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3. Marine News - cont'd. Meanwhile, there will be a change in the ope ration of Essroc Cement's barge METIS in 1992. Last year, her first season as a barge, she was pushed around by the Purvis Marine tug AVENGER IV from the Soo. This year, however, METIS will be handled by the east coast tug IRVING BIRCH. The April 18, 1992, issue of "Skillings' Mining Review" reported that, back in January of 1992, the Erie Sand Steamship Company, of Erie, Pennsylvania, purchased from the Am erican Steamship Compa ny the 1943-built, "Maritime Class" self-unloader RICHARD REISS, (a) AD IR ON DA CK (43), (b) RICHARD J. REISS (II)(86). The ship p r ev iou sly had been operated under charter by Erie Sand from Am er i c an Steamship. The REISS, originally built as a straightdecker for the U . S. Maritime Commission, was turned over to her first private owner, the Reiss Steamship Company, in return for obsolete tonnage (namely the ALEX B. UHRIG and RICHARD J. REISS [I]). The Reiss fleet converted her to a self-unloader in 1964, and America n Steamship repowered her in 1976. Her name was shortened in 1986 by the removal of the middle initial, in an apparent effort by her charterer to avoid having a ship with thirteen letters in its name. RICHARD REISS is the latest in a series of self-unloaders which Erie Sand has obtained from the Am erican Steamship fleet, some earlier such vessels being J. L. REISS, J. F. SCHOELLKOPF JR., JACK WIRT and CONSUMERS POWER. During the night of April 10-11, the Algoma Central Marine self-unloader ALG OS TE EL (II), (a) A. S. G L OS S B RE NNE R (87), (b) ALG OGULF (90), struck a submerged object in the channel whilst attempting to leave the port of C a l cite, Michigan, with a load of stone. Two of her ballast tanks were breached and the ship remained fast on the bottom. Arra ng eme nts were made for Purvis Marine to send three tugs from the Soo to assist ALGOSTEEL, and her cargo was transferred to ALGOSOO. Once refloated, ALGO STE EL proceeded upbound light, passing up at the Soo on April 13th. She made her way to Thunder Bay, where Portship was to attend to the ne ce ss ar y repairs. In the January issue, we m e n ti one d that during November, 1991, the St. L a w rence Seaway Development Corpor at io n's tug ROBINSON BAY returned to her duties in the U . S. section of the Seaway after an absence of some eight months, during which she was given a $2.3 milli on refit at the Great Lakes Towing Company's yard at Cleveland. While the 1958-built ROBINSON BAY was absent from her home waters, her place was taken by the former U . S. Navy tugs MENAS HA and MASCOUTA, which had been laid up at the Philadelphia naval yard until the S. L . S . D . C. acquire d them. With RO BINSON BAY back on station, the two smaller tugs were no longer required, and the S . L . S. D . C. sold M EN ASH A on November 12, 1991, to John Fedak, of Ogdensburg. MA SC O U T A had been sold on October 24th to a buyer identified only as Bill McLean. Despite press reports of opposi ti on from certain parties in the Ro chester area to the acq uis iti on of the former U . S. Army Corps of Engineers tug NASH by the H. Lee White Marine Mus eu m at Oswego, plans are pr oceeding for the dedicat ion of NASH on June 6th, the 48th ann iv er sa ry of "D-Day". NASH, then named MAJOR HENSON, par ticipated in the No rm and y invasion and, on June 9, 1944, shot down an enemy plane over the English Channel. The Oswego museum has announced plans to try to find any surviving members of the crew who were aboard the tug during the Nor mandy operation in order that they might participate in the dedication ceremonies. Governor Mario Cuomo of New York has un ve il ed a plan for the refur bi sh in g of the New York State Barge Canal system. Cuomo wants the New York State T h r u way Aut ho r i t y to assume control of the wa te r w a y and to improve facilities along the banks of the canals to attract more rec reational boaters. Under au thority granted when voters last fall approv ed a cons tit uti ona l amendment to permit the collec tio n of tolls from boats using the canals, the Thruwa y A ut hor ity would collect such tolls and use the funds to upgrade the system. The Cuomo plan would require the approval of the New York state legislature before imp le me nt at io n could begin. The only self- pro pel led freighter using the canals these days is the Erie N av iga ti on Company's DAY PECKINPAUGH.