Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Chas. Reed
  • Year built: 1908
  • Type: Wood-hulled Steamer/Tug (exact classification not fully confirmed)
  • Dimensions & Tonnage: Details not available from current records
  • Final Location: Lake Erie
  • Loss Date: 16 March 1922
  • Loss Method: Burned completely; declared a Total Loss

Vessel Type

The Chas. Reed appears to have been a small harbour or coastal Steamer—possibly a Tug or light service vessel—common on Lake Erie in the early 20th century.

Description

Specific details regarding her propulsion, engine, and Deck layout are absent. Likely powered by steam, with a wooden Hull typical of 1900s construction—nominally tasked for towing, supply, or light transport in Erie’s bay or harbour areas.

History & Chronology

  • 1908: Vessel built (location unspecified), entered service on Lake Erie
  • 16 March 1922: Fire completely consumed the vessel; no survivors or vessel specifics documented

Final Disposition

Chas. Reed burned to a complete loss on 16 March 1922. Her registry was closed following the incident. No salvage, recovery, or public reports of wreckage beyond the burning are available.

Located By & Date Found

No record of wreck discovery, mapping, or diving expeditions. The remains were either entirely consumed by fire and debris lost, or removed and scrapped without formal documentation.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No modern nautical charts or notices cite the event. The fire occurred nearly a century ago, predating coastal hazard systems.

Resources & Links

  • Brief mention in Great Lakes Register and John E. Poole‘s early vessel logs
  • Fire incident confirmed via Beesons Marine Directory and archived William MacDonald Collection at Dossin Great Lakes Museum

Shore Dive Information

Not applicable. The vessel is believed to have been destroyed or removed; no wreckage remains.

Conclusion

The Chas. Reed, lost to fire in 1922 on Lake Erie, represents one of many undocumented or lightly recorded service vessels of the early 20th century. Despite minimal surviving data, the event underscores the persistent danger of onboard fires in steam-powered wooden craft of that era. With no known wreckage, her legacy remains confined to registry logs and ship loss rosters.

Keywords & Glossary Terms

Steam Tug/Steamer | Lake Erie fire loss | 1922 vessel burn | Registry closure