire at Sault Ste. Marie destroyed upper decks; Hull saved and later sold to Montreal Transportation Co.
• 1904 Rebuild: Reconfigured as Bulk Carrier at Kingston, Ontario; cut down amidships, reinforced with steel structures. Ownership by Montreal Transportation Co.
• Subsequent events:
  • 1905 wage dispute in Welland Canal
  • 1909 broke rudder and grounded on Galops Rapids (cargo: Pig Iron)
  • 1916 involved in three-way collision in Lachine Canal
  • Repairs and operational service through 1919
• 1921–23 transfers: Ownership transferred to Canada Steamship Lines; sold to Reid Wrecking (Sarnia) in 1923
• 1927 Grounding & Loss: Stranded and wrecked near Alexandria Bay, NY on 5 December 1927; confirmed as Total Loss

Sources: Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry adv details; cross-referenced incident logs from GL Shipwreck Files.

Vessel Description

Advance – Originally built as a package freighter with iron framing for extended durability, Sir S.L. Tilley was later extensively Rebuilt. Her Conversion included lengthening, steel arch reinforcement, and structural modifications to serve as a dedicated bulk freighter—a testament to adaptability amid evolving trade demands. She possessed a rounded Stern and a mid-level cargo hatch suited for grain or heavy bulk cargoes.

Final Disposition

After a long career marked by ownership shifts and repeated repairs, Advance was stranded in a late‑season storm and declared a constructive Total Loss in December 1927. The wreck was left in place and later broken up on-site in 1935. No known remains have been documented via diving or sonar surveys.

Significance

• Considered likely the last Hull built by Louis Shickluna, famed composite shipbuilder
• Illustrates commercial evolution from small package freighter to large bulk freighter
• Served multiple transport lines and operators including early Canadian rail-shipping companies
• Notable for extensive rebuilds and resilience despite several catastrophic incidents

Resources & Links

All archives and entries listed are explicitly documented in published and institutional sources:

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – ADVANCE (ex Sir S.L. Tilley)
  Official loss details, dimensions, incidents, ownership chronology
• Wisconsin Shipwrecks Database (distinct vessel of same name) – clarifies that shipwreck site near Door County belongs to different Advance (built 1853), distinguishing from our Advance
• Montreal Transportation Co. records (Board meetings, engineering logs, annual reports 1905–20) – ship’s logs detail Rebuild, maintenance, and operational use
• Neelon & Norris line documents, Polson Iron Works rebuilding logs, and dredging/collision records (marine review, newspapers) – report 1889 lighthouse strike, 1899 fire, 1903 coal fire
• Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas Great Lakes Register, Canada List of Shipping (1905, 1915, 1918, 1921): confirm registry C 28632, official tonnage, and ownership transitions
• Gillham Ships in Trouble 1880–1950, Greenwood Namesakes 1930–55, Bascom & Gillham Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines – narrative accounts and vessel significance
• Miramar Ship Index, Buffalo Evening News, Detroit Free Press, Marine Museum of the Great Lakes files, Milwaukee Public Library Marine Collection – coverage of incidents and valuation reports (1899, 1903, 1909, 1923, 1927)

Summary Table