Boatnerd Discussion Forum

guest wrote: September 13, 2023, 4:59 am at the morgan plant how were straight deckers unloaded? huletts or bridge cranes? any photos would be appreciated. thank you

Stone and coal for the Morgan plant in West Duluth were unloaded at the level dock (actually a pier) next to Number 6 Ore Dock.

Here's a picture from before the late 1920s. The unloading dock for straight-deckers is shown on the right: https://www.postaltreasures.com/image/c ... 25x775.jpg

BTW, that ore dock closest to Ore Dock Number 5 is Ore Dock Number 4 (second from left). It was partially dismantled in the late 1920s, when it was planned to rebuild it to a steel dock - but due to a merger with another railroad company, it never occurred and was subsequently torn down completely.

at the morgan plant how were straight deckers unloaded? huletts or bridge cranes? any photos would be appreciated. thank you

The Munson visited the head of the lake quite a bit through the 1980s. I recall seeing her loading ore in Two Harbors quite frequently even through the late 1980s and this continues even today although, it seems less frequent now. I also recall seeing the Myron C. Taylor and Irvin L. Clymer once visit town during that same period. They were all clad in gray yet at this point. I never caught the Sloan ( which was arguably NOT a Bradley boat) nor Calcite 2 during that area but I know they were both up in Duluth for layup a few times through the late 80s. By the time I moved to town, the Rogers City, W.F. White and T.W. Robinson were retired. I did catch the Sloan loading at Two Harbors towards the end of her career with GLF and I know the Calcite II took an ore cargo out of Duluth at least once as well in the 1990s.

US Steel had a steel mill at West Duluth called the Morgan Plant, which operated from 1913 to 1975. The unloading dock, which was east of the DMIR number 6 ore dock, received coal and limestone by self-unloader and straight-decker.

Judging by the complete removal of the old Poe Lock, the photo is circa 1962 when construction was stopped while discussions were ongoing between industry and the USACE over the final dimensions of the replacement lock (i.e. current Poe Lock.)

I was wondering how often Bradley boats traded on Lake Superior. I'm asking as I recently acquired a postcard of the Myron C. Taylor upbound at the Soo Locks. As the International Bridge is in the photograph and it appears that the construction of the new Poe Lock is in its early stages I'm assuming this view is from the early to mid-1960s and definitely before the Taylor was repowered in 1968. Just wondering how common these ships were in trading on Lake Superior as by the 1980s it seemed like the John G. Munson was the only one that regularly operated above the Soo Locks. I believe, however, that it was also common for ships of the Bradley division to layup at times in Duluth/Superior harbor.