1896                                  Martha                                  1962 (1980)

Steel Great Lakes bulk freight barge

Built at Chicago IL by Chicago Ship Building Co., Hull 18
Launched March 7, 1896

366’ LOA, 352’ LBP, 44’ beam, 26’ depth
1 decks, hold beams, 11 hatches @ 24’

Enrolled at Cleveland OH Apr 4, 1896 (#62)
352.0 x 44.2 x 22.3, 3256.09 GT, 3121.36 NT     US 92697     to:
Minnesota Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, Pickands Mather & Co., Mgr. (home port Ashtabula OH)
Fleet owned by Minnesota Iron Mining Co. (parent company controlled by J. P. Morgan’s Federal Steel Co. 1900-1901)

Entered service 1896

Fleet merged spring 1901 into Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Duluth MN, a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation, A. B. Wolvin, Mgr. (home port to Duluth MN)

Cargo hold rebuilt 1924 to arch construction at Conneaut OH by Pittsburgh Steamship Co.
Remeasured to 352.0 x 44.2 x 22.4, 2815 GT, 2633 NT

Sold fall 1936 to John P. Geistman, Duluth MN

Transferred 1937 to International Transportation Co., Duluth MN, John P. Geistman, Mgr. and renamed Florence

Sold 1938 to Lakehead Transportation Co., Fort William ON (home port to Port Arthur ON) and renamed Maureen H.
Enrolled Canadian at 352.0 x 44.1 x 21.5, 3214 GT, 2761 NT     Can 170554

Renamed Florence J. 1939

Sold 1943 to Great Lakes Lumber & Shipping Ltd., Fort William ON

Sold 1949 to Paterson Steamships Ltd., Fort William ON and renamed Owendoc.  (home port to Fort William ON)

Fleet renamed N. M. Paterson & Sons Ltd. 1951

Sold 1962 to Goderich Elevator & Transit Co., Goderich ON for grain storage in Goderich harbor and retired from active service.  Renamed C. S. Band.  Sold 1976 to McNamara Corporation & C. A. Pitts Construction Co. and towed to Douglas Point, Lake Huron during construction of an Ontario Hydro nuclear power plant.  Towed late 1980 to Wheatley ON and scrapped there.

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember II p. 207

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