ALETHA C107748

Site Orientation #

• Steamer
• 43°56’29.0″N 76°50’43.0″W

In a report from the Gananoque reporter, it was stated that the steamer Hero collided with the steamer Quinte on Thursday morning, resulting in a hole in the side of the Quinte. The officers of the Quinte were deemed at fault as they tried to cross the bow of the Hero in a race to reach the dock first. The Quinte, carrying approximately 200 excursionists bound for Kingston, had to cancel its trip due to the accident. Fortunately, the passengers were able to continue their journey on the Hero.

According to records from 1909, the Aletha, a vessel owned by Mrs. Roys of Kingston, was sold to the Quinte Navigation Co. of Picton under charter to the Lake Ontario and Bay of Quinte Navigation Co. In 1911, the Ontario and Quebec Navigation Co. was established to take over the business of the former Quinte Navigation Co.

The Aletha, with an official registration number of 107748, was first registered in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in February 1901. It was built by the Davis Dry Dock Co. in Kingston and had a length of 107.40 feet, a beam of 19.70 feet, and a depth of 5.50 feet. The vessel had two decks and a carvel type construction with a round stern. It was propelled by a steam screw engine with a horsepower of 25. The Aletha was originally equipped with a triple compound engine and had no masts or rigging.

As for the Hero, it was not registered for the first time. It had a previous registration in June 1884 in Kingston and was built by Beauchemin & Fils in Sorel, Quebec, Canada in 1878. The Hero had a length of 126.50 feet, a beam of 29.40 feet, and a depth of 6.80 feet. It had a single deck and a carvel construction with a round stern. The vessel was propelled by a steamship with paddlewheels and had one mast. Its engine was a low-pressure type with a horsepower of 60.

The Aletha’s registration was closed on November 20, 1901, due to being destroyed by fire. The Hero’s registration was closed on June 14, 1901, also due to being destroyed by fire.

The Mills Record shows that the Aletha, with a mills number of 001630, was a screw propeller vessel with an official number of 107748. It had dimensions of 108 feet in length, 20 feet in beam, and a weight of 171 tons. The Aletha was built in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in 1901.

Additional information reveals that the Aletha underwent various ownership changes and modifications over the years. It was initially owned by A. & J. Roys and later acquired by the Quinte Navigation Co. in 1909. In 1913, it came under the ownership of Canada Steamship Lines. The vessel underwent renovations in 1902, adding 12 new staterooms and electric lights. It served as a passenger boat on the St. Lawrence and Bay of Quinte, briefly operating as a Hamilton ferry during World War I. It was frequently chartered by the Lake Ontario & Bay of Quinte Steamship Co. or the Ontario & Quebec Navigation Co. The Aletha was eventually laid up in 1916 and closed in 1919 when it was broken up.

Please note that the provided information may not encompass the complete history of the vessels and is based on the available records.