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Fleet Histories Vol 3
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FLEET HISTORIES Vol 3

The REISS - PEAVEY - GARTLAND - FARRAR - WESTERN - BASSETT - FOOTE Fleets-

120 Photographs - 81/2 x 11 Format - Illustrations/Diagrams - Hard Cover - Cross Indexed

This volume is a portrayal of different operating styles among vessel managers. Some chose to own their vessels outright, while others elected only a husbanding role for hire. Both styles served their principals handsomely.

In this volume the fleets based in the United States "grew together" with Reiss acquiring the Peavey fleet and Reiss and Gartland having some overlap of directorships, and eventually joint ownership of the Redland Steamship Company. The Canadian fleets had managerial involvement with each other in the early days, with some commonality of directorships among the Farrar, Western and Bassett Fleets. The Foote fleet provides an interesting combination of both vessel operations and the marine insurance business.

Many rare photographs depict vessels in all the fleets- some never before shown in a published work. Over three years in production, Volume Three is sure to enlighten readers about the rise and dissolution of the respective vessel companies.

 

Fleet Histories Vol 4
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FLEET HISTORIES Vol 4

The FLEETS OF JAMES A. PAISLEY and the 14 FLEETS OF JAMES PLAYFAIR

Over 100 Photographs - 8 1/2 x 11 Format - Illustrations/Diagrams -

Hard Cover - Cross Indexed

Paisley and Playfair shared much in common and seemed to compliment each others abilities. It was Paisley's coal mining and sales efforts coupled with Playfairs financial ties to Henry W. Richardson of Kingston, Ontario which provided the strength for numerous successful ventures.

James Richardson and Sons were key to Plaiyfair's ventures since they provided much of the financial backing need for Playfair to expand his marine interests. They also ended up owning a substantial share of James Paisley's coal company.

Like the previous three volumes, this book is much more than a recitation of fleet activities. It is the FIRST detailed explanation of Richardson's "silent" involvement that allowed Playfair to gain the stature he did on the Great Lakes. It also describes how Paisley and Playfair parlayed their individual expertise to become one of the major shipping magnates of their time.

Fleet Histories Vol 5
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FLEET HISTORIES VOL 5

The HUTCHINSON - CENTRAL PAPER - LAKE PORTS SHIPPING - McLOUTH and PETOSKEY CEMENT FLEETS

Over 120 Photographs - 8 1/2 x 11 Format - Illustrations/Diagrams -
Hard Cover - Cross Indexed

The Hutchinson family was involved in Great Lakes Shipping for 100 years. Their fleets included Buckeye, Inland, Island, Lakewood, Masaba, Ohio, Pioneer, Superior and Tonopah steamship companies. ALL are included in this book.

Additionally, two little-known special purpose and cement-carrying fleets are in this volume, along with the two fleets of Mr. Sydney McLouth of Marine City, Michigan.

Like it predecessors, this books traces the beginnings, operational characteristics and eventual demise of each of the respective fleets.

Fleet Histories Vol 6
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FLEET HISTORIES VOL 6

The CLEVELAND-CLIFFS, DETROIT and CLEVELAND NAVIGATION COMPANY,
HAWGOOD AND TRAVERSE CITY FLEETS

Over 200 Photographs, Illustrations, Diagrams
81/2" x 11" Format - Hard Cover

 

 

This SIXTH volume in the FLEET HISTORIES SERIES features the ten fleets of CLeveland-Cliffs, the D-C Line (otherwise known as the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company, Traverse City Transportation and the thirteen fleets of the Hawgood family.

Early beginnings, interim ups and downs and the final days before liquidation are all discussed. In the case of Cleveland-Cliffs, a management rationale to delegate the floating business to others and to concentrate on the iron ore business led them to eventually getting out of vessel operations altogether.

For D&C, auto competition and rail carriage of less-than-car-load lots, plus stricter Coast Guard requirements and labor unrest doomed passenger traffic.

The Hawgood Fleet died earlier than most and the Traverse City Transportation Company was a one vessel company that could not withstand the onslaught of the Great Depression.

Over two years were spent in the production of this volume. It contains many rare photographs depicting vessels during their life within their respective fleets.

As in all of the Fleet Histories books - All vessels are crossed referenced and vital statistics provided.

Fleet Histories Vol 7
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FLEET HISTORIES VOL 7

GEORGE TOMLINSON, LAKE TRANSIT,
BROWN & CO., CANADA STARCH,
PORT COLBORNE & ST. LAWRENCE
NAVIGATION, COAL CARRIERS, BAYSWATER

This seventh volume in the Fleet Histories Series primarily features the fleets of James Davidson and George Tomlinson. While Mr. Davidson had the Davidson Steamship Company among his interests, Mr. Tomlinson separated his fleets into different firms, these being: Consolidated, Continental, Duluth, Globe, Inter-Ocean, Kensington, Michigan, Milinokett, Mutual, National, Panda, Sierra, Sumatra, Superior, Triton, United and Zenith Steamship companies.

Brown & Co., was the manager and held ownership positions in Brown, Buffalo Transit, Douglass, Empire, Iroquois, Miller and Shasta Steamship companies.

The stories of Lake Transit, Canada Starch, Port Colborne and St. Lawrence, Coal Carriers, Bayswater and Jupiter fleets are all detailed. Interesting historical information never before published. Origins, interim ups and downs and the final days of liquidation or sale are discussed.

Fleet Histories Vol 8
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FLEET HISTORIES SERIES  VOL. 8

The Fleets of Shenango Furnace, Cleveland Tankers, Laneland Tankers, Diamond Steamship, Hindman Transportation, Lakehead Transportation, Great Lakes Lumber and Shipping, and the Great Lakes Steamship Company

 

This book follows upon the overwhelming acceptance of the historical-photobiographical "NAMESAKES" Series of books on Great Lakes shipping and Volumes One thru Seven of the "FLEET HISTORIES Series." This eighth volume describes company histories and provides totally different vessel photographs than those in any of the previous volumes.

Many rare photographs abound. During its production no effort has been spared to make this book pleasing to read and enlighten readers about the rise and dissolution of the respective vessel companies represented in this volume.

Fleet Histories Vol 9
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FLEET HISTORIES VOL 9

In this volume, the fleets of Papachristidis Shipping, Minnesota Steamship, Minnesota-Atlantic Transit, Mathews Steamship, Carrollton Steamship, Eastern Steamship (Can.), Eastern & Western Steamship (U.S.), Shell Oil, Interstate Steamship, Waterways Navigation, Wolverine Steamship, F.D. Gleason Coal and the Kinney Steamship are detailed. Early beginnings, fleet composition through the years, accident details, interesting incidents in the vessel's career, photographs of each vessel, and known rationale for the eventual cessation of operations are provided. Additionally, each vessel is cross-indexed and vital statistics are provided.

Fleet Histories Vol 10
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FLEET HISTORIES VOL 10

The Misener, Soo River, Reoch, International-Harvester, Keystone, Lake Tankers, Lloyd Tankers, Merchants Mutual Line, Minto Trading, Masaba Steamship, Western Navigation, Pine Ridge Coal and Spanish River/Abitibi Power Fleets

 

  • HARD COVER

  • 238 PAGES

  • 185 PHOTOGREAPHS

Namesakes 1900-1909
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NAMESAKES 1900 - 19019

370 FLEETS - 522 VESSELS - 529 PAGES  

OVER 650 VESSELS CROSS INDEXED

With the opening of the Mesabi Range in 1892, there existed an instantaneous demand for larger, faster and more efficent vessels to feed the blast furnaces in the east. No longer could the needs of commerce be satisfied by simply building more of the same. It was during this period that the first vessels over 600 feet became the backbone of the modern Great Lakes fleet.

Following the format used in pervious editions, every page is a story. NAMESAKES 1900-1909 took over five years to assemble and is replete with many rare, never before published photographs. If a vessel operated on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River on or after January 1, 1900 but was gone by January 1, 1910-it is in this book!

Namesakes 1910-1919
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NAMESAKES 1910-1919

 

317 FLEETS  -  500 VESSELS
700 VESSEL NAMES 
CROSS INDEXED - 507 PAGES - HARDCOVER

The NINTH volume in the NAMESAKES SERIES is a photostory of Great Lakes vessels prior to, during, and just after World War I. Many steel steamers, and some wooden vessels, requisitioned for saltwater service, are shown herein. Details of demise on the oceans are chronicled - many for the FIRST time in any publication!

Supurb photographs of historic vessels such as: the Schooner CORA A. - the last full rigged schooner built on the Lakes; Steamer TOPEKA - the first lakes vessel to be equipped with a hydraulic stearing gear and the Steamer HOMER WARREN - the oldest wooden straight deck bulk vessel in operation when it was sunk in 1919.

Namesakes 1920-1929
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NAMESAKES 1920-1929

 

371 VESSELS - 220 FLEETS   
OVER 600 VESSEL NAMES - CROSS-INDEXED - 377 PAGES HARD COVER

NAMESAKES 1920-1929 details vessels on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River during the decade of the '20's - a transitional period between the "Great War" and a rapidly expanding industrial North America.

As in previous "NAMESAKES" books, superb photographs, many of them very rare, the derivation of the vessel name, and salient data pertaining to the carriers demise are presented in a succinct and concise manner.

Together with NAMESAKES 1900-1909, NAMESAKES 1910-1909, NAMESAKES 1930-1955, NAMESAKES 1956-1980 AND NAMESAKES OF THE 90's the reader has over 80 years of shipping history representing more than 3,000 vessels.

Namesakes 1930-1955
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Namesakes 1930-1955

OVER 750 VESSEL NAMES - 484 SHIP PHOTOGRAPHS
CROSS INDEXED - 208 FLEETS - 493 PAGES - HARD COVER

 

Covering 25 years of Great Lakes shipping history, this edition reaches back through the decade of the 30's to provide evermore history of a bygone era.

Wooden steamers and barges are shown in beautiful, never-seen-before photographs! Rare, never published pictures are also included for steel vessels. Many of these are from closed and untapped private collections.

Over 750 vessels are cross-indexed showing all former names as well as the LAST name a ship bore on the Great Lakes. The superior research given this fascinating book provides facts and figures on all these ships.

Namesakes 1956-1980
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NAMESAKES 1956 - 1980

 

613 VESSELS - 1,300 VESSEL NAMES
CROSS-INDEXED - 627 PAGES
HARD COVER

 
 

NAMESAKES 1956-1980, the SIXTH volume in the NAMESAKES SERIES, details all the commercial vessels on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River that existed in the quarter century between 1956 and 1980, inclusive.

Although all these ships - including the passenger vessels NORTH AMERICAN, ASSINIBOIA, KEEWATIN and others, have long since departed from active commerce they can be found here in abundance.

As in other NAMESAKES books, supurb photographs of all vessels, the derivation of the vessel name, and salient data pertaining to its demise are presented in a succinct and concise manner leading the reader through another era in Great Lakes Hitory.

If a vessel existed on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River AFTER January 1, 1956 but was GONE by the end of 1980, it is in this volume

Namesakes 2000
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NAMESAKES 2000

 

317 FLEETS  -  500 VESSELS
700 VESSEL NAMES 
CROSS INDEXED - 507 PAGES - HARDCOVER

The NINTH volume in the NAMESAKES SERIES is a photostory of Great Lakes vessels prior to, during, and just after World War I. Many steel steamers, and some wooden vessels, requisitioned for saltwater service, are shown herein. Details of demise on the oceans are chronicled - many for the FIRST time in any publication!

Supurb photographs of historic vessels such as: the Schooner CORA A. - the last full rigged schooner built on the Lakes; Steamer TOPEKA - the first lakes vessel to be equipped with a hydraulic stearing gear and the Steamer HOMER WARREN - the oldest wooden straight deck bulk vessel in operation when it was sunk in 1919.

 

Silver Stackers
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The SILVER STACKERS

The story of one of the largest and best known steamship operations in the history of the Great Lakes, the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.

 

Over 200 Photographs - 300 Pages - 8½" x 11" - Illustrations Diagrams - Hard Cover

 

The creation of the United States Steel Corporation in 1901, was the result of the merger of many smaller steel makers into one giant corporation, the size and scope of which was never before seen in the United States. In 1901, the United States Steel Corp. formed its lake transportation fleet - the Pittsburgh Steamship Company, later renamed USS Great Lakes Fleet.

Details of acquisition of the Acme Transit, American Steamship, American Steel Barge, Bessemer Steamship, Eddy Shaw Transportation, Menominee Transportation, Minnesota Steamship, Mutual Transportation, Provident Steamship, Weston Transit and Zenith Transit companies, as well as new vessels constructed are all included in THE SILVER STACKERS.