http://www.shipsmonthly.com • Summer 2018 • 45
Great Lakers
The easily recognisable Charles Dick (1922/2,015gt), owned by National Sand and Material Co of Toronto, spent
many years as a sandsucker on Lake Erie. The 79m vessel had a triple-cylinder engine made by the Prescott Company
of Menominee, Wisconsin. In November 1976 dismantling began at Ramey’s Bend, an arm of the Welland Canal.
Photographed on 12 April 1973. Seen carrying a load of pulpwood, George M. Carl (1923/10,418gt), which
measured 188m by 19.5m, was built by the American Shipbuilding Co of
Lorain, Ohio as Fred G. Hartwell and became Matthew Andrews in 1951, a
name she held until 1963, when she was bought by Scott Misener Steamships
of St Catharines. In 1984 she arrived at Aviles, Spain, where she was broken
up. Photographed on 17 June 1972.
Lake Transport (1930/2,500gt) was built by Furness Shipbuilding Co. of
Haverton Hill-on-Tees as Cyclo Warrior. In 1947 she became Texaco Warrior,
then assumed her final name in 1969. Before the St Lawrence Seaway opened,
several British yards built Great Lakes ships whose dimensions allowed them
to use the old St. Lawrence canals. Lake Transport was broken up in 1978 at
Sorel, Quebec. Photographed 14 July 1973.Few ships anywhere can equal the longevity of J. B. Ford (1904/4,368gt). Built
by American Shipbuilding Co of Lorain, Ohio, her former names were Edwin
F. Holmes and EC. Collins. She remained in active service until 1985, then
became a cement storage vessel and is currently based at Superior, Wisconsin.
Photographed 4 November 1978.seldom varied: the east pier in
the morning, a quick lunch
(often sacrificed if the arrival
of a particularly interesting
ship was imminent), then
over to the west side, where
the lightkeeper would allow
access to the end of the pier,
provided that we remembered
to close the gate behind us.
To a casual observer the
elderly bulk carriers may all
have looked alike. But each
was distinctive, although in
some cases the differences
were small. Many were coal-
fired, and a plume of smoke
was an added bonus for
photographers. Sadly, many
of the old ships have now
gone and the piers are no
longer accessible to the public,
but 30 years on and the
memories are still fresh.