Shotline Diving

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A McVittie C 138491 (US 106710)

Explore the wreck of A. McVittie, a wooden steam barge with a rich history in Great Lakes commerce, now resting in deep water after its scuttling in 1925.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: A. McVittie
  • Type: Wooden steam barge; originally a package freighter, later converted to bulk carrier
  • Year Built: 1890
  • Builder: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Wyandotte, Michigan
  • Dimensions: ~240.25 ft LWL × ~36 ft beam × ~19 ft depth
  • Registered Tonnage: 2,046.9 grt / 1,552.88 nrt (package freighter); post-1912: 1,458.51 grt / 945.16 nrt
  • Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  • Official Number: US 106710; later Canadian registry C 138491
  • Original Owners: Ogdensburg Transportation Co., Ogdensburg Coal & Towing Co., Rutland Transit, Montreal Transportation Co.

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden steam barge originally designed as a package freighter, later converted to a bulk carrier.

Description

The A. McVittie was constructed with a diagonally strapped wooden hull, reinforced with steel arches and ice bows following its conversion in 1912. It featured a fore-and-aft compound steam engine with an output of 825 IHP.

History

Initially owned by the Ogdensburg Transportation Co., the A. McVittie played a significant role in transporting western grain eastward and manufactured goods and quarry stone westward. Throughout its operational history, it experienced several incidents, including grounding and collisions, which led to major repairs and modifications.

Significant Incidents

  • 1893: Grounded at Beaver Island, Lake Michigan ($1,500 damage).
  • 5 May 1895: Went ashore in Hammond’s Bay, Lake Huron; underwent major repairs at Milwaukee.
  • 17 Aug 1915: Collided with tug Dolphin off Dorval in Lac St. Louis.
  • 9 Aug 1918: Aground at Rock Island, towed to Kingston.
  • 15 Nov 1918: Took out lock gate at Welland Canal Lock 12.
  • Oct–Nov 1919: Laid up at Kingston after storm damage; settled to bottom on 21 November.

Final Disposition

After being abandoned to underwriters, the A. McVittie was raised and moved into the inner harbor in May 1922. It was raised again and scuttled in deep water in July 1925, officially removed from the shipping register on 5 November 1925.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the A. McVittie is located in deep water, with its condition largely undocumented since its scuttling.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”a-mcvittie-c-138491-us-106710″ title=”References & Links”]

The A. McVittie serves as a compelling example of early steel-strapped wooden hull design, adaptive freight functionality, and longevity through changing ownership and vessel roles. Her final abandonment and deep-water scuttling near Kingston highlight both operational wear and evolving regulatory pressures in the post–Panama Canal Act era.

Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

MCVITTIE, ALEX (1890, Package Freighter)
Buffalo Dry Dock Co., Buffalo, NY, Sep 12, 1919
Source: Dossin Great Lakes Museum
Name of original file : 89943_90115_F.jp2

A. McVittie (Wooden Steam Barge / Package Freighter, 1890–1925)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: A. McVittie (Official numbers: U.S. 106710; later Canadian registry C 138491)
  • Type: Wooden steam barge; originally a package freighter, later converted to bulk carrier
  • Builder/Launch: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Wyandotte, Michigan (Yard No. 99); launched 28 December 1890
  • Dimensions: ~240.25 ft LWL × ~36 ft beam × ~19 ft depth
  • Tonnage: 2,046.9 grt / 1,552.88 nrt (package freighter); post-1912: 1,458.51 grt / 945.16 nrt
  • Hull: Diagonally strapped wood, reinforced with steel arches and ice bows after 1912 conversion
  • Engine: Fore-and‑aft compound steam engine, 825 IHP (109 RHP)

History & Chronology

  • Initial Owner: Ogdensburg Transportation Co. (part of Central Vermont Railroad operations)
  • Role: Transported western grain eastward via Ogdensburg; moved manufactured goods and quarry stone westward
  • Incidents:
    • 1893: Grounded at Beaver Island, Lake Michigan ($1,500 damage)
    • 5 May 1895: Went ashore in Hammond’s Bay, Lake Huron; underwent major repairs at Milwaukee
    • 17 Aug 1915: Collided with tug Dolphin off Dorval in Lac St. Louis (McVittie remained aboard; Dolphin lost)
    • 9 Aug 1918: Aground at Rock Island (Alexandria Bay narrows), towed to Kingston
    • 15 Nov 1918: Took out lock gate at Welland Canal Lock 12
    • Oct–Nov 1919: Laid up at Kingston after storm damage; settled to bottom on 21 November
  • Disposition: Abandoned to underwriters; raised and moved into inner harbour (May 1922); raised again and scuttled in deep water in July 1925; officially removed from shipping register on 5 November 1925

Significance & Notables

  • Ownership included Ogdensburg Coal & Towing Co., Rutland Transit, Montreal Transportation Co.
  • Vessel underwent major conversion from freighter to bulk steamer, illustrating adaptation in early 20th-century Great Lakes commerce
  • Named after engineer and Detroit Dry Dock Company president Alex McVittie (1848–1912)

Vessel Summary Table

AttributeDetails
NameA. McVittie
Launch Date28 Dec 1890
BuilderDetroit Dry Dock Co., Wyandotte, MI
TypePackage freighter / Steam barge (converted)
Tonnage~2,046.9 grt → 1,458.5 grt post-conversion
EngineCompound steam, 825 IHP
Primary ServiceGrain, manufactured goods, stone
Operational Period1890–1925
Final LossAbandoned in Kingston harbor, 1925
FateScuttled in deep water

Resources

  • Ownership & Rich Vessel Details
    • Montreal Transportation Co. Annual Reports (1918–20); Directors’ Minutes (8 Oct 1917); Engineers’ Logs & Ship’s Log A. McVittie (R.G.A. Weaver & Alex McVittie)
    • Information compiled from Alpena Public Library Great Lakes Maritime Database;
    • Bowling Green State University Great Lakes Vessels Online Index
  • Construction & Builder Context
  • Incident Coverage & Vessel History
    • Buffalo Enquirer (6 May 1895); Detroit Marine Historian (Oct 1952); Marine Record (16 May, 6 June, 15 Aug 1895); Beeson Steam Vessels of the Northwestern Lakes (1917)
    • Gillham Ships in Trouble 1880–1950; Greenwood Namesakes (1920–29); Bureau Veritas Great Lakes Register (1913–15)
    • Merchant Vessels of the United States (1896, etc.); American Shipmaster’s Association Record of American and Foreign Shipping (1898)
    • Canada Department of Marine & Fisheries annual report (1916); Canada List of Shipping (1918); Canadian Heritage Ship Information Database
  • Final Disposition Records
    • Kingston municipal archives & Miramar Ship Index entry
    • “Moore Kingston Inner Harbour Survey” (documenting location & salvage history; scuttle site)
    • Article: Carus Collection – Wisconsin Maritime Museum entry confirming scuttling and register closure on 5 Nov 1925
      (marshcollection.org, wisconsinmaritime.pastperfectonline.com)
  • Contextual Historical Sources
    • Bascom & Gillham Early Ships of Canada Steamship Lines
    • Hirsch and Labrador’s General Cargo Ships Built in Great Lakes Shipyards; shipbuildinghistory.com yard databases
      (oldshipbuilder.com, shipbuildinghistory.com)

Conclusion

The A. McVittie serves as a compelling example of early steel-strapped wooden hull design, adaptive freight functionality, and longevity through changing ownership and vessel roles. Her final abandonment and deep‑water scuttling near Kingston highlight both operational wear and evolving regulatory pressures in the post–Panama Canal Act era. With richly documented ownership and incident files, McVittie remains an instructive asset in Great Lakes maritime history.

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