Borucki's Lakers

"Mon, May 30, 1937. Taken from old 23rd Street Bridge. Steamer Schoellkopf Jr down bound." I believe this to be a Bay City location, but would welcome a correction. Looks like the "Old 23rd Street Bridge" would be where Lafayette crosses the river nowadays; the existing bridge was completed in 1938 . There was apparently a temporary bridge at this site in 1937, which evidently replaced a 23rd Street Bridge built in 1902. This 1918 map suggests that Mr. Borucki's was an idiosyncratic usage. (By the way, the 1902 bridge was also a replacement, for a still earlier bridge.) This is the first of seven photographs Mr. Borucki took of this ship. Schoellkopf was originally a straight-decker, built in 1907 as Hugh Kennedy by American Ship Building in Lorain for Buffalo Steamships. Sold to American Steamship Co in 1922 and renamed Schoellkopf. She was part of the Erie Sand fleet late in her life. Converted to self-unloader in 1933, repowered in 1950 (steam turbine) and 1975 (coal to oil), with bow thruster added in 1960. Made last shipment in 1979; dismantled in Italy in 1980. In 1967 this ship damaged the I-75 drawbridge at Zilwaukee, forcing traffic reroutes for several days. Jacob Frederick Schoellkopf, Jr. was head of Buffalo-based National Aniline and Chemical Company, a major producer of dyes and other chemical products. Borucki's Lakers

"Mon, May 30, 1937. Bow of Steamer Schoellkopf Jr." Second of seven photos of this ship. I sketched this ship's history with last week's photo . This photo was apparently taken at the same location. Borucki's Lakers

"Mon May 30, 1937. Stern of Steamer Schoellkopf Jr taken from old 23rd Bridge." 3rd of 7 at this location (Bay City, I'm pretty sure), and 3rd of 6 of the Schoellkopf. This ship's biography is with the picture I posted on Independence Day, where I've added some information about the location. Borucki's Lakers

"Sept 4, 1937. Steamer approaching Cass Bridge, Bay City, Mich." A different date and a different location, but the same ship , even though the caption fails to identify it. The Cass Avenue bridge has since been removed, but I see the DNR still uses it for a landmark . This is the fourth of seven Schoellkopf photos in the collection, and the first of two at this location. Neat photo. I really want to know about that lady with her hands on her hips. Borucki's Lakers

"Sept 4, 1937 Leaving Cass bridge towards Saginaw SS. Schoellkopf" Another exceptional photograph, showing detail for the self-unloader and a crewman on the deck. This is the fifth of seven 1937 pictures Mr. Borucki took of this ship, and the second taken at this date and location. I summarized the ship's history a few weeks ago. Borucki's Lakers

"Sept 4 1937 taken at foot of 28th Street Bay City, Mich" Sixth, and most artistic, of Borucki's seven Schoellkopf photographs (the seventh was taken several years later). That reflection's really quite nice. I discussed this ship's history a few weeks back. It's likely Mr. Borucki took this picture before the Cass Avenue shots, but I wanted to save this one for last. Next week we'll move to a new location and a different ship. Borucki's Lakers

"Sun, Oct 24 1937 Steamer Dickson passing second lock at Soo." Since the McArthur lock hadn't yet been built, the "second lock" would be the Davis Lock. The still-standing building shown is consistent with that (don't know what the building's function is, but likely that will show up in the comments eventually). Clearly Mr. Borucki was standing between the old Poe lock and Davis when he took this photo. This ship was built in 1910 and retained her original name until 1969, when she was renamed Merle McCurdy. McCurdy was scrapped in 1989. William B. Dickson was a US Steel vice president when his namesake ship was built, having been a Carnegie partner prior to the merger. Later he was an officer of Midvale Steel. To all appearances he was relatively enlightened about labor relations, and thus unusual among the Steel Trust founders. He passed away in 1942. Borucki's Lakers

"Sunday Oct 24, 1937 Steamer Dickson going into Lake Superior. Notice level of water now and in proceeding pictures." Davis Lock at the Soo. That caption makes you wonder who the intended audience was. And where the other "proceeding pictures" have gone. We may never know. I summarized this ship's history and made some comments on the location last week . I must say I like all the churn in this picture, though. Borucki's Lakers

"Sunday Nov 14, 1937 boat loading limestone at Rogers City Mich." B.H. Taylor was launched on September 1, 1923 at Lorain for Rogers City-based Bradley Transportation (a division of US Steel). She was renamed to Rogers City in 1957, and scrapped in 1988. The Milwaukee Public Library has several pictures of this then-new ship helping build Milwaukee's breakwater in 1924. According to the Milwaukee contractor, Edward E Gillen Company, the Taylor was the "Biggest, best, & fastest self unloader in the world." Perhaps in 1924, but at 522 feet she was not a large ship. I was unable to find anything about the person this ship honored except that he was one of Carl Bradley's pallbearers, which likely means (or verifies) that he was a Steel Corp executive. Any assistance would be appreciated. Borucki's Lakers

"Saturday, July 3, 1938. [note: July 3 was a Sunday] 'Benson Ford' tied to Ford Motor Company dock River Rouge" The first of three ships to bear this name. Launched in 1924 or 1925, this and fleetmate Henry Ford II were the first and second large Great Lakes ships powered by diesel powerplants (a Google search shows launch sequence disagreements). Renamed John Dykstra II in 1982 (this seems to have been a name swap), at which time this ship was effectively retired. The ship was scrapped in 1989, but her pilot house has been converted to a home on Put-In-Bay (South Bass Island), Lake Erie. Borucki's Lakers

"Sunday July 3, '38" This is easily the most interesting ship in the Borucki picture collection--and all he has to tell is the date he took the photo? Oh, well. I can fill in the details that Rick's dad likely thought were obvious. Greater Buffalo , shown here passing under the Ambassador Bridge, was launched at Lorain on October 27, 1923, for the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company, and made her first trip on May 13, 1925. She could carry 300 crew members and 1,200 passengers between Buffalo and Detroit on an overnight basis. Her sister ship Greater Detroit alternated on the run with her. These two Frank Kirby-designed ships were the last, largest, and (perhaps) fastest sidewheel passenger ships built on the lakes; when they were launched their construction costs were reported as $3.5 million apiece. Greater Buffalo was requisitioned by the Navy in 1942, converted to an aircraft carrier and renamed USS Sable ; she and USS Wolverine (the former Seeandbee--another Kirby design, and the other "fastest" claimant) worked as training ships out of Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago. She was retired after the war and broken up in 1948. Borucki's Lakers

"North American docked at Mackinac Island July 17, 1938" Passenger steamer North American was launched at Ecorse, Michigan in 1913 for the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Company and cruised the lakes for the Georgian Bay Company until 1963; in 1964 she did ferry service across Lake Erie for Canadian Holiday of Erie, PA. She sank off New England in 1967; the wreck was located in 2006 . North American was 280 feet long; I've been unable to find her passenger capacity. Her slightly-larger sister ship, South American, had a similar career. The Mackinac Island harbor's changed a bit in the intervening decades. I've been unable to determine the identity of the smaller passenger ferry alongside North American. Borucki's Lakers

"Bow of S.S. Calcite and conveyor and coal pile ft of 17th St Bay City, Mich. Thursday Sept 1, 1938" First of four photos in this set. Calcite was the first ship built for Bradley Transportation--US Steel's limestone fleet (then known as Calcite Transportation). The ship was named after the Port of Calcite--which was in turn named after the product (limestone, which is predominantly calcite) shipped from the Michigan Limestone Company's great mine south of Rogers City. All fits together nicely. Calcite was built by American Shipbuilding at Wyandotte in 1912 and scrapped in 1961 (at which time her fleetmate William G. Clyde was renamed Calcite II ). This ship's pilot house has been preserved, on the grounds of Forty Mile Point Lighthouse, north of Rogers City (and Calcite). Borucki's Lakers

"Looking from bow to stern on S.S. Calcite showing open hatches. Docked ft of 17th St. Bay City, Mich. Thurs. Sept 1 1938" Second of four Calcite photos; the ship's history is sketched with the first . A truly remarkable photo, this one, showing not only the deck detail but some features of the working Bay City waterfront. Borucki's Lakers

"Unloading machinery on Steamer Calcite dock ft. 17th Street Bay City, Mich Thursday, Sept 1, 1938" Third of four Calcite pictures; I sketched the ship's history on the first. She was among the first ships built with self-unloaders, though they were common by the time this photo was taken. Borucki's Lakers

"Ben Lasch on stairs of pilot house on S.S. Calcite docked at 17th St & Water. Bay, City, Mich. Thursday Sept 1938" September 1, I'm sure, since that's the date on the others in the set. Final of four pictures; I sketched Calcite's history here . This pilot house survives, as part of the museum complex at 40 Mile Point Lighthouse . Presumably Ben Lasch was a Borucki family friend, but I don't know the story. Nor do I know anything much about him. The only reference I can find for Lasch on the Web is this mention in an article about Mackinac ferry service in 1927. Borucki's Lakers

"Steamer Bunce tied up at dock of Cement Co. Essexville Mich Sunday Sept 25/38" E.M. Bunce was built as Montfaucon in Detroit (by American Shipbuilding) for the United States Shipping Board, late in a series of 80 or so similar (identical?) ships that were apparently ordered in 1918 and delivered over the course of three years; Beck & Labadie's Pride of the Inland Seas calls these "Fredrikstad ships", of which hundreds were built worldwide. This ship was renamed to Bunce in 1927; then apparently sold off the Lakes in 1940. After a series of name changes (Intrepido, Valeroso, Mariannina, & Sileno), she was renamed Anna Maria Ievoli in 1955. On November 1, 1957, the Ievoli exploded at a dock in Naples, killing at least two and sinking in 40 feet of water. The wire service coverage I've seen of the explosion didn't know, or likely care, about her great lakes history. Earl Malcolm Bunce made his fortune in Cleveland and Elyria real estate in the early 1900s, then invested in the Mid-West Transportation Company, who owned this ship. Borucki's Lakers

'Steamer Aetna turning around by cement plant Sunday Sept. 25/38' First of two photos. That cement plant would be in Essexville, and was also named Aetna; the ship was named for the plant. She carried bags of cement around the Lakes under charter with Mid-West Transportation, which was owned largely by the same capitalists as the cement company. Aetna, another " Fredrikstad ship " (or Laker Type A ), was built as Lake Catherine by Toledo Shipbuilding under government contract in 1918. She was renamed Oscar J. Lingeman in 1926 and Aetna in 1937. She was sold off-lakes in 1941 and renamed Manasquan. The ship was scrapped in 1947. Borucki's Lakers