Maritime History of the Great Lakes

Telescope, v. 39, n. 2 (March-April 1991), p. 33

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Page 33 executive Daniel McKay, the Yukondoc was purchased by Hudson. The North West Transportation Co. Ltd. was formed officially in August of 1928. Archie Hudson was president, M.E. Tully was secretary and directors included G.C. Leitch, T.C. Luke, L.B. Beath and A.A. Hudson. The newly acquired Yukondoc was refurbished in the James Playfair fleet colors, crimson stack, black smoke band, grey hull with white cabins and forecastle. She would specialize in package freight. Her new name was Georgian, honoring Georgian Bay, home waters of the Hudson boys. A package freight route was established from Toronto, with connecting points at Leamington, Windsor, Wallaceburg, Sarnia, Goderich and upper lake ports. Grain was hauled downbound, usually to the Georgian Bay ports as well as Goderich. Powered by a unique Swedish diesel engine, Georgian had the distinction of first ship to pass through Lock One of the new Welland Canal on April 21, 1930. The new company and refurbished vessel were off and running! The 1889-built Globe Iron Works vessel Parks Foster passed through several owners during the first two decades of the century. In 1928 she was stranded at Alpena, Michigan in Lake Huron and abandoned to the underwriters. She was salvaged by Reid Wrecking Co., and ultimately towed to Ogdensburg, N.Y. for insurance evaluation. Towed by the Joseph L. Russell, she laid over briefly in Toronto before heading to Port Dalhousie where repairs were completed at the Muir Brothers Dock. Returning to Toronto, she was fitted out in Playfair colors. Archie Hudson, who had enjoyed initial success with his Playfair backed company, was considering a second hull for North West. A deal was struck for the refurbished Parks Foster with her owners, Great Lakes Transit Company. This firm, prominent in Canadian shipping circles, was owned by James Playfair. On November 6, 1927 she was purchased as the second ship for North West. However, she was besieged with mechanical disorders and as a result, in July, 1931, she was returned to Playfair due to her unsatisfactory condition. Lying at Midland, she was re-boilered and a new triple expansion GGMM engine was installed. The repairs satisfied Hudson and as a result, the ship was re-acquired once the new installations were completed. The 262-foot vessel was renamed Superior, and the North West Transportation had doubled to two vessels. The outlook for the new company seemed promising. Unfortunately, however, a severe setback hit the company during the late 1932 shipping season. Enroute downbound to Toronto in late November, the Georgian, mastered by Capt. Dalton Hudson, ran aground on a reef near Munising, Michigan during a typical November storm. Shifting winds made her position perilous and she swung broadside, buffeted continually by the vicious winds. Reid's Maplecourt was dispatched and removed the Georgian's crew Abandoned, the damaged hull was sold to the underwriters in December of 1932. Eventually she was salvaged and repaired, sailing again as the Badger State for New York Barge Canal service. Her books were closed in January, 1946 when she sank in the Gulf of Mexico. The depression years of the 1930's slowed service for many lakes' shipping companies, Captain Archie Hudson

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