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13. Ship of the Month - cont'd. until September 10, 1945, when the big steam tug HELENA, then operating out of Hamilton, took her in tow and moved her down to a berth at Sandwich, On­ tario, downriver from Windsor. The hull was acquired for scrapping by the Steel Company of Canada Ltd. and McQueen Marine Ltd., of Amherstburg, was contracted to tow the remains to Hamilton. HAMONIC arrived at Port Colborne just as the parade to the Hamilton scrap­ yard of U. S. Maritime Commission traded-in lakers began, with the first two of the latter, the former Bethlehem Steel steamers CORNWALL and JOHNSTOWN (i), having been detained at Port Colborne while canal officials attempted to deal with how so many hulks could be taken safely down the canal without obstructing traffic. But HAMONIC was not detained and, in tow of ATOMIC and PATRICIA McQUEEN, she was in Lock 8 at 8: 01 a. m. on Friday, June 7, 1946. The tow made a fast passage down the Welland Canal, passing through Lock 1 at 5: 50 p. m. the same day. She remained at Port Weller through the night, possibly for weather, and arrived at Hamilton early on June 8th. Scrapping operations soon were begun and, before long, nothing was left of the proud old steamer. Various press reports indicated that Canada Steamship Lines would replace HAMONIC with a new ship, but nothing ever came of those plans. NORONIC car­ ried on by herself (with HURONIC still running freight) until her tragic de­ mise at the close of the 1949 season. But the prettiest overnight lake boat Canada Steamship Lines ever operated was gone and nothing could bring HAMO­ NIC back. Were it not for the efforts of the man to whom this feature has been dedicated, Capt. Horace L. Beaton, the morning of July 17, 1945, would not only have been a sad one, but would have been unbelievably tragic, with substantial loss of life. * * * Ed. Note: Your Editor has written many "Ship of the Month" features over the years, but none has given so much pleasure in the writing and presentation as has the story of HAMONIC. We acknowledge the assistance of a number of people who worked with us on this massive project to produce "the definitive HAMONIC history". First and foremost, we extend sincere thanks to Chuck Bea­ ton for sharing with us photographs from his family's collection as well as his personal reminiscences of the day the beautiful ship died. We also wish to thank Ron Beaupre for prodding us into beginning the project, Don McCart­ ney for for turning up some incredibly rare views of the ship's interior, and Gordon Turner for loaning us many N. N. Co. brochures and other items. As well, we extend thanks to Bill Moran, Gerry Ouderkirk, Fred Addis and Janice McNabb. Much of what has been written about HAMONIC in the past has been either in­ complete or erroneous. Special mention, however, must go to From the Wheel­ house, the small book produced by Horace and Chuck Beaton and published by The Boston Mills Press in 1979. While it deals with Capt. Beaton's entire career, much is said of his time in HAMONIC. The dust jacket features a won­ drous colour photo of HAMONIC at Port Arthur, taken shortly before her end. Also of assistance were Great Lakes' Saga by Anna G. Young, 1965, Richard­ son, Bond & Wright Limited, Toronto; Tin Stackers, by A l Miller, 1999, Wayne State University Press, Detroit; Lake Superior Shipwrecks, Dr. Julius F. Wolff, Jr., 1990, Lake Superior Port Cities Inc., and Ship 22, by Orlo Mil­ ler and Fred Leaver, privately published 1975, Point Edward. And without our files of "Canadian Railway and Marine World", we never would have been able to put this all together. If anyone else should have any further information concerning HAMONIC, or any other photographs taken aboard the steamer, please contact us. We thank you.