Superior Shipbuilding Company

The whaleback steamer Charles W. Wetmore on the ways in Superior, Wisconsin
Map of Superior Port on western Lake Superior

46°44′09″N 92°05′26″W / 46.735868°N 92.090511°W / 46.735868; -92.090511 The Superior Shipbuilding Company was originally called the American Steel Barge Company, and based in Duluth, Minnesota. It was founded by Scottish Captain Alexander McDougall who founded it so he could produce his new whaleback ship, this was Whaleback Barge 101. In 1900 McDougall sold his firm to the American Ship Building Company which transferred the company to Superior, Wisconsin and renamed it Superior Shipbuilding Company, also called AmShip Superior. After World War I the yard stopped manufacturing ships and instead turned to repair work. They continued repairing ships until 1945 when American Ship Building Company decided to sell it. It was initially known as the Knudsen Brothers Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. In 1955 it was renamed Fraser-Nelson Shipyards then Fraser Shipyards and still exists today. Fraser Shipyards does dry dock work, also conversions: steam to diesel and coal-fired to oil-burning. Lake Assault boat builders operate out of Fraser Shipyards. [1][2][3]

Ships built

American Steel Barge Company of Duluth, Minnesota

Ship In service Out of service Length (ft) Vessel type Fate Image
Whaleback Barge 101 1888 December 3, 1908 178 Whaleback barge Foundered 30 miles off Seal Island in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of seven lives.[4]
Whaleback Barge 102/Sir Joseph Wentworth 1889 December 15, 1905 253 Whaleback barge Foundered south of Cape Charles with the loss of six lives.[5]
Whaleback Barge 103/John Scott Russell 1889 May 23, 1909 253 Whaleback barge Foundered Sandy Hook. There were no deaths.[6]
Whaleback Barge 104 1890 November 11, 1898 276.50 Whaleback barge Stranded near Cleveland, Ohio when the towline connecting her and the tug Alva B broke.[7]
Whaleback Barge 105/Baroness 1890 November 10, 1910 276.50 Whaleback barge Foundered approximately ten miles southwest of Fire Island Light Vessel, New York. There were no deaths.[8]
Colgate Hoyt 1890 December 26, 1909 276.42 Whaleback steamer Stranded off Seaside Park, New Jersey. There were no deaths.[9]

American Steel Barge Company of Superior, Wisconsin

Ship In service Out of service Length (ft) Vessel type Fate Image
Whaleback Barge 107/Bombay 1890 January 3, 1913 276.50 Whaleback barge Foundered five miles northwest of the Handkerchief Light Vessel, near the Nantucket Shoals..[10]
Joseph L. Colby 1890 1935 265 Whaleback steamer Scrapped in 1935, in Chicago, Illinois.[11]
Whaleback Barge 109/Baravia 1891 January 23, 1914 265 Whaleback barge Sank off Montauk Point, Long Island Sound. There were no deaths.[12]
Whaleback Barge 110/Badger 1891 March 3, 1932 265 Whaleback barge Blew up at one of the dock of the Cities Service Export Oil Company at St. Rose, Louisiana. One life was lost.[13]
Whaleback Barge 111/Ivie 1891 May 10, 1916 265 Whaleback barge Rammed by the steamer Berkshire near Hampton Roads.[14]
Charles W. Wetmore 1891 September 8, 1892 265 Whaleback steamer Stranded in Coos Bay, Oregon in heavy fog. She was declared a total loss and abandoned on September 13, 1892.[15]
E.B. Bartlett 1891 December 14, 1916 265 Whaleback steamer Wrecked in Cape Cod with a cargo of coal bound for Boston.[16]
A.D. Thomson 1891 1936 265 Whaleback steamer Scrapped in Chicago, Illinois, in 1936.[17]
S.O.Co. No. 55 1891 January 1917 125 Barge Sank in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.[18]

Superior Shipbuilding Company of Superior, Wisconsin

Ship In service Out of service Length (ft) Vessel type Fate Image
G.A. Flagg 1901 1927 332 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1927.[19]
Randolph S. Warner 1901 1926 332 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1926.[20]
Christopher 1901 1970 410 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1970, in Hamilton, Ontario.[21]
Sultana 1902 1975 326 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1975.[22]
G.J. Grammer 1902 1964 326 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1964, in Humberstone, Ontario.[23]
Sonora 1902 1965 353.16 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1965, in Ashtabula, Ohio.[24]
James H. Hoyt 1902 1968 363.16 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1968, in Santander, Spain.[25]
John Sharples 1903 1914 255 Package freighter Scrapped in 1947, on the East Coast.[26]
H.G. Dalton 1903 1970 255 Package freighter Scrapped in 1970, in Hamilton, Ontario.[27]
D.G. Kerr 1903 1961 468 Lake freighter Stranded off Ardrossan, Scotland in 1961; and later scrapped in Troon, Scotland.[28]
D.M. Clemson 1903 December 1, 1908 468 Lake freighter Foundered on Lake Superior; all 24 crew members died. Location unknown.[29]
Henry S. Sill 1903 1947 416 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1947, in Hamilton, Ontario.[30]
Wisconsin 1903 1946 428 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1946, in Hamilton, Ontario.[31]
George W. Perkins 1905 1981 569 Lake freighter Scrapped by Triad Salvage Company in 1981, in Ashtabula, Ohio.[32]
Abraham Stearn 1906 1974 545 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1975, in Europe.[33]
E.J. Earling 1906 1969 555 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1969, in Santander, Spain.[34]
Edward Y. Townsend 1906 October 7, 1968 603 Lake freighter Broke away from the tug Hudson, and sank about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.[35]
Sheldon Parks 1907 1964 552 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1964, in Genoa, Italy.[36]
George F. Baker 1907 1979 601 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1979, in Ashtabula, Ohio by the Triad Salvage Company.[37]
Ward Ames 1907 1980 550 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1980, in Thunder Bay, Ontario by Western Metals Corporation.[38]
H.P. Bope 1907 1978 560 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1978, in Santander, Spain.[39]
Rufus P. Ranney 1908 1961 440 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1961, in La Spezia, Italy.[40]
J.F. Durston 1908 1961 452 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1961, in Hamburg, Germany.[41]
Peter Reiss 1910 1973 524 Lake freighter Scrapped in 1973, in Port Colborne, Ontario by the Dwor Metal Company.
C.W. Cadwell 1911 1999 164 Dredger Presumed scrapped in 1999.[42]
Robert J. Close 1913 1988 86.42 Crane barge No longer registered in the United States between 1982 and 1988.[43]
Sir Trevor Dawson 1916 1970 600 Lake freighter Arrived for scrapping in Santander, Spain on June 8, 1970.[44]

See also

References

  1. ^ lakeassault.com
  2. ^ "American Steel Barge Company". Shipbuilding History. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  3. ^ lakesuperior.com, Fraser Shipyards
  4. ^ "0101". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  5. ^ "0102". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  6. ^ "0103". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  7. ^ "0104". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  8. ^ "0105". Bowling State Green University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Hoyt, Colgate". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  10. ^ "0107". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Colby, Joseph L." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  12. ^ "0109". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  13. ^ "0110". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  14. ^ "0111". Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Wetmore, Charles W." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  16. ^ "Bartlett, E.B." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  17. ^ "Thomson, A.D." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  18. ^ "S.O.Co. No. 55". Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  19. ^ "Flagg, G.A." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  20. ^ "Warner, Randolph S." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  21. ^ "Christopher". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  22. ^ "Sultana". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  23. ^ "Grammer, G.J." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  24. ^ "Sonora". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  25. ^ "Hoyt, James H." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  26. ^ "Sharples, John". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  27. ^ "Dalton, H.G." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  28. ^ "Kerr, D.G. 1". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  29. ^ "Clemson, D.M. 1". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  30. ^ "Sill, Henry S." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  31. ^ "Wisconsin 2". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  32. ^ "Perkins, George W." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  33. ^ "Stearn, Abraham". 21 February 2018.
  34. ^ "Earling, E.J." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  35. ^ "Townsend, Edward Y." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  36. ^ "Parks, Sheldon". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  37. ^ "Baker, George F." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  38. ^ "Ames, Ward". Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  39. ^ "Bope, H.P." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  40. ^ "Ranney, Rufus P." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  41. ^ "Durston, J.F." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  42. ^ "Cadwell, C.W." Bowling State Green University. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  43. ^ "Close, Robert J." Bowling Green State University. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  44. ^ "Moreland, William C." Great Lakes Vessel History. Retrieved 22 February 2018.