Watt, James

1897                                  James Watt                                  1961

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Cleveland OH by Cleveland Ship Building Co., Hull 26
Launched Sept 23, 1897

427’ LOA, 406’ LBP, 48’ beam, 28’ depth
1 deck, hold beams, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 2000 IHP

Enrolled at Cleveland OH Oct 28, 1896 (Temp #34)
405.0 x 48.0 x 23.5, 4090.28 GT, 3105.48 NT     US 77236     to:
Bessemer Steamship Co., Cleveland OH. (home port Duluth MN)

Entered service May 5, 1897 towing barge Sidney G. Thomas from Cleveland carrying record cargo of coal (5500 tons plus 270 tons in bunker) for Duluth MN

Permanent enrollment at Duluth MN May 10, 1897 (#50)

Fleet merged 1901 into Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Duluth MN, a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation, A. B. Wolvin, Mgr.

Cargo hold rebuilt 1925 to arch construction
Remeasured to 3807 GT, 3104 NT

Sold Oct 31, 1928 to Jenkins Steamship Co., Cleveland OH

Firm reincorporated 1932 in Delaware (home port to Wilmington DE)

Sold 1936 to Carriers Transit Corporation, Cleveland OH, William Nicholson, Mgr.

Transferred March 3, 1937 to Erie Steamship Co., Cleveland OH

Transferred 1937 to Nicholson Transit Co., Detroit MI

Converted to combination bulk freighter and automobile carrier at River Rouge MI by Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co.
Remeasured to 3853 GT, 3150 NT

Sold 1961 to Acme Scrap Iron & Metal Co., Ashtabula OH.  Resold to Spanish shipbreakers and towed overseas.  Arrived Gijon, Spain Sept 25, 1961.

See history in Detroit Marine Historian March 1963 (#137)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember p. 392

 

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2 thoughts on “Watt, James

  1. I have reason to believe that my Grandfather Albert Button worked on, or captained the James Watt sometime in the 19teens and 1920s. How could I find the information of who captained this ship during that time period??

  2. Victor W. Tyler was reported to be Captain of the SS James Watt in the 1920’s. This information provided by Roger Clark, grandson of Victor Tyler.

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