History of the Benjamin Noble

History of the Robert Wallace

The Robert Wallace (Official Number 110518) was built in 1880 by W.H. Radcliffe of Cleveland, Ohio. She was built of wood with dimensions of 209 ft long with a beam of 36 ft and depth of 18 ft. Its gross tonnage was 1190 gross tons with a net tonnage of 905 tons. It was powered by a double expansion steam engine. The Robert Wallace typically towed the barge David Wallace named for the brother of Robert Wallace. The Wallace almost ended its career in 1886 when it stranded and burned near Marquette, Michigan. On the fatal day of November 17, 1902 the Wallace departed Superior, Wisconsin towing the barge Ashland -- both loaded with iron ore. About four hours out of Superior it sprang a leak and started sinking. Some accounts say the tow pulled off the stern post and others say it hit a log. The stern post is still intact so that appears to be incorrect, but there is a crack or separation in the hull that appears to run up the fantail and across the port side of the deck. Whether caused by hitting a log or during the sinking or just old age may never be determined.

The Wallace sank surprisingly slowly for a ship loaded with iron ore. All hands managed to escape to the barge Ashland, which then sailed to Two Harbors where it was towed to safety by the Edna G. She floated on the surface for hours after the crew abandoned her with her running lights still burning. When she finally took the plunge to the bottom the pilot house popped off and continued to float on the lake. Three separate locations of the sinking were reported by the Captain of the Wallace, the Captain of the Ashland and the Captain of a passing ship -- each about five miles from the other making for a large search area to cover to find it. In the end none of the historical locations were accurate.