Pre-Seaway Canals

[Guest]

From viewing online sources, am I correct to conclude that the 250-260 foot length of the canaller type vessels was pretty well established by the 1890s?

[BobG]

The vice you speak of for snubbing was called a compressor. There were no guard arms.

[Fritz]

Here are two very good sources of information on and photos of the old St. Lawrence Canal system between Prescott and Montreal. Some of this infrastructure is still visible today (Galop Canal at Iroquois and Soulanges Canal near Valleyfield). The Lachine Canal through Montreal is enjoying a renaissance as a historic greenway.

http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlak ... efault.asp

http://stlawrencepiks.com/seawayhistory ... rstcanals/

[old sailer]

As a young boy 9 or ten years old I remember making a trip or two through the old seaway with my dad it could have been aboard the Acadian,Leftbridge,Fernie, Weyburn,Kenora,or Winnipeg.All being small package freighters except Acadian. We went all the way to Montreal. What I remember most was entering the locks and as we got into the lock the mate would put out what they called the snub wire. This wire ran through a vice like a fair with a big handle on it the man on the bow would call out the footage to the gate and the man on the snub would tighten down until the ship stopped. I can't remember l
if there was a guard arm on these locks. Also remember very heavy traffic along the way.

[Guest]

What sort of canals were in place before the construction of the current St. Lawrence Seaway that connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic? How far east did the canaller type bulk carriers operate?