On this day, April 6, 1912, the steel bulk cargo steamer LOUIS R. DAVIDSON was launched at Ashtabula by the Great Lakes Engineering Works. She measured 511.1 feet in length, 56.2 feet in beam and 32 feet in depth. It was a great event at Ashtabula as it was the first steamer to be launched there in 40 years and the first steel one ever. The following announcement from the Buffalo Courier of April 3rd tells of the festivities.
“ASHTABULA TO CELEBRATE.
“Ashtabula, April 2 – Saturday will be a civic holiday in this city, all the bands in this part of the county will be here and the whole town will turn out. The festivities will start with the launching of the first steel ship ever built here, the steamer LOUIS R. DAVIDSON, which will go down the ways at 11 o’clock in the morning.
“The chamber of commerce has made extensive preparations, special trains will be run from surrounding towns and the officers of the Great Lakes Engineering works will hold a reception at the shipyards. The launching and attendant celebration will be the real opening of the shipyards. Miss Lola Remick, daughter of Perry Remick, president of the chamber of commerce, will christen the new ship. Mr. Davidson, for whom the vessel will be named, probably will be unable to attend the party as he is ill.”
The owners, Boland & Cornelius of Buffalo, did not attend “owing to business demanding their attention in Buffalo.” Sad when a whole town celebrates your ship, over 10,000 people turn out and someone from your company doesn’t show as a representative.
LOUIS R. DAVIDSON
The DAVIDSON’s 67 year career began in late May of 1912 with her captain being Hugh McGann and her Chief Engineer Charles W. Holtz. Her owner was listed as the Yale Transportation Company, part of the Boland & Cornelius fleet.
DIAMOND ALKALAI
The DAVIDSON was renamed the DIAMOND ALKALAI in 1932 and was caught up in the tugmen’s strike of June 1934 in Milwaukee. At that time The Milwaukee Sentinel of June 8, 1934, reported ship masters were taking their boats down the river backwards – a violation of a city ordinance. The boats also tied up traffic in the downtown area.
“for the second time in two days, boats proceeding cautiously down river tied up street car and automobile traffic yesterday as the bridges were opened to them in accordance with a war department ruling which forbids them being closed under penalty of a heavy fine. Boats that went out yesterday were the MATHIOTT, RAND and PAINE. In the river at the present time are the POST, at the Great Lakes dock, the EWIG, at the Fellenz Coal company docks, and the DIAMOND ALKALAI, at the Sixteenth street berth.”
DOW CHEMICAL IN 1940
She was renamed the DOW CHEMICAL in 1939 and again ended up in Milwaukee’s newspapers when she collided with the car ferry GRAND RAPIDS in July of1959. Then owners of the DOW CHEMICAL, the American Steamship Company, sued the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Company for nearly $60,000 for damages. It was alleged the GRAND RAPIDS proceeded under full steam ignoring a danger signal blown by the DOW CHEMICAL and made no attempt to reverse her engines resulting in the collision.
FERNDALE
She was sold Canadian in 1963 and renamed FERNDALE, and later converted from coal to oil fuel during the winter of 1970-71.
In February of 1979 she was sold to Marine Salvage and that August she was towed to Castellon, Spain, where she was scrapped.
Suzette Lopez
Photo Credit: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society.
