Mile of "Big Shots" Longest Tow on Lake: Schooner Days CCCLI (351)

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CAPT. W. J. STITT, who is not ashamed of the fact that he knows more about tugs and steamers than about sailing vessels—he has been a master in steam many years—tells this straightforward story of some of the biggest of the sailers and how they behaved when they became barges under his care:

During the winter of 1905-6 the Quebec Transportation and Forwarding Company was formed in Quebec City, and Capt. W. J Hackett was made general manager. In February he had gone up the Lakes looking for some large vessels to put in the pulpwood and coal trade between the Lower St. Lawrence and Great Lakes ports, and was successful in buying three splendid ones, the Aberdeen, Frank D. Ewen and the Zapotec.

The Aberdeen was built by the James Davidson Company in Bay City, Mich., in 1892 and measured 1,045 gross tons, 212 feet in length and 218 feet o.a.—35 feet beam and 17 feet depth. The Frank D. Ewen was of 882 gross tons, 202 feet keel and 212 o.a.—37 feet beam and 16 feet depth, and was built in 1888. The Zapotec was of 811 gross tons, 204 feet keel and 212 o.a.—34 feet beam and 15 depth, and was built in 1890.

All three were three-masters and built of oak. They were sailing vessels when they came out, but later on were towed up and down the lakes occasionally by steam barges, but always used their sails when winds were suitable. When bought by the Quebec company in 1906 the Aberdeen and Ewen had just the fore and mizzen masts as main masts in the middle of each had been taken out a short time before. The Zapotec had the three masts when they bought her, but Hackett had the main mast taken out, and also the Ewen's aftermast, before they left the Lakes for below, to make them handier for river and canal trade, and loading pulpwood on deck. They just retained their canvas on the foremasts to help along when on the Lakes.

The Aberdeen was a beautiful vessel and had fine cabins, and was Capt. Jim Davidson's pride, and she sailed and handled beautifully at all times. The Ewen was also a good vessel, not fast, but a good handler, and was extra heavy built. The Zapotec was always a Jonah and a bad handler, owing to her full build in the stern, but the biggest carrier of the three. She caused no end of trouble in the canals and in the St. Lawrence River currents.

In March the company commissioned me to go up the lakes to try and buy a large and powerful tug to tow these vessels between the Lower St. Lawrence and Lake ports, and, after visiting many ports, I finally was successful in buying the tug Florence from the Hackett Towing and Wrecking Company, of Amherstburg, Ont. Although the same name as our manager, they were no relation. The Florence was a beautiful tug of 113 tons, 102 feet in length, 19 feet beam, and drew 13 feet of water. Had powerful F. & A. engines, and good steam.

I got my crew together and went to Amherstburg and commenced fitting out on April 1st, and left there on the 12th for Port Huron, Mich., where I picked up the Aberdeen and towed her to Erie. Pa. The Ewen had been towed there from Cleveland by a tug and was loaded with coal and waiting for me to tow her to Quebec.

We also loaded the Aberdeen with coal for the same port and got away with the two, and arrived at Port Colborne in due time and sent them through the Welland Canal with canal tugs. I then went to Buffalo with the Florence and picked up the Zapotec, which had loaded oats for Quebec, and proceeded, with her to Port Colborne, and sent her through the Welland by canal tug.

As the Florence was too large to lock with any of these vessels we went through the canal alone. It was a tight squeeze even for the small canal tugs to lock with them. On arrival at Port Dalhousie we took the three big vessels in tow of the Florence. A three-quarter-mile long tow it was with 1,200 feet of hawser between the Aberdeen and tug and 1,000 feet of line between the three vessels. The tow was the longest I think that ever went down Lake Ontario and made a beautiful sight. From the Florence's bow to the stern of the last barge would be all of 4,000 feet, and there are only 5,280 feet in a mile.

There was a fresh easterly wind blowing and we couldn't use any sail on the vessels to help us along because the wind was against us. The wind increased until it blew a half a gale until we passed the Main Ducks, 22 miles from Cape Vincent, the entrance to the St. Lawrence River, and then it died down suddenly and a dense fog set in, but, fortunately, we caught the Tibbetts Point whistle dead ahead and went right into the river without any delay, and then the fog lifted, and we went right through to Prescott without even shortening tow line.

It was daylight all the way down the St. Lawrence, and the vessels followed readily right through the Thousand Islands. It was a severe test for the Florence, as it was a very heavy tow and, considering the heavy head winds most all the way down the lake, we made excellent time, being only thirty-three and one-half hours on the tow between Port Dalhousie and Prescott, a distance of 221 miles.

At Prescott we doubled or breasted the vessels together to run the rapids, and landed all safely in Quebec on May 6th.

It wasn't all clear sailing with these big vessels in the following season that I towed them on that hazardous route between the Lower St. Lawrence and the Lakes, and many a tough time we put in with them both in the Gulf and on the Lakes, not mentioning the canals and the St. Lawrence rapids.

Some of these adventures Capt. L Stitt will tell in Schooner Days next week.

FLAGPOLE RIGGING

Sir,—I would be greatly obliged if you -could send me a sketch showing how to rig a flagpole with a topmast, complete with crosstrees. If you have not the information yourself possibly you might know someone who could forward it to me. I should be glad to pay them for their trouble.

Being an old Port Whitby fellow I enjoy your articles a great deal.

Truly,

JAS. BRAWLEY.

Imperial Bank of Canada,

Matheson, Ont.

Thank you, Mr. Brawley. Look in to-day's Telegram.

THE FLORENCE

The FLORENCE goes ahead with the beautiful ABERDEEN.

And well-behaved FRANK D. EWEN prepares to follow.

But ZAPOTEC the bad actor turns the wrong way.