SS Francisco Morazan (1922)
Encyclopedia
Francisco Morazan was a 1,442 GRT cargo ship
that was built in 1922 as Arcadia by Deutsche Werft
, Hamburg
, for German
owners. She was sold in 1924 and renamed Elbing She was seized by the Allies in the River Elbe, Germany in May 1945, passed to the United Kingdom's Ministry of War Transport and renamed Empire Congress. In 1946, she was allocated to the Norwegian Government and renamed Brunes.
Brunes was sold into merchant service in 1947 and renamed Skuld In 1948, another sale saw her renamed Ringas. In 1958, she was sold to Liberia
and renamed Los Mayas and then Francisco Morazan (for Francisco Morazán
) the following year. She served until 29 November 1960 when she ran aground in Lake Michigan
and was declared a total loss.
The ship was 234 in 5 in (71.45 m) long, with a beam of 36 in 8 in (11.18 m). She had a depth of 17 in 9 in (5.41 m), and a draught of 16 feet 6½ inches (5.01 m). She had a GRT of 1,141 and a NRT of 747, with a DWT of 2,097.
As built, she was propelled by two steam turbines, double reduction geared, driving a single screw propeller. The turbines were built by Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft, Berlin
.
AG
, Hamburg. She was launched In June 1922. Arcadia was operated under the management of Deutsche Levant Linie AG. Her port of registry was Hamburg and the Code Letters
RCSM were allocated.. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DHBK.
In 1934, Arcadia was sold to Kohlen-Import und Poseidon Schiffahrt, Königsberg
and was renamed Elbing. A new four-cylinder compound steam engine was fitted in 1935. The engine had two cylinders of 13 inches (33 cm) and two cylinders of 27 inches (70 cm) diameter by 27 inches (70 cm) stroke.
In 1940, Elbing was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
for use as a coal ship in Operation Sea Lion. In March 1941 she was set on fire after being shelled by during Operation Claymore
and beached at Solvær, Lofoten Islands, Norway
. Subsequently repaired, she saw service in Norwegian waters in 1942 and was returned to Kohlen-Import und Poseidon Schiffahrt in 1943. In 1945, her port of registry was changed to Nordenham
. She was damaged after being shelled by land-based artillery and beached on Schweinesand island. In May 1945, Elbing was seized in the River Elbe. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Congress. Her port of registry was changed to London
. The Code Letters GFSV and United Kingdom Official Number 180691 were allocated. She was placed under the management of Chine Trading Co Ltd, Cardiff
.
In 1946, Empire Congress was allocated to the Norwegian government. She was renamed Brunes. She was operated under the management of Kr Jebsen. In 1947, she was sold to R Mithassel, Norway and renamed Skuld. In 1948, Mithassel was taken over by Birger Ekerholt and the ship was renamed Ringas. On 30 June 1952, the Belgian
Victory ship
collided with the French
Liberty ship
north of Alderney
, Channel Islands
. Ringas rescued the 46 crew and three passengers from Mahenge, which sank. Granville was badly damaged and set on fire. She was towed into Cherbourg, France after the fire had been extinguished. In 1952, she made her first voyage to the Great Lakes
, delivering a cargo of china clay to Muskegon, Michigan
. In 1953, she delivered a cargo of pulpwood
to Port Huron, Michigan
. In 1958, Ringas was sold to a Greek
owner and renamed Los Mayos. She was operated placed under the Panamanian Flag
and operated under the management of Moa Navigation SA. Los Mayos visited the Great Lakes in 1958. She ran aground at Muskegon and was holed. In 1959, she was sold to C T Trapezountios, Monrovia
, Liberia
, and was renamed Francisco Morazan. She was operated by the West Indies Transport Company of New York
and Monrovia and chartered
to Interamerican Marine Operators, New York.
On 21 October 1960, Francisco Morazan began what was to be her last voyage from Miami, Florida
. She sailed to Montreal
and Toronto
, where she unloaded a cargo of phosphates. Francisco Morazan then sailed to Chicago
, arriving there in mid-November. At Chicago, 1,118 ton
s, 10 cwt
of mixed cargo was loaded, destined for Rotterdam
, Netherlands
and Hamburg, Germany. The cargo included aluminium
, baled hair
, bottle caps, canned
chicken
, castings, chemicals, Gilsonite
, hides
, lard
, machinery, phosphate
, scrap
metal
, solder
dross
, tinplate, and toy
s. Francisco Morazan departed Chicago on 28 November. Fog
on Lake Michigan
slowed her progress and a problem with the feed pump for the boiler required the ship to be stopped while the pump was repaired. This meant Francisco Morazan was now in a race to leave the Great Lakes before the system closed to navigation on 3 December.
During the night of 28/29 November, a snowstorm greatly reduced visibility and the ship was pushed off course. At 18:35 on 29 November, Francisco Morazan ran aground on the South Manitou Island
shoal, passing over the wreck of on her way. She ended up just 300 yards (274.3 m) from the shore. The and were sent to the aid of Francisco Morazan. The captain's pregnant wife was taken off the ship and transferred to . She was then airlifted to Traverse City, Michigan
. The captain and 12 crew remained on board Francisco Morazan, which was not in danger of sinking. On 30 November, two people were flown out to the ship by the insurers. It was decided that Francisco Morazan was not salvageable, although it was thought possible to save her cargo. Roan Salvage of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
, were contracted for the recovery of the cargo. The salvage tug
John Roan V and barge
Maintland were sent to the scene. During the next five days, Francisco Morazan was buffeted by a storm and began to break up. All on board the ship were rescued on 4 December. Roan Salvage abandoned their intention to salvage the cargo and their ships returned to port.
to assist in the operation. Grosvenor owned a small mail boat, Smiling Thru which was able to operate in shallow water. The plan was that the salvaged cargo would be transferred from Smiling Thru to the Lake Michigan Hardwood Co's Glen Shore for delivery to Leland, from where it would be taken by road to Chicago. Only about 5 tons of canned chicken and hides were recovered before salvage was abandoned due to storms.
Over the years, the cargo was salvaged by the islanders for their own use. The Blue Star brand canned chicken was spoken highly of by the islanders. Amongst the cargo of toys were balsa wood model aircraft kits made by Monogram
of Chicago, which proved popular with local boys. In August 1967, a local boy drowned while exploring the wreck of Francisco Morazan. In August 1968, Attorney General
Frank Kelley
filed a lawsuit to have the wreck of the ship removed. He claimed that the rotting cargo was a health hazard and the 6500 gallons (24,605.2 l) of fuel oil posed a pollution risk. The following day, Francisco Morazan was found to be on fire and the cargo was entirely consumed. Two of the three defendants in the lawsuit disappeared and the lawsuit was later dropped. The wreck of Francisco Morazan is now the property of the State of Michigan.
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
that was built in 1922 as Arcadia by Deutsche Werft
Deutsche Werft
Deutsche Werft was a German shipbuilding company, located in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1918 on initiative by Albert Ballin and with Gutehoffnungshütte , Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft and Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft as investors.During World War II...
, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
owners. She was sold in 1924 and renamed Elbing She was seized by the Allies in the River Elbe, Germany in May 1945, passed to the United Kingdom's Ministry of War Transport and renamed Empire Congress. In 1946, she was allocated to the Norwegian Government and renamed Brunes.
Brunes was sold into merchant service in 1947 and renamed Skuld In 1948, another sale saw her renamed Ringas. In 1958, she was sold to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and renamed Los Mayas and then Francisco Morazan (for Francisco Morazán
Francisco Morazán
General Francisco Morazán was a Honduran general and a politician who ruled several Central American states at different times during the turbulent period from 1827 to 1842. He rose to prominence at the legendary Battle of La Trinidad on November 11, 1827...
) the following year. She served until 29 November 1960 when she ran aground in Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
and was declared a total loss.
Description
The ship was built in 1922 by Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg, as yard number 19.The ship was 234 in 5 in (71.45 m) long, with a beam of 36 in 8 in (11.18 m). She had a depth of 17 in 9 in (5.41 m), and a draught of 16 feet 6½ inches (5.01 m). She had a GRT of 1,141 and a NRT of 747, with a DWT of 2,097.
As built, she was propelled by two steam turbines, double reduction geared, driving a single screw propeller. The turbines were built by Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
History
Arcadia was built for Hamburg Amerikanische PacketfahrtHamburg America Line
The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, Germany during...
AG
Aktiengesellschaft
Aktiengesellschaft is a German term that refers to a corporation that is limited by shares, i.e. owned by shareholders, and may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland...
, Hamburg. She was launched In June 1922. Arcadia was operated under the management of Deutsche Levant Linie AG. Her port of registry was Hamburg and the Code Letters
Code letters
Code letters were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of radio, code letters were also used as radio callsigns.-History:...
RCSM were allocated.. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DHBK.
In 1934, Arcadia was sold to Kohlen-Import und Poseidon Schiffahrt, Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
and was renamed Elbing. A new four-cylinder compound steam engine was fitted in 1935. The engine had two cylinders of 13 inches (33 cm) and two cylinders of 27 inches (70 cm) diameter by 27 inches (70 cm) stroke.
In 1940, Elbing was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
for use as a coal ship in Operation Sea Lion. In March 1941 she was set on fire after being shelled by during Operation Claymore
Operation Claymore
Operation Claymore was the codename for a British Commandos raid on the Lofoten Islands in Norway during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important center for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war industry. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941,...
and beached at Solvær, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Subsequently repaired, she saw service in Norwegian waters in 1942 and was returned to Kohlen-Import und Poseidon Schiffahrt in 1943. In 1945, her port of registry was changed to Nordenham
Nordenham
Nordenham is a town in the Wesermarsch district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located at the mouth of the Weser river on the Butjadingen peninsula on the coast of the North Sea. The seaport city of Bremerhaven is located on the other side of the river...
. She was damaged after being shelled by land-based artillery and beached on Schweinesand island. In May 1945, Elbing was seized in the River Elbe. She was passed to the MoWT and renamed Empire Congress. Her port of registry was changed to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Code Letters GFSV and United Kingdom Official Number 180691 were allocated. She was placed under the management of Chine Trading Co Ltd, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
In 1946, Empire Congress was allocated to the Norwegian government. She was renamed Brunes. She was operated under the management of Kr Jebsen. In 1947, she was sold to R Mithassel, Norway and renamed Skuld. In 1948, Mithassel was taken over by Birger Ekerholt and the ship was renamed Ringas. On 30 June 1952, the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Victory ship
Victory ship
The Victory ship was a type of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace shipping losses caused by German submarines...
collided with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
north of Alderney
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
, Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. Ringas rescued the 46 crew and three passengers from Mahenge, which sank. Granville was badly damaged and set on fire. She was towed into Cherbourg, France after the fire had been extinguished. In 1952, she made her first voyage to the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, delivering a cargo of china clay to Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. In 1953, she delivered a cargo of pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
to Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
. In 1958, Ringas was sold to a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
owner and renamed Los Mayos. She was operated placed under the Panamanian Flag
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
and operated under the management of Moa Navigation SA. Los Mayos visited the Great Lakes in 1958. She ran aground at Muskegon and was holed. In 1959, she was sold to C T Trapezountios, Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, and was renamed Francisco Morazan. She was operated by the West Indies Transport Company of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Monrovia and chartered
Bareboat charter
A bareboat charter is an arrangement for the chartering or hiring of a ship or boat, whereby no crew or provisions are included as part of the agreement; instead, the people who rent the vessel from the owner are responsible for taking care of such things....
to Interamerican Marine Operators, New York.
Loss
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. She sailed to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where she unloaded a cargo of phosphates. Francisco Morazan then sailed to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, arriving there in mid-November. At Chicago, 1,118 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s, 10 cwt
Hundredweight
The hundredweight or centum weight is a unit of mass defined in terms of the pound . The definition used in Britain differs from that used in North America. The two are distinguished by the terms long hundredweight and short hundredweight:* The long hundredweight is defined as 112 lb, which...
of mixed cargo was loaded, destined for Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Hamburg, Germany. The cargo included aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, baled hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
, bottle caps, canned
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
chicken
Chicken (food)
Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world, and is prepared as food in a wide variety of ways, varying by region and culture.- History :...
, castings, chemicals, Gilsonite
Gilsonite
Gilsonite is the registered trademark for a form of natural asphalt found only in the Uintah Basin of Utah; the non-trademarked mineral name is uintaite or uintahite. It is mined in underground shafts and resembles shiny black obsidian...
, hides
Hides
A hide is an animal skin treated for human use. Hides include leather from cattle and other livestock animals, alligator skins, snake skins for shoes and fashion accessories and furs from wild cats, mink and bears. In some areas, leather is produced on a domestic or small industrial scale, but most...
, lard
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...
, machinery, phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
, scrap
Scrap
Scrap is a term used to describe recyclable and other materials left over from every manner of product consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap has significant monetary value...
metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
, solder
Solder
Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...
dross
Dross
Dross is a mass of solid impurities floating on a molten metal. It appears usually on the melting of low-melting-point metals or alloys such as tin, lead, zinc or aluminium, or by oxidation of the metal. It can also consist of impurities such as paint leftovers...
, tinplate, and toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s. Francisco Morazan departed Chicago on 28 November. Fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
slowed her progress and a problem with the feed pump for the boiler required the ship to be stopped while the pump was repaired. This meant Francisco Morazan was now in a race to leave the Great Lakes before the system closed to navigation on 3 December.
During the night of 28/29 November, a snowstorm greatly reduced visibility and the ship was pushed off course. At 18:35 on 29 November, Francisco Morazan ran aground on the South Manitou Island
South Manitou Island
South Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west of Leland, Michigan. It is part of Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The uninhabited island is in land area and can be accessed by a ferry service from Leland...
shoal, passing over the wreck of on her way. She ended up just 300 yards (274.3 m) from the shore. The and were sent to the aid of Francisco Morazan. The captain's pregnant wife was taken off the ship and transferred to . She was then airlifted to Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
. The captain and 12 crew remained on board Francisco Morazan, which was not in danger of sinking. On 30 November, two people were flown out to the ship by the insurers. It was decided that Francisco Morazan was not salvageable, although it was thought possible to save her cargo. Roan Salvage of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay is a city in and the county seat of Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. It is located at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay, although the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.-Geography:Sturgeon Bay is...
, were contracted for the recovery of the cargo. The salvage tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
John Roan V and barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
Maintland were sent to the scene. During the next five days, Francisco Morazan was buffeted by a storm and began to break up. All on board the ship were rescued on 4 December. Roan Salvage abandoned their intention to salvage the cargo and their ships returned to port.
Aftermath
In January 1961, representatives from the insurers of the cargo awarded a contract to Lake Michigan Hardwood Co. for the salvage of the cargo from Francisco Morazan. Lake Michigan Hardwood Co engaged George Grosvenor of Leland, MichiganLeland, Michigan
Leland is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was the county seat of Leelanau County from 1883 to 2008, when a new government center was completed in Suttons Bay Township, closer to the county's geographic center....
to assist in the operation. Grosvenor owned a small mail boat, Smiling Thru which was able to operate in shallow water. The plan was that the salvaged cargo would be transferred from Smiling Thru to the Lake Michigan Hardwood Co's Glen Shore for delivery to Leland, from where it would be taken by road to Chicago. Only about 5 tons of canned chicken and hides were recovered before salvage was abandoned due to storms.
Over the years, the cargo was salvaged by the islanders for their own use. The Blue Star brand canned chicken was spoken highly of by the islanders. Amongst the cargo of toys were balsa wood model aircraft kits made by Monogram
Monogram models
Monogram has been a premier maker of scale models of aircraft, spacecraft, ships, cars, and military vehicles since the early 1950s. The company was formed by two former employees of Comet Kits, Jack Besser and Bob Reder...
of Chicago, which proved popular with local boys. In August 1967, a local boy drowned while exploring the wreck of Francisco Morazan. In August 1968, Attorney General
Michigan Attorney General
The Attorney General of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, members of the Senate and...
Frank Kelley
Frank J. Kelley
Frank J. Kelley , was the 50th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan. His 37-year term of office, from 1961 to 1998, made him both the youngest and oldest Attorney General in the state's history, and led to his nickname as the "Eternal General". He is the longest serving state attorney...
filed a lawsuit to have the wreck of the ship removed. He claimed that the rotting cargo was a health hazard and the 6500 gallons (24,605.2 l) of fuel oil posed a pollution risk. The following day, Francisco Morazan was found to be on fire and the cargo was entirely consumed. Two of the three defendants in the lawsuit disappeared and the lawsuit was later dropped. The wreck of Francisco Morazan is now the property of the State of Michigan.