Hanna was like many other freighters, and was used to haul bulk cargoes such as iron ore, coal and grain.

She was powered by a 1,760-horsepower (1,310 kW) triple expansion steam engine and fueled by two coal-fired Scotch marine boilers.

Harvey H. Brown was badly damaged and it did not sail at all in that shipping season.

Hanna had 37 feet (11 m) of her foremast knocked off when she struck the Superior Avenue high level bridge in Cleveland.

Hanna ran aground near the Little Rapids Cut after her steering gear failed.

Meanwhile, the 266-foot (81 m) long freighter LaSalle ran aground and the steam barge Reliance was sent to her aid.

After she was freed the Hanna sailed to Indiana Harbor and unloaded her cargo; after unloading the Hanna was taken to the Ecorse, Michigan yard of the Great Lakes Engineering Works where she was placed in dry dock She damaged between 50 and 60 of her steel hull plates, her stern post and her rudder stock.

Hanna was bound from Duluth, Minnesota for Buffalo, New York with 377,000 bushels of wheat in her cargo hold when she was rammed by Quincy A. Shaw in heavy fog.

[6] Quincy A. Shaw was upbound with coal at the time the collision occurred.

Hanna rest in 130 feet (40 m)[8] of water about six miles (9.7 km) off the Thunder Bay Island Light.