Photographic
images are all that remain today, a mute testimony to a time that was.
Like the long dormant bones of dinosaurs tell us a little of their past,
all that we have remaining of a once-proud era of Great Lakes package
freighters are fading images. Package freighters, a transportation breed
of a century ago, succumbed to the pressures of evolution and vanished.
Evolution,
according to the dictionary, is the process through which something
changes into a different form. Great Lakes commerce has evolved from
a variety of early beginnings dating back to the mid-1800s. Following
close on the heels of evolution is often another more final process
called extinction. Quite often the two are inter-related, such as in
the case of the dinosaur . . . and the Great Lakes package freighter.
Long
before there were highways; long before there was a well-developed railway
system, the Great Lakes afforded the best means of moving men, machines
and merchandise to the new, western reaches of early United States civilization.
There developed a type of vessel called the "Package Freighter",
a floating equivalent perhaps, of the ubiquitous United Parcel Service
truck of today. Capable of carrying just about any commodity, these
vessels flourished in an era when the waterways provided the cheapest
and often the only means of moving goods and people to remote locations.
Like
the dinosaur, however, the package freighter at first prospered, then
was slowly replaced by newer, more efficient means of transportation.
In the end, having been determined too slow for the fast-paced times,
it too became extinct. Although a few package freighters actually continued
on the Great Lakes until the early 1980s, the "giant" of the
genre disappeared long before. This is the story of how an era died.
In
the beginning, there were railroads pushing westward from such large
metropolitan areas as New York and Philadelphia. As they reached the
shores of the large bodies of water known as the Great Lakes, the rails
had to end. However, the lakes offered an opportunity for expanded routes
and outlets. In the mid-1800s, railroads had not yet been able to provide
fast and efficient rail connections between eastern cities to such remote
locations as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Duluth.
Several
rail moguls viewed the open expanses of the Great Lakes as a natural
extension of their railroads through ships. Passenger boats flourished
in the mid-1800s, sailing from eastern ports such as Buffalo, New York,
a natural outlet to the upper Great Lakes. Passengers and general cargo
combination carriers were a natural expansion for the railroad-owned
vessels. Soon several fleets began to appear on the Great Lakes specializing
in the general cargo, or "package freight" business. Major
eastern roads such as the Erie Railroad, New York Central Railway, Rutland
Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad, and Pennsylvania Railroad entered
the business, and soon they were competing for a booming trade.
Package
freighters were found on regular trade routes to the major western cities
of the Lakes. Duluth, Superior, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit were
among the cities served by at least one, but usually several of these
railroad package freight fleets. The ships were fast, large and sleek
steamers for their day, the earliest of which were built of wood. By
the late 1800s, the package freighters were built of iron, and finally,
steel.
The
railroads enjoyed big business in Great Lakes package freight, and there
was stiff competition to see which company could provide the fastest
service. At about the turn of the century, most of the major fleets
expanded by building a variety of new steel steamers. Most shipyards
around the lakes were contracted to build dozens of these new steamers.
The vessels all were built with 'tween decks, or a second deck inside
the hull for carrying loose packaged goods.
Although
built to an assortment of different dimensions to meet the individual
owner's needs, physically the various steamers were quite similar. Despite
the fact that they were sold to several different fleets, the standardized
ships were virtually identical in their design.
Package
freight profits for the railroads was primarily derived from the amount
of cargo and the speed at which it could be carried from one end of
the Great Lakes to the other. The new package freighters were large
and particularly fast for their era. They became an important facet
of Great Lakes commerce, especially during the span of years from approximately
1890 to 1910, when dozens of these ships were built to increase the
capacity of the trade.
Although
many of the railroads that owned the package freighters had already
made rail connections to Chicago and various other major points westward
by 1900, the lake boats continued to be a viable alternative. The ships,
some over 400 feet in length, could carry nearly 6000 tons of general
cargo. The railroads kept the ships busy as an addendum to their rail
business to the western cities, even though some of the ship and rail
routes paralleled each other. Freight rates differentiated between "all
rail" or "rail and water" transportation.
The
railroads were not ready to admit that their lake fleet service paralleled
their rail service, however. They viewed the package freighter trade
as an extension of their rail service. While the package freighters
prospered, some private operators became jealous of the advantages that
the railroads had in operating these general cargo vessels. The railroads,
with their "built in" connecting points, had a distinct advantage.
By 1910, opposition to the railroads remaining in business with the
package freighters was becoming quite vocal. Opponents were concerned
about restriction of free trade, and some felt that the railroad-controlled
package freighters constituted a monopoly.
Meanwhile,
the government was actively supporting construction of the Panama Canal,
which would ultimately become a great boom to ocean shipping interests.
Transcontinental railroad operators voiced their strong opposition to
the canal, since the resultant savings in time would benefit ships carrying
cargo between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean ports in the United States.
Water transportation was cheaper, and the railroads logically feared
loss of business because of existence of the Panama Canal.
Congress,
meanwhile, noting that the railroads could utilize their Great Lakes
vessels to effectively control freight movements far beyond the normal
rail terminals, took action against the railroads. With so much time
and effort being expended in the desire to build the Panama Canal, Congress
feared that the transcontinental railroads would control or stifle inter-coastal
traffic through the Canal. Convinced that the Panama Canal was a better
investment than Great Lakes operations, the Panama Canal Act was adopted.
In
1912, with the passage of the Panama Canal Act, the U.S. Congress enacted
a landmark piece of legislation, a provision of which would change the
face of Great Lakes package freight operations. Although other provisions
of the Panama Canal Act may have been controversial, the portion that
adversely affected the Great Lakes was the section that made it illegal
for railroads to operate ships on routes that paralleled their own rail
service. This legislation was clearly levelled at the package freighters,
and the railroads involved faced a dilemma.
Yet
there were other railroads, those that were involved with carferries,
that were not directly affected by the new legislation, and in fact
may have been aided by it. With the enactment of the Panama Canal Act,
the railroads would be unable to operate their own package freighters
on the Great Lakes after 1915. It was not a universally popular law,
just as the Panama Canal was not necessarily welcomed by all citizens
of the United States. Ultimately, the Act was subject to a variety of
interpretations by the various railroads involved.
Package
freight operators faced making some major decisions that would ultimately
determine how they would compete or survive. Although the package freighters
were still quite active, many of the railroads involved reluctantly
viewed future operations as being a losing proposition. By 1915 the
railroads had improved their rail connections and performance to the
point where the freighters were actually quite redundant, and in some
fleets were losing money. All of the railroads involved, with the lone
exception of the Lehigh Valley, agreed to disband their individual fleets
with relatively little opposition to the new legislation. Lehigh Valley,
however, single-handedly took the government to court in long and expensive
litigation
which they eventually lost.
Some
fleets, such as the Rutland, were disbanded altogether, while most of
the others agreed to a new proposal. A new, private corporation was
formed in which various railroads participated, but, because of the
Panama Canal Act, were not actually owners. At the close of the 1915
shipping season, several large package freighter fleets went out of
business for good. New York Central's Western Transit Company operated
ten freighters in 1915. The Anchor Line, owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad,
had a fleet of nine package freighters and three passenger vessels operating
in 1915, while Erie Railroad's Lake Line operated eight freighters.
With
thirty-three ships originating from a variety of owners, the company
began with a massive organizational problem. When the different railroads
owned the ships, much of the activity was competitive. When merged together
into just one fleet, however, some of the vessels would no longer be
required, since the former competitive schedules could be reduced. In
early 1916 the entire fleet sailed, but it was obvious that many of
the vessels would not be needed. Plans were being made to get rid of
many of the smaller, less profitable carriers.
It
was a proud fleet that began the 1916 shipping season. The Great Lakes
Transit Corporation became one of the larger operators on the lakes
virtually overnight. It began the new year with initial capitalization
of $20 million, which was a tremendous boost to the fledgling company.
Much of the backing came from the railroad lines which had preceded
the new firm. Chosen as Chairman of the Board of the new venture was
William J. Connors, who had been associated with many of the railroads
involved in the former package freight fleets. He brought with him several
other executives from various railroads. The combination of the railroads'
support and experienced top level management gave the new GLTC a strong
sendoff for their first season of operation.
Getting
thrity-three ships ready to begin a new season was a tremendous undertaking.
Fleet designs and color schemes had to be chosen, and the GLTC chose
the fleet colors of the former Western Transit Company for its vessels.
Hull color was brown while cabins were painted white. Smokestacks were
painted black with a wide orange band. These colors would remain with
all vessels in the fleet until a major restructuring occurred in the
1920s. In addition, the new corporation chose not to rename any of the
package freighters initially, even though many of the vessels were named
for cities along rails far inland from the Great Lakes.
Competitive
or not, the railroads maintained joint rail-water and water-rail-water
rates. In addition, initially there were arrangements for the interchange
of cargo between the rail and water carriers. However, it wasn't long
before the railroads began to take a firmer competitive stance against
the package freight lines that had succeeded their former fleets.
A
slow erosion of traffic began as the railroads steadily reduced their
rates to hold large blocks of traffic on their lines. Through economics
the railroadstried to keep traffic away from the very water carriers
they had once fostered and promoted. The railroads, meanwhile, also
began to feel the increasing impact of motor trucks. All of this negativism,
however, was still in the future as the new package freighter venture
was being formulated.
A
large majority of the vessels that began operation in 1916 were built
between the years 1898 and 1910, and were at least 350 feet in length.
On the roster, however, were quite a few ships that were older. With
a reduction of schedules, it became obvious that the older, smaller
and slower ships were excess tonnage.
After
its initial season of operation, GLTC began to trim its roster. In 1917,
Great Lakes Transit sold the CODORAS and the MAHONING to Boland &
Cornelius which operated them for less than one season.
Also
that year GLTC disposed of the package freighters SUSQUEHANNA, NORTH
WIND, NORTHERN LIGHT, AND NORTHERN WAVE. All of these ships were sold
to the United States Shipping Board for use during World War I. With
the German U-boats causing such devastation to shipping in the North
Atlantic, all available vessels were required to aid in the transport
of supplies. In addition, it allowed Great Lakes Transit Company a convenient
means to dispose of the older ships in the massive fleet.
The
resultant fleet, thus leaned in size, operated until the 1920 season
with only a few further changes. In 1919 the GRANVILLE A. RICHARDSON
was sold to James Playf air of Midland, Ontario, and became part of
GLTC's Canadian affiliate, the Great Lakes Transit Company, Ltd. It
was renamed GLENCAIRN.
The
die was cast, however, and package freight revenues began a rapid decline.
Net results of the Panama Canal Act on package freight tonnage on the
Great Lakes were stunning. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for example, was among
the largest package freight ports on the Lakes. In 1914, Milwaukee was
served by a wide variety of package freight operators, including four
cross-lake lines, six lower lake lines, four shoreside lines, as well
as two carferry fleets.
Package
freight tonnage for Milwaukee in 1915, the last year before the Act
took effect, was reported as being 1.5 million tons, of both inbound
and outbound cargo. The effects of the Act decimated the traffic, and
by 1918 Milwaukee had a total package freight tonnage of only 126,349
tons of inbound and outbound cargo. Milwaukee was not the only port
to be adversely affected by the railroad's divestment of its vessels.
The
railroads, meanwhile, took steps to dissuade shippers from using the
boats by offering attractive all-rail rates. By the early 1920s, however,
it was obvious that something had to be done to assist the ship operators.
A law was passed that compelled the railroads to make "through
lake" and rail rates and to issue bills of lading to shippers using
independent lines of steamers. This provided a temporary improvement
in the business of the Great Lakes Transit Corporation, especially in
Milwaukee, where total tonnage reached 309,852 in 1921, and ballooned
to 780,767 tons in 1927. It was not ideal, but was an improvement for
the package freighters ... as long as the economy could remain strong.
Beset
by increased competition from the railroads, as well as by the steadily
increasing use of trucks on the rapidly improving highways, times got
lean for the package freight fleet. However, through the boom years
of the 1920s, the Great Lakes Transit Company kept its large fleet quite
active, although it was considerably smaller than when it was formed.
By 1930, the fleet still consisted of a total of twenty-two ships, nineteen
of which were package freighters.
After
the Lehigh Valley Railroad lost its appeal of the Panama Canal Act,
their two remaining package freighters were sold to the Great Lakes
Transit Company in 1920. The MAUCH CHUNK and the WILKES-BARRE were renamed
WJ. CONNORS and EDWARD E. LOOMIS respectively, and became the first
of the GLTC vessels to receive new names.
After
a major reorganization of Great Lakes Transit Company in 1925, several
changes developed. Wholesale renames, new fleet colors, and other operational
changes began to appear. All of this, apparently, as the railroads became
less influential in the operation of the package freight business.
The
year 1925 saw the disappearance of many of the old "regional"
names of the vessels which had been associated with their original owning
railroads. Many of the ships were renamed to honor prominent citizens,
either in the shipping community or associated with the rail industry.
Only four of the ships retained their original names . . . those that
were named after cities on the Great Lakes to which the vessels still
maintained schedules.
Most
dramatic of the changes, however, was the adoption of a new color scheme
for the vessels. The light brown hulls of the first ten years, that
had been a trademark of the former Western Transit Company eventually
gave way to hull colors of another predecessor, the Anchor Line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. GLTC adopted the crisp white upper hulls with
dark green on the hull boot. The vessels had a crimson stack with black
smoke band, and retained their white cabins, while the vessel names
and company logo was in golden red. Throughout the early years that
the Great Lakes Transit Company operated, the vessels were usually well
painted and kept in immaculate condition . . . especially the passenger
boats.
Business
continued to be good for the package freighters through the 1920s, as
cargoes, especially those consigned to the upper lakes, continued strong.
Many of the ships in the fleet had refrigeration equipment added on
their decks topside during the twenties, to add yet another dimension
of cargo capability. Package freighters seemed, in fact, to be making
a comeback after several years of lackluster performance. A competing
freight line was formed in 1923; however, the Minnesota-Atlantic Transit
Company was never a success, and, in fact, never had much of a record
in profitability prior to its liquidation in 1941.
With
virtually no changes to its vessel roster for nearly a decade. Great
Lakes Transit Company continued to operate its fleet with consistency
during the"Roaring 20s". By the end of the decade, however,
GLTC began to feel the pinch from several different directions at almost
the same time. The stock market crash of 1929 was just one of the major
problems that began to cripple the fleet.
The
year 1929 also saw two devastating losses within the fleet. Things started
out badly that year when the RALPH BUDD, formerly the SUPERIOR, stranded.
The BUDD was bound for Duluth with general merchandise on May 15, 1929,
when she encountered a blizzard. During the night the BUDD battled onward,
but in the blinding storm, stranded on the rocks of Saltese Point about
six miles west of Eagle Harbor. All of the crew members were ultimately
rescued, but on July 8 the ship was abandoned to the underwriters. The
vessel was eventually released and sold to Dominion Towing & Wrecking
Company. She went on to sail for various Canadian operators until finally
being scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario in 1966 as L.A. McCORQUODALE.
During
1929, the steamer MILWAUKEE experienced major mechanical problems and
went into early lay-up. At the time, no one anticipated the terrible
economic upheaval that was to come, so it was not expected that the
MILWAUKEE would be in permanent lay-up.
Fleet
strength was diminished even further as the result of another serious
accident later in the season. Once again a GLTC vessel was lost on Lake
Superior when the CHICAGO stranded on October 23, 1929. The vessel went
on the western shore of Michipicoten Island with a crew of thirty-one.
No lives were lost, and attempts at freeing the stranded ship were futile.
Finally, on December 19, the vessel slid off into deep water and was
lost.
In
addition to losing both the CHICAGO and RALPH BUDD as a result of accidents,
the steamer UTICA caused the company additional embarrassment. On October
3, 1929, the UTICA was inbound at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a mixed
cargo when it was boarded by Federal agents. An inspection was made
of its cargo, and when liquor was discovered, the vessel was impounded
for several days for violation of the Volstead Act. Although "Prohibition"
was proving to be quite unpopular, the law was still in effect, and
the liquor on board was seized as contraband. The vessel remained tied
to the dock at Milwaukee for several days.
However
bad the losses of the ships were, it would become nothing compared with
the losses that were about to come. With the severe economic slump of
the "Great Depression", the Great Lakes Transit Corporation
was hit especially hard. Faced with some marginal years even during
the 1920s, the lack of business
Milwaukee
ranked among the largest of the package freighter docks on the Great
Lakes during the busiest years of the business. Most of the GLTC freighters
called there, such as the UTICA on October 3, 1929. However, on this
occasion, the UTICA was boarded by government agents, and illegal liquor
was confiscated. (Photo courtesy Great Lakes Photo Collection, Milwaukee
Public Library)
during
the 1930s spelled doom for the package freight fleet. The last profitable
year for GLTC was 1932, and everything deteriorated rather quickly after
that.
With
so many people out of work across America, cargoes of the type that
the package boats carried were difficult to come by. Great Lakes Transit
began to look for other possibilities, such as transporting manufactured
steel products to various markets. The steamer F.D. UNDERWOOD was converted
from a standard package freighter to a steel carrier at Buffalo, New
York, in 1930, and was fitted with cranes to handle steel products.
Success in the venture was fleeting. The UNDERWOOD was the only one
of the package freighters to be so converted, and she was idle much
of the time during the 1930s.
By
1930, the Great Lakes Transit Corporation had been reduced to a fleet
of twenty-two vessels, nineteen of which were package freighters. The
year started with only sixteen of the package freighters seeing service,
as the MILWAUKEE and DELOS W. COOKE were both out of service with various
mechanical maladies, and the UNDERWOOD was in lay-up during its conversion
to a crane boat. The number of actual operating vessels would continue
to dwindle as the bottom of the American economic system fell out.
Fewer
and fewer ships were needed each succeeding year, and 1933 saw the start
of a rapid trend toward extensive losses. Not only the package freighters,
but the once popular and profitable passenger vessels also fell victim
to the economic woes of the country. Operating on a small margin, GLTC
could ill afford to have any more serious casualties, but trouble seemed
to stalk the aging freighters.
On
November 21, 1934 Great Lakes Transit's EDWARD E. LOOMIS rammed and
sank the Canadian grain carrier W.C. FRANZ near Thunder Bay Island in
Lake Huron. The FRANZ was lost, but the LOOMIS was able to sail to Buffalo,
where her severely smashed bow and hull damage precluded her from further
service. She was tied to the dock, and remained there until finally
being scrapped at Hamilton in 1940. The incident did nothing to aid
the failing Great Lakes Transit Corporation's financial picture.
On
July 25,1935, the steamer P.E. CROWLEY was inbound at Milwaukee at about
4 p.m. when she stranded on the rocks just off of North Point. The CROWLEY,
carrying about 850 tons of merchandise westbound, was stranded about
1500 feet from shore, and about 1800 feet north of the City's filtration
plant.
By
the end of the 1930s, many of Great Lakes Transit's finest package freighters
were in layup for lack of business. The GEORGE D. DIXON is seen at the
company dock at Buffalo, New York on September 14, 1939. Also visible
behind her were MILWAUKEE, EDWARD E. LOOMIS, J.E. GORMAN, and F.D. UNDERWOOD.
(Photo courtesy Great Lakes Photo Collection, Milwaukee Public Library)
The CROWLEY remained on the rocks until nearly 7 p.m. on July 26, when
she was finally pulled free by the Coast Guard cutter ESCANABA. She
was brought into Milwaukee, where she remained until the afternoon of
July 27, when she cleared for South Chicago for repairs to about twenty-seven
damaged plates.
The
CROWLEY's ills were not serious, and the ship was back at Milwaukee
on September 24, 1935, on her first downbound trip after the accident
and the subsequent repairs.
With
only about ten of its ships operating in 1935, GLTC's losses were mounting.
The company sought to carry the increasing loads of automobiles that
were being shipped on the lakes, and two of the package freighters,
the FRED W. SARGENT and UTICA, were specially refitted to be a combination
auto carrier and package freighter. Other vessels in the fleet would
also regularly carry autos on their decks. Earlier, the RALPH BUDD had
been similarly converted, but sailed in the auto trade for only one
year before her accident.
Losses
of vessels, subsequent costly litigation, combined with accumulating
losses from operation kept Great Lakes Transit deferring repairs and
upgrades on its aging fleet. In general, the fleet was operating on
a very limited budget, and major renovations could not be afforded.
Losses on the package freighters were great, but the staggering losses
on the passenger steamers were even greater.
Fearing
that strict new safety measures would be required for passenger vessels
after the devastating loss of life on the MORRO CASTLE, GLTC had serious
decisions to make. New refits of the three passenger ships would be
too costly for the struggling fleet to handle, so the ultimate decision
was obvious. The palatial OCTORARA, TIONESTA, and JUNIATA were retired
at the end of the 1936 season.
Both
the OCTORARA and JUNIATA were sold to the Sand Products Corporation
for conversion to combination passenger ships and auto carriers on Lake
Michigan. Being in somewhat better condition, the JUNIATA was the first
to be rebuilt as the MILWAUKEE CLIPPER, and was put into active service.
The OCTORARA, however, was used as a floating warehouse, and as such
was not in good enough condition to be converted. It was eventually
sold to the U.S. War Shipping Administration.
The
Great Lakes Transit Corporation was faced with all types of competition
from railroads and motor trucks, with the land-based trucks rapidly
gaining the upper hand in transporting package
One
of the major losses to the package freighter fleet, was the collision
of the EDWARD E. LOOMIS with the freighter W.C. FRANZ. Although the
FRANZ sank, the LOOMIS was able to continue on her way. Heavily damaged,
the LOOMIS never was repaired, and went into permanent layup. Here she
is seen at the Great Lakes Transit dock at Milwaukee early in the 1934
shipping season. (Photo courtesy Great Lakes Photo Collection, Milwaukee
Public Library)
commodities. After several consecutive years of financial losses, GLTC
began a massive sell-off of equipment. Obsolete and damaged vessels
which had been retained during the 1930s were the first to be disposed
of.
The
DELOS W. COOKE and CHARLES DON-NELLY which had both been idle throughout
much of the 1930s, were sold in 1937 to the Larsen Wrecking Company
of Chicago. Both vessels were in rather dilapidated condition at the
time of the sale, and it was expected that both of them were to be scrapped.
Although they had not been fired for several years, the COOKE's boilers
were brought back to life, and on June 7, 1937, she towed the DONNELLY
out of Buffalo. Both vessels arrived in South Chicago where they surprisingly
remained untouched for several years.
In
1941, with a sudden resurgence in traffic on the Great Lakes caused
by fears of eventual war, both of the old vessels were spared the cutting
torch and were sold to the Nicholson Transit Company of Detroit. Both
vessels were in poor shape, but Nicholson refurbished the two old ships
and converted them into bulk freighters. Both vessels were returned
to service in
1941. After sailing throughout the war years with virtually little change
to her outward profile, the DONNELLY was extensively modified and converted
into a specialized automobile carrier in 1946. In addition to receiving
new cabins, she was the first Nicholson ship to be equipped with a "flight
deck", an upper ramp for carrying automobiles above the main deck.
The
COOKE, meanwhile, was renamed STEEL KING and eventually converted into
a crane ship. Her forward cabins were cut down and moved forward to
make room for the cranes. She sailed with that configuration for several
seasons in the 1940s, before having the cranes removed during her final
years of service. She remained in the bulk freight service until she
was sold in 1954 and cut down to make two derrick scows.
With
little likelihood that they would ever be needed again, Great Lake Transit
sold the package freighters MILWAUKEE, F.D. UNDERWOOD, and EDWARD E.
LOOMIS as well as the passenger vessel TTONESTA for scrapping at Hamilton,
Ontario in 1940. This reduced the operable fleet to but fourteen vessels.
After
many years of inactivity, it was expected that the run down package
freighter DELOS W. COOKE was due for the scrapper's torch. However,
a scarcity of ships in the early 1940s found the vessel repaired and
returned to service. The COOKE is seen at South Chicago, Illinois on
May 12, 1939, in very rough shape. (Photo courtesy Great Lakes Photo
Collection, Milwaukee Public Library)
Like
the DELOS W. COOKE, the steamer CHARLES DONNELLY had been idle for many
seasons before being sold in 1939. She was eventually converted into
an automobile carrier, but still looked good in all her package freighter
livery when seen at Chicago in 1928. (Photo courtesy of Great Lakes
Graphics)
CHARLES
DONNELLY was rebuilt as a bulk carrier in 1940 and then, in 1946, she
became an auto carrier. The vessel is seen at Cleveland in July, 1954.
(Pete Worden)
The
year 1941 saw GLTC starting the season with nine of its ships sailing.
By this time many of the vessels were no longer in fresh paint, and
some of them were in rather poor operating condition. It was not a good
year for the package freight business, and quite often, the ships sailed
with less than capacity loads. Quite often the company was scrambling
to keep the vessels busy, often having them carry grain on various occasions.
With
lean prospects and mounting losses, the final nails for the GLTC coffin
were being prepared. The death knell was sounded in June, 1941, when
the Congress passed a law reaffirming the right of the President and
his agents to requisition ships for emergency use. The War Shipping
Administration was created as a result of that legislation, and with
it began the process of acquiring ships to replace the tremendous loss
of tonnage on the oceans due to heavy German U-boat attacks.
By
the summer of 1942, the War Shipping Administration was making its presence
felt on the Great Lakes. Iron ore-carrying bulk freighters were urgently
required to carry the materials needed to make the steel necessary for
the war effort, and were ignored by the WSA. Package freighters, however,
were vulnerable, and the remaining roster of the Great Lakes Transit
Corporation was pillaged.
The
Corporation had been experiencing losses for so many years that it was
perhaps a blessing in disguise that the end could come about so quickly
and easily. By late June and July, 1942, the War Shipping Administration
purchased the C.T. JAFFRAY, DANIEL WILLARD, DULUTH, EDWARD CHAMBERS,
H.A. SCANDRETT, J.E. GORMAN, J.M. DAVIS, P.E. CROWLEY, W.J. CONNORS,
and W.W. ATTERBURY. Great Lakes Transit Corporation was paid a "just
compensation" of $1.9 million for these ten vessels, and they were
removed from the lakes almost immediately. Totally stripped of their
package freight gear, the vessels were completely rebuilt for service
on the oceans. Painted in wartime gray, in most cases their profiles
were so severely altered that there was not even the slightest resemblance
to the sleek package freighters that they had once been.
The
four remaining package freighters in the fleet, ALFRED H. SMITH, FRED
W. SARGENT, GEORGE W. DIXON, and UTICA were also included in the sale.
However, delivery of these vessels to the Gulf for conversion to ocean
service had been delayed. At the time of their sale, there was no available
shipyard space, so they were not immediately converted. By the time
that the available yards were cleared, it had been decided that these
four ships would not be needed. They were then returned to Great Lakes
Transit.
Since
the vessels had already been stripped of much of their cargo handling
gear and other equipment, an agreement was reached between GLTC and
the War Shipping Administration
Although
the various vessels that made up the GLTC fleet came from several other
fleets and builders, they all shared design similarities. The J.M. DAVIS
is seen in the Detroit River in this view dated 1934. (Photo courtesy
Great Lakes Graphics)
that the Government would pay the company a charter fee for the period
of time that the ships were in their possession. The Government also
agreed to restore the ships to their former condition. Great Lakes Transit
which had been losing money continuously for nearly ten years in the
package freight trade, decided to defer on the offer, and keep the ships
as they were.
The
four were brought back to the Great Lakes during 1943, and GLTC operated
them in the grain trade for the balance of the year and all through
1944. Having been built as package freighters, all four of the vessels
had 'tween decks, which made them unsuited for carrying grain. They
were difficult to unload as well as dangerous for workers inside the
ships who had to load and unload the 'tween decks. Most comparable grain
carriers of the era could be unloaded in about one day, but the former
package freighters required nearly a week at most elevators.
Cargo
handling difficulties notwithstanding, grain vessels were in short supply
in 1943 and 1944 while most other available bulk cargo ships were kept
busy handling a never-ending stream of iron ore. The four former package
boats carried 16.2 million bushels of grain during 1944 resulting in
a small profit. All four
vessels, however, were put into permanent lay up at the end of the shipping
season.
The
following spring, Great Lakes Transit applied to the U.S. Maritime Commission
for permission to sell the four vessels to foreign owners. Permission
was sought in May, 1945, and finally granted in July. The ships were
sold for a total of $2 million, with the understanding that GLTC would
place any proceeds from their sale in a construction reserve fund for
future replacement. However, the deal called for the Corporation to
put the four in operating condition and to deliver them to New Orleans.
This movement to the Gulf took so long that GLTC was taken to Court,
where they lost a ruling and had to pay an additional judgment because
of the delay. The net result was that the judgment and delivery of the
ships to New Orleans cost more than what Great Lakes Transit had received
for them.
After
the sale of the last of their ships, Great Lakes Transit Corporation
was not much more than a mere corporate entity with little tangible
property remaining. However, the Corporation remained legally intact,
with the possibility of having some of their old vessels returned by
the Government at the end of the war.
Most
of the GLTC freighters were eventually equipped with refrigeration equipment,
however, the FRED W. SARGENT still had a clean upper deck when photographed
in this scene in 1937. (Photo courtesy Great Lakes Graphics)
During
1944 Congress had declared that any vessel requisitioned by the War
Shipping Administration would be returned to private ownership at the
cessation of hostilities, provided that the ship had been in use the
year prior to being requisitioned by the Government. In essence, the
vessels involved could be reclaimed by the original owner upon return
of a portion of the "just compensation" they were paid. Deductions
would be allowed for any reconditioning that would be needed as well
as for the amount of time that the Government had used the ship. The
Act also had provisions so that the repayment figures would be considerably
less than the "just compensation" amount.
However,
the Act also stated that if the original owner did not reclaim the ship,
the War Shipping Administration could dispose of it through competitive
sealed bids. It was as a result of this Act that Great Lakes Transit
Corporation was offered all ten of their former vessels in 1947. The
repayment figure set by the Government was just over $488,000 for all
ten ships.
Although
Great Lakes Transit had earlier announced their intention to remain
in business, they were either unable or unwilling to raise enough funds
to buy back their former freighters. All ten of the ships, therefore,
were sold through the bid process to the Overtakes Freight Corporation.
The Detroit-based firm operated automobile carriers, but had no interest
in returning the ships to the Lakes. Eight of the ten were subsequently
resold to foreign owners for a price of nearly $2 million, while the
two remaining ships were scrapped.
Great
Lakes Transit Corporation, unable to raise the funds to buy back their
ships, could not participate in the profits that were gained in reselling
the vessels. With no funds in their construction reserve fund, no vessels,
and virtually no future for package freight business on the Great Lakes,
the Great Lakes Transit Corporation went out of business. With its demise
went the largest operation of package freighters on the Great Lakes.
While
it is easy to point fingers at the damage caused by the Government's
heavy hand concerning the destiny of package freight on the Great Lakes,
the modern tide of commerce was the most detrimental. When the Panama
Canal Act made it illegal for the railroads to operate the ships, it
resulted in the creation of the Great Lakes Transit Corporation. GLTC
followed the letter of the law, although the destiny of
Duluth/Superior
was a major docking area for the package freighters of the Great Lakes
Transit Corp. The boats, like the EDWARD CHAMBERS were frequent visitors
at the Soo Canal, and made regular passages through the locks. This
undated scene is apparently from the late 1930s. (Photo from author's
collection)
Showing
the signs of her heritage, the RALPH BUDD was the last of the former
GLTC boats to remain operating on the Lakes. Seen here m 1931, during
her days in Canadian colors of the Great Lakes Transit Corporation Ltd.,
the ship was saved after stranding on Lake Superior. She remained active
on the lakes in the package freight and grain trade until finally being
scrapped in 1966. (Photo courtesy of Great Lakes Graphics)
L.A.
McCORDQUALE, the former RALPH BUDD, is shown at United Metals in Hamilton,
Ont. on June 28, 1966 (Skip Gillham)
its
early years were almost fully in the control of the railroads whose
former vessels made up its extensive roster.
It
was the expertise and modernization of those same railroads that ultimately
led to the demise of the package freighters. Overland transportation
such as trucks, while not as economical as lake transportation, perhaps,
was considerably more convenient. The "Great Depression" and
resultant heavy economic losses was another factor.
Aging,
ill-kept vessels, disastrous economic conditions, combined with better
competition from the railroads and ever-increasing competition from
trucks, kept the red ink flowing for Great Lakes Transit Corporation
from 1933 on. Perhaps it was a merciful end, then, when the Government
stepped in once again to virtually force the end to the fleet of colorful
vessels that it had inadvertently helped create in 1916.
Package
freighters would remain a strong and viable business in Canada for many
years after World War II, however, the ilk eventually lost profitability
there as well. No package freighters remained in operation on the Great
Lakes after the end of the 1981 shipping season.
Although
the great white fleet of Great Lakes Transit Corporation had been but
a memory for many years, some of its former ships continued to sail
on for several years. The RALPH BUDD, which had been stranded in 1929,
remained in service as the L.A. McCORQUODALE through 1963 before finally
being scrapped in 1966. To the end, she retained the fine distinctive
profile that all of the package freighters displayed. The STEEL KING
(formerly the DELOS W. COOKE) sailed as a bulk freighter and crane ship
until scrapping occurred in 1954. The CHARLES DONNEL-LY, equipped as
a flight deck automobile carrier, was scrapped in 1961.
However,
it was two former GLTC boats that went to salt water that ultimately
lasted the longest in one form or another. The J.M. DAVIS, which was
sold to the War Shipping Administration, became the Argentinian freighter
CANOPUS in 1949. In December, 1976, this ship underwent scrapping at
La Plata, Argentina.
It
was apparently the H.A. SCANDRETT which was the last of the former GLTC
vessels to disappear. Sold to the Baltic Chartering Company of Helsinki,
Finland in 1949, the vessel sailed as the HAMINA until 1955. It's double
bottom hull was retained after the rest of the ship was scrapped, and
used as a mooring pontoon in Flushing Outer Harbor. In May, 1983, the
hull was finally towed into the inner harbor, and broken-up.
And
with that scrapping, an era ended!
C.T.
JAFFRAY, dated 1937
H.
A. SCANDRETT dated 1931
H.A.
SCANDRETT went to the Atlantic in WWII and eas rebuilt for deep sea
duty. (Canadian Forces)
