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Coordinates: 34°54′N 139°50′E / 34.900°N 139.833°E / 34.900; 139.833
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===Sinking===
===Sinking===
''Dakota'' departed for her seventh Trans-Pacific voyage from Seattle on February 17, 1907. The ship was under command of captain Emil Francke, a veteran and a former captain of an American Line steamer ''St. Louis'' and had a crew of 257 men. The ship was carrying 94 passengers and 6,720 tons of general cargo consisting largely of cotton, wheat and flour.
''Dakota'' departed for her seventh Trans-Pacific voyage from Seattle on February 17, 1907. The ship was under command of captain Emil Francke, a veteran and a former captain of an American Line steamer ''St. Louis'' and had a crew of 257 men. The ship was carrying 94 passengers and 6,720 tons of general cargo consisting largely of cotton, wheat and flour and valued at $445,984.00.


She was wrecked when she struck a reef<ref name="DakotaDatebook" /><ref name="StromUniversityWashington">{{cite book |author=Strom, Claire |title=Profiting from the plains: the Great Northern Railway and corporate development of the American West |publisher=University of Washington Press |location=Seattle |year=2003 |page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OEq6XYehs48C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA89 |isbn=0-295-98348-5 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> off [[Yokohama]], [[Japan]], on 3 March 1907<ref name="StromUniversityWashington" /><ref name="McKennaInternationalMarine">{{cite book |author=McKenna, Robert W. |title=The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy |publisher=International Marine Publishing |location=Camden, ME |year=2003 |pages=92 |isbn=0-07-141950-0 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> on her seventh journey.
She was wrecked when she struck a reef<ref name="DakotaDatebook" /><ref name="StromUniversityWashington">{{cite book |author=Strom, Claire |title=Profiting from the plains: the Great Northern Railway and corporate development of the American West |publisher=University of Washington Press |location=Seattle |year=2003 |page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OEq6XYehs48C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA89 |isbn=0-295-98348-5 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> off [[Yokohama]], [[Japan]], on 3 March 1907<ref name="StromUniversityWashington" /><ref name="McKennaInternationalMarine">{{cite book |author=McKenna, Robert W. |title=The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy |publisher=International Marine Publishing |location=Camden, ME |year=2003 |pages=92 |isbn=0-07-141950-0 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> on her seventh journey.

Revision as of 19:54, 6 October 2018

A broadside image of the SS Dakota
A broadside image of the SS Dakota
History
United States
NameDakota
NamesakeNorth Dakota
OwnerGreat Northern Steamship Company
RouteUnited States-Japan
BuilderEastern Shipbuilding Company, Groton
Cost$7,803,404.00 (along with Minnesota)
Yard number2
Launched6 February 1904
Sponsored byMiss Mary B. Flemington
Completed22 March 1905
Maiden voyage28 April 1905
HomeportNew York
Identification
FateWrecked, 3 March 1907
NotesSister ship of SS Minnesota
General characteristics
Class and typePassenger Cargo Ship
Tonnage
Length622 ft 0 in (189.59 m)
Beam73 ft 5 in (22.38 m)
Depth41 ft 5 in (12.62 m)
Installed power2,565 Nhp[1]
Propulsion
Speed14.6 knots (27.0 km/h)
Capacity
  • 218 first-class passengers
  • 68 second-class passengers
  • 2,300 steerage passengers

Dakota was a steamship built by the Eastern Shipbuilding Company of Groton, Connecticut for the Great Northern Steamship Company owned by railroad magnate James J. Hill to enhance and promote trade between United States and Japan.[2]

Design and Construction

In 1904 the Great Northern Railway made an effort to facilitate trade with Asia, particularly with Japan and China, by entering into shipping business, and as a part of this endeavor two great steamers of approximately 20,000 GRT were ordered. Dakota was the second of these vessels, and was laid down at the Eastern Shipbuilding Company's yard at Groton, and launched on February 6, 1904 (yard number 2), with Miss Mary Bell Flemington of Ellendale being the sponsor. The ceremony was attended by nearly 5,000 people, including the governor of Connecticut Abiram Chamberlain, ex-governor Thomas Waller, James J. Hill, president of the Great Northern Steamship Company, many members of the board of trade from Minnesota and North and South Dakota, senators Hansborough and McCumber of North Dakota among others.[3][4] At the time, she and her sister-ship Minnesota were described as the largest ships ever built in America. The ship was of an awning-deck type, and was constructed using the most modern shipbuilding safety and protection ideas. She had a double-bottom through her entire length, and had her hull subdivided into numerous watertight bulkheads. The vessel was built with the view of North Pacific trade and had her hull strengthened, with some of her double plates being 2+1⁄2 inches (6.4 cm) thick. Additionally, the vessel had a newly patented gaseous fire extinguishing system installed throughout her holds. Each of her two engines had their own watertight compartments built around them, theoretically allowing the ship to continue sailing using only one of the engines, if the other one got flooded. She was also equipped with all the modern machinery for quick cargo loading and unloading and had 32 electric winches and a large number of derricks installed.[5] The steamer also had an experimental mechanical stoker system installed for testing purposes, and if it had proven to be successful, her sister-ship Minnesota would have beeen equipped with a similar system.

Main engines of the SS Dakota

In addition to the vast amount of cargo the ship could carry, Dakota had also accommodations constructed for 218 first-class, 68 second-class and approximately 2,300 steerage passengers.[6] The first class cabins were located in the large deck-house amidships which also featured a dining salon, being able to sit approximately 200 people, a library and a ladies boudoir. The bridge deck housed a smoking room and a cafe which was open 24 hours a day. To provide for such a large number of passengers, the vessel had a refrigerating plant installed, operating on the American-Linde system, capable of cooling 300 tons of provisions, and refrigerating 1,700 tons of produce.[5] The vessel was also equipped with four large evaporators in her engine room,capable of producing 30,000 gallons of fresh water per day to be used both by her boilers and passengers and crew.[5]

Dakota could have been easily converted to a troopship in case of need, and she would be able to transport approximately 1,300 troops in addition to all their equipment.

After successful completion of 24 hour long sea trials held on March 23-24, 1905, during which the ship was able to maintain an average speed of 17.7 knots (20.4 mph; 32.8 km/h) over a continuous run of 59 miles which she was able to complete in 3 hours and 20 minutes.[7] Following the sea trials the ship proceeded to Newport News and entered the drydock where some minor adjustments and painting were done.[6]

As built, the ship was 622 feet 0 inches (189.59 m) long (between perpendiculars) and 73 feet 5 inches (22.38 m) abeam, a depth of 41 feet 5 inches (12.62 m).[1] Dakota was originally assessed at 20,714 GRT and 13,306 NRT and had deadweight of approximately 19,000.[1] The vessel had a steel hull, and two triple-expansion steam engines of combined power of 2,565 nhp, with cylinders of 29-inch (74 cm), 51-inch (130 cm) and 89-inch (230 cm) diameter with a 57-inch (140 cm) stroke, that drove two screw propellers, and moved the ship at up to 15.0 knots (17.3 mph; 27.8 km/h).[1]

Operational history

After finalizing her painting job, Dakota proceeded from Norfolk to New York for loading. She left the port for her maiden voyage on April 28, 1905 laden with general cargo and approximately 6,000 tons of steel rails destined for Alaska Railroad being constructed at the time.[8] The journey to South America was largely uneventful, with the exception of severe gales encountered around Cape Horn, and the ship safely reached the Chilean port of Coronel on May 28 to replenish her bunkers. She departed from Chile on June 3 and arrived at San Francisco around noon on June 20 to partially discharge her cargo.[9] The vessel sailed from California in the afternoon of June 24 and reached Seattle around noon on June 27, thus finishing her maiden voyage. Overall, all ship systems functioned as intended with the exception of the mechanical stokers which started having problems after coaling in Chile, and completely failed by the time the ship arrived in Seattle.[10]

Originally, Dakota was scheduled to leave for the Far East on July 20, but the departure was postponed due to inability of her owners to completely fill the enormous vessel with cargo. Finally, she sailed out from Seattle in the early morning of July 24, only being slightly more than half-laden, but was only able to continue as far as Cape Flattery before developing a serious problem in her starboard engine and was forced to turn back. Upon return, all her cargo and passengers were transfered to Minnesota while she proceeded to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs.[11][12][13] After wrapping up her repairs on August 9, the vessel returned to port and this time embarked over 20,000 tons of cargo, the bulk consisting of 19 locomotives, 100 railroad cars, and 20,000 bales of cotton. Dakota sailed for her first Trans-Pacific trip on September 20, carrying besides cargo a large number of passengers among them Yamaza Enjirō, H.W. Dennison and five other members of Japanese delegation which just finished successfully negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth.[14][15][16] She arrived at Yokohama on October 5, discharging the majority of her cargo, and disembarking many of her passengers including the Japanese delegation, and sailed for Shanghai reaching it on October 28. On her return trip, she caught fire on November 12 while anchored at Kobe which delayed her departure.[17] The damage from fire was apparently minimal and Dakota was able to sail from Yokohama on November 16 with approximately 7,000 tons of freight and 62 passengers, arriving at Seattle on November 29 finalizing her first Trans-Pacific voyage. Starting with her second Trans-Pacific trip, which she left for on December 16, 1905, Dakota was visiting Manila in addition to the ports in Japan and Shanghai and Hong Kong in China.[18] She returned to Seattle on February 28, 1906 carrying among other passengers members of the Chinese Imperial High Commission headed by Prince Tsai Tseh sent to study the political and trade conditions of United States and European countries.[19] On the return journey during her third trip, Dakota beat the previous speed record held by the Empress of India being able to cover the distance from Yokohama to Cape Flattery in 9+1⁄2 days with 2,000 tons of cargo and 199 passengers on board.[20][21]

Sinking

Dakota departed for her seventh Trans-Pacific voyage from Seattle on February 17, 1907. The ship was under command of captain Emil Francke, a veteran and a former captain of an American Line steamer St. Louis and had a crew of 257 men. The ship was carrying 94 passengers and 6,720 tons of general cargo consisting largely of cotton, wheat and flour and valued at $445,984.00.

She was wrecked when she struck a reef[2][22] off Yokohama, Japan, on 3 March 1907[22][23] on her seventh journey. The ship was close enough to shore to avoid any deaths and the passengers and cargo were evacuated before she sank.[2] The passengers returned to the United States aboard the Japanese steamship Hakuai.[24] Eighty bags of mail later washed ashore.[25] Dakota sank during daylight, and within sight of land, hence several positions of the sinking were recorded with still cameras.

Dakota one hour after going on the reef.

After the ship was lost, Hill vowed not to make any more ships under the American flag, noting the high cost of maintaining a ship in America compared to Japan due to restrictions he regarded as "onerous".[26] Hill did eventually build more ships such as the SS Great Northern and the SS Northern Pacific.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships. London: Lloyd's Register. 1906–1907.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  2. ^ a b c "Dakota Datebook. 3 March 2006. "The Liner Dakota"". North Dakota Public Radio. Prairie Public Broadcasting in association with North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota. 2006-03-06. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  3. ^ "Vast Steamship Launched". The Boston Globe. 6 February 1904. p. 11. Retrieved 3 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ Marine Engineering (1904). "Steamship Dakota". Marine Engineering. 9 (March 1904). New York: Marine Engineering Incorporated: 121. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "The Great Northern Steamship Dakota". Marine Engineering. Vol. 10. June 1905. pp. 248–250.
  6. ^ a b "Great American Ship". The Times Dispatch. 30 March 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 3 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ^ "The Dakota on Trial Trip". New York Tribune. 24 March 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ^ "Starts on Her Maiden Trip to the Pacific". The San Francisco Call. 29 April 1905. p. 2. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "Second Largest of the World's Ships is Here". The San Francisco Examiner. 21 June 1905. p. 15. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ^ "The Voyage of the Steamship Dakota from New York to Seattle". Marine Engineering. Vol. 10. November 1905. p. 452.
  11. ^ "Mammoth Hill Liner Sails with Half Cargo". The San Francisco Chronicle. 24 July 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ^ "Dakota Suffers a Breakdown". The San Francisco Chronicle. 26 July 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ^ "Great Steamer Dakota Goes on the Dry Dock". The San Francisco Chronicle. 2 August 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ^ "Coast News Notes". The San Francisco Examiner. 19 September 1905. p. 21. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "Japanese Commissioners Were Well Treated". The San Francisco Chronicle. 21 September 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ "Dakota Sailed for Orient". The San Juan Islander. 23 September 1905. p. 2. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ^ "Fire on the Dakota". The Los Angeles Times. 13 November 1905. p. 2. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "Shipping News". The San Francisco Examiner. 17 December 1905. p. 23. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "Chinese Prince in America". The Los Angeles Times. 1 March 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "Fastest Pacific Record". The Boston Globe. 26 May 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ^ "Dakota in Port". Aberdeen Herald. 31 May 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ^ a b Strom, Claire (2003). Profiting from the plains: the Great Northern Railway and corporate development of the American West. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 89. ISBN 0-295-98348-5.
  23. ^ McKenna, Robert W. (2003). The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy. Camden, ME: International Marine Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 0-07-141950-0.
  24. ^ "Dakota's Passengers Land". New York Times. 1907-03-06. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  25. ^ "Dakota 1907". Bath Postal Museum.
  26. ^ "Hill won't build any more liners". New York Times. 1907-03-08. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SS Dakota.

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