After
five years of World War and a decade of Depression living, the social
and economic condition plus a positive outlook, Canada in 1946 was better
that it had been for some time. Life was again lending itself to hope
and this climate for growth encouraged investment.
Charles A. Ansell was ready to take such a risk. He had been born in
England but lived in the Niagara area since childhood. Ansell had briefly
worked in a bank before joining the Muir Bros. Drydock in Port Dalhousie,
Ontario as a Junior Clerk.
Shipbuilding in Niagara had dated from the early 1800's. When William
Hamilton Merritt's first Welland Canal opened on November 29,1829, it
spurred the development of the industry and individuals like Louis Shickluna
and Alexander Muir eventually took advantage of die strategic location
to build and repair ships. By 1946, Muir's yard was the lone survivor
of this era. It dated from 1850 and was nearing the century mark as
World War Two ended.
An innovative man of enthusiasm, vision and drive, C.A. Ansell impressed
his employers at Muirs. He gained added responsibilities at the shipyard
until assuming the position of General Manager. Ansell also got involved
in the politics of his community and, from 1930 to 1935, served as Reeve
of Port Dalhousie.
What caught Ansell's attention in 1946 was a little used dry dock above
Lock 1 of the Fourth Welland Canal. The yard was owned by the Canadian
government and dated from 1931 when the construction of the current
Welland Canal was almost complete. The property was basically a 32 acre
field with a drydock, shelf and run down building that housed the valve
controls. A unique feature of the drydock,
however, was that the dock was flooded and emptied by gravity rather
than the normal method of pumping.
The yard was handy to the Welland Canal. It had only seen limited use
for repairs, for storing lock gates and, in the winter, the gate lifting
vessel.
The dock consisted of two parts: a deep dock for vessels up to 198.2
metres (650 feet) with a water depth of 7.9 metres (26 ft.) equal to
die canal itself, and a shelf giving a water depth of 4.26 metres (14
feet). Both were to be very useful for the ship repair business.
Not only was the site ideal for passing ships, but it was served by
a siding of the Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway which had
once run through the area to Niagara on the Lake.
On April 25, 1946, Port Weller Dry Docks was established by letters
patent. Five provisional Directors: William G. Tucker, Donald B. Mclntosh,
John L. Stewart, John A. Mullin and Francis W. Dowler, were named. These
men held their posts until June 14, 1946, when the official corporate
structure was set up.
Charles A. Ansell was named the first President and General Manager
while W.A. Wecker became Vice President. Horace L. Reay acted as Secretary-Treasurer
while A.F. Fifield and Gaston Elie served as Directors. In addition,
Senator J.J. Bench worked behind the scenes and was instrumental in
providing sound counsel and guidance in the development of the company.
The company had acquired a ten year lease on the drydock from the Federal
Government for an annual cost of $30 000 as of April 1,1946. A total
of 7,500 redeemable preferred shares, at a par value of $100 each, and
500,000 common shares, without nominal or par value, were available.
In addition to individual investors, the Paterson Steamship Company
and the Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation Company were among
the early corporate subscribers.
On April 3, 1946, within hours of taking over the drydock, Ansell had
some customers. The Imperial Oil tanker WINDSOLITE and the local passenger
vessel DALHOUSIE CITY arrived for inspection and repairs.
New equipment had to be acquired for the work and, of course, a work
force had to be hired. This did not deter Ansell and he lept to the
challenge of developing the site.
Workers, both skilled and unskilled, were hired. Water, electrical and
fire protection services were soon installed. The early machinery was
set up in the open on wooden skids until a machine shop could be erected.
There was 110 office space and headquarters were established in rented
rooms above a bank in downtown St. Catiiarines. The corporate office
was relocated in Grantham Township, R.R. #2, St. Catharines, in August
1947.
Later in the year the large bulk carrier SASKADOC was drydocked. This
was apparently the first upper laker to be berthed. The ship had been
disabled by a damaged rudder and Port Weller proved to be an ideal location
and avoided a long and costly tow to another shipyard.
The first year was bound to try the patience of all. Ansell's name and
reputation were well known and helped establish the new company. Thus
an excellent relationship was developed between Port Weller and the
shipping community and they, in turn, were understanding of the growing
pains of Port Weller Dry Docks.
At the end of 1946, fifteen vessels tied up for winter work and the
balance sheet for the first year revealed a profit of $1.53 per common
share. A dividend often cents per common share was approved and paid.
The first big winter contract called for the lengthening of the tanker
BRUCE HUDSON. This ship had been built as a barge at Fort Erie in 1935
and had been plagued with misfortune. It was rebuilt and powered by
Muir at Port Dalhousie in 1938-39 but suffered further disaster at South
Chicago July 26, 1943, when an explosion and fire killed the Captain,
his son and two members of the crew. The tanker was lengthened, given
a raised trunk deck and new cabins during her stay at Port Weller. This
increased the carrying capacity of BRUCE HUDSON by 2,000 barrels of
petroleum. Interestingly, the vessel returned for repairs a year later
after a Lake Erie storm of November 26, 1947, almost claimed the tanker
off South East Shoal.
BRUCE HUDSON entering harbour in Port Dalhousie in 1939.
Another visitor that first winter was the MAKAWELI. This tanker dated
from 1919 and had served on the Pacific much of its career. The vessel
was anchored and damaged at Pearl Harbour on December 7,1941, but was
later towed to San Pedro, California, for repairs. MAKAWELI was purchased
by Lakeland Tankers in 1946 and reconditioned at Port Weller for a new
career on the inland seas.
The WELLANDOC had also arrived after war service on the Caribbean and
Atlantic. The ship was refitted to serve the Misener's fleet as BRAMPTON.
During the second year at the site there were some fifty vessels drydocked
and net income had risen to $110,033.99. This made the yard, according
to Ansell in his financial report, "quite a major repair force
on the Lakes."
Gradually, new equipment was added. The floating steam crane HANDY BOY
arrived in August 1947 and lived up to its name. The vessel had been
on loan from the Lachine Dry Dock Co. of Montreal. Ansell had financial
interests in that company but, to avoid conflicts, refrained from voting.
The ship was used at the dock and for ice-breaking. It had a 15 ton
lift capacity.
One of the first customers, WINDSOLITE, was back in 1947 under her new
name of IMPERIAL WINDSOR. The ship sustained some damage in Lock 4 and
ten bow plates required repair.
During the winter eighteen ships laid up and generated contracts having
a total value of $6 million. The first two, JOHN A. FRANCE and SCOTT
MISENER, were completed before freeze-up and moved to Port Colborne
for lay-up. The COALFAX, SORELDOC, BAYANNA, C.H. HOUSON, RALPH S. MISENER,
NORMAN B. MACPHERSON, LT. JOHN MISENER, TEXACO BRAVE, BLUE CROSS, BLUE
RIVER, BRUCE HUDSON, TRANSTREAM, TRANSLATE, VALLEY CAMP, CLEVELANDER,
tug GOVERNOR and dredges IS-OBEL and SIDNEY MAC kept the staff busy
during the cold weather months.
As the company continued to grow, it became obvious that expansion was
needed. The farsighted Ansell recognized the need to improve the facility.
One potential problem was the "shelf" section's need for reinforcing.
To do this work a longer committment was needed and Ansell approached
the Department of Transport.
After discussions it was decided that Port Weller would undertake this
expense and, it return, their lease would be extended to 21 years, with
the option of another 21 years. The rental fee would remain the same
and the company assumed the responsibility of property maintenance.
Retaining a stable workforce of skilled and unskilled tradesmen was
also a problem in the post war era. To make employment at the yard more
attractive, Port Weller offered a Health Program in 1948 that would
cost $0.04 per man hour. This cost would be assumed by the company.
Good employee relations were important and from the start, Ansell took
a personal interest in their welfare. At this point, there was no union
representing the workforce.
In March 1948, Headquarters moved to the new office and administration
building which had been completed at the shipyard. It included complete
living quarters and allowed for future doubling of office space.
In addition to the routine work during 1948, the company rebuilt the
canaller THE INLAND. This vessel had been constructed as STEEL CHEMIST
and sailed on the Great Lakes and Atlantic hauling steel. It was renamed
THE INLAND in 1946 and came to the yard for conversion to a tanker.
The vessel was also repowered with a 950 horsepower Fairbanks-Morse
diesel and returned to service as TRANSINLAND. During the winter twenty-five
ships tied up for work.
With all of this activity, Ansell reported earnings of $3.06 per common
share for the year.
In April 1949, the battered MILVERTON arrived for reconstruction. The
ship had been involved in a fiery collision on the St. Lawrence on September
24, 1947, and eleven sailors perished. Refloating MILVERTON was a huge
challenge and proved to be a big success. The ship was salvaged late
in 1948 and the yard's work crew sent the vessel back to the Misener
fleet as CLARY FORAN.
A second hand, diesel electric gantry crane was located in Seattle.
It had a 50 ton lift and 110 foot boom and soon proved to be a valuable
addition. Another acquisition was the aging tanker IMPERIAL WHITBY.
Existing power supplies were inadequate. As a short term solution, the
ship tied up and a 500 KW, 1000 horsepower Parson steam turbine was
put aboard to keep the shoreside machines operating and to help maintain
the Ingersoll-Rand com-pressor. This met the need until the power lines
could be upgraded. At that point the vessel was resold and rebuilt at
Montreal as the self-unloader GEORGE S. GLEET.
In August 1949, the Directors were noted as C.A. Ansell, W.A. Wecker,
A.F. Fifield, E.J.H. Vanston, J.L.G. Keogh, Gaston Elie and W.F. Fletcher.
The fiscal year was changed to end in December and the profit picture
remained strong.
Perhaps the biggest decision in 1949 was the embarkation on a shipbuilding
program. This led to the need for additional workmen in all trades.
Work proceeded smootMy on Hull 11, as the ship was known, until it was
commissioned in June 1951. The 199.3 metre long (654 foot) SCOTT MISENERwas
the largest ship on the Great Lakes and brought recognition to this
new aspect of shipyard work. The new slogan became: "We Build Them
- Berth Them - Better Them."
An additional challenge was the lengthening of the self-unloader VALLEY
CAMP over the winter of 1950- 51. The ship had been built in England
in 1927 for trading through the Third Welland Canal and pre-seaway St.
Lawrence canals. The 79 metre (259.5 foot) long vessel was cut in two
and a new cargo section constructed bringing the length to 94.5 metres
(310 feet). This increased the carrying capacity by almost 1,000 tons
of coal and meant that theship's travels, at least until 1959, would
be confined to the five Great Lakes.
TEXACO WARRIOR also paid a call in October 1950. Her bow was crumpled
by ramming a pier entering the Toronto Ship Channel and the tanker was
repaired in only eighteen days.
Indeed, 1950 proved to be an excellent year. Ships visiting the shipyard
for work totalled 84 while 48 of these were drydocked. A $3.98 per share
profit was noted and the work force was developing into a strong base
of skilled tradesmen.
Wage rates at Port Weller were tied to the Government's "Cost of
Living" statistics and all employees received two pay raises during
1950. The payroll that year topped the $1 million mark for the first
time.
A key addition to the management team in 1950 was John F. Vaughan who
was a chartered accountant and had war service in the Navy. He was named
Assistant Secretary Treasurer that year.
The commissioning of the SCOTT MISENER was undoubtedly the highlight
of 1951. The vessel was built on a cost plus basis and a second keel,
longer and deeper, was laid for the Misener fleet for 1952 delivery.
The company continued to struggle with the fluctuating demand for workers.
Labour and tax rates continued to climb but there remained a shortage
of skilled tradesmen.
The yard hit a peak of 500 employees for 1950 but the first serious
labour difference was noted in the company records although no specific
details were given. The growth in the workforce had been at the expense
of "family" closeness.
The Directors were obviously pleased with the work of C.A. Ansell and
he was given a raise to $25,000 and provided with a company car.
The completion of the JOHN O. MCKELLAR for Scott Misener's Colonial
Steamship Co. was the major accomplishment for 1952. Hon. Leslie Frost,
Premier of Ontario, was on hand for the christening and soon the big
steamer was drawing rave reviews around the Great Lakes.
The Quebec and Ontario Transportation Co., a subsidiary of Ontario Paper
of nearby Thorold, had been using two aging consort barges to carry
pulpwood to their docks. The vessels usually loaded at Heron Bay on
Lake Superior or Manitoulin Island communities and were shutded back
and forth by the tug ROCKY RIVER.
Q. & O. decided these ships would be more efficient under their
own power and Port Weller won the contract to convert the pair to diesel
driven bulkers. BLACK RIVER was the first to be rebuilt and she cleared
the shipyard October 20, 1952. PIC RIVER, a sistership, followed in
1953.
An Employee's Association was formed in 1952 to represent the interests
of the workers and negotiate with thecompany. This was opposed by organized
labour and the Ontario Labour Relations Board ordered an employee vote
to determine who would act as bargaining agent. The workers supported
the Employee's Association.
Net earnings for the 1952 season reached $4.13 per common share and
long time Secretary Treasurer Horace Reay passed away after a long illness.
J.F. Vaughan was named as replacement.
At a December 7,1953, meeting, Ansell proposed the purchase of the Port
Dalhousie shipyard. This was the former Muir Bros, shipyard that dated
from 1850 and it began with a floating drydock. The ROBERT WOODS of
Oswego, N.Y., was noted as the first customer. A permanent drydock was
built in 1866.
The yard also built ships. The schooner AYR was the first in 1855 while
the initial steamer was the ALBION of 18 75. But the shipyard was known
mainly as a repair facility and, until the opening of the Fourth Welland
Canal, held a strategic location above Lock 1 of the first three canals.
Ansell had serious concerns about " competitive interests"
acquiring the Port Dalhousie property and urged approval of the purchase.
He wanted to move quickly so they could assign winter work to the yard.
The Directors supported the purchase from agent Lawrence T. Porter.
This was later ratified by the shareholders at 72,903 votes to nil.
The final price was $261,420.41.
This meeting also proposed the purchase of land owned by Frank J. Walsh
that would allow for an easterly extension of the drydock. Extra land
at $1,000 per acre was also available and was to be investigated.
In addition to routine winter repairs and inspections, Port Weller contracted
to repower the Mohawk Navigation steamer CAPTAIN C.D. SECORD. This vessel
dated from 1900. The original quadruple expansion engine was removed
and an 8 cylinder Burmeister & Wain diesel was installed. This power
plant had originally served the British ship EMPIRE METAL which had
been bombed and sunk at Bona Harbor, Algeria, January 2, 1943. The engine
was salvaged in 1950 and reconditioned. The ship also received a new
rudder and stern frames while the machinery space and after deck accommodations
were remodelled.
The July 31,1954, Directors' meeting had to deal with a serious problem.
Mr. Ansell was ill and unable to continue the day to day operations
of the company. A management team chaired by A.F. Fifield took over
and included W.A. Wecker, J.F. Vaughan, and George S. Cleet. The latter,
who had been Plant Manager, was appointed Assistant General Manager.
Capt. R. Bruce Angus, a noted figure on the Great Lakes, was added to
the Board of Directors in 1954. That year showed a profit although not
substantial. Poor grain sales left companies in a financial position
that required close monitoring of their investments. However, Port Weller
added property east of the plant and purchased 17,000 shares of Dofasco
as an investment. Further shares were added at a later date.
The completion of a third addition to the Colonial Steamship Co., fleet
was good for the yard. A new SCOTT MISENER was commissioned and The
Hon. C.D. Howe was in attendance. Two tugs were also built at Port Dalhousie
on speculation with the intent of maintaining a steady work force.
In 1956 Ansell suggested to John D. Leitch of the Upper Lakes and St.
Lawrence Transportation Co., that he might wish to increase his share
of the company. Upper Lakes had been involved almost from the start
and Leitch decided to take up the offer. As a result, the Upper Lakes
and St. Lawrence Transportation Company purchased all the shares of
Port Weller Dry Docks.
In another arrangement, the company took over the assets of the Port
Dalhousie shipyard. The latter had operated as a separate entity but
joined the parent to avoid duplication of services effective August
1, 1956.
The company also decided to proceed with the construction of a large,
new bulk carrier. The Seaway era was approaching and the Board correctly
assessed there would be a need for more big bulkers. The ship was given
the temporary name of "P.G. Kingsburgh" who was vice president
and General Manager of the Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Transportation
Company.
The GREY BEAVER came to the shipyard for repairs following an October
23 grounding on Stoney Crest Island Shoal on the St. Lawrence near Alexandria
Bay, N.Y. The vessel had bottom damage and, enroute, had a collision
in fog on Lake Ontario with the JAMES B. EADS. This gave additional
hours of work.
Ansell never regained good health and in December 1956, he resigned.
The Board prevailed on him to remain as President. The position was
less strenuous and allowed the company to continue to draw on his expertise.
At the time of resignation, the Board noted "that the establishment,
development, growth and expansion of the company and of its enterprises
were almost exclusively the direct result of the energy, business acumen
and foresight of Mr. Ansell." Captain R. Scott Misener had paid
him an earlier tribute in 1954 by renaming a ship in his honour. The
C.A. ANSELL had previously sailed as FAIRLAKE and as the first RALPH
S. MISENER. The vessel was retired in 1959 and scrapped at Port Colborne
by Marine Salvage.
J.F. Vaughan was chosen to replace Ansell as General Manager. The same
meeting also wrestled with the decision to lengthen the drydock building
shelf to 228.6 metres (750 feet) and to develop a fit out berth of 360
metres (1,200 feet) along the east bank of the Welland Canal. These
ideas were approved and proceeded in the months ahead.
On February 5, 1957, the International Brotherhood of Boiler Makers,
A.F. of L., were certified as the bargaining agent for the employees
of the plant. They won a contest vote with the Employee's Association
and soon entered into a three year contract at the shipyard.
C .A. Ansell passed away November 7, 1957. It was not a shock yet it
required adjustment to the fact that the guiding hand was gone. Mr.
J.D. Leitch of Upper Lakes was voted to the Board on the April 2, 1958
meeting and tiien appointed President for the unexpired term of Mr.
Ansell.
A.F. Fifield also passed away in 1958 and J.F. Vaughan was appointed
Director in his place. The company also decided to widen the shelf and
purchase a crane for use there as well as at the fit-out berth.
The newsprint carrier CHICAGO TRIBUNE came to Port Weller for repowering
in 1958. The vessel received a Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine that had
been built in 1944. The original Sulzer diesel that dated from 1930
was no longer useful.
GROWING WITH THE SEAWAY (1959-79)
The St. Lawrence Seaway opened on April 25,1959, and Port Weller was ready for the changes in the shipping patterns.
Their largest ship yet, the SEAWAY QUEEN, began service June 1959, and her name was very descritptive. With the large lakers now free to travel to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, many of the plodding old canallers immediately became redundant. Three ships SHELTON WEED, PARKDALE and GROVEDALE came to Port Weller in 1959 to be broken up. Later, SUPERIOR and the barge ACCOMODATION were dismantled and then, from 1963 to 1967, work proceeded on an intermittent basis on the larger JAMES B. EADS.
Between 1959 and 1964, additional vessels were dismantled at the Port Dalhousie facility. These included WALTER INKSTER, HAMILDOC, LABRADOC, JAMES STEWART, FRANK WILKINSON, MANITOULIN, F.W. MOORE, TRENTON, KEYBAR, KEYPORT, JOHN S. PILLSBURY, SHIRLEY G. TAYLOR and WELLANDOC. The work kept the yard crew busy during slower periods but the dismantling of so many steamers yielded less repair work, especially over the winter months.
Port Weller always saw itself as part of the community and recognized a responsibility to assist worthwhile enterprises. Ansell had always supported projects with charitable donations. In October 1958 a decision was made to fix and budget for such charitable donations and authorized the Chairman to make these payments. These covered a great variety of needs and included a sizeable grant for the expansion of the St. Catharines General Hospital. Later, Port Weller assisted in the establishment of Brock University. At other times the Dry Docks sponsored youth sports teams.
Beginning in 1965, Port Weller underwrote "Welland Canal Diary" on CKTB radio. This daily vessel report was useful to sailor's families and ship fans and was hosted by Bill Bird. His father was a Captain with Canada Steamship Lines. The program continued for many years, even after Bill Bird joined the sports department of the Global Television Network.
The property of Andro Juras, south of the shipyard, had long been an attractive parcel of land. But the two parties were unable to agree on a price until 1959. At that point, seventeen acres were purchased from the Juras Estate for $100,000.
The Seaway brought an interesting selection of foreign flag deep sea visitors to the doorstep of the drydocks. Some needed repair or routine work and Port Weller was able to attract a number of freighters to the yard.
During the winter of 1959-60, the Welland Canal was drained. A fringe benefit was the freedom to deepen the fit-out berth at a cost of $63,000. The fill was spread over six acres of company land which then became useful.
The British tanker LLANDAFF of 1952 vintage arrived at Port Weller in 1960. The ship was rebuilt internally to become a bulk carrier and the pilothouse and accommodation area was moved from a midship to an aft position. Interestingly, the project was not assigned a hull number but the lengthening of the vessel in 1975-76 was noted as Hull 61.
Two big projects challenged the shipyard over the winter of 1961-62. The Misener steamer ROYALTON was rebuilt. Sixteen cargo hatches, serviced by one piece steel covers, replaced the original 31 hatches with their telescoping covers. New tank tops, side tanks and bulkheads were also installed.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE arrived for a return engagement. This time the vessel was cut in two and lengthened to 97 metres (319 feet). This work increased the ship's capacity by 900 tons for newsprint, 750 cords of pulpwood or 75,000 bushels of grain. This invited a significant comparison with similar work on the VALLEY CAMP a decade earlier. The latter had been rebuilt at $1.24 per man hour while CHICAGO TRIBUNE cost $2.12 per man hour. However, the man hours needed for the very similar task was reduced from the 36,961 for VALLEY CAMP to 19,385 for CHICAGO TRIBUNE. This is certainly evidence of learning from experience and improved efficiency at the shipyard.
Unfortunately, 1961 was not a very profitable year. The contract to build FEDERAL PALM led to a financial loss but taught the company some valuable lessons on tendering and on constructing a combination passenger and freight ship. They also developed their ability to work with the government. FEDERAL MAPLE, a sistership, was awarded elsewhere at a $440,000 higher bid and the builders were also noted to be over budget.
