Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Alert (formerly Chippewa)
- Type: Wooden Canal Tug
- Year Built: 1886
- Builder: William Ross & Sons
- Dimensions: 58.4 ft (17.8 m); Gross Tonnage: 47 tons; Net Tonnage: 32 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 47 tons
- Location: Niagara River, near Chippewa, Ontario
- Official Number: 90699
- Original Owners: Welland Canal Tug Co., Montreal Transportation Co., Harrigan Tug Line, E.O. Leahey
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Alert was a wooden canal tug purpose-built for operations on the Welland Canal and Lake Erie. Designed by William Ross & Sons, it featured compact dimensions for lock navigation and was outfitted with a reused steam engine rated at 28 horsepower. Its valuation in 1890 was $6,000, an indication of its functional importance in regional towing and logistics services.
Description
Originally named Chippewa, the vessel launched in 1886 under the ownership of the Welland Canal Tug Co., managed by the Carter family. By 1895, the tug had been renamed Alert.
History
Originally named Chippewa, the vessel launched in 1886 under the ownership of the Welland Canal Tug Co., managed by the Carter family. By 1895, the tug had been renamed Alert.
- Montreal Transportation Co. Ownership (pre-1921): The tug was incorporated into the growing fleet of the Montreal Transportation Co., which used her for auxiliary towing and harbor assistance.
- Sale in 1921: Alert was sold, along with tugs Escort and P.B. McNaughton, to Harrigan Tug Line for a total of $15,000.
- Final Private Ownership: By 1924, Alert belonged to E.O. Leahey of Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Significant Incidents
- Sinking: In 1926, Alert sank in the Niagara River near Chippewa, Ontario. The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown.
Final Disposition
In 1926, Alert sank in the Niagara River near Chippewa, Ontario. The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown. The vessel was not salvaged and was subsequently removed from the Canadian shipping register on December 31, 1937. The wreck has not been identified as a dive site and is believed to be heavily degraded or buried.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Presumed remains lie in the Niagara River. No formal dive or archaeological survey has documented the site to date. Strong currents and sedimentation likely obscure most remains.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”alert-c-90699-chippewa” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The Alert (formerly Chippewa) exemplifies the crucial yet often overlooked workhorses of canal and harbor transport in the Great Lakes region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Serving for 40 years, its transition through multiple owners and final loss in 1926 reflect the wear endured by canal craft over long service lives. Though its physical remnants are unverified, the vessel holds historical value as a representative of Welland Canal maritime activity.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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