The SS Chicora was a distinguished passenger-and-freight steamer constructed in 1892 by the Detroit Drydock Company for the Graham & Morton Transportation Company. Designed by Frank Kirby, the vessel was built with a wooden hull, featuring a length of approximately 217 feet overall, a beam of 35 feet (40 feet over the guards), and a moulded depth of 15 feet. Her gross tonnage was 1,123, with a cargo capacity of around 900 tons. The ship was notable for its elegant design, with passenger accommodations including 56 staterooms, sleeps for 200, a large smoking room, and a spacious social hall, all finished in mahogany. An electric plant powered 250 lights, emphasizing her status as a luxurious vessel. Chicora was powered by a powerful 2,500-horsepower triple-expansion steam engine, equipped with cylinders of 20, 33, and 54 inches and a 42-inch stroke. Steam was generated by two steel Scotch boilers operating at 165 pounds of pressure. Her propulsion system enabled her to reach speeds of approximately 15.5 knots, making her one of the fastest vessels on Lake Michigan at the time. She was designed to be sturdy for winter freight service, with six-inch outer planking and waterproof compartments. Initially serving the route between St. Joseph and Chicago, Chicora was celebrated as a "masterpiece" and the flagship of the Graham and Morton Line, often called the "Queen Mary" of Lake Michigan. She was capable of making the 65-mile run from Benton Harbor to Chicago in just 3 hours and 40 minutes, averaging over 19 miles per hour. Tragically, the Chicora was lost with all hands in Lake Michigan on January 21, 1895, off Milwaukee, while carrying a cargo of flour. Wreckage, including portions of the port side, upper bulwarks, and passenger gangway, was found along the Michigan shoreline. Evidence and messages from the crew indicated that engine failure and drifting into ice led to her sinking, and she was remembered as one of the finest vessels on the Great Lakes until her demise.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.