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Telescope The OAKBAY Author's Collection TREE LINE NAVIGATION COMPANY by Rev. Edward J. Dowling, S.J* Known in its first year as the Bay Line, this fleet was acquired by the Ogilvie Flour Mills Company of Montreal for the purpose of bringing grain from the Great Lakes ports to Montreal. This beginning was made in the Winter of 1922-23. Three old wooden hulls were acquired from the Canadian Import Company,and ten steel coastwise freighters were purchased in France and sailed across the Atlantic, arriving in Montreal in the Spring of 1923. In 1928, the Tree Line began to engage in package freight business, which was very successful for several years thereafter. In 1929, a new vessel was built for the line. During the Depression, some of the vessels were sold, and in the Winter of 1937-3$ the vessels remaining became the Tree Line Division of Canada Steamship Lines. In 1939> the remaining four of the old French coasters were sold by C.S.L. to Brazilian buyers, leaving only one survivor of Tree Line in the fleet, the vessel built in 1929. The list which follows is arranged in approximately chronological order. 1) Wooden vessels acquired when certain officials of Canadian Import Company were made Directors of Bay Line (1922-23)* Str. BIRCHBAY (C.116815)* ex ERIC W., ex HARRY A. PACKER (DS.95711), 1882 Cleveland, 215 x 35. Stranded, Richelieu Rapids, St. Lawrence River, 1926. PALMBAY (C.133822), ex RICHARD W., ex PUEBLO (US.150512). 1891 Milwaukee, 225 x 36. Abandoned, 1926 and used as breakwater at Portsmouth, Quebec. ___ YEWBAY (C.138096), ex STUART W., ex COLLTNGE, ex CUMBERLAND, (US.125607), 1881 Cleveland, 251 x 38. Dis- mantled at Levis, Quebec, 1923. 2) Steel freighters purchased in France (1922-1923). Dimensions for all, approximately 218 x 3*+ x 13. Twin screw* Str. ASHBAY (0.1508^9), ex TOURNEUR, 1919 St. Nazaire, France. Sold to Brazilian buyers, 1935, renamed ANTONICO. BEECHBAY (C .15081+3), ex RIVEUR, 19l9 St. Nazaire. Sold to Brazil, 1938. Later MARIA THEREZA & GUARAPORE.