Re: Crane Boats?

From: Russ
Location: Las Vegas
email: COGIT8R@aol.com
Remote Name: 207.200.116.137
Date: 04.27.07
Time: 01:23:55 PM

Comments

Several fleets operated crane boats. American Steel & Wire (Pittsburgh) operated the Clifford F. Hood; Boland & Cornelius operated the William H. Donner, Cambria, and Elba; Columbia operated the Buckeye, Harry T. Ewig, O. S. McFarland, G. G. Post, W. C. Richardson, and Robert C. Norton; and Roen Steamship operated the Marquis Roen and Hilda (boat barges). In addition, the Whaleback Henry Cort was converted to a crane boat in 1927. I believe the conventional unloaders were in service first (1911- 1912). The crane boats came into being in the late teens or early 1920's because of their versatility and ability to service some of the smaller ports. Crane boats operated into the late 1960's - early 1970's. They were largly a victim of changing economic conditions because the crane boats were the older and smaller boats (generally less than 500 feet in length). While I was on the Donner, we carried coal and grain (corn).