Identification & Specifications

• Name: Joseph C. Suit
• Built: 1884 by James C. Elliott, Saugatuck, Michigan
• Type: Wooden Steam Screw Vessel (~110′ length, 318 gross tons); operated as a passenger and freight carrier in the Detroit River ▲ [[turn0search2]].

Final Voyage & Collision

• On November 9, 1912, while securely tied to her dock in Detroit, Joseph C. Suit was rammed by the brand-new, 425-foot steel passenger Steamer City of Detroit III as it departed port
• A propulsion miscommunication during departure caused the City of Detroit III to violently ram into the docked Suit, dragging her nearly 200 feet downstream and pinning her under the larger vessel’s anchor and rudder
• Despite the severity of the impact, all nine people aboard the Suit safely evacuated thanks to shouts of warning from the crew of the larger Steamer

Outcome & Damage

• The collision left the Joseph C. Suit ripped from her moorings, severely compromised, and sinking almost immediately
• No loss of life occurred; all aboard escaped unharmed.
• She was declared a total constructive loss following the incident

Archival Sources

• Historic Detroit entry on City of Detroit III explains: “a miscommunication to the engine room resulted in it clobbering the Joseph C. Suit, a small wooden passenger and freight carrier that had been moored at dock … The Suit … sank almost immediately.” (historicdetroit.org, Academia)
• Multiple Facebook historical accounts corroborate the event, noting no injuries and describing how the vessel wedged under the Steamer before sinking (Facebook, Facebook)

Contextual Significance

• This incident highlights early-20th-century harbor operational hazards, especially involving modern steel liners and smaller wooden vessels in crowded dock environments
• The City of Detroit III was a flagship passenger Steamer—its collision with the Suit underscores the disparity of vessel sizes and the risks posed by mechanical miscommunication
• Joseph C. Suit was an example of a small workhorse vessel built for regional trade; her loss marked the end of nearly 30 years of service connecting inland ports

Areas for Potential Follow-Up

Conclusion

The Joseph C. Suit, built in 1884 and used for nearly 30 years in Detroit-area trade, met her end on November 9, 1912, after being rammed and sunk while docked—victim of a mechanical miscommunication on a flagship passenger Steamer. The collision resulted in substantial damage but fortunately no casualties. Her loss highlights the complex and ever-present dangers of mixed vessel traffic in bustling early 20th-century Great Lakes ports.

1. Locate detailed accident reports in Detroit archives?
2. Draft a newspaper search strategy for survivor or eyewitness accounts?
3. Research insurance claims and harbor authority records related to this event?