The ALBINA was a river barge with an official number C 92533. It was built in 1887 by Jos. T. Matten in Sorel, Quebec. The barge had a gross tonnage of 186 tons and a register tonnage of 180.34 tons. It had a length of 110.9 feet and a round stern design. The ALBINA had no masts and was primarily used for cargo transportation on the rivers.
In 1894, the ALBINA underwent repairs and caulking to maintain its seaworthiness. From 1897 to 1907, the owner of the barge was George T. Benson of Montreal. It is likely that Benson was either an agent for the Montreal Transportation Co. or had some affiliation with the company. In the corporate minutes of the Montreal Transportation Co., the ALBINA was consistently mentioned as if it were owned by the company.
Unfortunately, the ALBINA met its demise when it was wrecked on Glassford’s Shoal below the Galops Rapids in the St. Lawrence River. The incident occurred at an unspecified date, and the barge was subsequently removed from the register on February 26, 1907.
The information about the ALBINA and its ownership history is derived from various sources, including the Canada List of Shipping, Inland Lloyd’s Vessel Register, Marine Museum of the Great Lakes Canadian Ship Registers, Mercantile Navy List, Mills Barges and Scows Before 1890, and the British Whig newspaper.
