A. McVITTIE C138491

The wooden steam barge A. McVITTIE, originally built as a package freighter, had a rich history of ownership and various modifications throughout its existence. Constructed by Detroit Dry Dock at Wyandotte, Michigan, with Yard #99, the vessel was launched on December 28, 1890. In its initial configuration, it had a gross tonnage of 2,046.9 tons and a net tonnage of 1,552.88 tons. However, after being converted into a bulk carrier in 1912, its gross tonnage decreased to 1,458.51 tons, and its net tonnage became 945.16 tons, with a waterline length of approximately 240.25 feet.

Equipped with a diagonally strapped hull, the A. McVITTIE was powered by a fore-and-aft compound engine that provided 825 indicated horsepower and 109 rated horsepower. Its original cost amounted to $130,000, but its value decreased over the years. By 1906, it was valued at $45,000, and in 1917-18, its value was estimated at $60,000, which further dropped to $54,000 in 1919. The vessel had an insurance rating of 90 in 1913 and 1914, with the latter indicating it was suitable for coarse freight transportation only.

The Ogdensburg Transportation Co., affiliated with the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Railroad, initially owned the A. McVITTIE. The shipping company’s purpose was to transport western grain to Ogdensburg, New York, for eastward rail shipment and to facilitate the movement of manufactured goods and building stone in the opposite direction. The vessel operated alongside other fleet members like WILLIAM A. HASKELL (later known as J0YLAND under Montreal Transportation Co.) and WILLIAM J. AVERELL (later known as OATLAND under Montreal Transportation Co.). In 1893, the A. McVITTIE underwent repairs after grounding on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, resulting in $1,500 worth of damages. Another incident occurred on May 5, 1895, when the vessel went ashore in Hammond’s Bay on Lake Huron while en route from Oswego, New York, to Chicago. The necessary repairs, including the replacement of frames, forefoot, and bottom planking, were carried out in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 1899, ownership of the A. McVITTIE was transferred to Rutland Transit when the company took control of the Central Vermont Railroad. From 1905 to 1915, the vessel was jointly owned by Rutland and the Ogdensburg Coal and Towing Co. As part of its transformation into a bulk carrier, the A. McVITTIE underwent modifications at the St. Lawrence Marine Railway in Ogdensburg, New York, between 1912 and 1913. It was outfitted with steel arches and steel plates on the bows to provide protection in icy conditions. However, the vessel was involved in a collision with the tug DOLPHIN on August 17, 1915, off Dorval in Lac St. Louis during a passage from Oswego to Montreal. Unfortunately, the tug DOLPHIN was lost, but the A. McVITTIE survived.

The American Panama Canal Act of 1915 compelled railway companies to divest their Great Lakes fleets. Consequently, John Hannan of the Ogdensburg Coal & Towing Company became the registered owner of the A. McVITTIE. In 1917, the vessel underwent two additional changes in ownership. First, it was sold to W. McDougald of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, who brought it under Canadian registry. Later, Montreal Transportation Co. acquired the vessel. Montreal Transportation Co. primarily utilized the A. McVITTIE as a collier for transporting coal. However, it encountered difficulties during its journeys, such as running aground at Rock Island in the Alexandria Bay narrows on August 9, 1918, while traveling from Oswego to Montreal with a cargo of coal. It had to be towed to Kingston for assistance.

The A. McVITTIE experienced further mishaps during its service. It sustained damage in a storm on Lake Ontario in October 1918, and on November 15 of the same year, it struck and damaged a gate of Lock 12 on the Welland Canal. The vessel entered a dry dock in Buffalo, New York, in September 1919, and in October of the same year, it suffered storm damage on Lake Ontario. Eventually, on November 21, 1919, the A. McVITTIE settled to the bottom while at rest in Kingston. Subsequently, it was abandoned to the underwriters. In May 1922, the vessel was raised and relocated to the inner harbor, only to be raised again in July 1925 and scuttled in deep water. Its registration was officially canceled on November 5, 1925. Notably, Mr. Alex McVittie, born in New Brunswick, played a significant role in the vessel’s history, initially as an employee and later as the president of Detroit Dry Dock.