TELESCOPE May- June, 1968 Volume 17, Number 5
e KEJ i Great Lakes Maritime Institute Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Belle Isle, Detroit 7, Michigan MAY-JUNE Page A 94 FLOUR by C. E. Stein STORY
Twelve days after the ore carrier As long ago as September of 1848 DANIEL J. MORRELL foundered in Lake close to three hundred barrels of Huron during the early morning flour and corn meal were salvaged hours of November 29» 1966, the along the Ontario deaches of Lake Huron. In October of the same year body of one of her deckhands, that of Saverio Grippe of Ashtabula, the charred upper works of the pro pellor GOLIAH were discovered near Ohio, was found washed up on the beach of Inverhuron Point, nine the mouth of the Pine River. Her mites north of Kincardine, Ontario. mast floated ashore at Kincardine. According to Mansfield,the GOLIAH One day later, Howard Trussler of had cleared the St. Clair River, up Point Clark picked up a life pre bound on Septmber 13, 1848 with a server and a flare container from the MORRELL which he had found on very heavy cargo consisting of 200 the beach south of Kincardine, at kegs of powder, 20,000 bricks, 30, 000 feet of lumber, 40 tons of hay, the mouth of the Pine River. and 2,000 kegs and barrels of pro One month later, Alex Ritchie and visions and flour consigned to var Constable Bernard Ashton of South ious mining companies along Lake hampton, Ontario discovered in the Superior. Three hours later the schooner SPARTA followed the GOLIAH shore ice south of that port, a mattress, a mans shoe, a small sec up into Lake Huron within sight of tion of a life boat, and an oar. the Michigan shore. Capatin Fuller, The oar had the name 'DANIEL J. master of the SPARTA, reported hearing and distinctly feeling an MORRELL' stamped on it. explosion, though many miles dis The body of Saverio Grippe, the tant. There were no survivors from life preserver, the oar, and the the GOLIAH other articles, if of the same ori gin, had floated east and north a Was it the flour from the GOLIAH distance of sixty to eighty miles which washed ashore across the lake across the breadth of Lake Huron and was picked up on the Ontario from the mouth of Saginaw Bay. beaches? Probably. At this distance from the event though we have no For more than a century the resi conclusive evidence. dents along the Canadian shore of Lake Huron, from Bayfield north to Since 1848 recurring stories of Southampton, have been the recipi flour washing ashore near Inver ents of manna from the waves, most huron have been many and varied. ly in the guise of flour. The origin of the flour has always MAY-JUNE Page 95
been a matter of Intriquing specu water made a paste about half an lation to me. The haze of yester inch thick inside the bags. The year has produced a number of con flour bebeath the paste was dry and flicting stories. All were from re as good as when it was milled. We liable sources. Yet, the flour that used it until we ran out of it was washed ashore in 1915, the ear about three years later. The bags ly 20's, and during the first year were of two sizes. The big bags of the Second World War no one act were pretty fancy. They were white ually knows where it came from. bags decorated with a big red star over a green cresent." During my years of interest in legends of the Lakes it has been a genuine pleasure and appreciated privilege to chat with ship masters and crew members who handled canvas or fired or wheeled on the wooden ships of a bye gone era. Always at some time during these conversat ions I have asked two questions. Where were you during the storm of 1913 and what do you know about the flour washing ashore at Inverhuron? My interest in the flour stories was re-kindled by the discovery of the MORRELL relics that were found clear across the lake.
Now, by reason of sheer logic of the fact that a man rarely forgets the year of his marriage (though he may ocassionally forget some of the anniversaries) we will follow through the story of the flour floating ashore in 1915.
Neil 'Skipper' McKinnon of the AZOV C.P. Labadie Collection Tenth Concession of Kincardine Town ship, wheeled on the passenger and package freighter SUSQUEHANNA be "No! He's right! That flour did fore the turn of the century. Apro not come off the AZOV", chimed in pos of my perenial question, he re Malcom 'Mac' McDonald, oldtime plied: "I was married in 191^. The shooner man of Goderich. "I know. next year, in the summer, I rememb The AZOV belonged to my father. She er taking the team hitched to the foundered in Lake Huron, right gravel box, down to the beach at enough, and drifted ashore at Inver Inverhuron to buy a load of flour. huron, but she drifted off again A custom's officer, I think it was and was found bottom up near Port Mac McPherson, had set up shop in Elgin and she's still there. Be an old shack to sell the bags of sides, on her last trip we loaded flour which were washing up on the lumber at Meldrum Bay on the Mani shore. Some said the flour was out toulin. She had a hold full of dry of the old schooner AZOV which had pine and a deck load of green hem foundered out on the lake. Some lock. I know! I was her mate and said not. Personally I didn't think helped load her. But I didn't sail it was. I never did hear for sure with her. When we finished loading what ship the flour was off. The there was quite a stiff onshore MAY-JUNE Page 96
PHILADELPHIA Rev. E.J. Dowling Collection
breeze kicking up, so I went ashore the steamer PHILADELPHIA of 1,600 to look for a drink. When the tons capacity, which, up bound for breeze died down they looked for me Duluth with coal, was lost by col for a day or so then sailed without lision with the steamer ALBANY off me. That was the second time sleep Pointe aux Barques, Lake Huron, on ing one off likely saved my life. November 7, 1893, both steamers go ing to the bottom in deep water Archie McDougal 1 of Kincardine, carrying 2k members of the crews to who sailed with 'Skipper' Neil's their deaths in the greatest lake father, Captain 'Howling Hughie' disaster of the decade." McKinnon aboard the schooner SEPHIE helped out. "I was on the lakes when that happened. It wasn't a THE PHILADELPHIA carried coal. schooner. I think it was an Anchor The AZOV had carried lumber. Would Line steamer that went down with it be possible that the ALBANY had that flour. I don't know just when carried flour? If it did, how did it was, but it was years after the the flour get clear across Lake ship went down away out in deep Huron from Pointe aux Barques to water that the flour came ashore. Inverhuron? There were two or three bags every little which ways all the way from Newspapers of November 8, 1893, the 7th of Kincardine clear north dateline stories from various lake to Baie d'Or." ports telling of the collision.
Modern interest in scuba diving Sand Beach, Michigan, November 8, for sunken treasure has revived in 1893...The particulars of the dis terest in old charts and lists aster off Pointe aux Barques are which indicate locations of old still meagre owing to the fact that wrecks. On one such listing there the men have been instructed by the is the following notation: "In 1868 owners to say nothing to anyone. the Anchor Line built at Buffalo The ALBANY of the Western Transite MAY-JUNE Page 97
Line was down bound with flour -for When the surf boat went out, the Buffalo. The PHILADELPHIA was up life saving crew found among the bound with coal and package freight floating wreckage, eleven bodies, for Duluth. some with broken limbs and other wise injured, but all with life The night had been fairly clear preservers on. The bodies were though there were heavy cloud banks found floating with heads and feet and the wind was blowing fresh. down. The propellor CITY OF CONCORD Both boats were making good time. assisted in looking for the bodies They had heard each other's whist until noon. Eleven bodies were re les but had no idea of any danger covered and taken aboard and were until the crash came and all was taken to Tawas. confusion. East Tawas, Michigan, November 8, The PHILADELPHIA struck the 1893...The bodies of the sailors ALBANY just forward of number 2 drowned off the steamers ALBANY and gangway, aft of the cabin doors, PHILADELPHIA were brought in here cutting her way into the ALBANY for by the CITY OF CONCORD. The captain a third of her width. The ALBANY of the CONCORD states that he dis was brought alongside and towed for covered the wreckage of the ALBANY about twenty minutes, but the sea about five o'clock yesterday morn was to heavy to make time that way, ing and that of the PHILADELPHIA so she was dropped in tow astern about half an hour later. He gives after her crew had been transferred as his opinion that at least half to the PHILADELPHIA. All steam pos of those in the yawl that capsized sible was made during the run to were rescued. the beach which was about eleven miles away. Port Huron, Michigan, November 8, 1893...Capatin A.J. McDonald of the After half an hour the ALBANY be ALBANY and twenty men from the lost gan to sink and she was cut loose steamers arrived here this morning and left to her doom. She went down on the narrow gauge. One of the in two hundred feet of water. The PHILADELPHIA'S crew said that he PHILADELPHIA ran on but the water had just come off watch and was began to make so rapidly that the smoking a cigarette when the boats small boats were lowered and manned collided. They came together with Eight of the ALBANY'S crew and six considerable force but not enough teen of the PHILADELPHIA'S men went to indicate that either boat was in boat number 1 under the command running at top speed. The PHILADEL of the First Mate of the PHILADEL PHIA was due on her course but the PHIA. The two captains with fifteen ALBANY was off her's when the lat of the ALBANY'S crew and six of the ter was struck amidships. The PHIL PHILADELPHIA'S crew got away in the ADELPHIA had exchanged signals for yawl or number 2 boat. passing and had checked her speed twice. The fog was so thick no one Frequent calls were heard by the could see ahead more than two rods. men in boat number1 for ten minutes The PHILADELPHIA could have made after they started, indicating that shore if she had not stopped to tow the men in boat number 2 had clear the ALBANY and he thinks it was a ed the wreck all right. Boat num big half hours tow before the ber I was kept up into the wind and ALBANY sank. not worked too hard and was grad ual ly pushed ashore. The sailors The ALBANY had a stowaway aboard were able to reach Pointe aux named Joe Church who comes from Barques Life Saving Station and England, a lad of sixteen. The boy they notified its captain of yawl was asleep when the collision oc number 2. MAY-JUNE Page 98
ALBANY McDonald Collection
curred and had not time to get his taining the 2k members of the com clothes on. bined crews was run down by some passing steamer. No sea was running Captain Huff of the PHILADELPHIA from the time the life boats left and First Mate George Drury of the the sinking PHILADELPHIA until the ALBANY have gone to Tawas to ident eleven bodies were picked up by the ify the dead bodies. life saving crew from Pointe aux Barques Station and yet the skulls Detroit, Michigan, November 8, of the victims were crushed and all 1893...0ne of the victims of the were more or less bruised. ALBANY-PHILADELPHIA wreck was a Detroit man. John W. Hunt, who was Chicago, Illinois, November 8, a pilot and had followed the life 1893...The shippers of the flour on of a sailor for 17 years, lived at the lost steamer PHILADELPHIA were 328 Monroe Ave., in Detroit. He the W. Carrol Company of LaCrosse, left only a short while ago to take Wisconsin; the Globe Milling Com a place on -the propellor PHILADEL pany of Waterdown; Wiley £■ Company PHIA and his wife expected him home of Appleton; and the Star and Cres last night. He was thirty - four cent Mills of Chicago. years old and besides his wife he leaves a 2? year old child. Mrs. So...a steamer, the ALBANY...not Hunt says her husband shipped as of the Anchor Line, but of the first mate of the PHILADELPHIA. Western Transit Line, carrying a cargo of flour having some bags East Tawas, Michigan, November 8, conceivably decorated with a red 1893...0wing to the horrible muti star and a green crescent, since it lation of many of the bodies of the was shipped by the Star and Cres ALBANY-PHILADELPHIA collision it is cent Mills, actually did sink 'away now believed that the lifeboat con- out in deep water.' MAY-JUNE Page 99
Could this flour regurgitated by and then flowed northeastward along the disintegrating process of the shore of the Bruce Peninsula at stress and strain of bottom cur about 0.10 mph. Water emerging from rents on the sunken ship, come to the south side of the mouth of Sag the surface, cross Lake Huron, and inaw Bay apparently contributed to wash ashore on the beach at Inver the cross-lake flow reaching the huron on the Bruce Peninsula? Would Bruce Peninsula." survivors in the two missing life boats of the DANIEL J. MORRELL have The ALBANY carrying a cargo of been picked up if a search had been Star and Crescent Mills flour sank made eastward across the lake in off Pointe aux Barques, which is stead of in the logical down- wind the south lip of the mouth of Sag di recti on? inaw Bay. The DANIEL J. MORRELL broke up in the identical position Conveniently for the question, where the ALBANY slipped beneath the Ontario Department of Lands and the waves. Government sponsered Forests in Its Research Report No. synoptic surveys indicted lake 35, Currents and Water Masses of water crosses Lake Huron from Sag Lake Huron, has provided consider inaw Bay and laves the beaches of able information. the Bruce Peninsula. The body of Saverio Grippe Crossed the lake, This report recaps the informat borne by this current, in twelve ion of three synoptic cruises which days. collected data from 263 stations on Lake Huron. Graphs, replete with Therefore we cannot be accused of arrows, indicate surface currents. brazen, impudent boldness for re Comparison of the surveys results porting things so fabulous and in in the following conclusions: "... credible when we finally assume here it was moving at 0.10 mph and that the fancily decorated star and was indicated to entrain water from crescent bags of flour purchased by the south side of Saginaw Bay. This 'Skipper' McKinnon at Inverhuron in water crossed Station 32 and Stat 1915 were from the ill-fated ALBANY ion 38 , turned briefly southeast which sank in 1893. Data: MARINE GALLERY
CITY OF WINDSOR (C154463). Built in 1929 at Lauzon, Quebec by Davie. Hull #501. Her dimensions were 242 x 40 x 2k. A steel package freighter that was owned by the Canada Steamship Lines. Scrapped at Hamilton in 1961.
ELGIN, ex GLENGELDIE (C.145518). Built in 1923 at Newcastle, England by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Her dimensions are 252 x 42.5 x 18. A steel bulk freighter (canaller) owned by: (1) Glen Line (2) Hall Corp. (3) Canada Steamship Lines. Disposition is not known by the editor.
MARTIAN (a) NEPTUNE (b) WILLIAM M. CONNELLY (C.175995). Built in 1901 at Lorain, Ohio by the American Shipbuilding Co., hull #305. Her dimensions are 346 x 48 x 28. Originally a bulk freighter she was converted to a package freighter by C.S.L. in 1949. Her owners have been (1) Gilchrist Transportation Co. (2) Interlake Steamship Co. (3) Delores Steamship Co. (4) Canada Steamship Lines. Inactive this year.
Continued on page 118.
m a y -june Page 104 From Out of the Past by Rev. E. J. Dowling S. J.
Through the courtesy of William A. McDonald, the picture of the Freighter THOMAS ADAMS together with the handwriting around the picture is reprinted because of the interesting story told in that writing.
Many of us ship fans have aspired to a trip on a freighter and have never had it. The writer of this postcard was fortu nate in having such a trip away back in 1905 when the THOMAS ADAMS was only three years old. Here is the contents of the writing.
COVER PHOTO: See page 105. MAY-JUNE Page 105
Toledo, Ohio September 8, 1905
Dear Nellie: Arrived home last Friday. Found your letter and postal. I have received two other cards from you; this is all I have heard from you for over a month.
This Is a picture of the dear old boat on which we had our fine trip to Duluth. I took it just as we left it, after boarding John Craig's steam yacht "EDITH" at the mouth of the Detroit River. The boat went on to Lo rain and we came home on the "EDITH".
I did not mention your letter of this week. It came and I will answer on Sunday.
Love Cordelia
The postcard was written to Miss Nellie Cobliegh, 340 Lafay ette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Evidently Miss Cordelia had a pleasent trip, and incidentally knew how to take a good ship picture, and must have had a good camera at least for those days.
The THOMAS ADAMS (US. 145937) was built at Toledo in 1902 by the Craig Shipbuilding Company (Hull #8 9) for the Adams Trans portation Company of Detroit. Her dimensions were 368 x 50 x 28 3528 gross tons and 2665 net tons. Her identical sister vessel was the GEORGE L. CRAIG. Both ships sailed in the Adams line until 1916 when they passed to the Cleveland Cliffs fleet. The THOMAS ADAMS was later renamed CLETUS SCHNEIDER and survived until 1962 when she was scrapped in Canada. The photograph of the CLETUS SCHNEIDER was taken on the St. Clair River in 1946. According to the Great Lakes Register, this ship, while still named THOMAS ADAMS, had her home port as HAMTRAMCK, Michigan.
Craig's yacht EDITH (US. 201153) was also built at Toledo by Craig if Hull #97) and was a steel, steam yacht. Her dimensions were 99 x 16.5 x 8, 67 gross tons. She was completed in 1904. Craig sold her to Chicagoians who renamed her MANZANITA, c.1908 She drops out of the U.S. Merchant Vessel list in 1914, « e GREAT LAKES MARITIME INSTITUTE c u v d t l \ £ MARINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF DETROIT again join in presenting
Our special guest this year will be the f o r m e r Marine Editor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and
well known GREAT LAKES AUTHOR DWIGHT BOTER Mr. Boyer's book, GREAT STORIES OF THE GREAT LAKES has received wide acclaim. Now he has written another ; GHOST SHIPS OF THE GREAT LAKES
. . . and that is what this dinner is all about . Friday night -Sept.20,1968 6pm Bar (Dutch Treat) 7pm Steak Dinner $5.oo Per Person AT the HARMONIE CLUB a t DETROIT
Full information on the location of the Harmon i e Club, and a map, will be sent along with tickets MAY-JUNE Page 107 The BETHLEHEM Fleet by Rev. E. J. Dowling S. J.
The Bethlehem Transportation Company was established in 1925 to carry the ores of the Bethlehem Steel Company* Eight ships were acquired, six from the former Johnstown Steamship Company which had been operated by the M. A* Hanna Company and two from the former Beaver Steamship Company that had been managed by H. K. Oakes of Cleveland. Mr Oakes was retained by Bethlehem to manage the new fleet. At this time, the three vessels of the Franklin Steamship Company of which Mr. Oakes had also been manager, were added to the Bethlehem fleet. In 1927*two vessels of the Cambria Steamship Company joined the fleet and in 1930, three vessels of the Mahoning Steamship Company were added to the growing fleet. The Cambria and Mahoning vessels had been operated by the M.A. Hanna Company. In the 1940's, three crane ships were acquired and operated for Bethlehem by Boland and Cornelius, some of whose vessels had been carrying Bethlehem's finished steel products. In 1943, Bethlehem secured two new freighters from the U.S. Maritime Commission in exchange for three older vessels. Two small freighters were purchased and three new super-freighters were built in the fifties. In 1966 another U.S. Maritime Commission class freighter joined the fleet. Fot its marginal interest, we must note that one former World War "Laker" was operated in the 1930's by Bethlehem's ocean and coastwise fleet, the Ore Steamship Company. In May of 1968, Bethlehem awarded a contract to Lytton Industries for a large bulk freighter. There follows an alphabetical listing of the thirty Bethlehem related freighters. CAMBRIA Richards Collection
EDWARD J. BERWIND, Built In 1924 at River Rouge, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull #247) for the Franklin Steamship Company, managed by Bethlehem, 1925 to 1936. Dimensions are: 594 x 62 x 32. In 1963 she was renamed MATHEW ANDREWS lii. Still in service in the M.A. Hanna fleet.
BETHLEHEM (ex MIDVALE), Built in 1917 at Ashtabula, Ohio by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull #167) for the Johns town Steamship Co. Dimensions are: 580 x 50 x 32. She was repowered in 1951. Still in service in the fleet.
MAX M. BROAD (ex WILLIAM P. PALMER i). Built in 1900 at Cleve land by the American Shipbuilding Company (Hull #400). Dimensions are: 242 x 42 x 26. Operated by Boland and Cornelius in the early Thirties carrying Bethlehem steel products. She was briefly painted in Bethlehem colors. She was later the SIDNEY E. SMITH. She was abandoned and scrapped in 1936.
CAMBRIA (ex E.H. UTLEY). Built in 1910 at Wyandotte, Michigan by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company (Hull #184). Dimen sions are: 504 x 54 x 31. She joined the original fleet in 1925» coming from the Beaver Steamship Company. Con verted into a craneship in the late Fifties. Present ly in service in the fleet. MAY-JUNE Page 109
C0RN0RE (ex CORNUCOPIA). Built in 1919 at Manitowoc by the Man itowoc Shipbuilding Company (Hull#104). Standard "Laker" built for the U.S. Shipping Board. Dimensions are: 251 x 43 x 23. Acquired in 1930 by Bethlehem's ocean and coast wise fleet, the Ore Steamship Company. Sold Norwegian in 1937 and renamed BELIZE. She was reported overdue and missing at sea, December, 1941 and presumed lost.
WILLIAM H. DONNER Dossin Collection
CORNWALL (See STEELTON 1).
WILLIAM H. DONNER. Built in 1914 at Ashtabula by the Great Lake Engineering Works (Hull #134). Dimensions are: 504 x 54 x 30. Built for the Mahoning Steamship Company and oper ated by Bethlehem since 1930. Converted into a crane ship about 1957. Presently in service in the fleet.
ELBA. Built in 1907 at Cleveland, Ohio by the American Ship building Company (Hull #440) for the Lackawanna Steam - ship Company. Dimensions are: 440 x 52 x 28. Acquired by Bethlehem in 1947 and converted into a craneship. She has been inactive for the last few years. MAY-JUNE Page 110
EMORY L. FORD. Built In 1916 at Lorain, Ohio by the American Shipbuilding Company (Hull #715). Dimensions are: 580 x 60 x 32. Operated by Bethlehem for the Franklin Steam ship Company, 1925 to 1936. Later RAYMOND H. REISS, 1965 Converted to diesel power in 1966. In service in the Reiss fleet.
LEONARD C. HANNA. Built in 1905 at Cleveland, Ohio by the Amer ican Shipbuilding Company (Hull #425). Dimensions are: 504 x 54 x 30. Operated by Bethlehem for the Mahoning Steamship Company, 1930 to 1966. Sold for scrapping in Europe in 1967.
FRED G. HARTWELL 11. Built in 1922 at Lorain, Ohio by the Amer ican Shipbuilding Company (Hull #781). Dimensions are: 596 x 64 x 33. Operated by Bethlehem for the Franklin Steamship Company, 1925 to 1936. Later renamed MATTHEW ANDREWS ii and Canadian GEORGE M. CARL 1i. In service in Misener fleet.
ARTHUR B. HOMER. Built in 1959 at River Rouge, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull #303) for the fleet. Dimensions are: 712 x 75 x 39. Presently is flagship for the fleet.
JOHNSTOWN i (See LEHIGH i).
JOHNSTOWN ii. Built in 1952 at Sparrows Point, Maryland by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company (Hull #4504). Original dimensions were: 611 x 70 x 34. She was lengthened in 1958 to 683 feet. Presently in fleet. Also see page 2 in the January, 1968 issue of TELESCOPE.
LACKAWANNA (ex EDWIN E. SLICK, ex DANIEL B. MEACHAM). Built in 1908 at Ecorse, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull #43). Dimensions are: 530 x 56 x 31. Joined the original Bethlehem fleet In 1925# coming from the Johnstown Steamship Company. Sold to the Buckeye Steam ship Company and Is still operating under the same name.
LAGONDA. Built in 1896 at West Bay City by the F. W. Wheeler Company (Hull #115) for Mitchell £• Company. Dimensions are: 375 X 45 x 24. Converted into a craneship in the late Twenties. Purchased in 1941 and operated for Beth lehem by Boland & Cornelius until scrapped in 1958. LEETSDALE Author's Collection
LEBANON (ex EFFINGHAM B. MORRIS, ex JOSIAH G. MUNRO). Built at Ecorse, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works (Hull #33). Dimensions are: 530 x 56 x 31. Joined the original Bethlehem fleet in 1925 coming into the fleet from the Johnstown Steamship Company. Sold in 1967 for scrapping in Europe.
LEETSDALE (ex W.D. REES). Built in 1896 at Cleveland, Ohio by the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company(Hu11 #23). Dimensions are: 396 x 45 x 23. Purchased in 1952 from the T.J. Mc Carthy Steamship Company and operated until about 1955. Scrapped at Lackawanna, New York in 1956.
LEHIGH i (ex WILLIAM A. ROGERS). Built in 1905 at Lorain, Ohio by the American Shipbuilding Company (Hull #337). Dimen sions are: 525 x 55 x 31. Joined the original Bethlehem fleet in 1925 coming into the fleet from the Johnstown Steamship Company. Renamed Johnstown In 1943 when traded to the U.S. Maritime Commission for new tonnage. Oper ated by Bethlehem until 1946. Scrapped at Hamilton in 1950.
LEHIGH ii (ex MESABI). Built in 1943 at River Rouge, Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works. Standard U.S. Mar itime Commission bulk freighter of design #L6-S-B1. Dimensions are: 605 x 60 x 35. Acquired by Bethlehem in exchange for old tonnage. Presently in service in fleet. ML SEAWAY NEWS GREAT LAKES
E d it o r
E d i t o r ; Frederic E. Weber 11400 Balfour Road, Detroit, Mich 48224
Seaway News Editor; George Ayoub
Cor respondent s
George Ayoub; Ottawa Edwin Sprenge ler; Milwaukee Barry Gillham; Toronto Otto Strek; Detroit Dan M. Weber; Toledo
A p r i l 1 5 ...British freighter CAIRNGOWAN ( a .MANCHESTER ENGINEER) is the first salty to arrive in the Duluth-Superior Harbor in 1968.
A p r i l 2 0 ...High winds and seas running eight to ten feet high in western Lake Superior caused damage to two vessels attempting to enter taconite ports on Minnesota’s North Shore. Interlake’s HARRY COULBY damaged plates on her port bow while docking at Taconite Harbor. The MIDDLETOWN ( a.NESC- HANIC, b. GULFOIL, c. PIONEER CHALLENGER) of the Columbia Fleet did like wise at Silver Bay. Both vessels proceeded to Superior for repairs.
May I...The tanker WILLOWBRANCH collided with the pier at Beauharnois, Quebec, and suffered some damage.
...SHIERCLIFFE HALL is laid up at Toronto, Ontario.
May 2 ...Laborers working on the new Poe Lock at the Soo, have walked off the job, raising fears that dedication of the new lock may be postponed. The planned dedication is July 13, put off from June 15 because of earlier del ays.
...BLUE RIVER (a.REDCHIEF) towed from Toronto to Hamilton to be scrapped at Strathearne Terminals by United Scrap Metal.
...At American Ship Building Co.’s Lorain yard ground breaking ceremonies took place at their new drydock. It will be 925 ft. long and 125 ft. wide.
May J...The work stoppage by tugmen against Great Lakes Towing on the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio is still continuing. The stoppage started on the afternoon of April 28.
May 4 ...At Lorain, Ohio, American Ship Building Co. will launch the Coast Guard Cutter VIGOROUS, the last of a series of seven 210=foot ships.
. . . STERNCLIFFE HALL is laid up at Toronto, Ontario.
May 5 . . . The 709-foot Norwegian ROLWI, the largest salty ever to enter the Great Lakes, was given a welcome ‘ f i t f o r a k i n g ’ at the Duluth Port Termi nal. In addition to a welcoming delegation that included local marine, civic and governmental leaders, the ROLWI was visited by King Olav V, King of Norway, currently on a tour of the United States. MAY-JUNE Page 113
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
SHIERCLIFFE HALL and STERNECLIFFE HALL at Toronto, May, 1968
Photo by SKIP GILLHAM
May 6 ...At Bay City, Mich, the German freighter, FLENSBURG, unloaded two 35-ton propellers to be used on two U.S. research ships being built at Defoe Shipbuilding Co. A Defoe spokesman said they are cycloidal propellers and will enable the ship to perform precision manuevering. These propellers hang vertically from the fore and aft of the ship and direction may be reversed without reversing the engine as with conventional propellers.
May 7 . . .BLANCHE HINDMAN (a.THEODORE H. WICKWIRE, b.HARRY YATES) downdound at the Welland Canal for Quebec City and eventual scrapping in Europe.
...Penn-Central’s new coal dock at Ashtabula, Ohio went into action today. The shiploader has a rated capacity of 6,000 tons-per-hour.
...The Corps of Engineers will hold a public hearing in Chicago June 7 on the study the Engineers are making regarding feasibility of extending the navigation season on the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes.
May 8 ...Foundation Maritime Ltd., will be taken over by Marine Industries Ltd. , and operated under the name of MIL. Tug & Salvage Ltd, Marine Indust ries Ltd., in turn, is owned by General Investments Corp., a semi - autonom ous agency of the Quebec government.
May 9 ...LAKE MANITOBA, was launched at Lauzon by Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., for Nipigon Transports Ltd. She is expected to be in service this summer.
May 1 0 ,..The tug G. W. GEARY is being scrapped in Toronto, Ontario.
...Inland Steel’s P H IL IP D. BLOCK returned to service after being fitted with a new bow-thruster at Fraser Shipyards, Superior, Wisconsin. MAY-JUNE Page 114
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
May 1 1 ...The bulk-carrier CHARLES E. DUNLAP ( a . L .M . BOWERS) of the Tomlin son Fleet, has been sold to the Vitamin Capsule Corp., of Buffalo, N.Y. No other details were given.
May 1 3 . . . Geo. T. Davie Ltd., at Lauzon, a division of Canadian Vickers Ltd. of Montreal, is being sold to Davie Shipbuilding Ltd., a subsidiary of Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. , which is planning to close down the shipyard.
May 1 4 ...Sun Oil Co. has ordered a 300-foot tank barge that will be self- propelled by two 800-H.P. outboard diesel engines. In the summer it will run between Sunoco’s Toledo refinery to the terminals at Erie, Buffalo and Utica. In the winter she will run coastwise.
...The work stoppage by tugmen in the Cuyahoga River continues. Removal of the tugs to the yard of the Great Lakes Towing, has led some observers to predict a long strike.
May 1 5 . . . ALGOCEN ( a . JOHN J . BARLUM) down bound the Welland Canal under her own power headed for Quebec City, Europe, and the scrap pile.
...Shortly before midnight, in a fog, just off the Lime Island Coal Dock in the St. Marys River, the M/V WHEAT KING ( a.LLANDAFF) and the ore-carrier HOMER D. WILLIAMS col 1ided. At the time of the col 1ision the WHEAT KING was downbound, with 12,000 tons of grain for Halifax. The WILLIAMS was up bound light. In the collision the WHEAT KING apparently caught the WILLIAMS on her starboard side just aft of amidships. A hole was punched in the side of the WILLIAMS and the protruding bow of the WHEAT KING caught the fore- ward part of the aftercabin on the WILLIAMS causing damage there and to a lifeboat. The WILLIAMS was to proceed to Calcite, Mich, for temporary repairs and then move to Lorain, Ohio for drydock work. The WHEAT KING will proceed to Port Weller, Ontario, for repairs to her bow.
...Due to the weather, another incident took place near the De Tour light when a scraping took place between the J.E.UPSON and JOSHUA HATFIELD.
May 1 7 ...The old excursion boat CANADIANA, moored in the Old River at Clev eland, Ohio, has been sold by the Maritime Administration to Jim Vince, for $3,600. He will make a resturant and nightclub out of the old girl. ...The Toronto-bound ferry THOMAS RENNIE carrying passengers from Ward’s Island rammed a 60-foot loaded barge during dense fog in Toronto Harbor. No one on the ferry was injured but a member of the barge crew suffered slight bruises.
May 1 8 . , .HILLSDALE ( a , CALDERA, h. A .T .K IN N E Y ) cleared Toronto under her own power for Quebec City and the scrap yard in Europe.
May 2 0 . . . SOODOC ( a . MOSES TAYLOR) downbound in the Seaway under tow of tugs GREAME STEWART and SALVAGE MONARCH.
May 2 1 ,,.CSL s newest bulk-carrier, FRONTENAC, made her maiden trip through the Seaway loaded with iron ore for Hamilton, Ontario.
May 22...The Greyhound Corp. is negotiating with the Georgian Bay Line Inc. of Chicago, Illinois, for acquisition of that company. MAY-JUNE Page 115
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
SOODOC at Iroquois, Ont. May 19, 1968 tow of tugs GRAEME STEW
ART and SALVAGE MONARCH. p h o to by george A youb
...While on her way to Escanaba, Mich., for a load of iron ore, the JOSEPH BLOCK ( a . ARTHUR H . HAWGOOD) grounded on a shoal at the Porte des Morts passage into Green Bay. The tug ARROW, of Roen Steamship Co., assisted the JOSEPH BLOCK in freeing herself. The cutter WOODBINE and the E . J . BLOCK (a. W.R.WOODFORD, b. N,F.LEOPOLD) were escorting her to the shipyards at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, under her own power.
Hay 23,, .The Na-iional Harbors Board tug SIR HUGH ALLEN laid up in Montreal, and is to be sold at auction. Built in 1911, the 130-foot steam tug has been based at Montreal Harbor throughout her career.
May 2 4 . ..Dedication of the new Poe Lock at the Soo has been postponed in- definately as a result of continuing work stoppage there.
...An ailing seaman was copter-lifted from the J.F. SCHOELLKOPF JR. (a.HUGH KENNEDY) to a St. Joseph, Michigan hospital.
May 2 5 ...M/V. NORMAN McLEOD ROGERS was launched at Montreal by Canadian Vickers Ltd., for Canadian Coast Guard Service. The combination icebreaker and supply ship will be the forst icebreaker to use gas turbine electric propulsion for booster power. Statistics: 295’x 62!x 20’; 6300 tons displa cement, 12,000 hp; 15 knots, and carrying a crew of 55.
May 27...The Harbor Commission of Milwaukee, Wis. has received an applicat ion from the Wisconsin and Michigan Steamship Co., operator of the MIL= WAUKEE CLIPPER (a. JUNIATA), to extend its lease of the municipal passe nger pier for another year. The company said the CLIPPER probably would be phased out by next year and possibly replaced by the AQUARAMA ( a . MARINE STAR). The AQUARAMA is now in the shipyard. MAY-JUNE Page 116
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
hal ph mscm
M/V RALPH MISENER at Iroquois, Ontario on June 16, 1968, on maid
en trip through seaway. pho to by george ayoub
June 1...M/V RALPH MISENER was launched at Canadian Vickers Ltd., at Mont real for Misener Steamships Ltd. Hie new seIf-unloader is the first vessel to be equipped with a ‘Conflow’ automatic unloading system. Weighing 850 tons, the unloading system can discharge up to 4000 tons of minerals per hour, or 3000 tons of grain in a like time.
June 2 ...The Greek freighter CASTALIA rammed the north abutment of the Mackinac Bridge in a heavy fog. No visibke damage was done to the bridge, but divers were to examine the underwater portions of the structure just to be sure. The ship took on some water in her forepeak, but was able to con tinue en-route to Chicago unassisted.
June 5. -The 72-year-old Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company has been sold for an undisclosed sum to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Inc.
...The USS O ’ CALLAHAN is conducting preliminary acceptance trials on Lake Huron in an area north of a line from Port Austin to Port Elgin.
" ^ t riC a n ShiPbuilding Company completed purchase of the JOSEPH BLOCK ( a , ARTHUR H. HAWGOOD) from the underwriters. She was abandoned by inland Steel to the underwriters after she suffered severe bottom damage to yI plates when she ran aground May 22nd.
' 1‘Tt'0 l 0HN T * HUTCHINSON and the German freighter SUSANNE R E IT H collided
HUTCH TN^nN ° t t t, SV, she had also been a visitor as British MAY-JUNE Page 117
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
JUNE 1 3...Defoe Shipbuilding Co pany, Bay City, Michigan, received a $16.2 million Navy contract for 22 utility landing craft.
...The Coast Guard curtailed all traffic along an 18-mile stretch of the Detroit River for more than six hours when a highly inflammable industrial gas was discovered escaping from a 1200-foot deep storage well at Wyandotte Chemical Company. The entire river was closed for more than an hour and a half as the gas began moving across the Trenton Channel toward an unoccup ied area of Grosse Ile, downriver from Detroit.
June 1 5 ...The new 8000-ton ferry AMBROSE SHEA, built at Sorel by Marine Industries, Ltd., for the Department of Transport, went into service be tween North Sydney, N.S. and Port aux Basques, Nfld. She is operated by the Canadian National Railways.
...The icebreaker MACKINAW will take a total of 10.7 Coast Guard Academy Cadets in two groups through the Great Lakes this summer for training.
June 17...The ore carrier LEHIGH (a. MESABI) was towed into Superior, Wis., by a sister ship of the Bethlehem fleet, the JOHNSTOWN. Her engines failed five miles off Eagle Harbor, Mich. Repairs will take atiout five days.
...The Australian guided missile destroyer HOBART, built by Defoe at Bay City, Michigan, was the victim of an apparent stray American missile off Vietnam.
...The appointment of Mr. Allan Luce as Director of Operations was announc ed by the St. Lawrence Authority. The appointment, effective September 1, will replace Robert J. Burnside who will retire from the post he has held since the Seaway opening in 1959.
June 19...The St. Lawrence Seaway Authority announced in Ottawa that ves sels would not be allowed to enter the system after 8 A.M. (e.s.t.) on June 21 because of the pending strike.
June 21...The St. Lawrence Seaway closed today as 1200 workers, members of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Transport and General Workers went on strike at 8 A.M. Ahout 71 ocean-going ships were believed to be trapped in the system, and many more on the Great Lakes. No meeting between parties are being held.
June 22...The WILLIAM J. OLCOTT has been bought by American Ship Building Company and will join the Buckeye Fleet. The OLCOTT, now laid up at Milwau kee, Wis., last sailed in 1960. She was sold by the Great Lakes Fleet of U. S. Steel. She will be towed to Chicago soon, to be prepared for operat ion, possibly in the 1969 season.
June 2 6 ...The Toronto Harbor Commission are seeking two old lakers about 300 foot length that are scheduled to be sold for scrap, for use as break waters in the outer harbor. Cost will be limited to $25,000 per ship.
June 28... Commencing on or about July 1, and continuing throughout the sum mer, King Construction Company of Holland, Michigan will be engaged in sal vage operations over the wreck of the CEDARVILLE in the Mackinac Straits. MAY-JUNE Page 118
GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS
MISCELLANEOUS
Bayswater Shipping Ltd., of Brockville, Ont., has folded and taken over by the Industrial Bank of Canada. Thier two ships may be sold or scrapped. BAYFAIR (a. COALHAVEN) was towed from Brockville to Cornwall drydock on April 29, by the tugs GRAEME STEWART and JAMES BATTLE.
BAYGEORGE (a. IOCOMA; b. IMPERIAL WHITBY; c. GEORGE S. CLEET) is presently laid up in the old Galops Lock near Cardinal, Ontario.
R.O. PETMAN ( a . E.B. OSLER; b. OSLER) passed through Iroquois Lock, April 11, on her way overseas for scrapping.
LOADMASTER (a . NORMAN 3. MacPHERSON) a f ormer canaller converted to a hopper barge, has been transferred by St. John S.E.&D.D Co. Ltd., to Engin eering Consultants Ltd., both of St, John, N.B., during 1967.
HUDSON TRADER ( a . RAHANE; b . A.A. HUDSON) formerly in lakes service, has been transferred from Hudson Shipping & Trading Ltd., Nassau, Bahamas, to Royal Marine Transport S.A., Panama.
O IL TRANSPORT, ( a . TRANSOIL; b. O IL TRANSPORTER) tanker owned by Hall Corp. of Montreal has been renamed WIT, and transferred to Hamilton, Bermuda, registry, April 29. (WIT is a derivation of ‘Water in Transit’ ).
The Canadian tug KAM, formerly owned by Abitibi Paper Company, Ltd. , .of Toronto, has been renamed GULF IV Y by her owners, Puerto Petroleum Carriers Ltd., of Vancouver, B. C.
continued from page 99.
RENVOYLE (C. 126836). Built in 1910 at Pt. Glasgow, Scotland by the Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Works, hull #291, Her dimensions are 250 x 42.7 x 18.6. A steel bulk freighter that was later converted to a package freighter by C.S.L. Owners are (1) Point Ann Quarries Ltd. (2) Canadian Interlake Lines (3) Canada Steamship Lines. Sold for scrapping in 1967. GREAT LAKES AND SEAWAY NEWS I RNPR a Ioui, n. Arl 5 1965. 15, April Ont., Iroquois, at TRANSPORT OIL AGOG t l aosLc, adnl Ot Arl 8 1968. 18, April Ont. Cardinal, Lock,Galops at Old BAYGEORGE AFI en twd fromBrockville towed being BAYFAIR tugs GRAEME STEWART and JAMES BATTLE. andJAMES STEWART tugsGRAEME oCrwl 2 pi 1968by 29April to Cornwall ht b RNL BEAUPRE RONALD by Photo ht b HOWARD KIRKBY by Photo hot y ERE AYOUB GEORGE by to o Ph X o 1 , . 0 O co Ho o 3 • 1 *00 CO • CO Ho c 3 3 Ho *Q CO d CO o 0 3 *»S Ho Ho 3 Ho **H 3 Vo 0 Ho c CO Ho Vo C a kj o 0 3 C 3 0 0 Ho 3 Ho c d TJ i 5 Ho **H O Ho 3 6 3 3 b o c 3 C Q 3 Ho 3 * 3 CO 3 3 O 3 Vo 3 O Ho Ho Ho * 9 6 ^ co 3 * s 3 CO 0 • d o a ; Vo 3 O CO o to CO 0 Ho 3 3 0 a 0 3 Vo • d o HO Ho a •* Q 0 O Ho 3 3 a Vo 3 to Ho CO ■*H 3 0 Ho Ho 0 0 a **H Vo • d Ho GREAT LAKES MARITIME INSTITUTE ’ *H 3 ^ o 0 "tJ 0 Ho 3 Ho 3 3 u o 3 3 •C d CO Vo g CO 3 Ho c 0 0 c o 0 CO 3 Ho 3 3 0 Ho - d DIRECTORS o Ho »“ f 3 3 i d 3 **H 3 a CO a 3 Ho t o ho Ho 5 3 (Terms expire in 1969) 3 Vo 3 **H H •*H Vo 3 o •C 3 £ Vo Ho 0 3 '00 3 Ho > o CO o