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SHIPS UNITED EMPIRE - THAT Wooden passenger NEVER & freight propel- DIE lor, built at Sar- (#35) nia in 1882 by Parry & Dyble for J.H. & H.Beatty, The - Northwest Transportation Co. Dimensions 252'8" x 36' x 15"; gross tonnage 1961, registered tonnage 1296. Archtrussed, and originally carried sail on foremast. Fore and aft compound engine of 1000 h.p., built by George H.Olle, St.Catherines. Sold in 1900 to Long interests of Collingwood and became part of Northern Navigation Company fleet. Rebuilt at Collingwood in 1904, and came out in 1905 as SARONIC. For one season she was in the St.Lawrence River trade but returned to the Sarnia-Duluth run. Damaged by fire at Sarnia in winter of 1915, she was rebuilt as steam barge. Stranded on Cockburn Island, 1916, and again damaged by fire, her hull was sold to William Schlosser of Milwaukee & converted into barge J.J.KENNEDY. Abandoned a few years later. A picture of UNITED EMPIRE appeared on the Canadian four dollar bills when they were in use as currency. This vessel was familiarly known as "Old Betsy." Fred M.Landon * ek eK RK KF KF OF OR OR OR OR OK RK OR OR OR OK OK Ok OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK THE Back in 1898 two shallow- MINTO draft sternwheelers were were built by Bertram at Toronto. They were then taken to British Columbia in knockdown form, set up and launched on the shores of Arrow Lake and Kooten- ay Lake, and placed in service for the Canadian Pacific Ry.They were the MINTO and MOYIE. Today, more than 50 years later, these two are the last survivors of a sizeable fleet of such craft on the British Columbia Lakes. Sev- eral later and larger units were also Great Lakes built, such as the BONNINGTON, NASOOKIN, and SICAMOUS, fast 230 footers built at Port Arthur around 1911. The first two were 161 ft,length oa, 830 tons. The MINTO makes the 134 mile cruise from Arrowhead to Robson through the Arrow Lake, while the MOYIE is a ferry cross Lake Kootenay. Out of a fleet of better than twenty large steam- ers, these two now remain alone. These two curious craft, built in the days of the Klondike gold rush, have lived on to witness the devel- opment of Western Canada. In a rugged land with few roads they were and still are the only means of commumication and transportation. Our Great Lakes shipyards have made a fine contribution - not to be forgotten. (Summarized from an article in Toronto "Globe & Mail” 5-3-52. Editor) ae SREY 2 Ba Gc Bee