Historical Perspective

[Jon Paul]

Jon Paul-Thanks for the shout-out. She was a good boat. She wasn't the Clarke, but I enjoyed the year I sailed on the Watson. It was a different way of life between the two. The Clarke was- "go, go, go." The Watson was a lot more laid back. We still got our work done, but it wasn't as pressing.

I hear what your saying garbear. I was on the Sensibar in '74 and running mostly coal trips from Toledo to Tonawanda, NY (just north of Buffalo). We loaded at the older coal docks (dumpers) which meant lots of shifting and with all the hatches she had it was hectic. By the time we buttoned up the deck and a quick hose down, we got a good nights sleep and then we were up to make the Black Rock Lock in the Niagara River and 90 minutes later we made the dock at the Niagara Mohawk Power Plant in N. Tonawanda, NY. Occasionally we had a stone load from Stoneport to break the cycle.

[Bookworm]

Jon Paul, thank you for posting these excellent historical photos! I look forward to seeing more.

[garbear]

Jon Paul-Thanks for the shout-out. She was a good boat. She wasn't the Clarke, but I enjoyed the year I sailed on the Watson. It was a different way of life between the two. The Clarke was- "go, go, go." The Watson was a lot more laid back. We still got our work done, but it wasn't as pressing.

[Jon Paul]

Scenes form the St. Clair/Detroit River 1975-1979 - Part 1

[Jon Paul]

Scenes for the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers 1975-1979 - Part 1

[Steamchief]

The picture of the EM Ford was taken in 1991 sometime between May 24 and July 27 at Fraser Shipyard. We brought the "test load" for the not yet finished Alpena. Capt. Ron Aikins rang up "Finished with Engine" at 1513 on May 24, 1991 at Fraser. I was 2nd Assistant and I answered the bells coming in that afternoon. There were lots of bells while we plowed into the mud. The log book reads "stuck in mud about 8' off dock Fwd 14" list" I left that day for a few weeks on the Crapo. During my time away, the EM unloaded into the Alpena and then went into the drydock for her 5 year. The Alpena unloaded the load into the Superior terminal and went on to start her career as the flagship of the fleet. When the EM came out of drydock, she went back to the dock in the picture. Her fleetmate, the Paul H Townsend took her place in drydock. I arrived back in Superior on 27th 1991 just past midnight with the ink still wet on my brand new 1st Assistant Engineer license. We fired up the EM Ford that day and sailed her to Green Bay with the Townsend's crew for what was supposed to be a long layup due to the new Alpena being out with greater capacity. We arrived at Leichts south dock in Green Bay 0327 on July 30, 1991. She was back out again for one of many more times on Sept 4th 1991. Most of those trips though the 1994 season I sailed her.

[mn brett]

Hi pcolachap, I would like to see Your pictures!,I'm not very good but I will try to help.
Hit Post reply
below the page You just wrote on and below upload attachment
and beside Filename hit Browse
that will bring You to your pictures,
double click You selected picture
add to file. submit.
it may say picture to big,than You need to resize it,
I am going to try a picture,
good luck Mike! mn brett
I had to resize the picture.
go to your pictures,
select the picture,but right click the picture,
click resize,mine said 100 and 100,click the 100
and backspace,than put in 40,if that is to small go to 50,
than save the resize,than go back to Boatnerd page and start over with browse. good luck again Mike

[Guest]

I would vote that it is the Crapo. The Harriman had larger funnels on the stern.

[pcolachap]

A few more pictures from quite a while ago. The first is from Manitowoc in 1936. It's taken from the Otto Reiss by my father who was a watchman at the time. Another era! The second was taken by me at the end of the George M. Humphrey's first Seaway trip, entering Ashtabula harbor in late July of 1959. The two coal docks & the ore dock on the right were taken down in the late 60s to provide for the construction of the new Conrail coal dock. This is the one that will be mouthballed this coming summer. I would guess between these three pictured docks there were almost a 150 jobs. All gone now. My how times have changed! Best regards, Mike

Moderator, can you help me with downloading these pictures? Thanks, Mike

[Al]

File comment: I thought this was the E.M. Ford, but after looking at the stern, I don't think it is. Not sure of the identity but it looks like a cement boat.

It is either the S. T. Crapo or Lewis G. Harriman (built as John W. Boardman). I'm going with the shorter Harriman.

Now that you mention it, I think this might be the Crapo. I don't recall the Harriman ever coming to Duluth, but I think the Crapo did once or twice. Since this boat is steaming away at a slight angle from the camera, it appears shorter than it actually was. And I'm sure I would have turned out on a cold day to shoot the Crapo.

I went through my files just now and that silhouette of a cement boat is filed with other photos of the S.T. Crapo, which apparently made just the one visit to Duluth those years. I have no photos of the Harriman, so you can rule out that boat.

[Guest]

File comment: I thought this was the E.M. Ford, but after looking at the stern, I don't think it is. Not sure of the identity but it looks like a cement boat.

It is either the S. T. Crapo or Lewis G. Harriman (built as John W. Boardman). I'm going with the shorter Harriman.

I agree Mr. Lafferty!

In the photo of the E. M. Ford and Alpena at Fraser, were these ships in there for a temporary layup? I ask because both have their steering poles in the stowed position. Or is this done for some reason when ships go into the shipyard? Also, does the E. M. Ford have a slight list?

[Al]

File comment: I thought this was the E.M. Ford, but after looking at the stern, I don't think it is. Not sure of the identity but it looks like a cement boat.

It is either the S. T. Crapo or Lewis G. Harriman (built as John W. Boardman). I'm going with the shorter Harriman.

Now that you mention it, I think this might be the Crapo. I don't recall the Harriman ever coming to Duluth, but I think the Crapo did once or twice. Since this boat is steaming away at a slight angle from the camera, it appears shorter than it actually was. And I'm sure I would have turned out on a cold day to shoot the Crapo.

[William Lafferty]

File comment: I thought this was the E.M. Ford, but after looking at the stern, I don't think it is. Not sure of the identity but it looks like a cement boat.

It is either the S. T. Crapo or Lewis G. Harriman (built as John W. Boardman). I'm going with the shorter Harriman.

[Al]

What better way to ward off the cold than to gaze upon a cement boat? In Duluth in the '80s, the most commonly seen cement boat was the J.A.W. Iglehart. She was later replaced by the Alpena. The common story was that the Huron fleet wanted a newer hull for its Lake Superior runs. I don't remember how the Iglehart used to do it, but the Alpena typically would unload part of a cargo at the Superior terminal and then proceed, sometimes in reverse, to the Duluth terminal to finish unloading. Apparently in later years a sediment ridge would build up in front the Duluth terminal, and making the boat lighter made it easier to back into the slip there.

[mccollochd]

Regarding the photo of the William G. Mather licensed crew members taken in March of 1941, the 2nd Engineer, Ed Crehan, was Chief Engineer on the Mather for the 1967 shipping season when I was sailing as a Porter. We laid up in Buffalo and after they paid off the deck crew, Ed gave me a few more days of work in the Engine Room. I believe Ed was near the end of his sailing career, I think he retired off the Mather in 1968.

[JohnH]

Here is a photo from Life Magazine showing an aerial view of the ships entering the Duluth harbor. I have darkened it some so the ice is more visible. It appears that the Mather is already in the harbor, so these vessels must be those following. I would say that that picture that AL posted of the Mather entering was indeed taken that day in March. In the distance it looks like 3 other vessels and a tug out there.

[Duluth Guest]

That does indeed look like the galant old Cadillac lining up behind the Mather......so cool!

[Al]

I've had this photo in my collection for many years. There are no notes on it but I'm reasonably sure it is a picture of the 1941 procession arriving at Duluth.

[JohnH]

Here is a link to that Life Magazine Article in the April 28, 1941 issue., pages 42-44

https://books.google.com/books?id=tkwEA ... uth&f=true

[Guest]

Regarding the photo of the William G. Mather licensed crew members taken in March of 1941, the 2nd Mate, Ray Provost, was 1st Mate on the Michigan for the 1949
shipping season. I was sailing as an A.B. Deckwatch, and remember him well.
Ken Fountain