The Alert, formerly known as the Chippewa, was a wooden canal tug with a rich history. Built in 1886 by William Ross & Sons in Port Robinson on the Welland Canal, the tug had a registered length of 58.4′ and weighed 47 tons gross and 32 tons net. Its machinery, sourced from another vessel, provided 28 rated horsepower. In terms of value, the Alert was appraised at $6,000 in 1890, with a rating of A11⁄2. By 1917-1918, its value had increased to $7,500, and it reached $6,562.50 in 1919. However, in 1920, the value declined to $5,906.25. The Alert was restricted to operating in the Welland Canal and Lake Erie.
The tug underwent a name change from Chippewa to Alert by 1895. The Montreal Transportation Co. purchased the Alert from its original owner, the Welland Canal Tug Co., which was owned by F.W. Carter and his family. In 1921, as part of a package deal that included the tugs Escort and P.B. McNaughton, the Montreal Transportation Co. resold the Alert to the Harrigan Tug Line for $15,000. Ownership of the tug shifted to E.O. Leahey of Niagara Falls, Ontario, by 1924.
However, the Alert faced a tragic incident in 1926 when it sank in the Niagara River near Chippewa, Ontario. As a result, the tug was removed from the register on December 31, 1937, marking the end of its active service.
