Commodore Crawford of the Hamilton Steamboat Co.

Capt. A. W. Crawford, Commodore of the fleet of the Hamilton Steamboat Company and commander on the run between Hamilton and Toronto, was born in Bowmanville, Ont., in 1857. His early education he received in the Public and Private Schools of Bowmanville, after which he took a diploma at the Owen Sound Business Academy. He started sailing in 1880, the first vessel in which he shipped being the steamer Nellie Cuthbert, plying between Toronto and Lorne Park in the passenger business. Later she ran on the Bay of Quinte, and after that on the Georgian Bay. For some time Capt. Crawford was in her on the upper lakes, trading to Lake Superior at the time the Canadian Pacific Railway was under construction, and carrying supplies and provisions for the railway contractors, Messrs. Smith & Mitchell . During the years 1883 and 1884 Capt. Crawford was commander in the passenger steamer Imperial, sailing out of Toronto to Grimsby and Long Branch. Afterward he had charge of the big side-wheeler Rupert, and sailed her for several seasons, principally to summer resorts from Toronto on Lake Ontario.

This brought him to the year 1891 when he laid off for one season. In the year 1892 he was engaged by the Hamilton Steamboat Company, and commanded the steamer Macassa belonging to their line on the run between Hamilton and Toronto. In 1893 Capt. Crawford took charge of Mr. Albert Gooderham's steam yacht Cleopatra and sailed her for two seasons. In 1895 the Hamilton Steamboat Company made him an offer to become Commodore of their fleet and command the steamer Modjeska, which he accepted, and has held the position ever since. Two of the vessels under his charge, the Macassa and Modjeska, are Clyde-built steel, double-screw steamboats, with triple-compound engines, and are easily two of the finest vessels on Lake Ontario.

Capt. Crawford married Miss Syne of Whitby, Ont., in the year 1885, and they have one son, Harry, nine years of age. Mrs. Crawford is a prominent worker in Methodist Church circles in Toronto.

Fortune has followed Capt. Crawford for not one disaster or accident has he to record, although he has encountered some terrific gales on the lakes, and has sailed in dangerous places in thick fog.

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