elescope
JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Volume XLIX; Number 1
iH srnvfl*; MEMBERSHIP NOTES •
It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Life Member Gordon P. Bugbee on October 29, 2000. Gordon served on the Board of Director's until 1983. He had been teaching architecture full-time at Lawrence Tech since 1978, and class schedules conflicted with Board meetings. Gordon left the Board, but still remained active in supplying articles to Telescope. To sum up the early contributions that Gordon made to the Institute was best expressed by Robert Radunz in 1966 when Gordon was stepping down as Editor of Telescope.
"The name GORDON P. BUGBEE appeared in Telescope for the first time in the July, 1953 issue. In fact it appears twice. First in a list of new members. Then it appears in a story about the model exhibition to be held in August, 1953. Gordon was one of the members who could be contacted for tickets. Since then, the name GORDON P. BUGBEE has appeared in the pages of Telescope hundreds of times. He has been one of our most loyal workers. His articles about Great Lakes shipping would make a volume in themselves. In fact, a group of articles he wrote about the D & C Line were published in a separate booklet by the Institute. During the period he has been editor of the Telescope, we have seen it grow to one of the outstanding marine publications in the country. Telescope and the Institute have received national recognition that was due in no small part of the work of GORDON BUGBEE."
Gordon Bugbee served as Telescope editor from 1962 to 1966, when he moved to Kalamazoo and found it difficult to make regular trips back to the museum to research future Telescope issues. He published two books that were printed by the Institute: The Lake Erie Sidewheel Steamers of Frank E. Kirby (Great Lakes Model Shipbuilder's Guild, 1955) and The D-III (City o f Detroit I I I ) in 1976. Both books are out of print, but are still used by researchers at the Dossin Museum. Our newer members have seen reprints of Gordon's articles in Telescope recalling the early days of passenger ships on the lakes. Several of these articles were provided to passengers on the special Bob-Lo boat cruises up the St. Clair River. In this issue we have reprinted part of his Northwest article that appeared in the June, 1966 Telescope. One can see the in-depth research that Gordon did, covering both the vessel's history as well as the company's history.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS - See Page 25
CONTENTS • The Ocean Liners of The Lakes...... 3 Great Lakes & Seaway N e w s ...... 11 Calendar of E v e n ts ...... 25
OUR COVER PICTURE . . . The NORTH WEST, as depicted on a postcard mailed August 27, 1897 to Miss Lottie Herrington in Bad Axe, Michigan.
Telescope© is produced with assistance from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, an agency of the Historical Department of the City of Detroit.
Visit our Website at: http://www.glmi.org
Published at Detroit, Michigan by the GREAT LAKES MARITIME INSTITUTE ©All rights reserved. Printed in the United States by Macomb Printing, Inc. JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 3
THE OCEAN LINERS OF THE LAKES by Gordon P. Bugbee June, 1996 Telescope
Almost-legendary splendor surrounds the memory But the NORTH WEST and NORTH LAND of the twin Great Northern Railroad liners North West were built about a decade before this more abundant and North Land. Now and again one hears that they group of lake ships. In 1895 there was nothing in their were the most magnificent passenger liners the Great class on the lakes. Their promoters turned instead to Lakes have ever known. Other lake people measure the grandest ocean liners of the day for a yardstick of them against features of more recent, more familiar superlatives. NORTH WEST and NORTH LAND ships - public rooms of CITY OF DETROIT III or the passed separately from passenger services by the First ASSINIBOIA dining room - and wonder how this World War, so few remember their cruises today. could be so. Little in print substantiates their claim, other than
/ ' Photo from Photo from Dossin Museum Collection
NORTH WEST with a bone in her teeth "running at a rate of speed exceeding 20 knots," as shown in Northern Steamship Co.'s monograph of 1895. Much of the material in this issue comes by courtesy of J. Michael O'Brien. TELESCOPE Page 4
handsome views in Dana Bowen’s books, or Ken Smith’s account in Ships That Never Die. In one sense, however, they are still with us. One person who spent childhood vacations on NORTH LAND summer cruises, boarded the SOUTH AMERICAN for the first time four decades later, and felt immediately at home. For the Georgian Bay liners were bom close to the image of NORTH WEST and NORTH LAND, just when those ships were ending their own brief passenger careers. It is fascinating to rediscover these handsome ships in something more than their external aspect. In the midnineties when they came out, their cabins were well illustrated both in the Marine Review and in the bound monograph of 1895, The Northern Steamship Co's North West and North Land. Until the Seaway came, the Great Lakes enjoyed a rather self-contained shipping history. Few lake ships came from beyond or went elsewhere to trade. It has thus been easy for historians to keep track of them. In its isolation, the lake trade created its own patterns of ships. The best known of these were the engines-aft “propellers” and "steam barges” and “whalebacks”, and their descendants, the ore carriers of today. But there have been times when lake men looked eastward to the Atlantic and beyond for inspiration. The Lake Erie night steamers took their form from Fall River Liners of Long Island Sound. Niagara Navigation steamers of Lake Ontario had a touch of British Channel ships. Recent ships have shown ocean manners - AQUARAMA and the new Canadian package freighter like FORT YORK. One early example of ocean fashions on the lakes was Lake Michigan’s pair of 250-foot ferries DETROIT and MILWAUKEE of 1859. They seem to have been the lakes’ only Ocean Fashions in Lake Ships (from drawings by Samuel Ward sidewheelers having paddle boxes fully exposed Stanton) top - MILWAUKEE, 1859; upper middle -OWEGO, in the manner of contemporary Cunard or 1887; lower middle - VIRGINIA, 1891; bottom - MANITOU, Collins liners of the Atlantic. In such fashions, 1893 ; below - Cunard liner ETRURIA of 1884, drawing from their cabins were contained within the shape of Ocean Steamships. the hull, with little more cabin work than the pilothouse standing exposed to the weather. Ocean styling flourished on the lakes briefly in the eighties and nineties while lake carriers were searching for their modem forms. Package freighters of the Lehigh Valley and Erie Railroad fleets were the best examples of their trend. Bulk carriers like MARYLAND and CENTURION also had their machinery placed JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 5
nearly amidships. Largest and fastest on the lakes then cargoes in the late eighties. To carry these cargoes were Erie Railroad’s 350-foot package freighters eastward, he circumvented the Lake Superior Transit OWEGO and CHEMUNG of 1887-88. pool of eastern railroad ships and built his own vessels. They were modeled closely after Atlantic coastal Cleveland’s Globe Iron Works had grown into the freighters of the Mallory Line. Their powerful engines lakes’ principal supplier of steel bulk and package and fine hull lines gave them laurels in impromptu races freighters since its initial venture in metal with other package cargo liners of the Chicago and shipbuilding, ONOKO of 1882. In 1887 it had just Buffalo trade. built the bulk freighter CARNBRIA with the lakes’ Lake Superior then had less glamorous American- first triple-expansion engine. And it was laying down flag freighters than those on the Chicago run. They were the first of the ocean-style Lehigh Valley package principally wooden Ward Line propellers, or older tonnage pooled by various railroad fleets to make up the Lake Superior Transit Company. But three Canadian ships of 1884 were the finest passenger-cargo steamships of the lakes, ALBERRA, ATHAB ASKA and the unfortunate ALGOMA. These actually came K from shipyards overseas in Scotland. And they introduced many modern ocean innovations to the lakes, such as the “Plimsoll line”, which other lake ships needed a decade or more to begin adopting grudgingly. But in appearance the Canadian Pacific ships and Algoma ‘s replacement, MANITOBA of 1889, were less transplanted ocean liners than greatly modernized engines-aft traditional propellers. The Canadian Pacific was part of the great spectacle of western railroads pushing toward the Pacific between the sixties and the nineties. Another of these railroads began in the Lake Superior region as the St. Paul and Pacific Railway. But it made very little progress westward before financial grief reorganized by a Red River steamboat Stem of NORTH WEST is like lower part of that of operator named James Jerome Hill. Now it SOUTH AMERICAN (drawing from Ocean Steamships) was less pompously rechristened the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway. Hill encouraged Canadian friends to finance it, as the railroad freighters. Hill passed over the Lehigh Valley model now hoped merely to reach the Canadian border and in favor of one closer to CAMBRIA. So Globe built meet feeders of the growing Canadian Pacific system. the six 312-foot “Manitoba boats” for Hill's new But in a few years the Canadian Pacific began pushing Northern Steamship Company. These ships were vigorously eastward around Lake Superior. Soon it NORTHERN LIGHT, NORTH WIND and would be much less dependent on its Minnesota railroad NORTHERN KING of 1887, and NORTHERN connections. And Hill’s railroad had turned westward QUEEN, NORTH STAR (i) and NORTHERN WAVE again, reaching Montana by 1887 and the state of of 1888. Each could carry 25,000 barrels of flour, or Washington by 1893. Alone among the American 95,000 bushels of wheat, or 2,700 tons of iron ore. transcontinental railroads, Hill’s company survived Ordering six ships at once was a hint of the great succeeding financial depressions with an unbroken lake fleet building soon to follow. In 1887, financing dividend record, thanks to sound planning and one large steel lake freighter usually required the management. We mention this only to counter the notion resources of a railroad or a syndicate of investors. that Jim Hill was a reckless spendthrift, the following But around that year iron ore displaced wheat as the pages will have little more such evidence! main lake cargo when the Minnesota ore fields were Manitoba wheat and flour were still Hill’s best opening. Large steel and ore firms were coming into TELESCOPE Page 6
the picture. Thus in 1890-91 Minnesota Iron Company VIRGINIA‘s suggestion. Lake Michigan & Lake began shipping ore south from Two Harbors in six more Superior Transportation Company ordered the 303-foot Globe-built ships, which were duplicates of the propeller MANITOU from Chicago Shipbuilding “Manitoba boats”. The Menominee fleet was also Company. This was a new South Chicago yard closely organized then for six other very similar ships built by affiliated with the Globe Works management. Globe. With the grain trade in mind, “Manitoba” MANITOU carried only passengers and their baggage. package freighters could still be nearly interchangeable Her hull plating rose one deck higher than usual for with “Minnesota” bulk freighters. The Manitoba boats lake ships, so the usual sheltered promenade was found had very graceful hull lines with pronounced shear. on her hurricane deck instead of the spar deck. Her The Globe yard won its chance to try ocean styling dining room was forward on the spar deck. This was on a passenger liner when Lake Michigan’s Goodrich the usual position for dining spaces aboard upper lake fleet ordered its twin-screw flagship VIRGINIA for propellers, where tables might occupy the forward end Chicago-Milwaukee service. VIRGINIA had two of the grand salon, flanked by staterooms. But raked masts and a raked stack amidships over cabins MANITOU's dining space was a separate room which originally were well contained within the hull extending the full width of the ship. MANITOU had shape. She was rated at twenty miles per hour. In 1891 120 staterooms, all furnished with electric lights and she was considered the best product that lake yards running water. Her single raked stack was placed a bit had to offer. The Chicago fleets were all grooming their further aft of amidships than Stanton’s drawing fleets for the World’s Fair of 1893 there. VIRGINIA suggests, so she had a hint of traditional lake propeller prospered well enough in competition with two parallel form to her. While other liners of her fleet ran all the railroad lines, and she might have won the consort way to Duluth, MANITOU made shorter cruises twice mentioned when she was first ordered. But Alexander weekly from Chicago, at first to the Soo and later only McDougall built his huge whaleback passenger to Mackinac Island. steamer CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS as a World VIRGINIA was brand new and MANITOU was Fair attraction, and then put it day service opposite a-building when the Globe Works began planning their VIRGINIA. grandest passenger liners of all. The St. Paul, One other Lake Michigan firm improved on Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway had changed Photo Photo front Dossin Museum Collection
Quadruple-expansion engines of NORTH WEST as set up in Globe's machine shop in November, 1893, prior to installation aboard the ship. JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 7 Photo from Photo from Dossin Museum Collection
STEAMER NORTH WEST names again for one more appropriate to revived in May of 1894. Even the World’s Fair had not made ambitions; as it had neared the Pacific coast in 1890, Midwestem cities too worldly-wise to exclaim at the it became the Great Northern Railway. President Hill fantasy of a great ocean liner appearing in their midst. was now looking for a way to attract eastern NORTH WEST was 383 feet long overall, with beam passengers to travel on his new railroad to the Pacific of 44 feet. These are modest dimensions today. But they and perhaps beyond to the Orient. His answer was made NORTH WEST and her later consort the last like that of midwestem railroads of the 1850’s, which passenger ships to qualify as the largest ships of any built huge steamers of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario kind on the Great Lakes. NORTH WEST’s image was for similar purposes. Why not reach across the lakes dominated by three huge buff-colored funnels over a to Buffalo with lavish steamships which might carry graceful white hull. In ocean manner, she had only one 500 passengers to Duluth in sixty hours with a deck of cabins exposed unobtrusively behind a minimum of calls along the way. To avoid schedule promenade under lifeboat platforms and canvas interruptions for cargo handling, such liners might awnings. carry only passengers and their baggage. The pair of quadruple-expansion reciprocating First reports suggested four such liners, which engines that drove NORTH WEST were the first the vessel men dismissed as daydreams. Two liners were lakes had yet known. UNIQUE appeared later in the laid down during the summer of 1892 for delivery year with single quad. Each engine was rated at 3500 the next July. But the World's Fair summer came and ihp at 120 rpm. (dimensions were 25"-35" - 511/2" - went, followed by that year’s financial depression. 74" x 42"). Company literature colorfully compared The liners were still on the building ways after her power plant to an equivalent of "42,000 men absorbing expenses approaching double the original working together at 10,500 oars day and night”. Her $400,000 estimates for each, thanks largely to change engines turned two four-bladed propellers thirteen feet orders of the owner. Vessel men nodded a knowing, in diameter. Steam fed the engines from twenty-eight “I told you so”. At last, work on one of the hulls Belleville water tube boilers, another innovation for the came almost to a standstill. The other hull was lakes. Water tube boilers were still very experimental, launched on January 6,1894, and christened NORTH and scotch boilers remained standard for ships for many WEST. years afterward. The new boilers were troublesome. In Today it is hard to realize what an impression one three-week period, three firemen were badly NORTH WEST must have made when she appeared scalded in separate accidents while tending them. It was TELESCOPE Page 8
anything but portholes for a view. Lake ship owners needed another decade to think of richer surroundings for dining, which was after all the major pastime of a long lake trip. NORTH WEST made an introductory visit to lower lake ports in May of 1894. On June 5, she left Buffalo on her first trip to Duluth. On her way, she opened the new Hay Lake Channel of the St. Marys River on June 7. As the lakes’ largest ship, she had her initial troubles in maneuvering. While coming about to call at Detroit downbound on June 18, she
NORTH WEST - top - Foredeck; bottom - Lobby said that Hill later sent to India for firemen who could stand the intense heat of the boiler rooms. NORTH WEST boasted more electric lights than any other ship afloat - 1560. Her large 100,000 candlepower searchlight forward had spent the previous summer as a World’s Fair exhibit. Photographs in this issue show the rich interior fittings of the cabins of NORTH WEST. Passengers boarded her at a quarter-deck foyer with ship’s offices Photos from Photos from Dossin Museum Collection and a staircase to the galleried grand salon. Aft of the foyer was a men’s cafe, while forward of it was a platform where passengers could watch the engines. Major features of the public rooms were on the hurricane deck, a ladies’ deck salon forward in the grand salon, and a smoking room fronting the forward deck cabin. Each stateroom had its own running water, electric lights and ship’s telephone. Only the dining room seems to have fallen short of one’s expectations. It suffered by comparison with those of the later propellers TIONESTA and ASSINIBOIA, which were amidships on the top deck with broad windows for a fine view. NORTH WEST's dining room was very plain, buried forward on the main deck over the steerage quarters. It had nothing of the rich space or leaded glass skylights then in fashion for dining salons of ocean liners. But in those days no other major lake NORTH WEST - top - Main Salon; middle - Ladies' steamers except day boats had dining rooms with Deck Salon; bottom - Dining Room JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 9
tried to avoid an anchored schooner and instead split open the stem of the new CITY OF MACKINAC docked at Third Street. Continuing on, she bumped a scow and knocked a dock crane ajar before coming to a halt. A week later, she sank a fuel scow at Cleveland. Such first fumbling seems common for “largest” lake liners, including CITY OF DETROIT III and AQUARAMA. But NORTH WEST remained more consistently a terror to the upper St. Clair River, especially as she swept through Point Edward's narrow passage to Lake Huron. Her wake tore schooners or steamers from Sarnia moorings. It is said that her owners cheerfully accepted damage claims as advertisements of her speed. “The heavy swells on board the NORTH WEST are not the only trouble .. quipped the Detroit Free Press, “but those on the outside seem to be the worst.” Relief for the Sarnia people came that August when forest fires covered the lakes It is a lively scene at the foot of First street, where the great with heavy smoke worse than fog. NORTH WEST takes on her load of Detroit passengers for the up NORTH WEST had to move very trip to Mackinaw Island and the Lake Superior Region. Reprinted cautiously in the rivers, then, and ruined from The Detroit News-Tribune, July 30. her schedules by as much as a day’s time. Good will lost upriver was regained in the St. second American lock and the new Canadian lock Clair Flats, at least among children of the cottagers. would open. When the 1894 season ended in late NORTH WEST would rush past, saluting them with September, NORTH WEST had made sixteen round five of six whistle toots and blasts of a toy cannon. trips and had carried 8,300 people. The children would come out and dance on the shore Construction resumed on the mate for NORTH or wave table cloths or flags; or they would take to WEST, which was launched on January 5, 1895 as small boats to cavort in her wake, which would sweep NORTH LAND. Captain W.H. Campau moved over them up and set them on dry land. from NORTH WEST to command her, while Captain The first season schedule did not permit NORTH Wesley Brown took his place. Until the bulk freighter WEST a call at Mackinac Island. The D&C Line was VICTORY began sailing in August, both ships shared happy for this, as she outclassed the fine Mackinac honors as largest ships of the lakes. sisters they had just finished the year before. A clipping In this new season, NORTH WEST's image in Frank E. Kirby’s scrapbooks shows the great naval appeared at the top of the government pilot rules, architect’s pleasure in seeing his CITY OF replacing a cut of an ancient man-of-war. Other lake MACKINAC overtake NORTH WEST at Marine City lines were allowed to paste pictures of their own ships and beat her to Detroit by two miles. But such a result over this image when posting the pilot rules on their would have been less likely in deeper waters of Lake ships. Huron. A new schedule was published for 1895; Mackinac and Chicago passengers could still take departures from Buffalo would be a 9:30 p.m., and NORTH WEST up Lake Huron to DeTour for a from the following other ports at 3 p.m. NORTH rendezvous with the downbound MANITOU. But the WEST would leave Buffalo Tuesdays, Detroit next year Mackinac was MANITOU's terminus and upbound Wednesday, Duluth Fridays and Detroit now also a calling point for the Northern steamers. downbound Sundays. NORTH LAND would leave NORTH WEST faced other schedule delays at Buffalo Fridays, Detroit upbound Saturdays, Duluth the Soo when long lines of ships formed to lock Mondays and Detroit downbound Wednesdays. What through. Relief would come only after 1895 when a a sight it must have been to cross from Detroit on a TELESCOPE Page 94
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
... A new company named Mesabi Nugget Corp. announced plans to build a $70 million Iron Nugget Plant at Northshore Mining in Sliver bay. The nuggets would be 97% iron, 2.5% carbon and .3 to .7% sulphur and would form a high value taconite based product. Iron nuggets are projected to sell for about $ 148 per metric ton. Current taconite pellets, which contain about 65% iron, sell for about $35 a metric ton. The plant would produce about 300,000 metric tons per year and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2004. Kobe Steel developed and owns the rights to the ITMK3 process that forms the nuggets.
Apr 12 ... The Fednav salty FEDERAL SAGUENAY grounded at the entrance of the Burlington Ship Canal in Hamilton. After a couple of hours two unnamed McKeil tugs pulled her free. She proceeded into Pier #23 to unload and be inspected. No damage was found, the cause is believed to be low water levels.
... Pere Marquette Shipping announced their tug/barge UNDAUNTED / PERE MARQUETTE 41 have been laid up indefinitely at Ludington due to a lack of business and are being put up for sale.
Apr 13 ... McKeil’s RALPH TUCKER entered the St. Lawrence Seaway for the first time bound for Hamilton.
... The FEDERAL YOSHINO passed up the Welland Canal bound for Detroit. She is the first up the canal of the new class of ships Fednav is having built.
... The tug JANE ANN IV and the Canadian Coast Guard Cutter SAMUEL RISLEY were removed from the drydock at Port Weller Dry Docks and headed upbound. The JANE ANN IV Photo Photo by Alan Mann
GEORGE A. SLOAN laid up in North Slip alongside MYRON C. TAYLOR and CALCITE II - Sarnia - December 10, 2000 TELESCOPE Page 10
new propeller passenger liners. These were package cargo carriers which could pay their way with fewer passengers than NORTH WEST carried. They had a high proportion of public room which, beside the usual grand salon, included more livable smoking rooms, ballrooms, drawing rooms and bars. In June of 1911, NORTH WEST was fitting out at Buffalo for the new season when oils exploded in her paint room and set her on fire. There was no steam in the boilers for pressure, so her fire apparatus was helpless. Moored alongside was NORTH LAND, MAPLECOURT (ex-NORTH WEST) which was badly scorched before tugs pulled her free. Windsor ferry on a Wednesday afternoon and see both Water sprayed from ashore quenched the fire after it grand liners arriving from opposite directions! consumed NORTH WEST's superstructure, and she Westbound calls at Cleveland transferred passengers filled and settled on the bottom of the Blackwell Canal. at the breakwater via the steamer POST BOY acting She was later raised, but plans to rebuild her were set as a tender. In later season eastbound passengers for aside. Some theorize that new plans were drawn for a Cleveland were transferred at Detroit to D&C ships to smaller replacement, and were used instead to build save time. NORTH AMERICAN in 1913 for Chicago, Duluth NORTH WEST and NORTH LAND continued & Georgian Bay Transit Company. If so, this would paired in service to Duluth until 1901. The Buffalo explain similarities in name and appearance. exposition that year made it worth their while to NORTH LAND continued in service from transfer to Buffalo and Chicago service. This revived Buffalo to Chicago until the First World War. In 1915 direct passenger sailings which for a quarter-century was passed legislation requiring railroads to give up had been replaced by Lake Michigan and Lake Huron shipowning. The Great Lakes Transit Company was steamers making connections at Mackinac. To keep formed to pool the best ships of the American lake alive service to Duluth, the Northern Steamship package freight fleets. NORTH LAND had no place Company chartered the 239-foot steamer MIAMI, built in this scheme of things, probably thanks to her high four years before at Philadelphia. She met the two other operating costs. After the war she was sent to salt steamers at Mackinac for northbound passengers. After water for service overseas, but her plans fell through one season MIAMI returned East and was later familiar and she was scrapped at Quebec. there as STEEL PIER. The burnt hulk of NORTH WEST had already During the winter of 1901-02, NORTH WEST started eastward during the war, for rehabilitation as and NORTH LAND were rebuilt. Out went the an ocean freighter with new machinery. Like NORTH bothersome water tube boilers, and in went scotch LAND it was too long for Canadian canals and had to boilers in their place. These occupied much less space, be broken in two for the passage to salt water. In a allowing one funnel to be removed forward. They also storm on Lake Ontario the forward section was lost. made possible a boost of horsepower to 8600. In place But the after section survived for incorporation in what of the lost stack, the dining room was enlarged and became the Canadian freighter MAPLECOURT. great changes occurred forward on the upper decks. After war duty she returned to the lakes. The pilothouse was boosted a deck higher and further War called her to the Atlantic again in 1940. Now forward, above a new cabin of 34 parlor staterooms. the remains of her luck was running out. Early the The forward smoking room was exchanged for a larger next year a torpedo sank her in the North Atlantic. one aft. Much of the cabin work remained unchanged, but the appearance of the sisters was transformed. During the 1902 season the sisters remained paired in Chicago service, now apparently without help of MIAMI. But NORTH WEST returned to Duluth service in 1903. Now each ship was assigned to the route that would concern the rest of its career. But NORTH WEST found the Anchor Line’s brand new Photos from Photos from Dossin Great Lakes Museum Collection TIONESTA also in Duluth service, while a new Canadian HURONIC had started running from Sarnia Canadian freighter MAPLECOURT built in 1902. In a decade Lake Superior had eight of these with after section of NORTH WEST JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 11 GREAT LAKES & j t / SEAWAY ^ NEWS
Those who have contributed to the News Section in this issue are: Editor: James Morris 22919 Alger Gary Morris Greg Rudnick John Vournakis St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 Rod Burdick Jim Sprunt Dan McCormick Rene Beauchamp William Howell Terry Beahen Seaway News Editor: Skip Gillham Ed Morris
AUGUST
Aug 28 ... At 4:00 A.M. someone noticed that a quoin block on the lower gate at the Poe Lock had shifted out of position. Special handling procedures were put in place to prevent further damage. The first step was to switch to the locks intermediate lower gates. The quoin block, which is a large steel block that is formed in a convex shape to conform with a curved steel post in the hinge area of the lock wall when the gate is fully closed. The block is 3 1/2 inches thick, ten feet wide and the damaged section is 7 feet long. The block will have to be removed to be repaired. Ship traffic was delayed about 90 minutes.
SEPTEMBER
Sep 1 ... Kinsman’s KINSMAN INDEPENDENT ended her temporary lay-up in Buffalo when she departed for Duluth.
Sep 2 ... USS’s PHILIP R. CLARKE had her unloading boom fall on the pile of salt she was unloading in Sandusky, damaging the saddle and angle iron. She departed for Bay Shipbuilding with 6,000 tons of salt still aboard. She arrived at the shipyard on September 4 for repairs and departed on September 9.
... P & H’s OAKGLEN arrived in Thunder Bay and was placed on the drydock at the Pascol Shipyard for her five year survey.
Sep 3 ... Canada Steamship Lines TADOUSSAC tied up to the fit out wall at Port Weller Dry Docks along the Welland Canal with engine trouble. She departed upbound from the shipyard on September 25 with assistance from the tug JAMES E. MCGRATH.
Sep 4 ... The tug PETITE FORTE departed Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay with the barge ST. MARYS CEMENT, which had been under going repairs following her grounding on July 7. TELESCOPE Page 12
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
... The tug/barge INVINCIBLE/MCKEE SONS departed Sarnia on their first trip of the season proceeding upbound. They are on a long term charter to Grand River Navigation of Cleveland, which is a subsidiary of Lower Lakes Towing.
Sep 5 ... A 40 year no rent lease was signed by the Detour Reef Light Preservation Society and the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard had recently finished removing the asbestos and lead based paint, clearing the way for the lease agreement. The Society’s plan is to first raise the remains of the lighthouse tenders crane, davits and cradle from the water next to the lighthouse. Once a new crane is installed, they plan to set up spartan accommodations in the lighthouse for repair crews.
Sep 6 ... Algoma’s ALGOCAPE was removed from the drydock at the Pascol Shipyard in Thunder Bay with assistance from the tugs GEORGE N. CARLTON & PENINSULA. She had been put on the drydock on August 24.
... The Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority announced they will except sealed bids until 2:00 P.M. Friday September 29, 2000 for the ferry DRUMMOND ISLANDER.
Sep 7 ... Specialty Restaurants Corp. of Anaheim, Ca, owners of the former railroad ferry LANSDOWNE currently laid up in Erie, PA offered a proposal to the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority. They would use the LANSDOWNE as a floating restaurant with a capacity for 1,000 diners and have parking for 330 cars at the Sassafras Street Pier. They propose a 50 year lease at $2,000 a month in rent or 2 percent of the gross proceeds, whichever is higher. But if the proceeds exceed $2,000, they want to use the excess to cover their cost of putting in a 24 foot wide road from the Bayfront Parkway to the end of the pier and installing utilities for the ship. They would only take the excess for the first 10 years and would write off any amount that was left after that time frame. Specialty would cover the costs of renovating the ship, building the parking lot with lights and all landscaping. Estimates for their cost of the project are $1 million to $1.5 million. The Port Authority’s response was that the offer isn’t a bad one, but it really doesn’t fit into their development plans for the pier. Specialty’s plan would call for the use of the Northern Half of the 10 acre pier. However, the Port Authority wants a development that uses the whole pier. Specialty has stated they won’t renovate the ship until they get a lease. The Port Authority also mentioned that Contessa Cruise Lines, owners of the VIKING I have put her up for sale. Recently three potential buyers have looked at the ship, all from the Great Lakes region.
... The upbound salty OLYMPIC MELODY tied up below Lock #7 on the Welland Canal with engine trouble in the morning. The Nadro Marine tug VAC was summoned and towed her up through Lock #7. She was tied up by the old tin shed area to complete repairs.
Sep 8 ... Interlake’s JAMES R. BARKER made a rare trip into Nanticoke with a load of taconite, she departed the next day.
Sep 9 ... While the upbound salty SPAR GARNET was entering Lock #5 (West) on the Welland Canal. The gates began to close and the ship arrester lowered. The gates stopped when they came into contact with the side of the ship, the ship arrester came down between two cranes on her deck. As she moved forward the back crane smashed into it and tore it from its mountings. It ended up on her deck a pile of twisted wreckage. This shut down the west side of the flight locks until repairs could be completed.
... The Mckeil tug JOHN SPENCE & Barge MCASPHALT 401 collided with the Ferriss Marine Deck BARGE #48 while inbound the Rouge River near the Jefferson Street Bridge. The JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 13
GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • accident occurred as the tug was passing the tied up ADAM E. CORNELIUS. The tug/barge proceeded to Nicholson’s Terminal & Dock for survey. A 6 inch long crack was found in the #1 port tank of the barge. The pair crossed the Detroit River and tied up in Windsor for repairs.
Sep 10 ... The Portage Canal across the Keweenaw Peninsula doesn’t get much vessel traffic anymore. But today saw the first of two ships within a week. Algoma’s ALGOWAY arrived in Hancock with a partial load of salt from Goderich. She dropped off part of her cargo at the old Carbide Dock at the Soo on her way up. On September 17 Algoma’s ALGORAIL arrived in Hancock with another load of salt. After unloading she departed for Marquette and loaded taconite for the Algoma Steel Plant in the Soo.
Sep 11 ... The McKeil tug DOUG MCKEIL assisted the A.B.M. Marine tug RADIUM YELLOWKNIFE up the Welland Canal with nine barges. The barges were stacked three high and were three long. RADIUM 604 was carrying RADIUM 625 & RADIUM 603, RADIUM 623 was carrying RADIUM 610 & RADIUM 631 and RADIUM 611 was carrying RADIUM 617 & RADIUM 607. The tug and barges came from Hay River, Northwest Territories and are to be used in the wood chip trade on Lake Superior. The tow stopped off at Wharf #13 to await the arrival of the A.B.M. tug W. N. TWOLAN. She arrived on the evening of September 13 and the tow continued upbound. The DOUG MCKEIL departed downbound for Hamilton. The MCKEIL had been assisting since the tow entered the St. Lawrence Seaway.
... Lower Lakes Towing’s CUYAHOGA stopped off in Sarnia for repairs to her exhaust system, the expansion joint had cracked.
Sep 12 ... The salty YRIA passed up the Welland Canal for the first time under this name. She is the former FURIA, which was trapped in Lock #7 when the wall collapsed on October 14, 1985.
... The Great Lakes Towing tug TRITON passed up by Detroit towing the harbor tugs KANSAS & ARKANSAS. They will be dropped off in Chicago & Milwaukee respectfully. She will pick up the harbor tugs NEW YORK & CALIFORNIA and return them to Cleveland.
Sep 13 ... Grand River Navigation’s tug/barge INVINCIBLE/ MCKEE SONS ran aground near the Columbus St. Bridge on the Cuyahoga River while inbound with stone for LTV Steel. When the tug backed up freeing herself, she struck a recreational boat damaging its transom. A short time later while proceeding up the river, they collided with the tied up tug FRANK PALLADINO JR., then a couple of docks along the river. When they reached LTV Steel an inspection revealed an 8 inch crack in the MCKEE SONS starboard bow. No damage was reported to the PALLADINO or the docks.
... While on Lake Ontario, Upperlake’s CANADIAN OLYMPIC helped find a missing sailboat by using her radar to direct the Coast Guard to its position.
... The King Company tug CAROL ANNE had the tow line part near Manistee, MI on Lake Michigan sending an unmanned crane barge adrift. After a man was put aboard the barge to help with the tow line, the tug collided with the barge and disabled her steering. A Coast Guard 44 foot rescue boat from Frankfort came and took the tug under tow. Another tug was sent to retrieve the barge.
... The Gaelic tug ROGER STAHL departed Detroit for Marinette, WI to pick up two Navy Barracks Barges built Marinette Marine. She arrived in Marinette on September 15. TELESCOPE Page 14
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
Marinette Marine Corp. recently completed a $32 million contract for the U.S. Navy with the delivery of two "APL" barracks barges to be used as accomodations for navel vessel crews during repair and overhaul projects. The APL is an unpropelled unit 269 feet long, 68 feet wide and 64 feet high with berthing for 350, mess for 1,100 and other support facilities. One of the barges will be deployed in Norfolk, Virginia and the other in San Diego. The completed barges cleared the MMC yard under tow by the Gaelic tug ROGER STAHL, which was joined by the ocean tug CARIBE CHALLENGER for the transit of the Welland Canal and the St. Lawrence River to salt water at Les Escoumins. Above, APL 65 launched 10/30/99. Below, APL66, launched 7/15/00. Photo Photo courtesy of Marinette Marine Corp. Photo courtesy of Marinette Marine Corp. JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 15
GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •
Sep 14 ... Fedenav’s FEDERAL WELLAND was christened in a ceremony at the Oshima Shipyard in Japan.
... The Shepler Mackinac Island ferry SACRE BLEU was placed on the drydock at the MCM Shipyard at the Soo.
Sep 16 ... The tug ROGER STAHL was assisted by the Selvick tugs JIMMY L. & CARLA ANN SELVICK in maneuvering the Navy Barrack Barges APL - 65 & APL - 66 out of Marinette Harbor. Once out of the harbor, the STAHL started the barges on their long journey. One will be stationed in Norfolk, VA and the other in San Diego, CA.
Sep 17 ... Algoma’s ALGOSTEEL ran aground in the Amherstburg Channel in the lower Detroit River. She was freed a few hours later with the help of the Gaelic tugs SHANNON, PATRICIA HOEY and CAROLYN HOEY. No damage was reported.
... The tug CARIBE CHALLENGER passed up the Welland Canal bound for Buffalo. She is going to tow the Navy Barges out of the lakes and will wait for the ROGER STAHL to arrive off the Welland Canal.
Sep 18 ... The cruise ship C. COLUMBUS stopped off at Marquette for the day.
... The tug ROGER STAHL was met in lower Lake Huron by the Gaelic tug SHANNON to help tow the barges down the St. Clair River. The tugs split up the tow, each tug took one barge and towed it to Detroit. They arrived in Detroit the next morning and were assisted into the Nicholson Dock by the Gaelic tug PATRICIA HOEY. They are going to stay here until strong winds subside.
Sep 20 ... A simulated oil spill was conducted by the Marine Safety Office of Detroit at the mouth of the Detroit River near Detroit River Light. The exercise was a collision between the oil barge HANNAH 3601 and American Steamship’s H. LEE WHITE. The barge was to suffer damage to her #1 Port Cargo Tank and spill 100,000 Gallons of #6 oil into the river. The barge was put to anchor and the river was closed to traffic. The WHITE was to have suffered damage forward of the collision bulkhead. She was going to be allowed to proceed to the Trenton Edison Plant to offload her cargo of coal and to be surveyed.
... Paterson’s WINDOC was put on the drydock at the FraserShipyard in Superior for unspecified repairs. She was removed from the drydock on October 10.
Sep 21 ... The tug ROGER STAHL departed Nicholson’s downbound with the Navy Barrack Barges APL - 65 & APL - 66 in tow. She was assisted down the Detroit River by the tug PATRICIA HOEY.
Sep 22 ... The Arnold Transit ferry MACKINAC EXPRESS departed the MCM Shipyard at the Soo.
Sep 23 ... The downbound salty YARMOUTH ran aground above the Iroquois Lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway. She was able to free herself by putting lines ashore and using her winches to pull free. She waited there for an inspection, which found no damage and she was cleared to proceed the next day.
... While American Steamship’s GEORGE A. STINSON was downbound in the Poe Lock at the Soo, one of her boarding ladders broke free and fell into the lock. This forced the closure of the TELESCOPE Page 16
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
lock for two hours while it was located and removed.
... The tug TRITON passed donwbound by Detroit towing the tugs NEW YORK & CALIFORNIA bound for Cleveland.
... The tug ROGER STAHL and tow were met off the Port Colborne entrance of the Welland Canal by the tug CARIBE CHALLENGER. The tow then proceeded inbound to Wharf #16 to await a Seaway Inspection. After being cleared to transit the canal, they waited for high winds to die down. They departed downbound the next morning, stopping off at Wharf #2 at the Lake Ontario end for the night.
... Oglebay Norton’s WOLVERINE brushed up against the Tiffanies Cabaret Dock on the Old River in Cleveland. No damage was reported to the ship, but the dock suffered an estimated $25,000 to $50,000 in damage. Oglebay Norton officials took responsibility and stated they will repair the dock.
Sep 24 ... The Museum Ship NORGOMA stationed at the Canadian Soo was damaged by vandals. In the early morning hours they came aboard and smashed 85 windows and 30 extended light fixtures. Damage estimates run as high as $15,000., the museum was forced to close the ship for the season.
Sep 25 ... Upperlake’s CANADIAN VENTURE departed Toronto on her first trip of the season. She crossed Lake Ontario and proceeded up the Welland Canal bound for Thunder Bay.
... The Canadian Coast Guard Cutter GRIFFON was anchored northeast of Pelee Island when the downbound Canada Steamship Lines ATLANTIC HURON collided with her around 1:30 A.M.. She was on station performing maintenance on the Pelee Light at the time of the collision. The GRIFFON’S port bow had a indentation about 2 feet wide and 20 foot across near her name. The HURON suffered some indentation to her starboard bow. No injuries were reported and neither vessel took on any water. The HURON was allowed to continue her voyage to Halifax. The GRIFFON proceeded to Sarnia for repairs, arriving on September 28. The Coast Guard is bringing out the SAMUEL RISLEY from lay-up to replace the GRIFFON.
... The Arnold Transit freight ferry CORSAIR arrived at the MCM Shipyard at the Soo.
Sep 26 - Algoma’s ALGORIVER departed Montreal bound for Port Cartier on her first trip of the season. She passed up the Welland Canal on October 3 bound for Indiana Harbor.
... The Poe Lock at the Soo was shut down from 7:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. to remove the damaged Quoin Block on the lower lock gates. Oglebay Norton’s RESERVE used the seldom used Davis Lock for her upbound transit.
Sep 27 ... The Hovercraft TENACITY passed up the Welland Canal bound for Toledo. She is 69 feet long, 32 feet wide and can carry 80 passengers. In Toledo she will make some test runs to help build support for using Hovercraft to run between Toledo and Windsor.
... Upperlake’s CANADIAN MARINER departed Toronto on her first trip of the season. She crossed Lake Ontario and proceeded up the Welland Canal bound for Thunder Bay.
Sep 29 ... The Holly Marine tug HOLLY ANN was placed on the drydock at the M.C.M. Shipyard at the Soo. She had to have a cable removed that had fouled in her propeller. JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 17
GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •
... Upperlake’s QUEBECOIS ended her temporary lay-up in Toronto and departed for the Welland Canal bound for Toledo. She has been in Toronto since May 31.
Sep 30 ... Cemex S. A. of Mexico announced they have entered into an agreement to buy Southdown Inc. of Houston, TX. They will acquire all of Southdown’s outstanding shares for $73.00 a share or $2.8 billion. Cemex will also assume $18.5 million of long term debt. Southdown operates two ships in Great Lakes service - SOUTHDOWN CHALLENGER and the barge SOUTHDOWN CONQUEST Cemex is the third largest cement company in the world, trailing only Switzerland’s Holderbank and France’s LaFarge. Photo Photo by James R. Hoffman
SOUTHDOWN CHALLENGER has new owner - Cemex S.A. of Mexico - Toledo, Ohio, July, 2000.
OCTOBER
Oct. 1 ... The Wagenborg salty ZEUS passed up the Welland Canal on her maiden voyage with steel products bound for Cleveland.
... A joint venture was announced between Upperlakes Group Inc. and McAsphalt Ind. Ltd.. They will form a company called McAsphalt Marine Trans. Co.. They are currently building a new barge in China, scheduled for delivery in September 2001. It will be pushed by the recently purchased tug EVERLAST, currently laid-up at Wharf #1 on the Welland Canal.
Oct 2 ... Algoma’s ALGONORTH passed up the Welland Canal bound for Duluth on her first trip of the season. TELESCOPE Page 18
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
Oct 3 ... The tug ROGER STAHL passed up the Welland Canal on her return trip to Detroit.
... The Canadian tug KETA V., a former Great Lakes visitor sank off Eastern Head near Liverpool, Nova Scotia. She hit a rock and was holed, her crew was able to get free and was rescued.
Oct 4 ... The Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority announced they excepted the highest of four bids submitted for the ferry DRUMMOND ISLANDER. The winning bid of $76,156 was submitted by the Arnold Transit Company of St. Igance. The other bids were $68,000 from Darwin J. McCoy, $44,000 by MCM Marine and $37,511 by Basic Marine. A spokesman for Arnold Transit stated the ferry will be used in the Company’s freight business to Mackinac Island. The DRUMMOND ISLANDER offers the line a heavier, faster ship than the CORSAIR, currently on the run. They also stated they have no plans to sell the CORSAIR. Under terms of the sale, the ferry will not be transferred until about November 1. She is to be used on the Sugar Island crossing in late October.
Oct 5 ... Diver Don Chalmers announced that while salmon fishing on August 15 in Lake Huron, one of his downriggers struck something on the bottom. His fish finder indicated a large object on the lake bottom. After several days of severe weather he was finally able to return on August 25 and dive on his discovery. It turns out he had discovered the wreck of the WEXFORD, lost in the Great Storm of 1913. She is sitting upright on the bottom in about 75 feet of water. She is eight miles off Grand Bend, Ontario parallel across the lake from the wreck of the REGINA also lost in the Great Storm. With her discovery only the HYDRUS and JAMES CARRUTHERS remain missing from the Great Storm of 1913 on Lake Huron.
... Upperlake’s CANADIAN PROVIDER passed up the Welland Canal bound for Duluth. She had been in temporary lay-up in Toronto since August 12.
... Three survivors have joined with relatives of the dead sailors in the sinking of the salty FLARE on January 16,1998 in filing a $7.5 million lawsuit against her owners in Canadian Federal Court. They claim the owners ABTA Shipping Co. Ltd. of Nicosia, Cypress and the operator Trade Fortune Inc. of Piraeus, Greece showed disreguard for the preservation of life when they knowingly allowed the FLARE to sail without enough ballast on board.
Oct 6 ... The tug ATLANTIC HICKORY passed down the Welland Canal on her way to the east coast. She left her barge SARAH SPENCER in Windsor awaiting a new tug to push her.
Oct 7 ... Delta Queen Coastal Voyages announced they plan to run two cruise ships, the CAPE MAY LIGHT and CAPE COD LIGHT in Great Lakes service in 2001.
Oct 8 ... The State of Michigan and the Federal Government have teamed up and established the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve. Plans call for building a center featuring video images of the wrecks, including live footage from divers doing Archaeological Surveys. It becomes the 13th National Marine Sanctuary and the only one in fresh water.
... The Pere Marquette Shipping tug UNDAUNTED was forced to set her barge PERE MARQUETTE 41 adrift in Lake Michigan during a storm. Just after midnight the barge’s cargo of 5,000 tons of pig iron shifted in 15 foot seas. As the tug was releasing the barge they made contact, tearing a 2 foot by 1 foot hole in the hull of the tug. A mayday distress call was made and the tug headed for Wilmette Harbor, IL. She grounded about 400 yards Northeast of Wilmette. The crew JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 19
GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • were rescued by the Coast Guard crew stationed at Wilmette. Later that day a Coast Guard helicopter dropped the tugs second mate aboard the barge, he dropped the barges anchor. She stopped about 3 miles northeast of Calumet Harbor, some 24 miles south of where she had been set free. The Hannah Marine tug DONALD C. HANNAH arrived and towed the barge back to Calumet. The tug UNDAUNTED was able to free herself and proceeded to Calumet. The barge had lost all of its cargo and deck equipment in the incident.
Oct 9 ... Strong Northerly winds lowered the St. Mary’s River below chart datum. This forced several ships to anchor, the upbound JADE STAR in Hay Lake. The downbound JOHN G. MUNSON (Gros Cap), KAPITONIS SEVCENKO (Waiska Bay), FRONTENAC(Isle Parisienne), ARMCO and ST. CLAIR (Goulais Bay) and ROGER BLOUGH (Lake Ontario), ALGOBAY (Whitefish Point).
... Paterson’s PATERSON was put on the drydock at Bay Shipbuilding for repairs to her rudder. She was removed from the drydock on October 26.
Oct 10 ... The cruise ships LE LEVANT and C. COLUMBUS pass down the St. Lawrence Seaway ending their 2000 cruise seasons.
Oct 11 ...The Dawes Marine tug/barge APACHE/BMI-105 passed up through the Soo Locks with two large trailers aboard the barge. In the trailers was machinery and large vats for a stone quarry in Alberta, Canada. They were loaded aboard in Erie, PA and will be unloaded in Duluth, MN.
Oct 12 ... The dinner cruise ship EMERALD EMPRESS passed down the Welland Canal bound for San Diego, CA. She was bought by Hornblower Cruises & Events of San Francisco and will be renamed ADVENTURE HORNBLOWER upon her arrival in San Diego. She has been working in Sandusky, OH since 1994. Photo Photo by James R. Hoffman
EMERALD EMPRESS - Sandusky, Ohio - April, 1997 TELESCOPE Page 20
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... The Canadian Government filed charges against the Bahamian registered salty SANDVIKEN for discharging oily bilge water off Nova Scotia. She was headed for the Great Lakes at the time of the incident.
Oct 15 ... The salty DOBRUSH ran aground in the mud while departing the grain elevator in Sarnia. After shifting ballast and with the help of the tug MENASHA, she was pulled free a couple hours later.
Oct 16 ... The Ontario Northland ferry CHI-CHEEMAUN arrived in Owen Sound for lay-up ending her 2000 season.
Oct 17 ... The tug JANE ANN IV passed up the Welland Canal enroute to Windsor to join up with the barge SARAH SPENCER.
Oct 18 ...The Robert Arthur Collection of Photographs taken bet ween 1870 and 1930 were donated to the St. Catherines Museum. The photographs were taken by his grandfather Charles H. Arthur and his Great-Grandfather Charles P. Arthur. The collection includes images of old buildings in St. Catherines, a Merritton train wreck and ships along the Welland Canal.
... The upbound salty FOSSNES ran aground off Cape Martin in the St. Lawrence Seaway after a steering failure. This is about 60 miles east of Quebec City. She was freed at high tide with the help of a Groupe Ocean tug. She proceeded to Quebec City for inspection, arriving the next day. Upon inspection it was found that she had two holes in her bottom near midship. They were 17 inches by 5 feet, she proceeded to Davie Shipbuilding in Levis, Quebec for repairs and was put on the drydock on October 24. She still had her cargo of fertilizer onboard.
Oct 19 ... The tug DUGA passed up the St. Lawrence Seaway bound for drydocking at Heddle Marine in Hamilton.
... The merger between Cemex and Southdown was delayed when Cemex refiled key papers with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. They also refiled papers with the Federal Trade Commission, citing “technical reasons”.
... The barge SARAH SPENCER departed her temporary lay-up in Windsor under tow of the tug JANE ANN IV. They were assisted from Windsor to Port Huron by the Gaelic tug SHANNON. They are bound for Bay Shipbuilding, for modifications in the notch so the JANE ANN IV can push the barge. They arrived in Sturgeon Bay the next day.
Oct 20 ... Manitowoc Company Inc. announced they have signed an agreement to purchase all outstanding stock of Marinette Marine Corp. The deal is for $48 million and is an all cash transaction and is expected the deal will close within 30 days, pending regulatory approval. A spokesman for Manitowoc stated the acquisition should not only give us the leading position in building mid-sized vessels for the United States Government, it will enhance our ability to serve the Great Lakes ship repair market as well . Marinette currently has contracts to build six ocean going Buoy Tenders for the Coast Guard and two 269 foot APL Barrack Barges for the Navy. Manitowoc currently operates Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI, Toledo Ship Repair Co. in Toledo, OH and Cleveland Ship Repair Co. in Cleveland, OH
... The upbound salty DAVIKEN ran aground in Lake St. Clair near buoy 25 after suffering an electrical failure about noon. She was freed the next day in the evening by the Gaelic tugs ROGER STAHL, SHANNON & PATRICIA HOEY and the Great Lakes Towing tug WYOMING. Photo by James R. Hoffman They estimate there is a 10 year supply left. supply 10year a is there estimate They propellers put on among the work. While she is out of service the ferry DRUMMOND ISLANDER DRUMMOND ferry the service of out is she While work. the among on put propellers 11. sea her trials to have onNovember isShe scheduled MI. in Escanaba, Basic Marine by launched was c 3 . Te atr Upr eisl rnprainAtoiy er SGR SADR II ISLANDER SUGAR ferry Authority Transportation Peninsula Upper Eastern The ... 23 voyage. Oct an her continue suffering to allowed after ballast. was she shifting Quebec after damage no and found tugs Canada from Deschaillons, Transport assistance by off survey with tide hull a aground After high at ran released was MITCHELL She D. failure. J. salty electrical The ... 21 Oct gypsum. the for transport of methods other exploring is company The expensive. to be dock, to to the it out hoppers found the transports that system cable the replacing for study MI. A cost Alabaster, was placed on the drydock at MCM Marine at the Soo for her five year survey. She is to have new new have to is She survey. year five her for Soo the at Marine MCM at drydock the on placed was ... The Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority ferry DRUMMOND ISLANDER IV ISLANDER DRUMMOND ferry ...Authority Transportation Peninsula Upper Eastern The ... United States Gypsum announced they will close the mill and shiploading operations in operations shiploading and mill the close will they announced Gypsum States ...United AIE ubuda otRbno nWladCnl- c. 19,2000 Oct. - Canal Welland on Robinson Port at upbound - DAVIKEN GEORGE A. SLOAN A. GEORGE GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS • NEWS SEAWAY & LAKES GREAT crossing. She is scheduled to to 26. October scheduled on service is to return She crossing. Island at her Sugar the will replace City paper stated that the three three the that stated paper City TAYLOR and GEORGE A. A. C. GEORGE RYON M and II, TAYLOR self-unloaders ’s LCITE S CA S U all sm January 1, 2001. The three ships ships three The 2001. 1, January not supposed to be final until until final be to is supposed not purchase The Towing. Lakes Grand by Navigation. River purchased Grand be will SLOAN starting in early November. early in starting Sarnia in lay-up to scheduled are Lower with affiliated is River JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 FEBRUARY, • JANUARY ... A report in the Rogers Rogers the in report A ... ae 21 Page
Photo by Jim Morris TELESCOPE Page 22
• GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS
Oct 24 ...The Eastern Canada Towing tug POINT CARROLL passed up the Welland Canal bound for Owen Sound. She arrived in Owen Sound on October 27, she is going to tow the ferry NINDAWAYMA to Quebec.
... The Muskoka Steamship and Historical Society announced the awarding of a contract to McNally Construction of Hamilton, Ontario for construction of their new passenger ferry WENONAH II. She will be 127 feet long, 28 feet wide with a draft of 6 feet. She will be licenced to carry 200 passengers and have a cruising speed of 11 knots. The main deck will feature an elegant dining room seating 86 and a second dining room seating 24. She will be powered by twin 385 HP diesel engines, with twin propellers and rudders and will have a bowthuster. The hull will be built in 9 sections at the McNally yard near Belleville, Ontario. It will be brought to Gravenhurst and assembled there. The contract calls for her completion by late September 2001. The WENONAH II is named after Muskoka’s first steamer, built in 1866. Her name means “first bom daughter” in the Ojibway Indian language.
... Lake Michigan Carferry announced they will extend the season of the ferry BADGER by one day. The A1 Gore Presidential Campaign will make a crossing on the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc on October 31.
... President Clinton signed into law the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. The Act helps non-profit groups when it comes to receiving federal property. Prior to the legislation, groups were forced to compete with the private sector in auctions and sealed bids. Preservationists hope the new law will help those groups looking to gain control of several Michigan Lighthouses the Coast Guard is planning to dispose of in the next several years. Congress has issued guide lines that the Coast Guard must offer the lighthouses to other federal agencies first, such as The Bureau of Land Management or The National Park Service. Should they decline then they must be offered to State and Local Communties next, then they can be put up for auction.
Oct 26 ... Hydrolink Inc. continues to struggle in lining up financing for their proposed high speed ferry service between Muskegon and Milwaukee.
... Canada Steamship Lines MANITOULIN hit the ship arrester at the Lower Beauhomas Lock while downbound. It took 12 hours to repair the damage and get traffic moving again.
... Canada Steamship Lines officials held a meeting in Collingwood with local officials to discuss the future of the former shipyard property there.
... The salty FEDERAL MACKENZIE backed into the ship arrester at the St. Lambert Lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway. This delayed traffic in the area for several hours.
... The A1 Gore Presidential Campaign cancelled its planned trip on the carferry BADGER.
Oct 27 ... At Bay Shipbuilding the tug/barge UNDAUNTED/PERE MARQUETTE 41 were removed from the small drydock. The barge SARAH SPENCER was placed in the large drydock for work on her notch.
Oct 28 ... The Holly Marine tug HOLLY ANN had the towline part sending her barge adrift in Lake Michigan about six mile east of Wind Point, WI. A Coast Guard helicopter from Muskegon located the barge aground south of Wind Point later in the day. The tug proceeded to the barge and pulled her free the next day with no damage reported. JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 23
GREAT LAKES & SEAWAY NEWS •
Oct 29 ... A new brochure outlining the itinerary of the cruise ship ARCADIA for next season, stated she will arrive in the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 12.
Oct 30 ... Oglebay Norton’s FRED R. WHITE JR. made a rare appearance in Munising, Mi when she brought in a load of coal from Toledo.
MISC: ... The Canadian Transportation Safety Board issued its report on the sinking of the salty FLARE off Newfoundland on January 16,1998. The FLARE was enroute from Rotterdam to Montreal in ballast when it broke apart at 0400. When she departed Rotterdam, she had 2 feet less ballast than recommended in the ships loading manual and 5 feet less than recommended by Llyod’s Rules & Regulations. Built in 1972, her last survey in November 1997 revealed no lack of structural integrity. The Master, on his first trip aboard the FLARE chose not to ballast the #4 cargo hold. Although the hull was strengthened specifically to allow #4 to remain empty underway, the loading manual indicated that it should have been filled for a winter North Atlantic crossing. Specifically, the manual suggested a total ballast weight of at least 8,113 long tons, the FLARE carried only 6,864 long tons. As the ship crossed, she encountered storm force winds and heavy seas that reached 50 feet. The waves created so-called “vibratory stress” that flexed and bent the hull. In July 1998, an underwater survey of the bow section, which sank in 330 feet of water, some 80 miles off Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, revealed that the rough pitching and resultant stresses caused an initial brittle fracture on her main deck. This was near a starboard grain loading port at frame 112. The fracture spread at a 90 degree angle between the Number 4 and Number 5 cargo holds. The split continued aft down the main deck to frame 76, where pre-existing fissure damage was found and where it finally split at the after end of cargo hold #6. Among the Safety Board recommendations were the need to promote awareness of potential structure failure effects of improper ballasting technique in heavy weather and stricter adherence to approved loading manuals.
... The Marine News, Journal of the World Ship Society reported the following items in their June & July issues:
RENAMES: ... RANGINUI (Ex - ZIM BANGKOK - 94, ANKE - 93, GLOBAL EXPRESS 4 - 89, ANKE - 88, FALCON - 88, ANKE - 87) Built 1986 - Was been renamed BBC GERMANY in 1999 by Rottum Shg. Co. Ltd., Antigua.
... ARKTIS VISION - Built 1994, was renamed CIC VISION in 1999 by K/S Habro Kongea 4, Denmark.
... BERGEN BAY (Ex - SAINT DIMITRIOS - 89, GEMINI FRIENDSHIP - 85) Built 1977 - Bulker, was sold by K/S Bay, Norway to Silver Cloud Mar. Co. Ltd., Malta in 2000 and renamed TANANI.
... BERGEN SEA (Ex - SAINT VASSILIOS - 89, GEMINI PIONEER -86) Built 1977, was sold by K/S Bergen, Norway to Wave Maker Shg. Co. Ltd., Malta in 2000 and renamed TITANAS.
... CONSENSUS MANITOU (Ex - FEDERAL MANITOU - 95, CONSENSUS STAR - 91, CINERARIA - 90, KALLIOPI II - 88) Built 1983 - Bulker, was sold by Consensus Manitou KS, Norway to Glow Shg. Ltd., Malta in 1999 and renamed DIMITRIS Y.
... HAIGHT (Ex - VIVA I - 90) Built 1977 - Bulker, was sold by Haight Street Ltd. Partnership, Bahamas to Ocean Pride Co. Ltd., Malta in 1999 and renamed OCEAN D. TELESCOPE Page 24
BERGEN BAY - Downbound in Welland Canal above Lock #7 - Sept. 17, 1997
CASUALTIES: ... MILLENIUM YAMA (Ex - CLIPPER YAMA - 98, YAMA - 94, HANSA RIGA - 91, NAVIGATOR - 89, THEREAN MARINER - 84) Built 1979 - General Cargo, Owned by Millenium Yama Inc. (Millenium Maritime Services Ltd.), Bahamas. Reported a main engine breakdown followed by a fire on 4-11-2000, when off Godbout, Baie Comeau in position 49.05.48N, 67.38.30W. The fire was extinguished by the crew and she was towed into Baie Comeau. She was on a passage from Torre Annunziata for Cleveland with stone.
... AMERICAN MARINER - Built 1980 - Bulk Carrier, owned by State Street Bank & Trust Co. N.A. (American Steamship Co) USA. Reported a mechanical failure to her rudder 4-28- 2000 and struck a navigational aid while entering the St. Clair River from Lake Huron. The bow was holed and damaged, serious flooding reported and she was put hard aground, blocking the channel. The cargo was discharged using the ships conveyor and she was refloated 4-30-2000 and proceeded to Toledo, OH for repair. She was bound for Ashtabula, OH with iron ore pellets.
... WORLD DISCOVERER (Launched as BEWA DISCOVERER) Built 1974 Cruise Ship, owned by Adventurer Cruises Inc. (Discoverer Reepere: GMBH), Liberia. Grounded 4-30-2000 in the Sandley Passage about 25 miles North of Honiara, Solomon Islands in position 09.01S, 160.07E. developed a list of 20 degrees and beached to avoid sinking. Salvage operations have commenced and is is hoped that she will be refloated in four to six weeks. The 99 passengers were safely disembarked.
SCRAPPED: ... RED STONE (Ex - VIGOSTONE - 94, BARKEN - 91, BALTWIND - 91 BARKEN - 87, A. C. CROSBIE - 82, IDA LUNDRIGAn - 76) Built 1972 - General Cargo, was sold by Red Moon Shipping Ltd. (Bogazzi Servizi Navali S.R.L.), Bahamas to Indian Breakers and arrived Mumbai, India on 2-24-2000.
NEW SHIPS: ...FEDERALRIDEAU - (Shipyard) Oshima Shipbuilding - (Yard #) 10261 - (Gross Tonage) 20500 - (Owner) Federal Pacific Ltd. (Flag) Hong Kong.
BACK COVER PHOTO: NORTH WEST going through locks, date unknown JANUARY • FEBRUARY, 2001 Page 25 Calendar of Events Ship In A Bottle Exhibit - Opened April 6 - An eclectic collection of Great Lakes and other boats in bottles continues on display in DeRoy Hall. For everyone who marvels at the intricate work inside a bottle, this is your chance to inspect more than two dozen pieces of art.
Apr 28 Fit Out Party -Learn how to produce a boat in a bottle as members of the International Ship in Bottle Collectors meet and discuss how they produce these pieces of art. Sessions all day in DeRoy Hall.
May 5 Opening of the new exhibit - Frontier Metropolis. A look at The City of the Straits - Detroit as it was recorded in pencil sketches, watercolors, and oil paintings prior to the 1830's. Maps, navigation charts, portraits, and sketches of the landscape before the camera was invented.
May 5 Belle Isle Clean Up Day - Come out and help to show that you care about our 1,000 acre park in the middle of the Detroit River.
May 5 Movies on the wide screen from 11:00 - 4:00 - Special showing of Belle Isle - A Portrait in Time, the history of Detroit's public park. Free with paid admission to the Dossin Museum.
May 19 Meet The Author, Brian Dunnigan, of Frontier Metropolis - Special book signing 12:00 - 4:00 pm
May 19 GLMI Entertainment Meeting 11:00 am - Cruising The Great Lakes by A1 Jackman. Come and find out how to take one of the cruise ships on the Great Lakes, and hear about experiences on board these classic vessels.
Jun 2 Movies on the wide screen from 11:00 - 4:00 - Special showing of a cruise on the S.S. SEEANDBEE as the Ford Motor Company charters the vessel for a cruise up the Detroit River in 1939. Free with paid admission to the Dossin Museum.
Jun 15-17Grand Prix on Belle Isle -T he Dossin Museum will be closed June 16 & 17 due to the race on the island.
Jul 7 Movies on the wide screen from 11:00 - 4:00 - Special showing of The Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Fleet - The S.S. NORTH AMERICAN and the S.S. SOUTH AMERICAN cruises on the Great Lakes. Free with paid admission to the Dossin Museum.
Jul 13-15 Hydroplane Races on the Detroit River. Come to one of the largest free shows in the world as the boats skim across the water at 100 mph and more. Plenty of seating on Belle Isle.
Jul 20 NAUTICAL CHARITY AUCTION benefiting G.L.M.I. and the Dossin Museum. This fundraiser is being held in conjunction with a Detroit River Festival Sneak Preview/Reception at Harbor Hill Marina located at the foot of St. Jean off East Jefferson. Donation of items for the auction are welcome. Cost is $25.00 per person and includes the auction and reception with live entertainment, refreshments, nibbles, and a sneak preview of the boats. For information about this event or to schedule delivery/pick-up of auction donation items please call 810-790-6145.
Jul 21 DETROIT RIVER FESTIVAL - Antique and Classic Boat Show showcasing 100 years of boating on the Detroit River. In connection with this in-water and static display of boats, there will be a MARINE MART of nautical art, memorabilia, photography and collector items by some of Michigan's most renowned artists and craftsmen. There will also be marine exhibits and demonstrations. The show runs from 9:00am - 6:00pm at Harbor Hill Marina located at the foot of St. Jean off East Jefferson. For information on attending or participating call 810-790-6145.
Jul 22 DETROIT300 - TALL SHIP PARADE on the Detroit River from Fort Wayne to Belle Isle. G.L.M.I. will be hosting a picnic at the Dossin Museum starting at 11:00am. Lee Murdock will sing in DeRoy Hall at 11:30, followed by an outdoor concert at 1:30pm and the Tall Ships Parade at 2:30pm. A rowing regatta competition will precede the tall ships. Cost is $20.00 per car for secure parking and includes entrance to the museum, the Lee Murdock concerts and secure view of the parade for all car occupants. A picnic of hot dogs, pop & chips will be served on the lawn at a cost of $1.00 per item. You are welcome to bring your own picnic, blankets and chairs. Space is limited and reservations must be postmarked by July 9th. For information or to make a reservation via credit card call the Dossin at 313-852-4051. SERVICE DIRECTORY
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