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Imperial oil had a fleet of canal ships that travelled all the lakes and old seaway. I can remember being aboard the coalhaven with my dad in the 1050s and making two or three trips to Wallaceberg beet plant with coal from Sandusky. I also remember going down the old seaway and the mate being on the bow calling out feet to end of lock and the captain calling for more on the snub wire .

[quote="Guest"]What were the primary trading patterns for the canal-sized freighters owned by Canadian fleets prior to the Seaway opening? Did they mostly operate between Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River ports? I believe one of the primary trading patterns for grain prior to the Seaway was to have it hauled down from Lake Superior ports to places like Kingston, Ontario to be reloaded onto canal-sized ships that could carry it down the St. Lawrence River. Were there any that never came any further east than the Welland Canal? I realize some smaller ships operated on the upper lakes in package freight and into smaller ports such as Wallaceburg, Ontario but was just wondering how common these ships were in places such as the St. Clair and St. Marys Rivers.[/quote]

I remember seeing them unloading salt at the salt dock here in Duluth in the 80s.

What were the primary trading patterns for the canal-sized freighters owned by Canadian fleets prior to the Seaway opening? Did they mostly operate between Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River ports? I believe one of the primary trading patterns for grain prior to the Seaway was to have it hauled down from Lake Superior ports to places like Kingston, Ontario to be reloaded onto canal-sized ships that could carry it down the St. Lawrence River. Were there any that never came any further east than the Welland Canal? I realize some smaller ships operated on the upper lakes in package freight and into smaller ports such as Wallaceburg, Ontario but was just wondering how common these ships were in places such as the St. Clair and St. Marys Rivers.