One of the more interesting fleets to operate on the Great Lakes during the first four decades of the twentieth century was that of the Jenkins Steamship Company, Cleveland, and its affiliates. Very little has ever been written about Charles O. Jenkins or his vessel operations and for a number of years we have been hoping to put this story in print. For their assistance in researching the material and putting it together into a cohesive account of the Jenkins operations, we wish to thank John O. Greenwood and James M. Kidd.

Charles Orlando Jenkins, after whom the Jenkins Steamship Company was named, became an Admiralty Lawyer in 1898 after graduating with degrees from both Yale and Harvard. He married into the family of the late Captain William S. Mack, a prominent Cleveland shipowner. Capt Mack originally hailed from the Kingston, Ontario, area and he had first become a vessel owner in 1886 when he purchased the wooden freighter DAVID BALLENTINE. In the following year, Mack acquired the steamer CHARLES J. KERSHAW, also a wooden vessel.

The Mack operations broadened in 1890 when the Captain joined forces with William H. Becker and William D. Becker of Cleveland and with C. C. Hale, John A. Donaldson and James Ash of Buffalo. Capt Mack continued as managing director of the expanded operation until his death on September 14, 1896, after which he was succeeded by his son, William Henry Mack. However, by the very early 1900's, the Mack and Becker interests parted company and it was at this time that Charles O. Jenkins became involved in the shipping business in his efforts to handle the affairs of the Mack Estate.

On July 10, 1911 WILLIAM HENRY MACK rammed and sank JOHN MITCHELL on Lake Superior. This Young photo shows her downbound at the Soo Locks for repairs not long after the accident.

In 1902 the Mack Steamship Company, owned by the Mack Estate but managed by Charles O. Jenkins, ordered a steel bulk carrier from the American Shipbuilding Company's Cleveland yard and later in the year the company contracted for another steel steamer to be built by the Jenks Shipbuilding Company of Port Huron. The two boats were delivered in 1903 and were christened WILLIAM HENRY MACK and F. B. SQUIRE, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Jenkins Steamship Company had been incorporated at Cleveland in 1902, with the Mack Estate being one of the principal shareholders of the new concern. The company did not own any ships of its own for the first few years, but instead busied itself with the operation of the Mack vessels. By 1905, however, Jenkins had become financially established and began to contact shipyards in search of a good deal on the building of a ship for his own account. A contract was let to the Detroit Shipbuilding Company and from their yard at Wyandotte on May 19, 1906 was launched SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY which had been built to the order of the National Steamship Company, a subsidiary which Jenkins had incorporated at Cleveland on January 18, 1906 with a capital of $165,000. In addition to Jenkins, the original directors of the company were W. R. Gilbert, C. E. Sullivan, S. S. Pelow and C. F. Wallace. He then arranged for the outright purchase of WILLIAM HENRY MACK and F. B. SQUIRE from the Mack Estate, both ships becoming the property of the Jenkins Steamship Company. In addition, he managed the 1905-built JAMES P. WALSH for the Ohio Steamship Company, of which he was President until 1910.

By April 1911, the fleet of the Jenkins Steamship Company consisted of four vessels. Included were the MACK and the SQUIRE, together with the SHAUGHNESSY, which had been transferred from the National Steamship Company, and the CHARLES O. JENKINS which had been built at Wyandotte by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company in 1907.

Jenkins possessed the drive and determination necessary to make his shipping concerns successful but he also had a fiery disposition, as is evidenced by the reports of the annual meetings and board meetings of the Jenkins Steamship Company. Jenkins was operating with limited financial resources and he was therefore unable to control his stockholders. At a meeting held on January 31, 1911 he resigned as president of the firm. A. T. Kinney took over the presidency and that year was general manager as well, although Jenkins held on as vice-president. At the meeting held in January 1912, Jenkins was ousted completely, Col. J. J. Sullivan of the Central National Bank and the Pioneer Steamship Company being elected president and James C. Wallace vice-president. In April 1912, Jenkins had himself appointed as manager of the company but two years later he resigned from that position. Thereupon, James P. Walsh was elected president of the Jenkins Steamship Company and Hutchinson and Company were appointed managers of the fleet, this situation lasting until January 1916, at which time Jenkins was re-appointed to the position of manager. He immediately arranged a deal with M. A. Hanna and Company for the ore contracts necessary to keep the fleet's boats busy for the 1916 season. From 1916 through 1932, Jenkins was his own boss and was able to maintain control over the operation.

The date is 1927 and the camera of A. E. Young has caught WM. F. FITCH pushing her way through Spring ice above the Soo locks.

By 1923, the Jenkins fleet was operating the JENKINS, SHAUGHNESSY and SQUIRE and in addition had the steamer WM. F. FITCH and barge ALEXANDER MAITLAND which had been purchased from the Pioneer Steamship Company in October 1923. As well, Jenkins managed the steamer G. J. GRAMMER which had been bought by Nisbet Grammer from the Pioneer Steamship Company, Jenkins acting as middleman in the sale. WILLIAM HENRY MACK was no longer in the fleet as she had been sold in 1914 to a Canadian concern, Lake Commerce Ltd., who had renamed her VALCARTIER.

The Jenkins association with Nisbet Grammer provides an interesting sideline to the story of the Jenkins Steamship Company. Grammer had formed and was president of the Eastern Steamship Company Inc. In 1923 he also formed the Eastern Steamship Company Ltd. which contracted for eleven canallers to be built in the United Kingdom for operation under Canadian registry. A few years later, Eastern was to order ten more such vessels. The export of grain via the port of Montreal had become a booming business, despite the restrictions on the length of vessels trading to the river port which were imposed by the size of the locks in the old St. Lawrence and Welland Canals. Perhaps it was from Grammer's actions that Jenkins got the idea of going into the canal trade himself.

Charles O. Jenkins in September 1925 organized and became president of the Fairport Warehouse and Elevator Company to provide an elevator for the transshipment of grain from his upper lakes vessels to canallers which would take it to Montreal for eventual transfer to the European market. The only problem was that there were no canallers available for sale or charter at the time. Accordingly, in 1929 Jenkins took delivery of five steam canallers which had been built on speculation by (or for) Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. in the U.K. Two, FAIRLAKE and FAIRRIVER, were placed under the ownership of the Fairport Shipping Company Ltd., while LOCKWELL, PORTWELL and STARWELL were registered to Welland Steamships Ltd. The head office for these two companies was Welland, Ontario. Jenkins headed each firm as president and serving with him as directors were H. R. Sullivan and Elizabeth Jenkins.

Meanwhile the Jenkins Steamship Company had added to its fleet the steel bulk carrier JAMES WATT which dated back to 1896 when she had been built for the Bessemer Steamship Company and which had been purchased by Jenkins from the Pittsburgh Steamship Company on October 31, 1928. The only recent deletion was the barge ALEXANDER MAITLAND which had been abandoned to the underwriters as a total loss as a result of the severe damage which she had suffered in 1924 when the Port Huron grain elevator had burned down while the MAITLAND was moored alongside. The barge was later sold Canadian and served for many years under the name GLENBOGIE.

The drive and determination of Charles Jenkins came to a grinding halt as the effects of the Great Depression spread over North America. Jenkins was a small, independent operator who depended upon the larger companies for contracts for the carriage of their iron ore. With the depression, this business virtually died out, as any contracts which the larger firms could get were used to keep their own vessels in operation and there were few cargoes left over for the likes of Jenkins to carry. Things were going no better for the Canadian canallers and in 1931 the builders and mortgage holders, Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., took back possession of the five vessels and transferred their registrations from Newcastle, England, to Montreal. They were laid up at anchor in the St. Lawrence River near the Montreal shipyard of Canadian Vickers Ltd. until in 1932 they were sold to Capt. Robert Scott Misener who formed Huron Steamships Ltd. to operate them.

As far as the Jenkins upper lakers were concerned, they were having to depend upon the grain trade to keep them busy now that they were virtually frozen out of any of the ore contracts which otherwise would have been forthcoming from firms such as Hanna and Hutchinson. The grain business that Jenkins did secure necessitated operation of the boats until very late in the season if any profit was to be made. Three of the ships operated into January of 1932, such operation being without the benefit of insurance coverage. The steamers all sustained considerable ice damage to their hulls and in the autumn of 1932 the United States Coast Guard surveyors caught up with them and ordered essential (and extensive) hull repairs.

Jenkins obtained shipyard quotes for these repairs but when he approached various banks for assistance in paying for them, not only did they say no but they also decided that the time had come when they no longer could finance Jenkins' vessel operations as they had been doing for some time. The Central United National Bank of Cleveland filed an Equity Case (bankruptcy) on January 4, 1933 against the Jenkins Steamship Company, claiming the sum of $140,000. Mortgage foreclosure on the ships was effected and H. R. Sullivan was appointed Receiver on March 25, 1933.

Carmi A. Thompson of the Midland Steamship Company Inc. was a director of the bank and he became involved in an effort to help both Jenkins and the bank, although one might wonder about his motives in so doing. In addition to holding office with both the bank and with Midland, Thompson was involved in the liquidation of the Becker Steamship Company and, strangely enough, Becker's boats ended up in the Midland Steamship Company's fleet! Going back for a minute, let us remember that H. R. Sullivan had been an associate of Jenkins for many years. He had served as Jenkins' treasurer from 1913 until shortly before the forced end of operations and was also an officer of the two Canadian affiliates. Then, when Jenkins was put out of business by the bank, Sullivan had been duly appointed as Receiver.

Thus the stage was set for Carmi Thompson to arrange with Sullivan for the charter of CHARLES O. JENKINS during the seasons of 1933 and 1934. Thompson was also granted an option to purchase and in 1935 he exercised this option, buying the JENKINS for his Tower Steamship Company. She was in 1938 transferred to the Midland Steamship Company Inc. and served this fleet until 1961 as JOHN W. DAVIN and MICHAEL GALLAGHER (II).

The depressed economic conditions of the period hampered the disposal of the rest of the units of the Jenkins fleet. Early in 1935, however, it must have been decided by the bank that the boats had to be sold regardless of the amount of the proceeds. A concentrated effort was made and eventually all of the vessels were sold. Each sale had its own interesting story.

The first steamer to go in the depressed market was WM. F. FITCH. It so happened that the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company had a contract to transport new automobiles, this in addition to their thriving passenger services, and the firm had made its requirements known to Mr. P. J. Gunn, a Buffalo ship chandler. Gunn arranged with Sullivan, the Jenkins receiver, to hold a public auction for the FITCH at Milwaukee where she had been lying. Gunn purchased the ship on April 3, 1935 for the princely sum of $14,500. D & C formed a separate corporation to handle its freight business and it was accordingly to the Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Company that WM. F. FITCH was eventually transferred. She was extensively rebuilt and reconditioned for her new role as an automobile carrier.

The Great Lakes Towing Company had an outstanding unpaid bill for towing against the Jenkins Steamship Company and the steamer F. B. SQUIRE. The tug firm took legal action to collect and was successful in Admiralty Proceedings against both the ship and Sullivan, the receiver, with judgment being given in the amount of $30,000. Great Lakes Towing certainly did not need a 512-foot bulk carrier, but it did need the money it was owed and the company arranged with the court to have the SQUIRE sold at public auction by the U.S. Marshal at Cleveland on June 4, 1935 for an amount in excess of $30,000 to satisfy its claim and legal costs. Two bids were filed for F. B. SQUIRE; Thomas Reid of Port Huron entered a bid of $33,000 in the name of Sin-Mac Lines Ltd. of Montreal, while John T. Hutchinson, acting on behalf of the Buckeye Steamship Company, bid $35,000. Hutchinson was the successful bidder and by August 7th the SQUIRE was in service for Buckeye under the name HARRY WM. HOSFORD.

The unsuccessful bidder for the SQUIRE, Thomas Reid, then put in a bid of $50,000 for SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY. In bidding on the two steamers, he had been acting for Robert Campbell of Montreal who was president of International Waterways Navigation Company Ltd. as well as of Sin-Mac Lines Ltd. Receiver Sullivan accepted Reid's offer for the SHAUGHNESSY and on application to the United States Shipping Board permission was given for the sale to International Waterways. The sale was consummated on October 23rd, 1935.

JAMES WATT had been idle at Chicago since 1932 and was the last of the Jenkins upper lakers to be sold. It was 1936 before a sale was arranged, the ship being acquired by Carriers Transport Corp., Cleveland, for the sum of $35,000. It is believed that she did not operate for these buyers and, to satisfy certain claims against the ship, she was resold on March 3, 1937 at a U.S. Marshal's sale held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The buyer was William Nicholson who had the WATT registered to his Erie Steamship Company.

And thus was dispersed the fleet that Charles Jenkins had worked so hard to create. With the dissolution of his vessel interests in the bankruptcy proceedings, there disappeared from the lake scene one of the most enthusiastic entrepreneurs of the early years of this century. It is not known whether Jenkins ever again became involved in the shipping industry subsequent to the bankruptcy, but if he did it was not in a capacity of sufficient importance that his name would become known. Charles Orlando Jenkins passed away at Cleveland during September 1953, two decades after seeing his ships sold out from beneath him.

There follows a listing of the various ships operated by Jenkins over his thirty years on the shipping scene:

The Jenkins Steamship Company. Cleveland. Ohio.

WM. F. FITCH, (U.S.81807). Steel bulk carrier built 1902 at Wyandotte by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company, Hull 147, launched April 12, 1902. 346.0 x 48.0 x 28.0, Gross 3629, Net 2632. Originally built for the Franklin Transportation Company (D. R. Hanna, Pres.), and operated by the M. A. Hanna Company. Sold June 19, 1923 to the Pioneer Steamship Company, Hutchinson and Company, managers. Sold October 15, 1923 to the Jenkins Steamship Company. Inactive at Milwaukee 1932-35. Sold at public auction at Milwaukee on April 3, 1935 for $14,500 to the Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Company which had been formed January 5, 1935. Converted to an auto carrier and operated by D & C until requisitioned 1942 by the U.S. Maritime Commission and towed to New Orleans via the Mississippi River. Converted at New Orleans to a floating machine shop for the U.S. Army by Bo-land Machine and Manufacturing Company. Revised Gross 3982. Later transferred to the U.S. Navy as a repair depot ship for service in the Pacific. In this 1942-43 rebuild her pilothouse was moved from the forecastle to a position aft of No. 2 hatch. Ownership returned to D & C 1946 along with $2,142,000 paid by the War Shipping Administration for the loss of use of WM. F. FITCH and GREATER BUFFALO. The FITCH did not return to the lakes and remained laid up on the west coast. In 1949 D & C decided it had no further use for the ship and she was scrapped on the coast between 1949 and 1951.

CHARLES O. JENKINS (43), (b) JOHN W. DAVIN (56), (c) MICHAEL GALLAGHER (II), (U.S.204306). Steel bulk carrier built 1907 at Wyandotte by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company, Hull 170, launched June 27, 1907. 504.0 x 54.2 x 31.0, Gross 6285, Net 4827. Built for the Jenkins Steamship Company. Idle 1932. Operated 1933-34 under charter to Carmi A. Thompson's Tower Steamship Company, Cleveland, and purchased by this firm 1935. Transferred 1938 to the Midland Steamship Company Inc. Sold April 1961 to Coal Export Company, New York, and resold to Terrestre Maritime S.A. for scrapping overseas. Towed across Atlantic by tug ELBE in tandem with DENMARK and arrived at La Spezia, Italy, on August 6, 1961.

WILLIAM HENRY MACK (14), (b) VALCARTIER, (U.S.81857, C.116573). Steel bulk carrier built 1903 at Cleveland by the American Shipbuilding Company, Hull 414, launched February 7, 1903. 354.0 x 48.0 x 28.0, Gross 3781, Net 2923. Built for the Mack Steamship Company, Cleveland, and operated by the Jenkins Steamship Company. Sold to Jenkins April 1906. Rammed and sank the steamer JOHN MITCHELL off Vermilion Point, Lake Superior, July 10, 1911. Sold 1914 to Lake Commerce Ltd., Toronto, and given Canadian registry. Remeasured as 361.0 x 48.2 x 24.0, Gross 3755, Net 2248. Collided May 13, 1915 with steamer A. W. OSBORNE one half mile above Corsica Shoal, Lake Huron, while en route Fort William to Port Colborne. Sustained damage of $35,000 to hull and $125,000 to grain cargo. Sold December 5, 1916 to the Sault Shipping Company Ltd., Soo, Ont. Sold 1920 to the Montreal Transportation Company Ltd. and passed 1921 to Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., Montreal. Sold 1937 to Frankel Bros. and scrapped at Midland, Ontario.

ALEXANDER MAITLAND (25), (b) GLENBOGIE, (U.S.30291, C.152645). Steel barge built 1902 at Buffalo by the Buffalo Dry Dock Company, Hull 202, launched July 10, 1902. 366.0 x 44.0 x 26.0, Gross 3351, Net 2998. Built for the Franklin Transportation Company (D. R. Hanna, Pres.) and operated by the M. A. Hanna Company. Sold June 1923 to the Pioneer Steamship Company, Cleveland, Hutchinson and Company, managers. Sold October 1923 to the Jenkins Steamship Company. Damaged by fire while moored alongside the Grand Trunk Elevator at Port Huron which burned December 9, 1924. Abandoned to the underwriters the next day. Purchased early 1925 by A.E.R. Schneider, Cleveland, and immediately resold to James Playfair for his Great Lakes Transit Corp. Ltd. Reregistered Canadian, Gross 2819. Sold 1926 to Canada Steamship Lines Ltd. but in 1927 passed back to Playfair's Midland Steamship Company Ltd. Transferred to Great Lakes Transit Corp. Ltd. 1928. Sold 1938 to Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation Company Ltd., Toronto. This firm reorganized 1959 as Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. After many years of inactivity at Toronto, sold November 21, 1966 to United Metals Company, Hamilton, and towed to Hamilton by tug ARGUE MARTIN. Scrapping completed at Strathearne Terminals by 1968.

SIR THOMAS SHAUGHNESSY, (U.S.203170, C.158636). Steel bulk carrier built 1906 at Wyandotte by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company, Hull 164, launched May 19, 1906. 480.0 x 52.2 x 30.2, Gross 6276, Net 4665. Built for the National Steamship Company (C.O. Jenkins) and transferred April 1911 to the Jenkins Steamship Company. Rebuilt 1920 at Cleveland, Gross 5507. Net 3996. Sold October 23, 1935 to International Waterways Navigation Company Ltd., Montreal, and reregistered Canadian. Remeasured as 486.7 x 52.2 x 26.3, Gross 5846, Net 3994. Transferred 1936 to the Mohawk Navigation Company Ltd. Sold 1969 to Steel Factors Ltd., Montreal, and resold to Spanish breakers. Passed down Seaway May 22, 1969 under own power. Towed across Atlantic in tandem with ASHCROFT and arrived at Castellon, Spain, August 9, 1969.

F. B. SQUIRE (35), (b) HARRY WM. HOSFORD, (U.S.200560). Steel bulk carrier built 1903 at Port Huron by Jenks Shipbuilding Company, Hull 26, launched October 17, 1903. 410.0 x 50.2 x 24.0, Gross 4582, Net 3694. Built for the Mack Estate, Cleveland, and registered to the Mack Steamship Company (Jenkins Steamship Company, managers). Sold April 1906 to Jenkins Steamship Company. Rebuilt 1921 at cost of $480,000 (original building cost was $275,000). 512.9 x 50.2 x 24.0, Gross 5156, Net 3951. Sold June 4, 1935 to the Buckeye Steamship Company, Hutchinson and Company, managers. Sold May 1961 to Luria Bros. and resold to Eisen und Metall A.G., Hamburg, West Germany. Towed from Lorain to Cleveland and loaded scrap cargo. Subsequently towed overseas and arrived at Hamburg on October 22, 1961, for scrapping.

JAMES P. WALSH, (U.S.201811). Steel bulk carrier built 1905 at Toledo by the Craig Shipbuilding Company, Hull 103, launched May 16, 1905. 488.6 x 52.0 x 31.0, Gross 5630, Net 4772. Built for the Ohio Steamship Company, Cleveland (C.O. Jenkins, Pres.). In January 1911 the other directors of the firm bought out Jenkins and turned management over to Hutchinson and Company. Sold 1916 to the Pioneer Steamship Company, Cleveland, Hutchinson and Company, managers. Rebuilt winter 1916-17 at Cleveland by Rud Machine Company, Gross 5326, Net 3925. Sold April 1961 to Marfax Steel and Railway Equipment, Milwaukee, and resold to Eisen und Metall A.G., Hamburg. Towed down Welland Canal May 24, 1961 in tow of MATTON and J. C. STEWART. Later towed from Quebec in tandem with PRICE McKINNEY and arrived at Hamburg July 18, 1961 for scrapping.

JAMES WATT, (U.S.77236). Steel bulk carrier built 1896 at Cleveland by the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, Hull 26, launched September 23, 1896. 405.0 x 48.0 x 23.5, Gross 4090, Net 3105. Built for the Bessemer Steamship Company, Cleveland, and acquired 1901 by the Pittsburgh Steamship Company. Rebuilt 1925, Gross 3807, Net 3105. Sold to the Jenkins Steamship Company October 1928. Sold 1936 to Carriers Transport Corp., Cleveland, but apparently not operated by these owners. Sold March 3, 1937 to the Erie Steamship Company (William Nicholson, Detroit) and transferred the same year to the Nicholson Transit Company. Sold April 1961 to Acme Scrap Metal and Iron Company, Ashtabula, and resold to Spanish breakers. Arrived at Gijon, Spain, September 25, 1961 for scrapping.

The Fairport Shipping Company Ltd., Welland, Ontario.

FAIRLAKE (44), (b) RALPH S. MISENER (I)(54), (c) C. A. ANSELL, (C.161520). Steel canal bulk carrier built 1929 at Whiteinch, Scotland, by Barclay, Curie and Company, Hull 633, under contract to Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. 252.7 x 43.4 x 17.8, Gross 1940, Net 1160. Built on speculation and turned over 1929 to Fairport Shipping Company Ltd., although still registered 1929-31 to Swan Hunter. Repossessed 1931 and registry transferred Newcastle to Montreal. Sold 1932 to R. Scott Misener and registered to Huron Steamships Ltd. Transferred 1938 to Sarnia Steamships Ltd., in 1951 to Colonial Steamships Ltd. and in 1959 to Scott Misener Steamships Ltd. Sold 1959 to Marine Salvage Ltd. and scrapped 1960 at Humberstone, Ontario.

FAIRRIVER (44), (b) FRANK WILKINSON, (C.161524). Steel canal bulk carrier built 1929 at Whiteinch, Scotland, by Barclay, Curie and Company, Hull 635, under contract to Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. 252.7 x 43.7 x 17.8, Gross 1940, Net 1160. Built on speculation and turned over 1929 to Fairport Shipping Company Ltd., although still registered 1929-31 to Swan Hunter. Repossessed 1931 and registry transferred Newcastle to Montreal. Sold 1932 to R. Scott Misener and registered to Huron Steamships Ltd. Transferred 1938 to Sarnia Steamships Ltd., in 1951 to Colonial Steamships Ltd. and in 1959 to Scott Misener Steamships Ltd. Sold 1961 to Newman Steel Company, St. Catharines, and scrapped 1962 at Port Dalhousie.

Welland Steamships Ltd., Welland, Ontario.

LOCKWELL (44), (b) J. N. McWATTERS (I)(60), (c) CARDINAL, (C.161519). Steel canal bulk carrier built 1929 at Wallsend-on-Tyne by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Hull 1393. 253.0 x 43.4 x 17.8, Gross 1928, Net 1148. Built on speculation and turned over 1929 to Welland Steamships Ltd., although still registered 1929-31 to Swan Hunter. Repossessed 1931 and registry transferred Newcastle to Montreal. Sold 1932 to R. Scott Misener and registered to Huron Steamships Ltd. Transferred 1938 to Sarnia Steamships Ltd., in 1951 to Colonial Steamships Ltd. and in 1959 to Scott Misener Steamships Ltd. Renamed 1960 to clear name for new ship but never operated as CARDINAL. Sold 1961 to Crawford Metals Ltd., Belleville, and scrapped 1961 at Deseronto, Ontario.

PORTWELL (44), (b) LT. JOHN MISENER (54), (c) H. L. WYATT, (C.161517). Steel canal bulk carrier built 1929 at Wallsend-on-Tyne by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Hull 1391. 252.8 x 43.4 x 17.8, Gross 1928, Net 1148. Built on speculation and turned over 1929 to Welland Steamships Ltd., although still registered 1929-31 to Swan Hunter. Repossessed 1931 and registry transferred Newcastle to Montreal. Sold 1932 to R. Scott Misener and registered to Huron Steamships Ltd. Transferred 1938 to Sarnia Steamships Ltd., in 1951 to Colonial Steamships Ltd. and in 1959 to Scott Misener Steamships Ltd. Sold 1959 to Marine Salvage Ltd. and scrapped 1960 at Humberstone, Ontario.

STARWELL (44), (b) JOHN A. FRANCE (I)(59), (c) AVONDALE (I), (C.161518). Steel canal bulk carrier built 1929 at Wallsend-on-Tyne by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., Hull 1387. 252.8 x 43.4 x 17.9. Gross 1938, Net 1158. Built on speculation and turned over 1929 to Welland Steamships Ltd., although still registered 1929-31 to Swan Hunter. Repossessed 1931 and registry transferred Newcastle to Montreal. Sold 1932 to R. Scott Misener and registered to Huron Steamships Ltd. Transferred 1938 to Sarnia Steamships Ltd., in 1951 to Colonial Steamships Ltd. and in 1959 to Scott Misener Steamships Ltd. Sold 1959 to Reoch Transports Ltd., Montreal. Sold 1962 to International Metals Company, Hamilton, who scrapped her at Hamilton 1962 for the Steel Company of Canada Ltd.

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