The J.K. Ward was a tugboat that met a tragic fate. On November 1, 1892, it caught fire and burned to the water’s edge in the Rideau Canal. The remains of the vessel can still be found near Rideau Queen Rock. There is a plaque on the wreck providing some information about the tug. According to the plaque, the J.K. Ward had dimensions of 49 feet in length, 15 feet in width, and 58 feet in height. Its tonnage was recorded as 23 gross tons and 19 net tons.
It’s worth noting that there seems to be a discrepancy between the plaque and newspaper reports regarding the date of the sinking. While the plaque states that the J.K. Ward sank on November 6, 1982, the newspaper reports from November 1892 indicate that the vessel burned and was deemed a total loss on November 1. The Smith Falls Rideau Record from November 17, 1892, and the Ottawa Citizen from November 11, 1892, provide accounts of the incident.
The J.K. Ward’s demise serves as a reminder of its unfortunate end and the historical significance of the wreck in the Rideau Canal.
