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SIX COASTAL BULK FREIGHTERS BUILT ON THE GREAT LAKES By Rev. Edward J. Dowling, S.J. Six canal size bulk freighters were built in two Great Lakes shipyards back in 1911 and 1912. They were intended primarily for the East Coast coal trade between ports on Chesapeake and Delaware Bays and New England. Four were built in 1911 by ade Lakes he BSE Engineering Works for arper Transportation Company of aon They were identical in appearance and size. Their machinery was located aft in typical Great Lakes style, but the pilot house and bridge were nearly amidships. Dimensions were 247 x 43 x 28, and gross tonnage, 2294. Coal capacity was about 3500 tons on a twenty foot draft. Triple expansion engines built by the shipyard powered the vessels. In 1912 Toledo Shipbuilding Company built two very similar bulk freighters for the Boston and Virginia Transportion Company. Their dimensions and tonnage were 246 x 43.8 x 25.3, 2306 gross tons. In appearance and cargo capacity they closely resembled the four Harper freighters. Their triple expansion engines were built at the Toledo shipyards. 1) M.E. HARPER (US.209192) was Great Lakes Engineering Works' Ecorse hull #86. It was operated on the coast by the Harper Transportation and the Shawmut Steamship Company until early 1917, when it was sold to France, via Uruguay, and renamed S.N.A. No.2. A German submarine torpedoed the ship in the North Sea on June 6, 1917. The last owner was Soc. Nationale d'Affrements, Paris, a French government agency. 2) F.J, LISMAN (US.209131) was Great Lakes Engineering Works hull #87. It too was operated successively Harper Transportation and Shawmut Steamship Company until early 1917, when it went to France and was renamed P.L.M. No. 3. This ship was reported to have been lost through collision in December, 1917. Last owner was Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean Line, a French government operation. PENOBSCOT Editor's Collection <q q