On the William C. Moreland's fifth trip, the ship was stranded on Sawtooth Reef (near Eagle River, Michigan) in Lake Superior, on October 18, 1910. The crew became disoriented in heavy haze, caused by forest fires; while downbound with Iron ore from Superior, Wisconsin. The ship was abandoned, as a constructive loss. Reid Wrecking Company (Sarnia, Ontario) were awarded the salvage and the ship was refloated on june 30, 1911, but sank. The ship broke into three sections. The bow and middle sections were lost. The stern section was refloated and towed to Portage Lake Harbor, Michigan. In September 1913 the stern was towed to Ecorse, Michigan and then to Port Huron, Michigan in October; where it was scuttled in shallow water.
On November 24, 1915 the stern section was sold to Roy M. Wolvin, who resold it to American Interlake Line on January 11, 1916. In May 1916 the stern was towed to Superior, Wisconsin; where a new forward section (identical to the original) was constructed by Superior Shipbuilding Company. The ship returned to service in December 1916. |