Joel Dinda's photos with the keyword: bay city

"Nov. 5, 1939 Steamer Harry T. Ewig upbound with pig iron to Saginaw Bay City Mich. Taken from bridge tower." Glad to know Mr. Borucki made it home to Bay City every now and then. Not sure what bridge had a tower in 1939; perhaps the Third Street drawbridge? This ship was launched in 1902 at Chicago Shipbuilding as a 366' bulk carrier named W.W. Brown. She was renamed Baltic in 1920, John W. Ailes in 1922, and Harry T. Ewig in 1926. She'd just been converted to a crane ship when this photo was taken. She'd be retired in 1964, when Bay Shipbuilding would cut her into two barges (named Lighter No. 1 and Lighter No. 2). At least one, and perhaps both, of the barges sank off Frankfort on 10/29/1965 (my sources are confusing). Harry Ewig was treasurer of Valley Camp Coal when this ship was named after him. He'd started in the industry as a miner in 1906, at the age of 18. He enlisted in the army in 1917; after this service he joined Valley Camp's Cleveland office and was elected treasurer in 1923. In 1933 he was elected company president, a position he held until 1946. It looks like he was subsequently Valley Camp's chairman of the board, then chairman emeritus. Ewig also served on the board of Oglebay Norton, Columbia Transportation's parent, from 1936 through 1946. He passed away in 1986 at the age of 98. (Greenwood's Namesakes has Ewig's promotion dates wrong, which is unusual. I went looking for newspaper accounts because it didn't make obvious sense to name a ship after some youngster in the office.) Borucki's Lakers

"Sunday Nov. 6, 1938 Discarded Steam barge 'Sacremento' [sic] of Davidson fleet rotting in slip at Davidson shipyard" I've seen this ship's name misspelled often enough to wonder if perhaps she wore that spelling on her hull. Like her consort Chieftain, she'd been sitting untended in this slip since 1929 when Mr. Borucki made this photo, which was taken shortly before she was formally abandoned. John Devendorf's Great Lakes Bulk Carriers 1869-1985 tells me that remnants of the ship remained visible on the waterfront into the 1980s, when Bay City recovered the area as Veterans Park. Her rudder is preserved in the park; the remainder of the ruined ship was reportedly buried when the park developers filled the slip. Sacramento was built in 1895 at this yard as a 302 foot steamship (some sources say 307). Davidson Steamship's all-wooden fleet , including this ship, was discarded as obsolete in the late '20s. More information about that, and the shipyard, at the Chieftain writeup . Borucki's Lakers

"Nov. 20, 1938 Sunday Going downloaded. Going through M.C. RR. Bridge." Second of two photographs of this ship. Presumably this is a Bay City photograph, in which case it's this bridge . I told what I know about this oddly-configured ship with last week's photograph ; I've nothing to add today. Borucki's Lakers

"Sunday Nov. 6 1938 Discarded wooden barge 'Chieftain' rotting on river bottom Davidson Shipyard" This one's a little sad. When Chieftain was built in 1902 she was the largest hull on the Great Lakes (360 feet long), and apparently remains the largest wooden lakes vessel ever constructed. She was built as a barge by Davidson Shipyard for Davidson Steamship, and was part of a fleet of two steamships and three barges for most of her career. The entire fleet was technically obsolete by 1929, and all five vessels were thereafter moored at the Davidson yard. The Davidson's Bay City shipyard originally opened in 1873. It was abandoned in 1932 as there was no longer any need for a shipyard specializing in repairs to wooden ships. The Davidson family was invested in American Steamship Corporation and in the Tomlinson fleet, so they remained active in the industry. (There's much more information about the Davidsons here . It appears reasonably accurate, but some details differ from my other sources. These disagreements are pretty common, and in this case are relatively minor; don't let them throw you.) John Greenwood's book Namesakes 1930-1955 tells me Chieftain wasn't declared abandoned until shortly after this photo was taken, apparently because her oak construction kept her seaworthy long after maintenance ceased. Perhaps it was news of that impending abandonment that sent Mr. Borucki to the deserted shipyard. We have a couple more photos from that excursion, which we'll soon share. 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 Aetna around in river channel ready to go out the river into the bay Sept. 25/38 Sunday" Second of two Aetna photos; last week's photo was similar and has some background information. Certainly seems to be putting out the smoke, here. 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

"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

"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. 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

"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

"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