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Chapter 5 The Inland Navigation Co. Ltd. On the 25 March 1908, the Hamilton Spectator ran the following articles "The rumored big merger of several local navigation companies, hinted at several weeks ago in the Spectator, it is now understood, is well under way, a charter having been applied for. The new company will be called the Inland Navigation Co. and capitalized at $1,000,000 with an issue of $500,000 in bonds. The boat companies under the management of Messrs. R. O. & A. B. MacKay along with the MacKay Wharves at Hamilton and Montreal, their entire cartage warehousing and coal business their steamship DUNDURN, and also the New Ontario Dock & Fuel Co. Ltd. at Sault Ste. Marie are all included in the merger. Other companies interested include the Hamilton & Fort William Navigation Co. Ltd., the New Ontario Steamship Co. Ltd., the Union Steamship Co. Ltd., the Winona Steamship Co. Ltd. and the Dundee Steamship Co. Ltd. " The DUNELM had a slight altercation with a schooner called LILLIE in the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland on the 17 July. The schooner sank and any damage to the steamer was repaired with some paint. On the 12 August, the WAHCONDAH grounded at Farran's Point, but damage was minimal and the same could said the next day for the STRATHCONA which found bottom near the ore dock at Point Edward. An incident of a more serious nature occurred on the 20 August when the NEEPAWAH went ashore on Michipicoten Island. She was towed to Ecorse where the Great Lakes Engineering Works estimated that about $25, 000 would cover repairs to a number of frames and 56 plates. The DUNELM wound up the season by getting aground in the vicinity of Pointe Anne and was reported to be making water. Layups for the winter of 1908/09 were as follows: at Hamilton - DUNDURN and ROSEDALE. at Sarnia - NEEPAWAH. at Goderich - DONNACONA, STRATHCONA, GLENELLAH & WINONA. at Midland - DUNDEE, DUNELM & WAHCONDAH. The Inland Navigation Co. Ltd., A. B. MacKay, Gen. Mgr., announced the appointments for the 1909 season as follows: DONNACONA - Capt. J. W. Maudsley & Ch. Eng'r. Edwin Shaw DUNDEE - Capt. Harry Zealand & Ch. Eng'r. J. L. Campbell DUNELM - Capt. A. Albinson & Ch. Eng'r. J. A. Nichol DUNDURN - Capt. R. Cooney & Ch. Eng'r. J. A. Morris GLENELLAH - Capt. Geo. Mackie & Ch. Eng'r. Jas. Robertson NEEPAWAH - Capt. Jas. Woolner & Ch. Eng'r. Geo. Fryer ROSEDALE - Capt. J. L. Baxter & Ch. Eng'r. A. Forbes STRATHCONA - Capt. J. A. Irving & Ch. Eng'r. O. Philips WAHCONDAH - Capt. H. Maudsley & Ch. Eng'r. S. Jones WINONA - Capt. B. Garvie & Ch. Eng'r. C. C. Smith Having been frustrated in their efforts to have an Upper Lakes vessel built in Canada, the MacKays made a contract with the Great Lakes Engineering Works to build the steamer at Ecorse. The work progressed in a satisfactory manner and the launching was -52-