JANUARY • APRIL, 1998 Volume XLVI; Number 1

sTtTcRftPO TELESCOPE Page 2

MEMBERSHIP NOTES •

Our "Downriver" River: - Nautical History and Tales o f the Lower Detroit River by Rockne P. Smith tells the story of the downriver communities of Wyandotte, Trenton, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile and Amherstburg, Ontario. The history begins with the early French settlers and continues into the industrial age with the development of Eureka Iron and Steel Company (first to manufacture steel rails and iron railroad ties). Along the downriver waterfront several small shipyards emerged which built a variety of vessels ranging from racing boats to ore carriers and passenger ships built by Detroit Dry Dock's shipyard in Wyandotte. The colorful Prohibition Era is documented as Ontario was only a short boat ride away. The inside front cover provides a map detailing the lower Detroit River in the mid-1870's and inside back cover shows the same area in the early 1990's. For recreational boaters there is a chapter titled "A Guided Historical Boat Tour on the River". This book retails foi $25.00 and those ordering by mail should include $3.50 for postage and handling.

CONTENTS •

Membership Notes, Contents, etc. 2 Launching the J.E. Upson Reprinted from Marine Review 3 The Dismantlement of the City o f Midland 41 by Howard H. Peterson 6 "City o f Milwaukee” and a "Great Lakes Icon" by Howard H. Peterson 9 Seasons Work of Wrecker Favorite Reprinted from Marine Review 12 The Wreck of the Barge St. Clair by Charles Ferris and Oliver Raymond 16 The Loss of the Congress by Fred Hollister 21 Great Lakes & Seaway News Edited by James Morris 23 Back Cover Photo 36

Published at Detroit, Michigan by the GREAT LAKES MARITIME INSTITUTE ©All rights reserved. Printed in the United States by Macomb Printing, Inc.

OUR COVER PICTURE ... With the launching of the new cement barge Integrity, several of the older Inland Lakes Transportation vessels have been reduced to storage barges. The S.T. Crapo was built in 1927 at Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan and powered by a triple expansion engine. She remained in steady service on the lakes until recently. In September, 1997, she was towed from Cleveland to Green Bay, Wisconsin for storage use. This photo of the S.T. Crapo was taken by Dave Swain in April, 1996 when the Crapo was at the Muskegon breakwall.

Telescope© is produced with assistance from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, an agency of the Historical Department of the City of Detroit. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 3

LAUNCHING THE J. E. UPSON

reprinted from The Marine Review March, 1908

In presence of thousands of persons, the bulk The Upson is 524 ft. over all, 504 ft. keel, 54 ft. freighter J. E. Upson was launched from the Cleveland beam and 30 ft. deep. Her engines are triple-expansion yard of the American Ship Building Co. on Saturday with cylinders 23, 38 and 63 in. diameters by 42-in. morning and was christened by Mrs. E. H. Churchill, stroke, supplied with steam from two Scotch boilers, daughter of the man in whose honor the ship was 14 1/2 ft. by 11 1/2 ft., fitted with Ellis & Eaves draft named. Mr. Upson is president of the Wilson Transit and allowed 180 pounds pressure. Capt. J. S. Wood Co., owners of the vessel, but he is better known as will be her master and Fred Harmon her chief engineer. the president of the Upson-Walton Co.. which has been The luncheon at the Union Club following the continuously in business for the past 37 years and has launching of the steamer was marked by exquisite fitted out more vessels than any other ship chandlery attention to details and was in perfect taste throughout. house in the United States. Following the practice of To begin with the banquet room was beautifully the Cleveland yard the Upson went overboard on time, decorated, the tables being literally buried beneath a in fact anticipating the time schedule by a few minutes. wealth of roses, tulips, daffodils, carnations, sweet Mrs. Churchill made a very clean break of the bottle, peas and ferns. Certainly no such floral display has baptizing not only the ship but also quite a number of ever marked a launching before. The room, being spectators on the launching stand. artificially darkened, the illumination was by candle Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

J.E. UPSON built in 1908 at Cleveland, Ohio TELESCOPE Page 4

J.E. UPSON was operated by Republic Steel Corporation.

light. J. W. Walton acted as toastmaster and acquitted added that while the Wilson Transit Co. had lost ships himself well. Naturally his opening remarks were a it had never lost a crew. He proposed a toast to the tribute to his partner whom he had known since success of the new steamer and hoped that she would boyhood and had never known him to betray a trust. get 60 cents on coal to Milwaukee, 3 cents on com He felt that he might be more free to speak were Mr. from Chicago and $ 1 on ore from Lake Superior in Upson absent and he could not propose any better toast 1908. to the ship than that she might steer as straight a course Capt. Wood and Chief Engineer Harmon as her namesake. responded briefly to toasts and then Russel C. Mr. Upson, in responding, said that the Wilson Wetmore, vice president of the American Ship Transit line had been organized as a corporation since Building Co., spoke. Mr. Wetmore stated that the 1890. Capt. Thomas Wilson was its guiding spirit launching marked the conclusion of nine years of until his death in the Holy Land in 1900. The existence of the American Ship Building Co. as an conservative policy of Capt. Wilson has never been incorporated body. During the nine years ended Feb. departed from by the company, it being practically 29, 1908, they had launched 271 vessels, an average alone among the steamship companies on the lakes in of 30 a year. He could do no better than to wish that that it issues no bonds upon its new vessels but the one which they had just seen launched would be provides the total sum in cash for their construction. the most successful of them all. He proposed a toast The company, while it has never tried to make a record to the sponsor, who responded quite wittily by saying in speed, carrying capacity, etc., does not fail to quiet that she thought she had already made at the launching its stockholders by an occasional dividend. Regarding the only speech that she was required to make. the steamer J. E. Upson, however, with Capt. Joseph Rev. Dr. J. D. Williamson paid a very feeling Wood in command, Fred Harmon in the engine room tribute to the late Capt. Thomas Wilson. In fact the and Capt. Morton in the office, an exception might be spirit of Capt. Thomas Wilson may be said to have noted, and that it is expected that the J. E. Upson will animated the occasion as the references to him not be found at the tail end of any procession. He throughout the entire dinner, which were many, were JAN • APR, 1998 Page 5

spontaneous and tender. Dr. Williamson said that Mr. displayed an intimate knowledge of the lake ship and Upson had been a worthy successor in the office which its peculiar adaptability to the business in which it is Capt. Wilson held with the Wilson Transit Co., bearing engaged. He felt that the hull had undergone all a name which everyone holds in the highest esteem. possible evolution to make it an economical and Col. J. J. Sullivan, who has for years taken a perfect machine. There are no beams, stanchions or profound interest in the business of the lakes, made an any impediments whatever to the handling of cargo address which proved his wide knowledge of industrial in a modem lake freighter. He also felt that the limit conditions on the lakes. He regarded the launching of of size had been reached both as to length and beam, a ship as a most important event in commercial life. referring to one ship of extreme beam that has to be There are many things to be considered before such winded around at the docks in order to receive an equal an event can be brought about, not the least of which distribution of cargo. It seemed to him, however, that are the exactions of finance. He thought that the Wilson development in the engine room had scarcely started. Transit Line occupied an exceptional position among The first engine installed on a lake steamer was a single steamship companies in that it did not have to resort cylinder. Economy was later obtained by to an issue of bonds. The line is well managed, always compounding the engine and while additional earning and always paying a good dividend. He had cylinders have been added later, the principle remains been associated with Capt. Wilson as a stockholder practically as it was in the beginning with the and director for many years and had never in his life exception that turbines have been developed for fast met with a man of such high ideals, his word being as speed. He believed the next 10 years would see great good as any bond that could be given. He regarded advances in the development of internal combustion the steamship company founded by Capt. Wilson as engines, doing away with boilers and, in some not second to any on the lakes and that as its presiding instances, with coal bunkers, increasing carrying officer Mr. Upson had most worthily sustained the capacity while at the same time lessening the cost of reputation of its founder. Incidentally he paid tribute propulsion. He mentioned an internal combustion to Capt. Edward Morton, the commodore of the Wilson engine that he had seen running for eight days and fleet and the manager of the business. nights without stopping at an operating cost of 20 per Going more deeply into the discussion Col. cent of that of the ordinary type of stationary engine. Sullivan mentioned that the city of Cleveland occupied He felt that the adoption of this form of power to the a most enviable position in the industrial world and ship would be successfully solved in the near future. that Cleveland men had practically financed the Capt. Symes spoke briefly. enormous iron business of the great lakes. It was they J. M. Richardson made an easy and graceful talk who had developed the infinite mineral resources of in which he expressed his surprise that while nearly the Lake Superior country which had done so much to all of the speakers had been nautical men practically lift the United States into the premier place among the not a single nautical term had been used. Mr. Walton industrial nations of the world. The great lakes took occasion to remark that nautical terms were no transported 80 per cent of all the iron ore that is longer used except in novels while at the same time consumed in the United States. The iron and steel he remembered the fact that the old chanties had also business is the great barometer of trade and Col. gone out. Thirty years ago it was common to hear the Sullivan thought it an enviable distinction that sailor chanting at the capstan, but now all this work is Cleveland capital had contributed to build up a business done by steam. that has not its equal elsewhere in the world. The banquet was brought to a close by Mr. Upson F. H. Lyman, of the Upson-Walton Co., referring thanking everyone for their attendance. to Mr. Wetmore's remark that the American Ship In the launching party were: Mr. and Mrs. Paul, Building Co. had during the nine years of its corporate of Norfolk, Miss Clark, of Montreal, Miss Brooks, of existence constructed 271 ships, said that of these 271 Maryland, Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Watkins, Mrs. Frank ships 200 of them had been fitted out by the Upson- Steams Jr., Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Churchill, J. W. Walton Co. and he thought it was saying a great deal Corbusier, Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Moriarty, E. A. to say that the equipment of the ships was as good as Walton, Mrs. W. O. Osbome, Mr. and Mrs. R. D. the hull. Grant, J. N. Richardson, Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Dewey, Capt. Edward Morton said that the Upson would Rev. J. G. Williamson, Capt, and Mrs. Symes, Thomas not be stranded if she steered as straight a course as Wilson, Wm. Wilson, C. R. Doty, H. F. Lyman, E. A. the man after whom she was named. Walton, Capt. Ed. Morton, Oliver Upson, J. W. Walton, Oliver Upson was called upon to respond to the Col. J. J. Sullivan, Russel C. Wetmore, Robert Logan, toast "The Steamer of the Future." In doing so he H. N. Herriman and Fred Harmon. TELESCOPE Page 6

THE DISMANTLEMENT OF THE "CITY OF MIDLAND 41"

by HOWARD H. PETERSON

Slowly the great hull of the once beautiful The 406' Midland, launched 18 September 1940, carferry "City of Midland 41", formerly the flagship at that time the largest carferry in the world, was of the Pere Marquette Railway Company's Lake unceremoniously towed from Ludington into the Michigan fleet, eroded under the relentless fire of the Muskegon harbor late the night of 1 October 1997, to cutter's torch, an umbrella of molten red splatter be cut down in preparation for a new life as a push cascaded to the decks below as the giant body lay barge. At the writing of this article the plan was to unflinching to its tormentors bite intent upon ugly dismantle the boat at Muskegon and do the metamorphosis. No longer will small boys and old reconstruction at some other ship yard, possibly in men get dreamy eyed as she passes on parade in the Wisconsin. The new barge will be named P.M. 41, channels. The sad fact that the ship was being reduced the original hull number when it was built at the to a working push barge did not leave a very satisfying Manitowoc Ship Building Company. taste even though there seemed no better alternative I was soon down to the Mart dock, hard hat in barring complete dismantlement on some foreign hand, with the hope of getting aboard to take beach. So went the winter of '91-9% at muskegon's photographs to record the dismantlement. I introduced Mart dock ending the life of yet another lower-lake myself to Doug Melching of Melching, Inc., carferry. Demolition Dismantlement, the job contractor. Author’s Author’s Collection

CITY OF MIDLAND 41 layed up at Ludington - July 1986. JAN* APR, 1998 Page 7

Dismantlement o f the CITY OF MIDLAND 41 is under way at the Boat Mart in Midland, Michigan

Melching obligingly escorted me aboard and down into the dark hold for a tour of the engine room. I had carried a large flashlight in anticipation of the poor light. Along with my autofocus camera with flash I was able to get some reasonable photographs. To a layman's point of view the engines appeared well maintained. As far as I know one of the last times they were in use was in 1985 when the ship went on a Lake Michigan "Friendship Cruise" including a port call at Muskegon. The twin-screw main engines were built by the Skinner Engine Company of Erie, PA and were the largest Marine Unaflow steam engines built up to that time. Each engine is a simple five cylinder direct connected unit of twenty-five inch bore by thirty Top: Port engine steam manifolds (Skinner Unaflow) inch stroke. They have a combined normal rating of Below: Plandished steel jacket fitted with six thousand shaft horsepower designed to carry a removable doors with stainless steel port holes for combined overload rating of seven thousand shaft viewing connecting rods and crank - all self horsepower at one hundred and twenty-five lubricated and sealed. revolutions per minute. The engines could be stopped, started and reversed with the throttle wide open. There are no oil cups as the engines are entirely enclosed with all moving parts, except the pistons, being lubricated from an engine oiling system common to both engines. Steam for powering the Unaflow engines was originally furnished by four Foster- Wheeler Type "D", two drum, single casing, coal burning steam generators. They were eventually converted to oil. The engines were so located that the top cylinder heads and pistons could be removed for maintenance through a trap door located in the car deck floor between the rails of the two center tracks. The steering gear is a product of the Mantowoc Shipbuilding Company and consists of a main and auxiliary that are able to put the rudder from hard over Author’s Collection Author's Collection Author's Collection TELESCOPE Page 8

to hard over through ninety degrees in twenty-four and officers' mess, galley and refrigeration space, store seconds with the vessel at foil speed. Melching bid rooms and accommodations for the cooks. On the aft on the dismantlement job for all salvage rights side of the galley was the main dining saloon and including the engines. main lounge around the stack casing with a smoking room and men's room on the port and women's equal accommodations on the starboard side. The passenger staterooms followed. On the boat deck was space for the First Mate, Chief Engineer, Officers, and some of the crew with accommodations for other passengers and automobiles. A pilot house was at the far after end. On top of the boat deck house was the forward pilot house, captain's office and battery room. All of the deck houses were of steel construction throughout and heated by steam. The entire boat was as near fireproof as possible. For you readers who enjoy statistical trivia the vessel contained Ship demolition was disappointingly slow about six million pounds of steel, seven hundred because of delays necessitated by mitigation of so thousand rivets, twenty-five miles of electrical wire, much unexpected asbestos and other carcinogens. It four hundred and fifty light fixtures, over two miles was almost spooky watching the special technicians of pipes and about sixty-eight hundred feet of rail in their protective white anti-contamination suits including guard rail. The single black stack marked moving ghost-like down the darkened companion with the great red ball of the PM fleet was a departure ways going about their business. A large vacuum system was set up to accumulate the friable or airborne asbestos in a huge wooden box on the dock remote from the boat. Asbestos production ended in 1973 and installation was not banned until after 1978. A week or so later I was back to the ship to complete my story and photography with a tour of the forward and upper portion of the vessel. By that time there was much debris laying around necessitating extreme caution when moving about. The hull was divided into four decks, the first deck, car deck, spar deck, and boat deck with nine water-tight bulkheads, eight of which extended up to the second deck. On the first deck, sometimes from the older two stack design and an effort towards referred to as the flicker, were quarters for the crew streamlining. The hull was painted black with a wide and the steering engine. On the main deck, better white band flowing from the bow to the stem just known as the car deck, was the space provided for the below the line of the main deck. The Midland carried rail cars. It was divided lengthwise in half with two six hundred twenty passengers and thirty-four railway rail tracks on each side. On the spar deck forward cars when it first went into service. When converted accommodations were provided the full width of the to automobiles it could accommodate up to eighty cars. deck for more of the crew and included rest rooms Over the years she logged over four million miles and wash rooms. Moving aft the sequence was crew mainly between Ludington and Manitowoc. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 9

"CITY OF MILWAUKEE" and "A GREAT LAKES ICON"

by HOWARD H. PETERSON

More than 55 years had passed since my traveling The closer we got to Elberta the more talkative companion of the day last set foot on the decks of the we both became. Olsen's stories ever so interesting as Grand Trunk car ferry City of Milwaukee. This past he related how he worked his way up from coal passer, June 7,1997 Robert C. Olsen and I motored to Elberta/ sleeping in the flicker, to purser sleeping in an oak Frankfort to participate in an "open ship" that the paneled cabin. His comical story about "the only reason "Society for the Preservation of the City of he was promoted to purser was because he was the only Milwaukee" (S.P.C.M.) held on the boat for members one who could type" brought hearty laughs. Though enjoyment and work bee, The summer-like day was Olsen was regularly assigned to the Grand Rapids he beautiful as we leisurely drove from Muskegon also served occasionally as relief on the other two GT northward along the eastern blue-water shore of Lake boats, the Madison and City of Milwaukee. He hadn't Michigan to our ultimate destination on Betsie Lake been aboard the latter since 1942. I shared in his at Elberta where the retired ship is berthed. excitement as we approached Elberta. Olsen might well be considered a lower lake icon As we rounded the curve in the road at Elberta of his time as it was in 1937 that he first signed aboard and the great ship came into view I could almost hear the Grand Trunk car ferry Grand Rapids, as an ordinary my three children hollering out "here comes a GT, seaman, running out of Muskegon to Milwaukee. Bob here comes a GT" as they once did when the boats sailed until the outbreak of WWII when he joined the came into view from our living room window Merchant Marine in 1942 sailing the Atlantic until overlooking Muskegon Lake. The large white wet the war's end in 1945, never to sail again. noodle designed GT, painted so prominently on the Author's Author's Collection

CITY OF MILWAUKEE at Elberta on June 7, 1997 TELESCOPE Page 10

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black bow was unmistakable at the time and could be Above: Certificate o f Service awarded on March 25, distinguished from several miles. The design was 1937 to Robert Charles Olsen. Below: Bob Olsen discontinued in 1978 when the State leased her to aboard the CITY OF MILWAUKEE on June 7, 1997 Michigan Interstate, the operator of the Ann Arbor "taking a call" on the Purser's phone. Railroad. After navigating a rather shaky gangplank we were welcomed aboard by the friendly committee of the day. Steve Johnson and George Mika soon picked up the pace and conducted an informal tour of the boat. We were pleasantly surprised at the good condition of the oak paneling utilized so abundantly throughout the interior of the vessel. This included the bridge, captain’s and officer's quarters, purser's office, lounge, and passengers' and officers' mess. Much exterior painting had been done but much more, including the hull, remained to be scraped and painted. Author's Author's Collection

At the writing of this article Rust-Oleum and the Sherwin Williams Company had generously donated over 3000 gallons of paint to help in this regard. We were disappointed that the door to the engine room and flicker was locked preventing us from touring those facilities. Olsen particularly wanted to CITY OF MILWAUKEE berthed at Elberta with show me the flicker as we have had an ongoing fun Lake Betsie and Lake Michigan in background. discussion as to just how the word flicker originated. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 11

free. Thus began the Lake Michigan cross-lake car ferry service. By contrast the City of Milwaukee, a 350 foot riveted steel hulled car ferry launched 25 November 1930 at Manitowoc, was considered to represent the classic car ferry of her time. She operated between Grand Haven and Milwaukee from 1931-1933. The Grand Haven Operation was soon discontinued because of maneuvering problems presented by the tight river channel and moved to Muskegon where the Grand Trunk operated until the City of Milwaukee's last crossing to Milwaukee 31 October 1978. The ICC had finally allowed the GT to abandon service ending 75 Top: Passenger's Cabins and Lounge. Bottom: years of car ferry service to Milwaukee. Captain's Cabin located forward under pilot house. The great boat was not finished yet as she was sent to Frankfort to serve the Ann Arbor Railroad in a State subsidized effort to bail the Ann Arbor out of bankruptcy filed earlier in 1973. In 1982 both the railroad and its car ferry service were allowed to shut down. The city of Frankfort then purchased the vessel from the State for $1.00 in December of 1984. It was then that the S.P.C.M. was created and became a partner in the City's efforts to save the boat. Political problems in Frankfort seemed insurmountable and the car ferry was moved to its present location across Lake Betsie to Elberta. It was not long before the Society purchased the boat from the city of Frankfort for $ 1.00. An ambitious plan has been developed to also include Even though he once had slept in the flicker at the and expand the existing railroad right-of-way and to beginning of his sailing career he was unsure of its coordinate waterfront dreams with the city of Elberta. origin. This landlubber, yours truly, has his notion of If Elberta'a village President Greg Jenks has his way, the origin. It seems reasonable to me that on some of he says that "We don't know that we can actually do the older smaller coal-fired steamships that the it, but we're gonna try. I can see it, I can picture it." sleeping quarters for the "black gang" were so close He sounds like just the man the City of Milwaukee to the boilers that the "flicker" of the fires would be has been looking for. The boat was designated a seen from their bunks through the boiler door vents - "National Historic Landmark" in 1991. Hopefully it hence, "flicker". Hopefully one of our more will be open for public tours some time in 1998. knowledgeable readers can straighten us out in this regard. We ended a very enjoyable day with a slide show and brats and soda. Thanks a lot to the committee and God willing, we'll be back in 1998. History buffs should know that the first car ferry on the Great Lakes, the 250 foot wooden hulled Ann Arbor No. 1, was launched in September of 1892 and put into service handling grain cars from Frankfort to Sturgeon Bay. On 25 November 1892 the awkward looking vessel with the high sides and very little superstructure pulled out of Frankfort Harbor, on a trial run, loaded with only four Author's Collection cars of coal headed for Kewanee. She ended up stranded on a Wisconsin sandbar for two The end o f a beautilfiil day for Bob Olsen departs via the days before a tug unceremoniously pulled her cardeck o f the CITY OF MILWAUKEE, June 7, 1997 TELESCOPE Page 12

SEASON'S WORK OF WRECKER "FAVORITE"

Reprinted from The Marine Review January, 1909

Though the lake season in 1908, commercially has made its physical adequacy his chief consideration. considered, was backward, the wrecker Favorite of To begin with, the Favorite is one of the most the Great Lakes Towing Co.'s fleet succeeded in complete wreckers in the world, certainly the most putting in an unusually active year. The Great Lakes resourceful craft that has ever operated on the great Towing Co. is now preparing a brochure upon the lakes. Her equipment includes a large sized punch wrecker's operations and will issue it in a few days. and shears, electric drills, modem towing machine (the Much attention has of late years been paid by the Great largest built), 1,800 ft. of 2-in. wire line, boom with Lakes Towing Co. to physical equipment, and the three-ton ore grab bucket capable of handling 90 tons results of this policy are certainly apparent. The of coal per hour, nine steam pumps, 30 100-ton jacks, company is prepared to go anywhere in all weathers, four 80-ton purchases with steel cables complete, five a condition which has proved of inestimable benefit air compressors, a complete machine shop, a saw mill to those engaged in lake trade. For the perfection of with all necessary lumber for constructing cofferdams, this organization, great credit is due to Capt. Edward and a complete electric light plant to enable her to Smith, who, since he became the head of the company, operate quite as readily at night as by day. She was Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

Salvage fug FAVORITE in the 30's JAN • APR, 1998 Page 13

designed to reduce the cost of wrecking operations to It took three days to build the cofferdam and on June the minimum. That she accomplishes this is 4 the pumps were put at work and at midnight June 5 reasonably proved by the fact that eight of the most the dredge arose, but with a bad list on account of one serious wrecks on the lakes during the year were of her spuds sticking in the mud. This was lifted and released for a total sum considerably less than the the dredge put on an even keel, when she was taken wrecking bill of the steamer W. E. Reis alone, which to Detroit by the tug Harding. went ashore abreast of Harson's Island in the fall of The Favorite next went to the relief of the bulk 1907. freighter J. J. Boland, which was stranded in the rapids The wrecking operations of the Favorite were abreast of Point Edward. Capt. Cunning advised greatly facilitated by Capt. Alex Cunning's lightering, but thought that if the master of the Boland extraordinary capacity as a navigator. The past season could hold her bow up with anchors that the Favorite was not an easy one for navigators, owing to the fact might be able to take hold of her stem and pull her that they had to operate for weeks together in dense off. After breaking the Boland's 12-in. tow line, the smoke; yet he found his way about in obscure places Favorite put out 1,800 ft. of wire rope and started to without once getting the Favorite into trouble. A pull with both anchors, but neither the Favorite's nor notable instance of this was the relief of the Arthur H. the Boland's anchors would hold to permit the use of Hawgood at Cathead Point, Lake Michigan. He had sufficient power to release her. In concluding his been sent to the relief of the Wawatam, ashore on Poe's report upon this operation Capt. Cunning says: "I then Reef, Lake Huron, but discovered that she had released paid out my cable again and took in my anchors, then herself about 20 minutes before his arrival. He went shortened my cable again until I was within about 150 to Sheboygan for orders and was told to return to Port ft. of the steamer, after which I put my rudder over, Huron. He reached Port Huron at 5:30 P.M., Sept. and was very much surprised to see the Favorite waltz 23, and found orders awaiting him to proceed to up stream, abreast of the current alongside of steamer." Cathead Point, Lake Michigan, to go to the relief of The Boland was released after 2,500 tons of her cargo the Hawgood. He remained only long enough to fuel, of ore had been lightered. leaving Port Huron at 8:30 P.M. Dense smoke The fourth operation was a little repair job on overhung the entire lake, but he reached Cathead Point the barge Bryn Mawr, which had her rudder and at 9:00 P.M. the following evening. As the Hawgood quadrant broken by the steamer towing her striking did not answer his signals it was midnight before he bottom. Repairs to these parts were made in the could feel his way to her. In the interim a carferry Favorite's machine shop, Capt. Cunning saying: "In and the government steamer Hyacinth had been repairing same we used the following parts of pulling on her without success. He began jettisoning equipment: One hydraulic jack, one screw jack, one her cargo at midnight and released her at 10 o'clock pneumatic hammer and 6'/2 hours' use of lathe, 28 ‘/2 the next morning apparently in good condition. hours with working gang with tools, making repairs The first job of the season was the release of the in such shape that it enabled barge to continue on her steamer, J.W. Rhoades, ashore in Hammond's Bay, trip." Lake Huron. She stranded on May 22, being out 2 ft. On July 5 the package freighter Lehigh lost her 6 in. forward and 1 ft. aft, with her fore peak filled propeller wheel in the Straits of Mackinaw, and the with water. Air compressors were put aboard, but Favorite was sent to tow her to Chicago. about 1,500 tons of her cargo had to be lightered before The next job was the releasing of a steel lighter she could be released. of 800 tons which sunk in one of the harbors of Lake The second job was a steel dredge belonging to Erie. She was found in 24 ft. of water, with seams so the Starke Dredging Co., which sunk at Bar Point, strained that she resembled a sieve. Three days were Lake Erie, on June 1. The dredge was totally spent in cofferdaming, patching and raising her. In submerged with one comer of the roof of the house these operations two divers, several bales of oakum just awash. It was necessary to cofferdam the entire were used. house. The Favorite has a saw mill installed upon her The Favorite went to the steamer Strathcona, and the cofferdam was constructed out of the lumber stranded in the St. Clair river abreast of Sarnia, on which she regularly carries as part of her equipment. Aug. 12, and pulled her off in two hours. TELESCOPE Page 14 Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

Wrecking tug FAVORITE at Lorain Boat Works.

The next relief was that of the steamer Hoover On Sept. 21, the Favorite went to Poe's Reef, and Mason, aground on Stag Island, where she lay Lake Huron, to release the Wawatam, but found that abreast the current with her shoe gone and propeller she had succeeded in releasing herself. She then went wheel disabled. The captain of the Hoover and Mason to Sheboygan for orders, returning to Port Huron and thought that she could be pulled off, but Capt. Cunning making the long run back to Cathead Point without sent for the lighter Rescue on his own responsibility rest for the relief of the Hawgood, as related earlier. on the understanding that there would be no charge The next job was the release of the package for the lighter's services if she was not used. The tugs freighter Arthur Orr, ashore on Bois Blanc Island, Ottawa, Sarnia and Favorite pulled on her without Straits of Mackinaw. Capt. Cunning attempted to avail. She was released after 500 tons of her cargo ascertain by telephone the approximate location of this had been lightered. The Favorite was then lashed to steamer, but could not do so. He left Mackinaw City her quarter to steer her, being towed by the tug at 11 P.M. and went halfway around the island Harding. The Favorite had quite a task getting her searching for her, then anchored until daylight owing over the limekilns but delivered her safely to a steamer to the dense smoke prevailing. He found the steamer in waiting at Bar Point, and lashed her alongside for at 9 A.M., with several small tugs and one large tug the trip across Lake Erie. pulling on her. He discovered that in pulling they had The Favorite then went to the relief of the steamer piled sand around her until there was only 12 ft. of Sonora, on Sept. 19, ashore seven miles north of Sand water at any point. He advised the master to Beach, Lake Huron, with 6,000 tons of ore. The discontinue pulling and to lighter. To this the master Favorite reached Sand Beach about 10 P.M., in a dense agreed and Capt. Cunning telephoned to the Sault for smoke, and found the steamer resting on a shelf rock the lighter Reliance, taking the Favorite to Detour to bottom out 18 in. her entire length with No. 1 meet her. The smoke prevented the lighter reaching compartment on the starboard side and forepeak full Detour until 2 P.M., in tow of the tug General. The of water, also tank No. 2 starboard side leaking. The captain of the General remarked that the Favorite Favorite began jettisoning at midnight and released might be able to find the south end of Bois Blanc Island the steamer at 6 P.M., after having thrown overboard in the smoke, but that he personally would not be fool 800 tons of ore. enough to try it. In this connection Capt. Cunning JAN* APR, 1998 Page 15

remarks that he has found the Nicholson log pretty near Detour, with her forward hold full of water. The reliable, and accordingly took the Reliance in tow and Favorite reached the Crowe at 6 A.M., Oct 26, and towed her at the rate of 12 miles an hour, checking had her released at 3:30 P.M., the same day taking her abreast of the stranded steamer at 6 P.M. He advised to Detour. In this case the water had mixed with her the captain of the Orr that that was about all he could cargo of grain, so that both had to be pumped out do for him, but the captain insisted upon the Favorite's together. The Favorite's pumps experienced no pulling. Capt. Cunning was compelled, however, to difficulty in handling the grain. leave immediately for Persian Island, Lake Superior, She then started on Oct 27 to release the Peshtigo, where the steamer Frontenac of the Cleveland-Cliffs ashore on Mackinaw Island. She was so badly broken, Iron Co.'s fleet had stranded. however, that after working two hours the underwriters The Favorite reached Persian Island at 11 A.M., ordered her abandoned. The Favorite then went to Oct. 29, but could not get alongside the Frontenac until the steamer Walter Vail, ashore on Round Island, with 3 P.M., owing to the heavy sea running. Compressors lumber, reaching her at 8 P.M., Oct. 28, pumping her were put on board and the work of jettisoning began out and taking her to St. Ignace. She then returned to at 6 o'clock and continued until 10 o'clock when they Round Island and released the barge Connelly Bros., were forced to leave on account of the weather and taking her to St. Ignace on Oct. 30. take the Frontenac's crew with them. The Favorite She also released the Mohawk, ashore on went into shelter under Whitefish Point at midnight Drummond Island in 9 ft. of water. The lighters had and lay there until 4 P.M., Nov. 1, when she returned been working on her for five days. Many pirate to the Frontenac, and succeeded in releasing her at 10 launches had been made fast to her, seizing the cargo A.M., Nov. 2, and taking her to the Sault. as it jettisoned. When the Favorite pulled the Mohawk Meanwhile the steamer Calumet had gone on came so fast that a number of these craft were hard at Stag Island with 7,500 tons of ore. She had overturned. been there for several days with a number of vessels The last big job of the Favorite was the release working on her. The Favorite went to her assistance of the bulk freighter James E. Davidson, ashore on and on the first pull pulled off the Calumet's iron tow Kettle Point, Lake Huron. She started on Dec. 14 to post. She succeeded in releasing the Calumet in a jettison the cargo upon order of the underwriters, later few hours. lightering to the Wayne, in which work she was The next wrecking job was that of the Briton, engaged until the evening of the 15th when the Wayne which went on the rocks near Amherstburg. She was was sent to Port Huron on account of threatening pulled off after being lightered. She also went to the weather. The Favorite then started to pull on the relief of the Saxon ashore on Hog Island, but the Saxon Davidson with the tug Harding ahead. They could had released herself before the Favorite arrived. only swing her around, however, as she was impaled Then came a season of great activity with the on one of the numerous rocks that projected through Favorite's rushing from one stranded vessel to another. the ledges in this dangerous locality. As a heavy sea The steamer George Stephenson went ashore five began running from the westward, jettisoning was miles east of Round Island on Oct. 22, going on hard resumed. In this case the Favorite's position was with her engine compartment punctured and full of precarious as the heavy seas made her jump three or water. The Favorite put a patch over the leak and four feet with only 17 ft. of water beneath her. At jettisoned the cargo, meanwhile lowering her power 3:30 o'clock, Dec. 16, the Davidson was released and launch to find the steamer that was blowing signals the Favorite took her to Port Huron without the usual of distress. The steamer could not be located. The aids to navigation, the ranges and other lights being Stephenson was released at 4:30 P.M., Oct. 22, the out. Favorite laying alongside all night and taking her to Her last job of all was raising the tug Yale at Mackinaw City on the 23rd. Buffalo. On Oct. 25 the Favorite went to the relief of the City of Genoa, ashore at McGulpin's Point, Straits of Mackinaw, and jettisoned 500 tons of her cargo. She then went to the Crowe, ashore with grain on the rocks TELESCOPE Page 16

t h e w r e c k o f t h e BARGE St. CLAIR

by CHARLES FERRIS as told to OLIVER RAYMOND

Reprinted from Telescope May • June, 1972

Author's note: This is a true story down to the last detail. A of seven including the Captain. The woman was cook letter written by Charles Ferris, one of the surftnen, describes for the crew. every bit of the rescue and what took place during the night. The tale which I am about to relate began on the Also the records of the Port Sanilac lighthouse keeper; the morning of Monday, October 1, 1888. The wind had October 3,1888 issue of the Port Huron Times, the record in Beers History o f the Great Lakes and records of the Port gone to the northeast and by noon had become a gale. Sanilac cemetery were used, along with conversations I have By mid-afternoon the storm had increased had during years past with witnesses to the affair. All of tremendously and huge seas were battering the harbor these together make up a true story. walls. Several ships had already sought shelter in the harbor. That afternoon I was standing watch in the My name is Charles Ferris and I was bom on a lookout. I spotted a ship a mile or two to the southeast farm in southern Michigan and until taking a job with apparently in trouble. She later proved to be the barge the Coast Guard I had never seen Lake Huron, or any St. Clair, northbound and without a load. * Unable to other, large body of water. I was twenty years of age, reach the harbor, the captain had ordered both anchors when, in June of 1888 I signed their papers and was to be dropped and they were attempting to ride out assigned to the Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach) Coast the storm. She was being badly punished by the seas Guard Station. The station was and still is located and she appeared to be in trouble. sixty miles above the lower end of Lake Huron, on We launched a lifeboat and went to her before the western, or Michigan shore. dark. Captain George Plough, our commanding At that time lumbering was big business and the officer tried his best to persuade the men on the St. Saginaw, Au Sable and Thunder Bay Rivers carried Clair to board the lifeboat and be taken ashore. Both hundreds of thousands of pine logs annually to the anchors were holding and Captain Jones was disposed saw mill towns on the lake. Bay City, Saginaw, Tawas, to stay with his vessel. He said that all he had was Oscoda and Alpena were thriving lumber towns where tied up in her and he would stick with her to the last. they sawed and shipped millions of feet of lumber annually to the lower lakes. Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland were important ports receiving these * The United States Life Saving Service Annual Report, shipments. 1889, says the St. Clair was in fact loaded with 350 tons of The barge St. Clairwas engaged in that business. coal for Bay City. It should also be noted that the writer Owned and operated by Captain C. H. Jones of Bay refers to the Coast Guard, but it was actually the old Life City, she carried five sailors and a woman, or a total Saving Service to which he was attached. (Ed.) JAN • APR, 1998 Page 17

After we saw that it was impossible to get the south toward the shelter of the St. Clair River. That captain or any member of the crew to go ashore, would mean a run of sixty miles but there was no other Captain Plough asked for the girl, but for some reason way... and perhaps by morning the gale would lessen. she wouldn't come with us. He then informed Captain As we squared away and headed down the lake Jones that if they needed us to bum a torch as a signal. our job was to keep the lifeboat on a true course, We started on our return trip to the shelter of the running with the seas. To allow her to get crosswise harbor. After a long and backbreaking pull into the into the seas would allow her to broach and throw us teeth of the gale we reached the harbor entrance. all into the water. Tremendous cross seas made it difficult to get through Our mdder was soon struck by a huge sea and the gap but by almost superhuman effort by the entire carried away! Captain Plough shouted orders to the crew we finally reached shelter, drenched and crew that we would have to steer the boat by port and thoroughly exhausted. There were several tugs and starboard oarsmen, such as give way or hold water to steam barges inside the harbor and we asked several combat the tremendous seas which we were of them to go out and attempt to tow the St. Clair in, encountering. but all refused. We shipped many of them and our boat filled So we went to our station and now it was blowing with water five or six times but she was a self-bailer a living gale and increasing by the minute. It was my and emptied herself each time. She behaved very well watch down at the end of the pier. In going to my while running with the seas. post I had to run between the madly rushing seas One big sea caught us and put out our light and which were sweeping over the breakwater. I had not Captain Plough couldn't see to read the compass. He been at my post long when I saw that a torch had been called for matches, and one man had a few in a lighted on the St. Clair. watertight container. After some trouble we got the I worked myself back to the station and reported lantern lighted again. to Captain Plough. Every man was called for action. To get off course was to court disaster. To get Some gave their money or valuables to Mrs. Plough. too far off to the port would get us into the trough of Then we manned the lifeboat in the worst storm any the mountainous seas and no doubts capsize the boat, of us were ever to encounter. As we pulled across the and to veer too far to the starboard would bring us too harbor the sky was pitch black and the wind whistled close to the rocky shore. through the rigging of the boats lying in shelter. The wind kept blowing with unabated fury and After passing through the gap we hit the storm it seemed like all the demons of hell had been let loose. in all it's fury. The seas were coming from all All of us were drenched many times as the seas and directions and it was a difficult task to keep the lifeboat spray continued to sweep over the boat. We were all headed in the right direction. We finally reached the near exhaustion and suffering from the cold. It seemed St. Clair and endeavored to pull up under the stem in that the night would never end. order to remove her crew to the lifeboat. We had to Keeping the light going so the captain could read get close enough to take them off one by one and still the compass also became quite a chore. Two or three keep far enough off so our boat wouldn't be stove in of the men were given a chance to hold the lantern by the larger boat. One minute we would be riding but in turn they gave it up as their hands got so cold high above her and the next she would rise on a huge and numb they could no longer grasp it. Then the girl wave and be high above us. Several times we narrowly took it and didn't give it up until daylight. All through missed disaster when her stern came down, just the night she kept the lantern safe and sheltered the missing us it seemed by inches. This was a very light from the wind and seas. Never once did she dangerous assignment and required the united efforts complain of the cold. of the entire crew. We were all comparatively fresh Captain Plough directed us to keep looking for a at the time, otherwise we could not have accomplished light, either from a boat or from shore. But we saw what we did. nothing from the time we left the St. Clair until just The girl jumped first, and then the men, with about daylight. Then, at about seven in the morning, Captain Jones being the last to come aboard. We had the captain sighted the Port Sanilac light. He wanted left the harbor at seven o'clock and it was eleven when to get the crew ashore as soon as possible as he feared we were ready to pull away from the St. Clair. they would perish from cold and exhaustion, so he The seas were now so high and the wind so strong decided to attempt a landing at once. that it was impossible for us to pull back to the harbor. It had been eight hours since leaving the St. Clair There was only one thing to do, and that was to run and we had made 30 miles, just half the distance to with the storm and let the wind and the seas carry us the shelter of the river. But to continue on was TELESCOPE Page 18 Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

The only photo we know to exist of the barge St. Clair is this one which only shows her stem behind the steamer Pickup. If any reader has a photo of the St. Clair-we would like to hear of it, and perhaps publish it. impossible. There is a limit to human endurance and However, just as we were rounding the dock the we had reached that point. After twelve hours of boat was struck by a tremendous breaker and she rolled continually fighting the storm we knew that we had down on her beam ends. I did not realize what had approached the end. We couldn't go much further. happened until I found myself in the water under the At Port Sanilac there was very little shelter from boat. I put my hands up against something and pushed the seas; just a dock about five hundred feet in length myself down. I bobbed up quickly and found myself where the steamers landed, built partly of log cribs some distance from the boat. I could see that she was and partly of piling. The captain decided to round the on her side and some men were clinging to her, but I dock and attempt a landing on the south, or leeward had to go where the breakers, backwash, and undertow side, and take advantage of what little shelter there were throwing me. I was completely exhausted and was. it seemed at times that the breakers would smother The residents of Port Sanilac had been informed me. I got in closer to shore and thought I might touch during the night of the rescue operation and knew the bottom with one foot, just for a rest, but when I tried lifeboat was headed down the lake and would sooner it a huge wave completely covered me. I was or later arrive at this point. Scores of people were on becoming very weak. the dock to witness what happened, and as many were I saw a man coming toward me with a rope tied prepared to be of assistance if needed. It was lucky around his waist and the other end held by people on for me that there were, or I would not be here to tell shore. He shouted to me and said there was a channel this tale. between us and he couldn't get out any farther, but he We headed for the light. The dock and all the thought he could reach me after another breaker would people came plainly into view. We were pushed send me in. I soon got i t . . . another breaker came forward by the madly rushing breakers which became roaring in and that was the last I remember. more wicked as we approached shore. Captain Plough When I was revived I was in the lighthouse. ordered the oil tank opened and if it helped any I Afterwards they told me they had worked on me for cannot say. Our lifeboat was about thirty feet long, four hours. Then they told me the name of the man and time after time those breakers would start astern who had pulled me from the water. He was Colin C. and coil clear over the boat and never wet the crew. I (Coly) McGregor, the dock agent. I have never seen looked up and it was just like a falls. I expected to him since. Several others of the lifeboat crew were see the lifeboat go end-over-end, but we came through helped ashore by the townspeople. Chris Oldfield and all this. Robert Williams were two who assisted in the rescue. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 19 Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

The St. Clair had been one of the five barges in tow of the Steambarge Lowell. She had to cut the barges loose to save herself in the storm, and safely made port. Shown here in Clark's Dry Dock at Detroit, the Lowell lasted until 1893 when she burned.

As the lifeboat rolled over all but three surfmen us upon arrival, and we were welcomed with open and two seamen were thrown out. Everyone expected arms, many saying that they had never expected to the boat to right itself immediately but it failed to do see us again. Some said they could not sleep that night, so. It beached itself south of the dock, and those thinking of us out in the storm. We learned the St. clinging to it were saved. The remaining five surfmen Clair had foundered during the night. Large sections and Captain Plough were also rescued as they were of the breakwater were carried away and the water wearing lifejackets. had run farther into town than had ever been known Captain Jones, three crewmen, and the girl were before. Boathouses were wrecked and boats were drowned. Their bodies came ashore later in the day driven ashore. It was one of those storms that come about two miles south of where the tragedy took place. only once in a lifetime. They were recovered and laid out in the township hall This adventure has been a nightmare to me all in Port Sanilac. The following day the remains of these years. In my dreams I can hear and feel the Captain Jones and Lewis Fertaw were sent to Bay City high watery walls in the Stygian darkness come for burial. George MacFarland, Henry Anderson and rushing at our tiny craft, each one threatening to engulf the girl, Julia Gravereatte were buried in potters field us. And again in that murky dawn I will see that high, in the Port Sanilac cemetery. green mountain of water which overwhelmed us in MacFarland was from Cleveland, Anderson was the end. from Ashtabula, and the girl was from Seberaing, The leadership of Captain Plough had been Michigan. The two surviving members of the crew superb and each crew member had done his job. You of the St. Clair were Maurice McKennan and John could ask no more. I don't consider it poor judgement Rose, both of Detroit. that our boat was overturned. It was just bad luck. It The survivors were cared for overnight by the was the only thing we could do . . . to attempt the people of the village. On the following day, landing when and where we did. Wednesday, October 3rd, all the members of the Coast In closing I must mention the courage to the girl, Guard crew left Port Sanilac on the steamer R.G. Julia Gravereatte. The fortitude she displayed that Stewart to return to Sand Beach. She took the lifeboat night on Lake Huron most surely set an example to in tow and they arrived at their destination at five in the others. She deserved much more than a grave in the afternoon. potters field! There was a large gathering of people awaiting TELESCOPE Page 20

TEE LOSS OF THE C0I6IESS by FRED HOLLISTER

Reprinted from Telescope SEP* OCT, 1974

Little, or South Manitou Island, 260 miles from That evening the watchman on the Congress Chicago, and 110 miles from Mackinac, lies on the paced up and down under a cloudy sky, perhaps Michigan side of the lake, and is the first island thinking of hot coffee and a warm bunk. The night encountered on proceeding northward from Chicago. was quiet, the harbor peaceful, in the fine Midwest- It rises abruptly on the west shore two or three hundred autumn night. feet from the water's edge, on which is a lighthouse While looking to the stem of the Congress, the and a fine harbor. watchman suddenly discovered she was afire! He So South Manitou Island appeared to John raised the alarm to wake the fourteen men asleep on Distrunell (recorded in The Great Lakes) in 1863. The the steamer, jumped off the vessel and ran down the Manitou Islands change little, at least when seen from lumber pier to the nearest telephone. the waters of Lake Michigan, and that description Jacob Van Weeldon, the Life-Saving Station would have fit South Manitou in 1904. keeper, later wrote: "At 10 p.m. received telephone It was a coo and quiet evening in October. A from South Manitou Post Office that a steamer loaded light southwesterly breeze raised a mild surf, tossing with lumber laying at the dock was all a fire." clean blue water to lapping against the wooden hull Quickly the men dressed, launched their Long of the steamer Congress as she lay nudging the harbor Branch surf-boat and manned the 16-foot sweeps. dock. Beyond Sea Gull Point, out in the Manitou Soon the life-savers had pulled to the burning Passage, Lake Michigan was almost calm . steamer and found the crew standing on the dock. something that never lasts in the fall of any year. Captain C. O. Hagen, master and half-owner of the The Congress was a sturdy, compact freighter of Congress, asked keeper Van Weelden to pull the just under 900 tons, a now vanished type that was burning vessel into deep water and let her sink. On once common on the lakes. In 1867 she was built in one side of the ship was a sawmill and piles of cut the Cleveland shipyard, and entered the world as the lumber. On the other side lay four vessels now riding Nebraska, with Buffalo as her home port. at anchor, but hurriedly working to escape. If the In November of 1869, the Nebraska collided with flames spread it would be a disaster compounded to a the bark Winina in the Straits of Mackinac. The calamity. steamer was only slightly hurt, but the sailing ship Keeper Van Weelden and his crew boarded the was seriously damaged. Then for over thirty years Congress, cut her loose from the dock and let her drift she went on carrying freight up and down the Lakes, into deep water. About a quarter of a mile from shore a quiet and largely uneventful life. the keeper decided the mill and other vessels were safe In 1902, her name was changed to Congress. and he ordered the anchor dropped. ''Trouble," says Long John Silver in Treasurer Island, Now, the life-savers could have done as Captain "•. .corned of changing names to their ships... Royal Hagen asked and let the Congress sink, but they were Fortune and so on. Now, what a ship is christened, so better men than that. Rather than abandon the vessel let her stay, I says. " But her owners, Hagan and Van Weelden decided to fight the fire and try to save Boland of Buffalo, renamed her. Thus it was as her. Congress that she loaded pine lumber at South In the keeper's words, "we let-go the anchor and Manitou. held her there. We took the station pump with us. Then JAN* APR, 1998 Page 21

we manned the pump and tried to put out the fire, The life-savers then took the burning ship out into which had started aft." the lake, deliberately halted her in deep water and well The steamer's deck load of pine lumber, worth away from the shore, and then worked for hours to try some $15,000, hampered their efforts. They were and save her. When the fire overpowered them the forced to move it before they could reach the fire. keeper simply says, "We had to give her up"! After throwing about 30,000 feet of lumber into the One would hope (and expect) that keeper Van lower deck they spent the next four hours on the vessel, Weelden and his crew received some sort of working desperately to save her. commendation from the government for their risky and Keeper Van Weelden says they "tried to head off gallant efforts. But, apparently what the keeper and the fire. Then the smoke rose up from all over and others had done was considered part of a day's work (we) had to give her up." for that hardy breed, for when Van Weelden mailed In the early hours of October 5th, keeper Van his report to Washington, this is the answer he got: weelden and the other life-savers pulled back to the station. The Congress burned all night and a good Sir: part of the morning, the flames reaching her waterline about 11 a.m. Then she went down, a total loss In your wreck report o f the disaster to the steamer estimated at $45,000 (vessel and cargo), scattering Congress on October4, 1904, you state that there was burning lumber out into the lake. The keeper closes no insurance on the vessel. You will please inform his report with: "We returned to the station at 4 a.m. this office from whom you obtained this information. October 5th." The Insurance Adjuster at Chicago was furnished with Keeper Van Weelden's laconic account of the a copy o fyour report and he states that as a matter o f burning of the Congress gives just the outline of the fact there was considerable insurance on the steamer. tale . . . there is much the reader must remember and Respectfully, imagine. The life-savers boarded a vessel they knew Horace L. Piper was on fire; a ship her own master (and half-owner) Acting General Superintendent and crew had left. The schooner Mary Ludwig, which had been riding close to the Congress, was in such danger and wished to escape the steamer so badly, Author's note: Most of the information for this article came that her crew cut her cable and lost her anchor. Later from the wreck report (form 1806) sent to the Life-Saving the life-savers had to recover the anchor and help the Service in Washington by keeper Van Weelden; a copy of schooner's crew heave it up. which was obtained from the National Archives. McDonald McDonald Coll./Dossin Museum

Steam package freighter Congress, built at Cleveland by E.M. Peck for Holt & Ensign of Buffalo, as Nebraska. In 1901 she was sunk at her dock, severely damaged and declared a total loss. In 1902 she was purchased by John J. Boland and Capt. Hagen and renamed Congress after considerable alteration and rebuilding. GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

Those who have contributed to the News Section in this issue are: GEORGE AYOUB Editor: James Morris RENE BEAUCHAMP ROD BURDICK NORMAN EAKINS 22919 Alger STEVE ELVE KEN HILLER WILLIAM HOWELL PAT KAMINSKI DAN KAMINSKI St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 M. B. MacKAY ALAN MANN DAN McCORMICK GARY MORRIS SANDY OSET GREG RUDNICK SELIM SAN Seaway News Editor: Skip Gillham MIKE SKINNER JIM SPRUNT AL SYKES JOHN VOURNAKIS DMHS HISTORIAN - RAY OSET MARINE HISTORIAN -DALEPOHTO GREAT LAKES / SEAWAY LOG

had come u p E Se“ C i t . ^ ™ 0" '0 a"d “ “P ‘h

completed on Oct. 3 and she was removed fromPonuWeller the dry dock D,y and Docks proceeded for her upbound.five ?ear The

Keeper C la s s ^ o a s ^ B ^ T 6 T T m ^ 3 $5° milll0n COntract to build an additlonal four f Coas* G" r4 ^ ongtaaI

O h n T t’ Maas^ramomcs werc “ d transferring the U.S. Coast Guard Buoy Tender launched on Nov. „ , ^

t e s L n h o w u S " T * e r al,,y SEBA M < & ' H m s Uonhard,>had her “ Sines fail while a. the lower wall of finally on to Cape Vincent f.mp°rary repairs> she was allowed “ Proceed to the Wilson Hill anchorage and Chicago P HW ^ Were fma,'y completed »n Oct. 5 and she continued on her trip

M o n t of t h l t t a T Seaway ViSi‘°r NOr" ' aground off San Antonio, Chile and broke in two just

Great Lakes. n^San passed upbound through the Welland Canal on a goodwill tour of the upper

Canal, « * * > " • UP“ entering the Welland bound for Green Bay T h e re ™ ! witl be u T e^ Wisconsindepan from Cleveland with the dead ship S. Crapo day. Wl11 be USed as a cement borage hull. She passed up by Detroit early the next JAN • APR, 1998 Page 23

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • Photo Photo by Gary Morris

S.T. CRAPO with tug OHIO & WISCONSIN at Port Huron on September 10, 1997

Sep. 11 . . . Niagra-On-The-Lake officials take Shaker Cruise Lines to court for docking the Lake Runner at a residential dock. This is contrary to the local by-laws.

Sep. 12 . . . There was an electrical fire in Bridge #3 (Carlton St.) above Lock #2 on the Welland Canal. This delayed vessel traffic for a short time. Fortunately, the bridge was in the up position as it took about 10 days to repair.

Sep. 14 ... The former Martin Karlsen which has been idle in Greece, was purchased by a British philanthropist. He will refit her for an environmental clean-up program in the antarctic. The Karlsen ran on the lakes in the sixties & seventies.

Sep. 15 .. . The Wallaceburg town council approved the renaming of Southside Park to Superior Marine Park. The renaming is to honor the former Northwest Steamship Co. package freighter Superior. She used to dock at this location from 1929 to 1956. The government wharf occupied the location where the park is now.

... Shaker Cruise Lines Lake Runner arrived in Lewiston, NY on an experimental trip. This is an effort to expand their operation across the western end of Lake Ontario.

Sep. 16 . . . Algoma's Algoriver clears Montreal and heads upbound on her first trip of the season.

Sep. 17... The Croation Salty Hercegovina was told to anchor when a U.S. Coast Guard inspection team doing a routine ballast test suspected the Captain and Third Mate had been drinking alcohol. After sobriety tests were administered by the New York State Police, the Third Mate was arrested and taken to jail in Malone, N.Y. The ship was allowed to proceed the next day on her trip to Toledo. The Third Mate later pleaded guilty and was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 15 days in jail, which had already been served.

. . . Hapag-Lloyd's Cruise Ship C. Columbus departed Montreal on the first of her three passenger cruises on the Great Lakes. She was up in the Welland Canal on Sept. 20. The three cruises which were Montreal to Chicago, Chicago to Port Colborne and Toledo to Montreal were only booked in Europe.

. . . Shaker Cruise Lines announced it was cancelling its cross lake commuter service between Pt. Dalhousie & Toronto for the season.

Sep. 18 Oglebay Norton's Wolverine loaded taconite tailings in Escanaba for Lafarge in Alpena. TELESCOPE Page 24

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS Photo Photo by Gary Morris

HERCECOVINA leaving Lock #7, Welland Canal on September 19, 1997

Sep. 19 . .. The new Seaway Tug/Workboat Performance arrived at her station in Massena, N.Y. There, she will replace the Fourth Coast & Lewis Castle.

... Algoma s A lgogulfdeparted her lay up berth in Montreal on her first trip of the season and proceeded upbound.

Sep. 20 ... The Purvis Marine tug Anglian Lady & PML 2501 while upbound below Lock #1 on the Welland Canal hit C.S.L. s Nanticoke which had just departed the lock. After the collision she veered into the tie up wall. There was no apparent damage to the Nanticoke and after about an hour she was allowed to proceed. The tug/ barge unit went to the fit out wall at Port Weller Drydocks where her captain was charged with impaired operation of a vessel. They were allowed to proceed the next day with a new captain.

Sep. 22 ... The Majestic Star is a $50 million, three decked gambling ship built at Atlantic Marine Shipyard in Jacksonville, Fla. and owned by Detroiter Don Barden. She was upbound at the Eisenhower Lock, where she was held up at the lock due to high winds and engine problems.

Sep. 23 ... The ferry Port Welcome was downbound in the Welland Canal on her way to a new home in Florida. She had been brought to Algonac in Aug. 1988 to serve as a floating restaurant.

Sep. 25 Inland Steel s Edward L. Ryerson departed from her normal run of loading in Marquette and loaded in Escanaba.

Upperlake s Seaway Queen cleared Toronto bound for Thunder Bay on her first trip of the season.

o i ' ',The Bahamas registered salty Elikon received a 25 ft. scar to her hull when she hit a wall at the Soo locks.

SeJ . 2J. '' ■ ° glebay Norton's Courtney Burton loaded western coal at the Midwest Energy Terminal in Superior “ 6 1.VCre 11 to tbc electrical generating station in Ashland, WI only 70 miles away. Previously, all shipments to the plant from the Merc facility had been made by truck. JAN* APR, 1998 Page 25

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

I £» Photo Photo by Gary Morris

C. COLUMBUS in Welland Canal between Lock #1 & Lock #.2 on September 20, 1997

... Algoma Central Corp. has reached an agreement in principal to buy a 50 percent interest in Marbulk Canada Inc. and Marbulk Shipping, Inc., which are wholly owned subsidiaries of Upperlakes Group, Inc., for $33 million. This will give Algoma access to the ocean trade with the four vessels owned by Marbulk and one under construction.

Sep. 27 . . . The Majestic Star arrived at Hart Plaza in the morning and spent the night. The next day she continued on her journey to Gary.

... Federal Calliope had to stop on the wall below Lock #2 on the Welland Canal for repairs. She was able to continue up the next day.

Sep. 28 ... The former C.S.L. seIf-unloader Saguenay, which had been welded up in preparation for scrapping overseas, has been sold to Pierre Gagne Contracting Ltd. of Thunder Bay. He intends to use her hull to hold contaminated soil to be dredged from Thunder Bay Harbor. McKeil tugs Florence McKeil, Glenside & Lac Vancouver towed her out of Toronto and up the Welland Canal. The tow stopped at Wharf #10 (The Welland Dock) due to high winds the next day.

Sep. 29 . . . Lower Lakes Towing's Cuyahoga lost power shortly after leaving Oswego, NY. The wind was about 35 mph and the seas were running at about 9 ft. when she dropped her anchors to make repairs. The anchors didn't hold and she drifted toward a shoal. She radioed for assistance and Essroc's Stephen B. Roman came, but her anchors finally held. As the Roman stood by, her engines were restarted and she made her way back to Oswego.

Sep. 30 . . . Parks Canada announced that the rebuilding of the Canadian Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, originally scheduled for completion on Sept. 26, was running behind schedule. The gates for the Lock as well as the motors to operate the machinery still have to be installed and could be done by the end of October. TELESCOPE Page 26

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

OE

o o CL

MAJESTIC STAR up at St. Clair, Michigan on September 28, 1997

Oct. 1 . . . The carferry City o f Midland 41 was towed out of Ludington by the Selvick tugs Mary Page Hannah & Bonme G. Selvick at about 3:30 p.m. bound for Muskegon, arriving early the next day. At Muskegon she will be cut down to a deck barge for P.M. Shipping, Inc. She has been laid up since November 1988.

. . . The Greek registered salty Nea Doxa hit the wall at the Morterm Dock in Windsor. She received only minor scrapes to her hull but did quite a bit of damage to the dock.

... A new Michigan law took effect today, which makes it a felony to take pictures of human remains on Great Lakes bottomlands without written consent from the victims next of kin. Violation is punishable by two years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

. . . The Out of the Blue Exploration Group announced that in July they located the wreck of the Steamer Canisteo about 12 miles off Lexington, MI. The exact location will be kept a secret until the find is fully documented and the state historical commission accepts their findings. They do have a newspaper article which says the vessel was towed into Lake Huron on Oct. 25, 1920 and set on fire.

. . . The Saguenay in tow of Purvis Marine's A venger IV departs the Welland Dock bound for Thunder Bay.

Oct. 3 ... The A venger IV towing Saguenay gets assistance from Gaelic's Patricia Hoey transiting the Detroit & St. Clair Rivers.

Oct. 5 ... The Avenger IV & Saguenay navigate the St. Mary's River and stop at the Government Dock at the Soo. The next day they make their way up through the Poe Lock with Scott Purvis assisting.

... The Cypriot Cruise Ship Romantica is on fire and all 482 passengers & 182 crew are rescued. The ship is the former Canadian Pacific Freighter Beaverbrae and is well known on the St. Lawrence.

Oct 6 ... Greenpeace protesters temporarily blocked C.S.L.'s J. W. M cGiffin from unloading her coal cargo at e Lakeview Generating Station in Port Credit, Ont. Police were called and five were arrested, the protest was in response to Ontario Hydro deactivating some nuclear power plants and increasing the use of coal fired plants. JAN* APR, 1998 Page 27

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

Oct. 7 ... A new five year contract was signed between the union and Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd. owner of Port Weller Dry Docks. This will help the shipyard with stability and make it easier to get new work.

. .. The hydrofoil Katran-4 ran aground in the Detroit River just north of Grassy Island while on a trip from Sarnia to Toronto. An attempt to raise the ship using harnesses lifted by a crane on a barge failed on Oct. 15. She was finally released on Oct. 18 and proceeded back to Windsor.

... Upperlakes Canadian Navigator made her first trip ever to Fairport, OH when she came in to load salt for Montreal.

Oct. 8 ... Passenger traffic on Ontario Northlands Chi-Cheemaun is down about 3 percent for 1997. This will leave an operating loss of $1.7 million this year.

Oct. 9 . . . The cruise ship C. Columbus arrived at Port Colborne to end the second of three cruises. She departed the next day bound for Toledo with about 200 passengers on the overnight cruise. While off Erie, PA the brig Niagara sailed out for a rendezvous near sunset.

... Upperlakes Canadian Miner broke the aft ship arrester while raising in the Snell Lock. She had not been spotted properly when she was tied up. Traffic in the area was delayed several hours.

Oct. 10 . . . The government of Britain announced that the royal yacht Britannia would be decommissioned on Dec. 11. They will be looking at other options for her future. This was a cost cutting move, in that they spend $19 million a year to operate her.

Oct. 12 . . . The TR 825 former torpedo recovery ship donated to the Naval Cadets has been renamed Grayfox at Port Huron. Photo Photo by Steve Elve

The CITY OF MIDLAN D being towed out o f Ludington at 3:30 p.m. on October 1, 1997 TELESCOPE Page 28

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS Photo Photo by Gary Morris

SAGUENAY with tugs AVENGER IV and PATRICIA HOEY at St. Clair River on October 3, 1997

Oct. 13 ... The USCG Abigail Burgess (WLM553) the new Keeper Class Buoy Tender from Marinette Marine passed up through the Soo Locks into Whitefish Bay and back down again on her delivery trip. She passed down past Detroit the next day on her way to Cleveland. On Oct. 18 she was down in the Welland Canal on her way to South Portland, Maine.

... The U.S. Coast Guard announced that the Port Huron based Buoy Tender Bramble (W LB 392) will depart around Dec. 1 for a five month tour of the Caribbean. Some of the Bramble's class of buoy tender are being sold to island nations of the area as new cutters are built to replace them. She will be helping them set up their own Coast Guards and patrol for illegal drug traffic.

... The dredge Columbus stopped in Ogdensburg, NY for engine repairs. She is on her way out to the lakes, after repairs were completed she passed down the Seaway on Oct. 17 bound for Mobile, Alabama. She came to the lakes as Esperance III in 1978 and was renamed Columbus in 1986.

Oct. 14 . . . The Polish Steamship Co. announced that it had placed an order with Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. in Toyko, Japan to build five new seaway sized ships. The first is scheduled to be delivered in March, 1998.

Oct. 15 ... The U.S. Coast Guard's new Juniper Class Buoy Tender USCG Kukui (WLB 203) built by Marinette Marine passed up through the Soo locks out to Whitefish Bay and came back on her delivery trip. She passed down past Detroit the next day headed for Cleveland. She was down in the Welland Canal on Oct. 29 bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, where she is expected to arrive in mid December.

Oct. 17 . . . Officials at DSC Ltd. which purchased the McLouth Steel Plants last year announced a plan to reopen the mills next month. The Trenton facility will be renamed Trenton Iron Works and produce pig iron initially. The Gibraltar facility will be renamed Detroit Cold Rolling Co. and produce steel coils.

Oct. 18 ... In the port of Erie, PA the heavy lift ship Project Arabia loaded 15 GE locomotives which were built at the GE plant in Erie for delivery to Brazil. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 29

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

. . . The cruise ship C. Columbus passes down the Welland Canal on her third and final trip this year. She passed down the Seaway on Oct. 21 headed for Montreal.

Oct. 19 ... The H.M.C.S. Athabaskan was removed from the drydock at Port Weller and put at the fit out wall.

Oct. 20 ... Oglebay Norton's Joseph H. Frantz while transiting the Straits of Mackinac had to call for the U.S. Coast Guard to help in the removal of an injured crewman.

... The old Port of Montreal has taken possession of the former McAllister tug Daniel McAllister to put on display.

Oct. 21 ... A park with a Marine Theme in Port Colborne next to the Welland Canal will be named for Charles A. Ansell, founder of Port Weller Dry Docks.

Oct. 24 . . . Algoma Central Marine announced that it has awarded Port Weller Dry Docks with a $20 million contract to convert the Algow est to a seIf-unloader over the coming winter. She is scheduled to arrive at the end of the season. The job is to be completed in June 1998.

Oct. 25 ... Strong easterly winds on Lake Ontario caused low water levels on the St. Lawrence Seaway forcing the Seaway authority to close it for six hours.

.. . Inland Lakes J.A. W. Iglehart stopped at the old Carbide Dock in the Soo for temporary repairs to a small hole in her hull. She departed the next day for Fraser Shipyard in Superior and arrived on October 28. She cleared the shipyard on October 30. Photo Photo by James W. Luke

Algoma Central Marine announced that it has awarded Port Weller Dry Docks with a $20 million contract to convert the Algow est to a seIf-unloader. TELESCOPE Page 30

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

Oct. 21 ... Algoma's Algoportwas forced to go to the Wilson Hill anchorage for about 8 hours due to low water levels on the Seaway.

. . . Oglebay Norton's Earl W. Oglebay ran aground in the morning just off the breakwall at Fairport, OH in about 16 ft. of water. By evening she was being buffeted by 8 to 10 foot waves broadside. Great Lakes Towing's Ohio & Idaho had to wait until the next morning before they could pull her free. After being released she proceeded in to LTV Lime to unload.

... The U.S. Corps of Engineers tug Kenosha was put on the Twin City Drydock at the Soo for shaft and propeller work. She had a new engine installed earlier this summer.

Oct. 28 ... The U.S. Corps of Engineers tug Owen M. Frederick was taken out of service with reduction gear problems. She was tied up at the Corps Basin at the Soo until repairs are completed.

Oct. 29 . . . The dinner cruises offered by Ontario Northlands Chi-Cheemaun have been nominated for the annual Owen Sound District Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award.

Oct. 30 . .. The ferry Isle Royale Queen III passed down through the Soo enroute to Escanaba to be repowered over the wmter at the Vmettes Yard. While at the Soo she stopped at the Soo Lock Boat Tours Dock to take on fuel.

MISC: ... The Plantana arrived at the scrapyard in Aliaga, Turkey on July 23, 1997. She will be remembered as Paterson's Prindoc III which was sold in March 1982. She left the lakes as H ankey in April of that year.

. . . The U.S. Corps of Engineers tug Washington is now laid up in Cleveland with the Corps logo removed from her stack.

Nov. 1 . . . USS Great Lakes Fleet announced they had acquired 100% of the capital stock of Litton Great a es Corp. which owned the 1000 ft tug/barge Presque Isle. She has been managed by USS for some time

., Th^ ast of the S1X new Fednav ships built in China for Great Lakes service, Federal Schelde passed up the Welland Canal for the first time.

rprprr' a J^e^°j0nt0 based sailing ship Empire Sandy departed for the Bahamas for the winter. She was reregistered to a Bahamas flag upon departure.

Turkey FVafana which is the former Prindoc of the Paterson fleet has been completely broken up in Aliaga,

f e c L arp I he,U S ' uC0oaSt Guard plans t0 deactivate foghorns in 18 ports around the Great Lakes. The ports Frankfort rh h p ^ aven’ Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Pentwater, Ludington, Manistee, in Ohio Rnffal a ^ ^a y Kenosha & La Pointe in Wisconsin, Cleveland & Ashtabula their approval ° ° US °mt ^ ^ ' c^‘&an Indiana. The measure is before Congress for

Hannah & Ronv ^ a^e ^ ' cb'8an Carferry Badger departed Ludington in tow of the Selvick tugs Mary Page Hannah & Bonme G. Selvick for Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, to have her five year survey done at Bay Shipbuilding6 S n6W Se^"Urdoad'n£ barge Path finder (Ex - J.L. Mauthe) was removed from the drydock JAN • APR, 1998 Page 31

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • Photo Photo by James R. Hoffman

The Melissa Desgagnes ran aground in the Detroit River on November 8, 1997

Nov. 8 . . . Desgagnes's Melissa Desgagnes grounded in the Detroit River just north of Grassy Island. After 4000 tons of com were removed into a hopper barge, she was freed on Nov. 13. Assisting were the McKeil tugs Evans McKeil & Glenside and the Gaelic tugs Shannon & Patricia Hoey. After being freed she proceeded back up to Windsor for inspection and the reloading of her cargo.

. . . The well known Croation salty Malinska passed up the Welland Canal as Daviken following a recent sale and renaming.

Nov. 10 . . . The new Beaver Island Ferry Emerald Isle cleared the Washburn & Doughty Shipyard in Booth, Maine on her delivery trip.

... The tugs Lewis Castle & Fourth Coast were upbound in the Welland Canal bound for Tonawanda, NY. The surplus tugs were recently sold by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. to Dawes Marine and they were on their delivery trip.

... Arriving at Marsh Engineering in Port Colborne was the ferry Pelee Islander. She was placed on the drydock for her survey.

Nov. 11... Great Lakes Towing's tug W yoming was assisting American Steamship's H. Lee White into the short cut canal at the mouth of the Rouge River, when the line parted and the tug hit the White in the port #2 ballast tank. The collision resulted in two 2-inch fractures at the 24 ft draft mark. After repairs were made she was allowed to proceed.

Nov. 12 . . .Gaelic Towing's Carolyn Hoey towed the tug Queen City from LaSalle, Ontario located behind Fighting Island. The tow proceeded upbound to a site on the Clinton River for use as a floating cottage. The Queen City was a floating restaurant in downtown Windsor until April 5, 1994 when McKeil's Stormont towed her to LaSalle. TELESCOPE Page 32

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS Photo Photo by Gary Morris

MALINSKA on level between Lock #.2 and Lock #3 o f Welland Canal on May 16, 1997

Nov. 13 . . . Diver David Trotter announced that in June 1994 he had found the wreck of the tug Frederick A. Lee which sank under mysterious circumstances on Nov. 13, 1936. The w'reck is sitting upright in 200 ft of water about 12 miles northeast of the tip of the thumb. At the time of the sinking it was believed that the tug sank due to a boiler explosion. During the many dives on the wreck, it was found that the boiler is still intact. The new theory is that she received bottom damage when she had a grounding off Harbor Beach the night before. She was released five hours before she sank.

... Parks Canada announced that Reconstruction of the Canadian Lock at the Soo is in its final stages. A zinc seal is being applied to the Lock Gates, then water tight tests will be conducted. The winter months will be spent reconstructing the old downstream houses on the historic site.

. . . The U. S. Corps of Engineers tug Chetek arrived at Port Weller Drydock with the barge McCauley. The barge is to have her survey and some hull work done. The work was completed on Dec. 2 and the pair departed.

Nov. 14 . . . The Maltese salty Sealuck V sailed from Goderich on a trip to London, England. She carried a unique cargo of non-genetically modified soybeans as opposed to those that have been altered to resist sprays of "Round up".

... A christening ceremony was held in Massena, NY for the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. new 50 x 16.5 tug Performance.

. . . Lake Shipping's Kaye E. Barker arrived at Fraser Shipyard in Superior for unloading boom and cargo hold modifications needed to handle grain cargos. She departed the shipyard on Nov. 16.

Nov. 15 . . . A new two year contract was agreed to by operational & maintenance employees and the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority. JAN* APR, 1998 Page 33

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • Dossin Museum Dossin Museum Collection

Tug FREDERICK A. LEE which sank November 13, 1936.

Nov. 16 ... The hydrofoil Katran-4 passed down in the Welland Canal bound for Toronto, continuing a voyage that started on Oct. 7. She has been under going repairs in Windsor since she was released from her grounding in the Detroit River on Oct. 18.

Nov. 17 . . . The Purvis Marine tug/barge Avenger IV & Chief Wawatam were downbound battling heavy weather near Two Rivers, WI on Lake Michigan. The barge began taking on some water which resulted in a list that caused her cargo of scrap to shift. After the list increased her scrap cargo, a crane and a front-end loader were dumped into the lake. The barge sustained some slight damage that was to be repaired upon her return to the Soo.

. . . Upperlake's Canadian Progress arrived at Port Weller Drydocks with steering problems. She was placed on the drydock on Nov. 25 where damage was found to her port mdder. She departed the shipyard on Dec. 17 after completion of the repairs.

Nov. 18... The ferry Emerald Isle passes up the Welland Canal and then past Detroit the next day on her way to Beaver Island.

Nov. 19 . . . The Liberian flagged salty Narragansett tied up near the guard gate on the Welland Canal with steering problems.

. . . The Kaye E. Barker arrived at the Continental Grain Elevator in Milwaukee to load her first cargo of com, which was bound for Chicago. TELESCOPE Page 34

•GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

KAYE E. BARKER upbound on the St. Marys River at Soo, Michigan, June 1997

Nov. 21... The Liberty Iron & Metal Co. of Erie, PA took ownership of the former Erie Sand sandsucker Niagara from the Steamship Niagara Museum Inc.. She is to be cut up for scrap right where she sits at the foot of Sassafras Street.

. . . The ferry Emerald Isle puts in at the Twin City Shipyard at the Soo and is drydocked with keel cooler trouble. Also at the yard were the Arnold Transit Co. catamarans Island Express & Straits Express for winter work.

... Interlake's Charles M. Beeghley stopped at Fraser Shipyard for repairs to her self-unloading gear.

Nov. 22 . .. McKeil Marine's tug Glenside arrived and assists the Narragansett back down the Canal to below Lock #2. There she tied up and waited for an opening at Port Weller Drydocks. She was finally moved to the Shipyard on Nov. 26.

Nov. 24 . .. The Port Weller built Canadian Icebreaker Des Groseilliers has been purposely frozen in thick ice north of Alaska in the Beaufort Sea. The Icebreaker entered the arctic waters from the east in September. While frozen a team of International Marine Biologists, Oceanographers and Physicists will conduct tests until they are released next summer.

Nov. 26 ... A broken weld on a ballast tank caused oily water to seep from the museum submarine USS Cod in Cleveland. Divers were called and repairs were made by days end. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 35

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

Nov. 27 ... Oglebay Norton's Buckeye ran aground near Round Island in the St. Mary's River. With the help of Purvis Marine tugs A venger I V & Wilfred M. Cohen and Great Lakes Towing tugs Maine & Missouri she was freed, but only after some of her cargo was removed. After spending the night anchored for Coast Guard inspections, she was allowed to proceed to Ashtabula.

Dec. 1 ... The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter B R A M B LE (W LB 392) departed her station at Port Huron for her five month tour of the Caribbean. The Coast Guard announced that while she is away the Charlevoix based Acadia (W LB 406) and the Detroit based Bristol Bay (WTGB 102) will handle her duties.

... Skillings Mining Review reported the Midwest Energy Resources Co. in Superior have shipped 13,223,405 net tons of western coal through November, compared to 12,483,340 net tons for the same period in 1996.

. .. Rosie a small paddle wheeler enroute from Florida to Erie, PA passed up the Welland Canal.

Dec. 2 . . . The Milwaukee Clipper returned to Muskegon under tow of Andrie's John Purves & Mari Beth Andrie for the first time since she departed in June 1977. The Purves had gone to Chicago to pick her up nine days earlier, but bad weather delayed her return. Plans call for the Clipper to be used as a Maritime Museum, Activity Center, Entertainment Complex and a Bed and Breakfast.

. . . The Historic St. Clair Inn has been purchased by Waterfront Hotel Ventures LLC of Bloomfield Hills, MI from Meritage Hospitality Group Inc. of Grand Rapids, MI for $3.8 Million. The Inn will be managed by Alegria Hotels International. Waterfront Hotels also own the Drawbridge Inn in Sarnia.

. . . Scrapping began on the former sandsucker Niagara in Erie, with work beginning in the pilot house area.

Dec. 4 ... Interlakes Elton Hoyt 2nd loaded an experimental cargo of 1,200 tons of sugar beets in Huron, OH. The cargo was unloaded at Marysville, MI for the Michigan Sugar Co. the next day. This is the first time sugar beets have been handled by a seIf-unloader.

... The Canadian Navy's HMCS Athabaskan (DDH282) cleared Port Weller Drydock and heads down the Seaway.

. . . Inland's Edward L. Ryerson finished her season when she arrived in Sturgeon Bay for winter lay-up.

Dec. 5 . . . The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Marcus Hanna (WLM 554) passed down past Detroit bound for Cleveland.

. . . Algoma Central Marine completed the 50% purchase of Marbulk Canada Inc. from Upperlakes Group.

Dec. 6 . . . Oglebay Norton's Joseph H. Frantz was pushed aground on the east bank of the Saginaw River a little south of Bay City in high winds. Malcolm Marine's tug Manitou arrived the next day and pulled her free. After inspection which showed no damage, she was allowed to continue her outbound trip.

Dec. 8 ... An ad appeared in the Marine News by PH&S Tugboat Inc. for the sale of their tug Kodiak (Ex - C & O 452) for $500,000.

... The city manager for Bay City, MI is to review plans from The Mainsail Environmental Education Program and The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum Committee. Both groups want to use Veterans Memorial Park for their ships. The Mainsail group wants to moor a 65 ft tall mast schooner & the Naval TELESCOPE Page 36

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

U ib iii m i« it m i-

MILWAUKEE CLIPPER under tow o f JOHN PURVES and MARI BETH ANDRIE on December 2, 1997. group wants to moor the 437 ft decommissioned Guided Missile Destroyer USS Charles F. Adams currently laid up in Philadelphia.

Dec. 10 ... The Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority asked for bids to build a new ferry with these characteristics. Length 148 ft. Beam over guards 41 ft. Depth 12 ft. Draft 8 ft. Bridge clearance 42 ft. Displacement light 348 long tons and propulsion 2 x 960 hp diesel engines. Bids will be accepted until Jan. 20, 1998.

. .. The salty Fossness hit the approach wall while downbound at the Eisenhower Lock.

Dec. 11... The Royal Yacht Britannia was officially decommissioned in a ceremony at the Portmouth Naval Base in England. A large contingent of the royal family led by Queen Elizabeth II boarded the yacht for lunch and one last look around before the ceremony. This was the 66th and last Royal Yacht over 337 years.

... C.S.L's Jean Parisean was towed to Davie Shipyard in Levis, Quebec with port nozzle damage. She was laid up and will have repairs completed over the winter.

. . . USS's Calcite II ran aground in the Saginaw River near the Zilwaukee Bridge while inbound. She was freed the next day with help from Andrie's tug John Purves. After unloading she departed for Sturgeon Bay and winter lay-up.

Dec. 12 . . . The Narragansett departed Port Weller Drydock and proceeded upbound after her repairs were completed.

. . . American Steamship's Buffalo while downbound struck the Detroit River Light at 5:20 a.m.. She received a 25 ft gash to her hull and proceeded to the CSX Coal Docks in Toledo for further inspection. Only minimal damage was done to the Detroit River Light. After Coast Guard inspection the American Republic was moved alongside and the Buffalo's cargo was transferred for delivery to Cleveland. Then the Buffalo was moved to the Toledo Shipyard for repairs. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 37

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

... The Salt Mine in Goderich, the world's largest producer of rock salt, has been sold for $450 million.

Dec. 14 . . . The gambling ship Majestic Star (i) passed down by Detroit bound for the Shipyard in Erie, PA.

... Imperial's bunkering tanker Imperial Lachine arrived in Halifax under tow of the tug Atlantic Oak. She had been Stationed in Montreal, but was not needed their any longer.

Dec. 16 . . . The ferry Drummond Islander III returned to service following her repowering.

Dec. 17 . . . Bethlehem's Bums Harbor made an unusual trip into the Algoma Steel Plant at the Canadian Soo with 49,000 tons of taconite pellets from Superior.

Dec. 18... The USCG Marcus Hanna ( W LM 554) passed down the Welland Canal on her way out of the lakes.

. . . Algoma's Algorail arrived at Port Weller Drydocks for Lay-up and her renovation over the winter.

. . . The MV Iroquois a small passenger vessel owned by Iroquois Boat Line, caught fire at her dock near 2nd and Clayboume Streets in Milwaukee. The fire was caused by a short in the shore power electrical cord where it attached to the ship. There was no structural damage, however the lower deck received extensive smoke and water damage.

... The ferry Drummond Islander III had the bolts fastening one of the propeller shafts break loose. She was laid up overnight while they were repaired.

Dec. 19 .. . The tug Dawson B (Ex - Gaelic Challenge) passed down the Welland Canal bound for the McKeil Yard in Hamilton, following her recent sale to them. Photo Photo by James R. Hoffman

LOUIS R. DESMARAIS was the last upbound vessel in the Welland Canal for the 1997 season. TELESCOPE Page 38

• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS

Dec. 20 . . . The U.S. Customs Service shut down the ferry Daldean which runs between Marine City and Sombra, Ontario. A unattended bag was found at the Marine City dock at about 6:00 p.m. and ferry service was shut down. The Michigan State Police brought in a bomb sniffing dog and determined that the bag contained no explosives. Ferry service was allowed to resume at about 8:45 p.m..

. .. The Tug/Barge Atlantic Hickory/ Sarah Spencer arrived at Wharf #13 the Robin Hood Mill on the Welland Canal. The barge unloaded and laid up for the winter, the tug departed down for the east coast of Canada.

Dec. 22 ... The last salty to lock down through the Soo locks was the Narragansett which locked through in the morning.

. . . The upbound tug/barge Presque Isle had to wait in Whitefish Bay for a Coast Guard Helicopter dispatched from Traverse City to remove the third mate who had a lacerated finger. He was taken to War Memorial Hospital in the Soo where he was treated and released.

Dec. 23 ... Algoma's Algo west arrived at Port Weller Drydocks for lay-up and her conversion to a seIf-unloader over the winter. Her last trip as a straight decker was Toledo to Baie Comeau with grain.

Dec. 24 ... The Welland Canal closed for the season with C.S.L.'s Louis R. Desmarais upbound and the salty Narragansett downbound.

... The barge Dupuis No. 10 sank in Lake Erie while in tow of the tug Techno St. Laurent. They were bound for the Welland Canal out of Buffalo when she sank.

... The last upbound ship in the St. Lawrence Seaway was Algoma’s Algoisle bound for Hamilton. Photo Photo bv Rod Burdick

ARMCO waiting to load in Escanaba on December 29, 1997. JAN • APR, 1998 Page 39

GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •

Dec. 26 ... The salty Narragansett was the last ship downbound through the St. Lawrence Seaway for the 1997 season. She was bound for Belgium with grain loaded at Thunder Bay.

Dec. 28 . . . The U.S. Coast Guard announced that if the ferry to Harsens Island can't make it through the ice, they will not ferry passengers as it has in the past. Modifications to Champion's new auto ferry Middle Channel will hopefully make the Coast Guard help unnecessary.

Dec. 29 . . . Oglebay Norton's Armco made rare back to back trips out of Escanaba for Indiana harbor. She loaded the second one on Jan. 1, 1998.

Dec. 30 ... National Steel Corp. settled a federal lawsuit alleging that their Great Lakes Steel Plant in Ecorse, MI pumped up to 5000 gallons of crude coal tar into the Detroit River from 1995 through 1996. In the settlement National agreed to pay $47,200 in fines.

MISC: ... The former Canadian Coast Guard Icebreaker Norman McLeod Rogers was bought by the government of Chile and renamed Contre-Almirante Oscar Viel Toro.

Our Back Cover Photo: Wood steam barge C. F. Curtis (US 34216), built in 1882 in Marine City, Michigan. She made her first trip in 1882 as a tow barge, lumber laden to Buffalo, N.Y. where machinery was installed. Ann. Bureau 1908 listed her as belonging to Miami Lumber Company, San Francisco, CA with sisters Lucy N e ff and Minnie E. Kelton. Her dimensions were 532 Gross tons, 425 Net tons, 174.0 x 32.4 x 14.0 until 1887 when she was lengthened to 691 Gross tons, 196.5 Net tons, 196.5 x 32.4 x 13.1. The Curtis foundered November 19, 1914, due to stress of weather gale and snowstorm) about 7 miles east of Grand Marais, Michigan. She had schr, barges Annie M. Peterson and Selden E. Marvin in tow. Crews of all 3, 28 in number, perished. Some reached shore alive but did not survive due to extreme cold and lack of help.

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