1903 Joseph C. Gilchrist 1946
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 328
Launched Oct 10, 1903
436’ LOA, 416’ LBP, 50’ beam, 28’ depth
1 deck, hold beams, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1500 IHP
Enrolled at Cleveland OH Oct 28, 1903 (#21)
416.0 x 50.0 x 28.0, 4725 GT, 3393 NT US 200414 to:
American Ship Building Co., Cleveland OH (home port Cleveland OH)
Reenrolled at Cleveland OH Oct 31, 1903 (#24) to:
Gilchrist Transportation Co., Cleveland OH (home port to Fairport OH)
Entered service 1903
Fleet went into receivership 1913
Sold at auction 1913 to Lackawanna Steamship Co., Cleveland OH, Pickands Mather & Co., Mgr.
Fleet renamed Interlake Steamship Co. and vessel renamed Cygnus.
Cargo hold rebuilt 1925 to arch construction
Home port to Wilmington DE 1932
Traded in 1943 with six other vessels of the fleet to U. S. War Shipping Administration, Washington DC on the purchase price of strs. Frank Armstrong, E. G. Grace and Frank Purnell. Operated during World War II by Interlake Steamship Co.
Laid up end of 1944 season at Erie PA
Sold for scrap 1946 to Steel Company of Canada. Towed to Hamilton ON June 1946 and scrapped there.
0304
My mother’s father was William Gilchrist, son of Joseph C. Gilchrist.
I have always had an interest in Great Lakes shipping – I grew up in Cleveland and Hudson, Ohio, but came late to the knowledge that my great grandfather Gilchrist was deeply vested in the transportation business. My mother spoke of being a passenger on the ore boats when she was a child, and had an especially harrowing account of riding out a storm on one.
I have photos from albums put together by grandfather; if you would like to see some of the scanned images I would be happy to make them available as I organize the lot.