The SS Ira H. Owen was a pioneering steel-hulled lake freighter constructed in 1887 by the Globe Iron Works Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Measuring approximately 278.3 feet in overall length with a beam of 39 feet and a hull depth of 19 feet, she was among the first steel vessels built for service on the Great Lakes, marking a significant advancement from traditional wooden ships. Her gross tonnage was around 1,753 tons, with a net tonnage close to 1,498 tons. Powered by a 750-horsepower double-cylinder compound steam engine, she drove a single fixed-pitch propeller, with steam generated by two Scotch marine boilers. The vessel originally featured three masts, two decks, and accommodations for a crew, with a cargo capacity of approximately 2,854 long tons. Initially operated by the Owen Line of Chicago, her early career involved transporting iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan. Over time, she changed ownership, being chartered by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in April 1898 and later sold to the National Steamship Company of Chicago in December 1899, after which she frequently carried coal and grain. Throughout her service, the Ira H. Owen was involved in numerous incidents, including groundings in 1889 and 1891, a collision with the schooner Belle Brown in 1892, and a hull breach caused by striking a rock in 1893. She also collided with the Susquehanna in foggy conditions in 1897, sustaining significant damage. In 1903, she survived a fire in her boiler room that led to her being intentionally beached, later repaired and returned to service. In October 1904, she collided with the Henry W. Oliver in the St. Marys River, resulting in severe damage and the captain’s temporary license revocation. Her final voyage began on November 28, 1905, from Duluth with a load of barley. As she approached Outer Island during the Mataafa Storm, wind speeds of 80–90 mph overwhelmed her, and she was lost with all 19 crew members. Her wreckage was sighted but never recovered, and her sinking remains a notable event in Great Lakes maritime history, exemplifying the dangers faced by early steel-hulled vessels navigating treacherous weather conditions.

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