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SEVEN "SALTIES" FROM ECORSE Great Lakes Shipyards built many ocean-going vessels during and prior to World WarI. Many of these were beautiful and sturdy vessels which left the lakes as soon as they were built, never more to return. In 1911 and 1912 Great Lakes Engineering Works designed and constructed seven vessels of full canal dimensions and of rather deep draft. Four of these were built for the Ocean Freight Lines of New York, and were intended primarily for work in the West Indies trade. Three were for the American Transportation Company, managed by J. W. Elwell & Co. of New York, and were for use mainly in the United States and Mediterranean service. The following description of these ships appeared in "International Marine Engineering" for February, 1913. "These vessels have two complete steel decks full length of the ship. There are also poop, bridge and forecastle decks (Note: These are known as the ‘Three Island Type.'—- Author) all built of steel. The vessels were built under special survey to Lloyds' highest class and have the following principal dimensions: length over all 261 feet length, between perpendiculars 253 feet 43 feet 6 inches 28 feet 5 inches 24 feet 4050 tons." beam, molded depth, molded load draft deadweight at load draft Historical data on these ships are given below: BAYAMON (US 209741), 1912 Ecorse by Great Lakes Engineering Works (#99) for Ocean Freight Line. Converted into a tanker in 1916 and renamed VACUUM. Torpedoed and sunk off Barra Island, in the Hebrides, near Scotland, April 28, 1917, by U-21. BORINQUEN (US 209335), 1911 Ecorse by Great Lakes Engineering Works (#97) for Ocean Freight Lines. Sold Spanish in 1912 and later named JOSE ESTRUCH and MARIA DALME deR. Scrapped at Barcelona, 1933. GRAYSON (US 209336), 1911 at Ecorse by Great Lakes Engineering Works (#96) for Ocean Freight Lines. Stranded on Stroma Island, Scotland, July 20, 1920, and abandoned. A.A. RAVEN (US 210368), 1912, Ecorse by Great Lakes Engineering Works for American Transportation Co, War loss, off Wolfe Rock Light, England, March 14, 1918. Mr. Raven was President of the American Bureau of Shipping from 1898 to 1916. RUBY (US 210550), 1912, Ecorse by Great Lakes Engineering Works (#103) for American Transportation Co. Returned to the Great Lakes in Twenties and operated briefly for Hall Coal Company. Sold British in 1929 and scrapped at Southbank on Tees by Smith's Dock Co. BORINQUEN Dr. Richard J. Wright Collection a a