WILL BE GIVEN INSPECTION IN DRYDOCK BY THE UNDERWRITERS
SALVAGE BOAT CHAMPLAIN WILL PROCEED TO WINTER QUARTERS AT SOREL
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 9 December 1931]
The tug Rival of the Sin-Mac Lines, whch sank in 30 feet of water in the Welland Canal just north of lock eight four weeks ago last night when its boilers exploded as it was mooring for the night, was sucessfully raised yesterday after three previous attempts and this morning cleared in tow of the salvage tug, Champlain, for Port Dalhousie.
The tug was finally raised successfully late Monday night after a diver had plugged rivet holes in the bottom of the craft and it had been pumped dry. Yesterday a crew of men were kept busy removing the coffer dam which was built around the tug from the gunwhales and used in the raising, and in steaming the coating of oil from its decks, and superstructure. When the coffer dam with its canvass covering was removed the superstructure of the boat was revealed to the many interested spectators as somewhat badly damaged above the decks by the explosion, the woodwork of the engine room being considerably charred and splintered.
The vessel, which left for Port Dalhousie this morning at 9 o’clock, will undergo a complete inspection by the underwriters and will remain in the Lake Ontario port during the winter months. The Champlain, after it delivers the Rival in Port Dalhousie, will proceed to its winter quarters at Sorel, Que., where the Rival will be taken for rebuilding by its owners next spring. The Champlain was in charge of Captain George Stitt, as it cleared this morning with the Rival.
The raising of the tug was in charge of Percy Bonam of the Sin-mac Lines, with Lew Myers, veteran wrecking master and diver, assisting and doing the under-water work.
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 9 December 1931]
It was learned today that County Judge L.B.C. Livingstone completed 18 years as county judge on October 6th, 1931, this being the longest term any judge has functioned in this ofice in Welland county.
RIVAL IS SUCCESSFULLY REFLOATED AFTER COFFER DAM BUILT
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 8 December 1931]
The tug Rival which sank in the Welland Canal just north of lock eight about three weeks ago, was raised yesterday afternoon. Temporaty repairs to the damage sustained at the time of the explosion which sank the tug were made while it was submerged. The coffer dam which was constructed entirely around the tug, was built to the whale-streak and came to the level of the water. When this was completed watertight, it was pumped free of water. As the water was pumped from the interior of the dam the whole affair rose until the tug was once more on an even keel. The work of erecting this coffer dam has been going on for over a week under the direction of Percy Bonham, superintendent of the Sin-Mac Steamship Lines from Montreal, owners of the tug.
The tug will be moved either to Montreal for full repairs or into drydock at Port Dalhousie. Final decision has not yet been made.
ALL WICKETS TO BE OPEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON UNITL 6 P.M.
OVERSEAS MAIL SHOULD BE POSTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON DECEMBER 3
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 27 November 1931]
All wickets of the Welland post office will be open Saturday afternoon unitl 6 p.m. commencing tomorrow unitl the last Saturday of the year to meet the expected Christmas mad rush, Postmaster W.H. Moore said today. This will include the money order registration, stamps and parcel wickets.
Christmas letters for overseas points should be mailed not later than 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, December 3rd from Welland in time to go by the S.S. Montclare from St. Johns and Halifax.
Postmaster Moore urges the public to send out their Christmas and New Years mail at the earliest possible moment to ensure of its reaching its destination in time, and also to better assist the post office staff in the handling of huge quantities of letters and parcels anticipated during the next few weeks.
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 17 November 1931]
Rumors that the new Gate Lifter, huge floating derrick, built last year for use on the new Welland canal for lifting the 500-ton gates, would be brought into action for the first time to raise the tug Rival which sank last week in the canal north of lock eight, were laid to rest yesterday by E.P. Murphy, superintendent of the southern section of the canal, who stated definitely that the gate lifter would not be brought from Port Weller to raise the tug.
The rumor was probably fostered by a desire to see the great electrically controlled derrick in action.
NOW OPERATING AND OWNING DAVIS STATIONERY COMPANY LIMITED
DAVIS STATIONERY CO. ENLARGES ITS STORE FOR BETTER SERVICE
Welland Firm Carries Largest Stock of Office Furniture and Supplies in Niagara Peninsula
Special Retail Department to be Opened Featuring Social and Commercial Stationery.
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 17 November 1931]
A.E. Davis, president of the David Stationery Company Ltd. Cross street, along with the members of the staff, have such faith in the ultimate progress of Welland that they have already made special preparations so that when the present economic depression is over the company will be able to handle the large business it anticipates will come its way.
This company has handled many complete installations in the way of office furniture and equipment, the latest being for the new Douglas Memorial Hospital at Fort Erie. Mr. Davis also emphasized in an interview with The Tribune that the firm had not at any time found it necessary to reduce its staff, even in view of the depression of the last two years.
“I would like to point out, also, that we are opening a special retail department featuring items in the way of social and commercial stationery which formerly had to be purchased out of town,” Mr.Davis contiuned.
Mr. Davis stated that the Davis Stationery Company Ltd. carried the largest stock in office equipment, furniture, filing equipment and similar supplies in the Niagara peninsula. “We have here,” he commented, “rebuilt typewriters, office desks in wood and steel, office furniture and all manner of stationery, also one of the largest assortment of Sheaffer pens to be had in any centre the size of Welland.”
Mr. Davis had no hesitation in expressing his opinion of the influence of the present world economic depression so far as Wellamd and the Niagara District are concerned.
Welland Favourably Situated
“I would say that economic conditions were not considerably below normal,” stated the president of the company. “They could naturally be much worse, and I can assure you that in comparison with many other centres Welland is favorably situated.
“There is no doubt in my mind when this depression lifts, as it will before long, Welland and the Niagara peninsula will be among the first to recover from the effects of the depressed conditions, and to rapidly advance to a state of sound business progress.”
It was 10 years ago that Mr.Davis first started the stationery business which has proven itself again and again, and which is now one of the brometers of sane business optimism in this part of the country.At tht time Mr. Davis represented the Hay Stationery Company of London, and the Welland business was a branch of the London firm.
Five years ago, however, Mr. Davis and his brother, W.A. Davis took the Welland business over from the London firm, and the Davis Stationery Company then had its inception. This was in 1927.
Ten years ago, Mr. Davis alone operated the Welland Stationery business; today the local office staff comprises five persons. The president is A.E. Davis, vice-president, W.A. Davis; secretary-treasurer, Miss Muriel Teachout; stock keeper, Robert Douglas; shipper, Edward Gadsby
YESTERDAY’S ATTEMPT FUTILE AND OTHER MEANS MUST BE EMPLOYED
LIKELY COFFER DAM WILL BE BUILT AND CRAFT PUMPED OUT
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 17 November 1931]
An attempt to raise the tug Rival yesterday afternoon by means of the gate lifters which were useed on the old canal proved utterly futile and some other means will have to be employed. This tug, which sank after an explosion just north of lock eight in the Welland Ship Canal is resting with only a small portion of it’s superstructure out of water. It was believed at first that the tug could be raised by the gate lifters but this could not be done. It is quite likely that the coffer dams will now be placed around the tug and it will be then pumped out and repaired and floated again in this way, according to the men in charge of the work. This will probably be started within the next few days.
EVERYTHING MUST BE DISPOSED OF WITHIN THE NEXT 15 DAYS
PURCHASED FOR LOW CASH CONSIDERATION AND UNUSUAL BARGAINS WILL RESULT
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 17 November 1931]
Rosberg’s Ltd. have taken over the entire stock of Paddon and Dawdy at 62 East Main street, and the Paddon and Dawdy store will be used unitl December 1st to sell the stock, which was purchased for a low cash consideration, Harold Rosberg announced today. Everything has to be cleared out within the next 15 days, and the Paddon and Dawdy store will be closed all day Wednesday to mark down the goods.
The public are already aware that Paddon and Dawdy carried only the best lines, and in availing themselves of this opportunity to buy should find decided advantages,” Mr. Rosberg stated.
GATELIFTERS USED ON FORMER WATERWAY REQUISITIONED FOR THE JOB
DIVERS AT WORK AND EXPECTED CRAFT WILL BE FLOATED TOMORROW.
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 16 November 1931]
With the arrival yesterday of the gate lifters, which were used on the old Welland Ship Canal at the scene of the sinking of the tug Rival, preparations started in earnest for the raising of the craft from where it came to rest after sinking just north of Lock eight Tuesday night. These gate lifters are operated by steam and are capable of lifting considerable tonnage. To raise the tug it is necessary to place wires beneath the sunken boat and as the stern is resting on solid rock this has been found a difficult task. It has been necessary to jack the roof end off the bottom to place these wires. All the wires will be placed however today and the tug will be raised tomorrow.
Considerable difficulty was found in securing operators for the gate lifters and it was necessary to obtain these men from Sarnia and Kingston. The work of the divers is exceptionally difficult on this job and the expert services of D.May and Louis Meyers has been obtained. Meyers is a well-known diver in northern waters, having handled many difficult jobs around the Great Lakes during his diving experience. The superintendent of the Sin Mac Lines, Percy Bonham, of Montreal, is on the job looking after the work. Captain Bolt Reid, manager of the Sin Mac Lines in Sarnia is still on the scene of operations assisting in the raising. The tug, Glide, also owned by the Sin Mac Lines and captained by Captain George Sheron, is assisting in the work.
WORK TO START SOON ON RAISING OF THE SUNKEN TUG RIVAL
[The Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 13 November 1931]
The steamer “Champlain” arrived in Port Colborne yesterday to prepare for the raising of the tug Rival of the Sin Mac Lines. The Champlain is the salvage boat of this line and the chief officer is Captain Geo. Stitt. Following the arrival of the ship a diver was sent down to look over the sunken craft but because of oil seeping from the fuel tanks it was found impossible to see well enough to inspect anything. Captain Bolt Reid, manager for the Sin Mac Lines at Sarnia, was at the scene of the accident yesterday but said that no contact had yet been let for the raising of the tug.
The salvaging of this craft is not a difficult job, for those who know such work, say it can be floated quite easily again by placing pontoons to support it. It is probable that operations will be started in the near future.
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