A challenge for somebody

[RVAnderson]

I recently read in a book about the Great Lakes that on Halloween of 1929, in a Lake Michigan fog, about 20 miles northeast of Port Washington, WI, the 410' steamer "Senator" sank after a collision with another ship. It carried 240 Nash automobiles at the time. The wreck as of 5 years ago has not been found.

Who's gonna find it and post some photos of that cargo? I don't know WI law but the wreck may be considered an "underwater historic site" and the recovery of any items would then be illegal "in the interest of preserving history."

Seems to me that the best way to "preserve history" would be to recover and restore those cars, but that's only my opinion. I will freely acknowledge, however, that since 7 lives were lost in the sinking there may be other considerations.

[1937hd45]

Years ago Old Cars Weakly had some photos of a Great Lakes ship wreck with the new cars onboard.

[Dave@Moon]

I had a classmate in graduate school doing ichthyological studies in those waters. He had pictures of himself scuba diving in the upper Great Lakes doing habitat assessments. The water was near ice cold, but as clear as tropical reef waters at suprising depths.

While the water is quite cold at those depths, if it's clear enough for light to penetrate that means that the waters are oxygenated to those depths year round. Even if these cars sank below the hypolimnion (the line between oxygenated and dark/O2 free waters), every spring and fall the lake "turns over" when water temperatures reach 37 degrees F. Therefore at the very least they've been periodically exposed to O2 rich waters. The corrosive effects of the oxygen would pretty much preclude saving anything from these cars by now.

Also regardless of depth and oxygen content you can be sure that the wooden portions of the bodies, along with any upholstery fabric and stuffing, is long gone by now.

[RVAnderson]

That could have been the railroad ferry "Milwaukee" which went down with all hands (crew of 52) only a few days before the "Senator" sinking. Its cargo consisted of railroad cars, one of which contained a shipment of autos. The "Milwaukee" wreck was discovered in 1972.

[RVAnderson]

Dave, you could be right, but here's a quote from that text:

"(the Great Lakes) contain the best preserved shipwrecks in the world!"

"That is a powerful, world-renowned claim, not to be taken lightly. A letter...received in 1988 from a marine museum curator in Fremantle, Western Australia, contained the statement: 'I have, of course, heard about your amazingly well-preserved [Great Lakes] shipwrecks..." People in the rest of the world are aware that the 'submerged cultural resources' in the Great Lakes are definitely unique."

While the more fragile components are certainly long gone, I'd bet that more than one would expect could be salvaged. Who knows??

[Restorer32]

What in the world would you do with 240 Nash Automobiles? Besides, I thought they were Kissels.

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

This sounds like a job for Robert Ballard (spell?), they guy who finds many long lost ships.

[1926]

In 1924 ,a ship went down with Rollins ,in the lakes.

{have 2},can send picks and info,well documented

[Dave@Moon]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What in the world would you do with 240 Nash Automobiles? Besides, I thought they were Kissels. </div></div>

I volunteer to do the research. Anyone wishing to donate Nash cars to the cause,....

Well, maybe I better let it drop there.

[Amphicar BUYER]

I have a pretty good story about an Amphicar who sat patiently on the bottom of a fresh water lake called "Stockbridge Bowl" just south of Boston for 17 years and now is being restored. Look here