ALBERTA C88247

PURITAN 1888

Photo Gallery 2022 Matthew Charlesworth CC

The paddle tug Alberta, also known as Puritan, was built in 1888 by W. Evans in Deseronto, Ontario. It was a centerwheel paddle tug made of wood. The vessel had a length of 65 feet, a width of 30 feet, and a depth of 4 feet. Its gross tonnage was recorded as 68 tons, with 62 tons registered.

Tragedy struck on July 21, 1899, when the Alberta sank at Pyner’s Point in the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario. The cause of the sinking was listed as “sunk.” Fortunately, the engines of the vessel were later recovered.

The Alberta, with an official Canadian registration number of 88247, was owned by The Rathbun Co. based in Deseronto, Ontario. Its home port was also Deseronto. The vessel played a role as a centerwheel ferry, powered by an 8×24 engine manufactured by Polson Iron Works in Toronto.

The final listing of vessels on the Registry Books of the Dominion of Canada on December 31, 1898, includes the Alberta. It provides information about the vessel’s specifications and ownership, highlighting its connection to the Rathbun Company.

The Mills Listing indicates that the Alberta, originally named Puritan, was built in 1888 in Deseronto, Ontario. It confirms the vessel’s propulsion as a centerwheel and its gross tonnage as 68. The final location of the Alberta was noted as the Bay of Quinte in Ontario, Canada, where it foundered.

Overall, the Alberta had a brief but significant history as a paddle tug before meeting its unfortunate end in 1899.

Photo Gallery 2001 Tom Rutledge CC #

External Links #

• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Great Lakes Ships
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes – Mills Listing for PURITAN