SS Onoko

Onoko at the Great Northern Elevator in Superior, Wisconsin

A painting showing Onoko's original rigging

The plans for Onoko

Onoko (Official number 155048) was built at Radcliffe's yard in Cleveland by the Globe Iron Works Company and was launched on February 16, 1882. She had a length of 302.6-feet, a beam of 38.6 feet and a height of 24.8-feet.[5][6] She was powered by a 900-horsepower compound steam engine and fueled by two Scotch marine boilers She was commissioned by Phillip Minch of Vermillion, Ohio for the Minch Transportation Company of the Kinsman Steamship Company and a syndicate of other investors.[7] The ship was built to take advantage of the 16-foot (4.9 m) channels opened in 1881 when the new Weitzel Lock was built at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.[7]

The superintendent of Onoko's construction was John H. Smith, who learned iron shipbuilding technology and techniques on the River Clyde in Scotland. Smith worked for the newly founded Globe Shipbuilding Company of Cleveland, Ohio, successors to an old and respected boiler and engine building company.[7]

On February 16, 1882 the day Onoko was scheduled to be launched, about five thousand people came to watch the launching despite the rough weather conditions. With all the preparations completed Smith gave the launch signal at 3 p.m.. The ropes that were tied to Onoko were cut at each end enabling her to slide into the water.[7] During the next few months Onoko was outfitted and rigged. Although most of the vessel's machinery had been fitted before her launching, her masts at least were installed later. This was done by the Messrs, Upson, Walton & Company.[7]

Onoko was enrolled in Cleveland on March 31, 1882. On her maiden voyage Onoko sailed from Cleveland on April 19, 1882 leaving port at 11 p.m. and arriving in Chicago around 2 p.m. the next day. She was carrying 2,536 tons of coal. Onoko's captain, W.H. Pringle, reported that Onoko "behaved splendidly and steered like a yacht". By April 25, Onoko had been loaded with a cargo of wheat bound for Buffalo, New York and left at 3:30 p.m. She discharged 88,140 bushels of wheat at the Niagara B Elevator. Not a bit of the cargo was wet. It was thought that Onoko could carry 115,000 to 120,000 bushels of wheat.[7][8] Onoko's capacity to carry oats was believed to be at around 155,000 bushels. The Buffalo Courier provides an accurate account of when Onoko arrived in Buffalo. It said that "About noon on Saturday the new iron steamer Onoko arrived here with something over 88,000 bushels wheat. She left Chicago last Tuesday at 4:20PM and her time in coming down was three days and nineteen and a half hours".[7]

On May 2, 1882 the writers of the Buffalo Courier wrote a rather unpleasant report about the looks of Onoko:

The Onoko is the largest vessel afloat on the lakes - and by far the homeliest. She looks very like a huge canal boat with a smokestack and four sticks. Her model is really frightful; her upper works are without decent shape, and to cap all her painting is but a daub. For a new vessel she is the worst looking sight that ever appeared on our inland waters. She could have been given a respectable appearance without much interfering with her carrying qualities. One of these days we will show those Cleveland fellows an iron steamer that will be worth looking at. The Onoko is an eye-sore.[7]

The Buffalo Courier criticizing the appearance of Onoko didn't go down with her owners. On May 5, 1882 the Cleveland Herald responded to the accusations with this reply:

The Buffalo papers took occasion when the steamship Onoko was there a few days ago to speak disparagingly of her qualities, especially her homeliness, and wound up by calling her an "eye-sore." This is ridiculous, in view of late developments. A Buffalo party has been in this city the past few days negotiating with the owners of the Onoko with a view to her purchase. He was anxious to secure her, "eye-sore" and all, at a price considerably above the cost of building. There was a disposition on the part of some of her owners to accept his terms, but the others would not part with their interest, and the arrangement fell through. The owners are well satisfied with the way the boat works.[7]

Onoko had proved herself to be a success in her first two years of carrying bulk cargoes on the Great Lakes. On August 22, 1884 the Cleveland Herald reported that Onoko had "proved even more successful than her owners hoped for".[7]

Onoko underway circa 1910

In 1895 two of Onoko's mast were removed, her wooded forecastle was replaced with a steel deck and steel pilothouse structure. In 1896 she had her boilers replaced with two 12 x 12.5 foot Scotch marine boilers.[7] On May 16, 1896 Onoko collided with the schooner Mary D. Ayer in heavy fog on Lake Michigan. Five sailors on Mary D. Ayer died.[9] Onoko's wooden spar deck was replaced with steel in 1901. Later that year the principal owners of Onoko, the Nicholas Transportation Company, bought out all the lesser stockholders to become sole owner of Onoko. Onoko had steel aft cabins installed in 1907 through 1908.[7]

In 1910, Captain Harry Stewart was appointed as the master of Onoko. On the night of December 1, 1910 Onoko ran aground on Southeast Shoal during a snow storm 60 miles below Amherstburg, between Point Pelee and Wheatley, Ontario. She was released with three tugs, including Harding and Rescue were sent to rescue Onoko.[7] She was carrying coal at the time. On December 2, 1910 the Duluth Herald wrote an article saying Onoko was not in any serious danger. The tugs succeeded in refloating her without serious damage to her hull. On October 7, 1912 Onoko sprang a leak and was intentionally beached in the Apostle Islands. The cost to patch her hull was minimal.[7]