Canal Tug Project D

Tugster gallivants now and then.  It turns out that Albert Gayer did the same thing, as evidenced by this very rich photo clearly taken from the Route 104 bridge crossing the Oswego River and Oswego Canal looking north toward Lake Ontario.  Remember that the image enlarges when you double click on it.

The only constants–other than the water–are the cement silos to the left and the lighthouse center and above the stern of the barge.  Too many towing companies had red livery, so I can’t tell if that tug is a Conners boat, with the mustard yellow stack, or something else?  

Other details here, l to r;  see the two straight-decker steamers to the left, i.e., the west side of the river.  The outside one says Huron Cement on the hull.  Along the distant horizon, that’s not land;  it’s black smoke blowing to the right along the horizon emanating from a passing laker. Moving to the east side of the river, a ship with a tall mast has a gangway out and people are embarking or debarking. What would that ship be, government boat maybe?  See the Mobil flying horse sign at the inlet where the marina is now?  Guess that’s long been a fuel dock, and maybe the tug/barge will discharge fuel there?  Has there been a lot of fill at the port, or is the land below obscured by that low-slung building?

See the black 1940s automobile on the open dock space, at a point where the tug and barge seem headed?  That space is now occupied by a Best Western and Alex‘s.  On the extreme right side of the photo below the top window, see the letters “Kni…”?  Not many words or businesses in Oswego start that way in English.  Today there’s a gym attached to a Clarion (?) hotel there.  I love the guy in the hat and trench coat jumping the fence from his boat where a car is parked right around the corner of that building.

Here’s a rafted up set of boats, Sagamore, Cree II, and a barge B. No. 80, which certainly seems like Bouchard nomenclature.

This might be the same scene, slightly different time and vantage point at lock E-8.

Cree II pushes Hygrade No. 26  (or 28?)in westbound.

Cree is a 1938 Bushey boat, pushing Hygrade No. 5, I think.  It was later Joan Kehoe.

 This Crow is a 1938 build, sister of Cree above and Chancellor.  Later Crow was Elsa Carroll, Kerry K. Kehoe, Osceola, and Kerri K.  Obviously, This is NOT the Crow that operated for Donjon until about 10 years ago.  That Crow’s last ride [May 2014]  to the scrapper is here.  

Bill Endter was a Morania tug, here

pushing Morania 180 westbound at lock E-14.

Let’s end this post with a Morania tug, I think No. 8.

All photos by Albert Gayer.  His archives are one of many treasures maintained by the Canal Society of New York.

Any errors, WVD.  Your corrections, additions, and comments are most welcome.

Random Tugs 232

Let’s start here as a quiz.  Name that tug?  Answer follows.  The blurriness is a clue to the vintage . . . of the photo.  More oldies at the end of this post.

Here’s an unusual treatment of name boards.  Can anyone clarify why the 6140 hp J. George Betz is the only Bouchard boat wit this treatment?

 

I suspected it was Betz when I noticed her here, but had to look more closely to verify.  I believe this is the first time for me to label–if not see–the B. No. 235 barge.

Gulf Venture . . .I’ve not often seen this 5150 hp boat light.  Question:  Does Gulf Venture currently work for John Stone?

Ernest Campbell departs MOTBY here, her mast perfectly shown against the Putin monument . . .  he did come here for the dedication.

Gabby L. Miller .  . she’s not been on the blog in a while.   This 660 hp tug gives the right push at the right time in the right place sometimes.

The 2000 hp Eric R. Thornton dates from 1960, making her the oldest tug in this post except

More oldies.  This is Marion, although I have no information on where and when it was built.  Marion was one of two tugs operated by Disston and June Marine Construction, previously called Burcroft Marine Construction Company. Their other tug was Constructor. Marion sank in Weedsport, although I can’t find that date.

This tug may still be afloat.

It’s Morania No. 8 pushing Morania No. 170 barge.  Has anyone seen her in Port-au-Prince Haiti?  I wonder if this was a company slogan or something displayed more widely.  I’ve never heard it.

The mystery tug, believe it or not, is Buffalo, somewhere in the Erie Canal.  Click here for a few good photos of Buffalo taken by Tim Hetrick back in 2014.   Maybe someone can put a date of the photo by taking into account the color.

All photos except Buffalo by Will Van Dorp.   All the oldies here are by Steve Wunder.

 

Sixth Boro Fifth Dimension 4

Back three decades again with more fotos by Seth Tane, in this case with some vessels  now considered dead.

Foto #1.  QM2 assisted at the dock by Diana L. Moran, a 1956 Jakobson boat now seven years scrapped.

Foto #2.  Rio la Plata.  Here’s what Harold Tartell has to say about her:  ” In 1984, RIO LA PLATA was built [by Sanchez Marine Services of Fall River, MA].  At the time Turecamo was quite busy, short on boats, and chartered the boat with the option to buy.  Turecamo also had another tug on charter from Tidewater Marine Services around the same time period.  She was EL ZORRO GRANDE.  She was to be renamed HELEN J. TURECAMO, but I never saw a photo of her officially with that name affixed.  She was sold to Dunlap Towing Co., LaConner, Wa., & renamed MANFRED NYSTROM.  In 1987, RIO LA PLATA went West to become Oscar Niemeth Towing’s SILVER EAGLE.  She is still in service.”

Foto #3.  Harold says  “The McAllister tug assisting LASH Atlantico with barges is MARGARET M. McALLISTER.”

Foto #4.  “The red canaller towing the two light oil barges is Morania Oil Tanker Corporation’s MORANIA NO. 8.”

Foto #5.  “JULIAN A was built 1943 By George Lawley & Soms, Neponset Ma., as DPC-28, WSA-22, WOTOCO, GAY MORAN (1967).  In 1972, she became JULIAN A. owned by Julian A. Corp.  In the early 1980’s she was owned by River Towing Corp. name unchanged.  She was later sold to Raymond Connelly Shamrock Marine Corp. & renamed INTREPID.  By 2001 her existence was in doubt,”  Harold.

Here’s the class of Army DPCs.   In this foto, Julian A was towing salvaged scalloper Fatima from Massachusetts waters to the sixth boro, where her  engine parts would be used in a restoration project.  Not long after this foto was taken, the tug was searched by the federal agents who found $32 million of marijuana.

Foto #6.  About the yard vessel sporting the flag and striped stack, Harold says, ” JOE WEBER McAllister’s little yard tug at Tug & Barge Drydocks, Jersey City.  They built her in 1975.  She was later sold to Miller Launch, & is now MILLER GIRLS.”

Click here and jump ahead to 1983 in this fascinating compilation of Jersey City history from 4.6 billion years ago to the present for a reference to the now-gone McAllister Tug & Barge Drydocks.  Click here for a tugster foto of Miller Girls.

Foto #7.  Harold says, “I’m having a little difficulty indentifying.  Under the handrails on the lower small white panel near the pilothouse door, it appears to read N.J. MATHER.  I will continue to work on it.”  Any ideas?  She seems narrow boat;  someone with long arms in the wheelhouse could have a hand out each each at the same time.

Foto #8.  On the Morris Canal . . .  here’s a foto I wish I could truly travel back in time to see.  Part of the house seems to be a huge rectangular tank.  Up high the sign says “nite blues limited.”  Anyone know the story?  The Morris Canal today has changed.  Anyone have water-focused fotos of the Canal you are willing to share on tugster?  Type morris canal into the search window and you’ll find lots more fotos.

I’m eager for your interpretation of these fotos of a lost sixth boro, captured on fotos of Seth Tane.

Graves of Arthur Kill has archival footage of a boneyard on the Arthur Kill from about the same era.  I’d love to see more fotos of what was new and what was derelict in the sixth boro from then and before.