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Great Lakes Engineering Works hull #17 was ordered by the Shenango
Furnace Company of Cleveland, Ohio in 1905. On February 17th
1906, hull #17 was launched at Ecorse, Michigan as the steamer
William P. Snyder named after the Shenango Furnace Company’s
founder and owner.
The William P.
Snyder was powered by a triple expansion steam engine capable of
1,665 horsepower. The ship’s carrying capacity was 10,300 tons in
three cargo holds accessible by 31 hatches. The William P. Snyder
sailed for the Shenango Furnace Company until 1926 when her
ownership changed to the Interlake Steamship Company. Interlake upon
acquisition re-named the ship Elton Hoyt II. In 1950 her
original triple expansion steam engine was replace with a 3500
horsepower 4 cylinder Skinner Uniflow steam engine. Her boilers were
replaced also at this time. She carried the name of Elton Hoyt II
until 1952 when Interlake renamed her the Alex D. Chisholm.
In 1966, the
Chisholm was sold by Interlake Steamship Company to the Medusa
Portland Cement. In 1967 she was re-named Medusa Challenger
and converted to burn fuel oil in her boilers and converted haul
bulk cement for a total carrying capacity of 10,250 tons. This work
was accomplished by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company at Manitowoc,
Wisconsin.
In 1998 Medusa
Portland Cement was acquired by Southdown Inc. The Medusa
Challenger was re-named Southdown Challenger. She sailed
with this name until 2005 when her name was again changed to St.
Marys Challenger following corporate mergers bringing Southdown
Inc. under ownership of St. Marys Cement Inc. St. Marys Cement is a
foreign owned corporation; the Jones Act requires this ship to be
flagged and operated by a U.S. company to sail from U.S. port to
U.S. port within the Great Lakes system therefore this ship is
managed and operated by Hannah Marine Corporation of Chicago,
Illinois.
Although this ship
as undergone many changes throughout her career on the Great Lakes
she is considered a true classic still sailing the waters of the
inland seas. “Still Steamin’” has been proudly painted just below
the pilot house by the crew in celebration of this Centennial year
of operation, a true industry milestone. The St. Marys Challenger
is the first Great Lake vessel to achieve this special distinction
of surviving one hundred years of service and “Still Steamin’”.
Available for
purchase are special commemorative “Centennial” prints. The print is
arranged in a blueprint style format showing starboard profile views
of the ship as she appeared when new in 1906 as the William P.
Snyder and how she appears now in 2006 as the St. Marys
Challenger one hundred years later. Shown in the upper right
corner is the Shenango Furnace Company’s logo in honor of her
original owners and operators and shown in the lower left corner is
the Hannah Marine Company anchor logo, the ship’s current operators.
Available prints are:
20” x 12”
Click here to Order
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