Introduction | Vessel History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

This two cubic foot collection was donated to the Institute for Great Lakes Research (now the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes) on September 11, 1974 by David Groh and Dewey Ashton of the Pickands Mather Company in Cleveland, Ohio. Literary and property rights were dedicated to the public. Photocopying is permitted for purposes of conservation and research.

Vessel History

The COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS (US 225394) was built by the American Ship Building Company at Lorain, Ohio as hull 791 in 1925-1926. The vessel launching occurred on January 16, 1926. The PICKANDS was built as a steel hulled bulk cargo carrier and measured 586'3" x 60'2" x 27'9". The Pickands Mather Company owned the vessel throughout its career and had it assigned to the Interlake Steamship Company division for operational management. In 1974 the PICKANDS was sold for scrap and towed to Santander, Spain where scrapping began on December 13, 1974.

The PICKANDS was named for Colonel James Pickands, a prominent mining and lake transport operator. Pickands was born at Akron, Ohio on December 15, 1839. While a teenager, Pickands moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became a mercantile company clerk. During the Civil War, Pickands rose to the rank of colonel. After the war, Pickands moved to Marquette, Michigan to open a hardware and coal sales business. In 1881, he moved back to Cleveland and in 1883 joined Samuel Mather and Jay C. Morse to found the Pickands Mather Company. Colonel Pickands died July 14, 1896.

Scope and Content

This two cubic foot collection documents daily activities on the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS (US 225394) from 1952 to 1974. In 26 log books, the chief engineers and deck officers recorded daily events for each trip sailed in the shipping season lasating from April to December.

Engineer's logs monitored engine performance and are found in 21 of the 26 volumes of this collection. Official logs in five volumes reflect the interests of the officers in consistently noting the speed of the vessel on the various legs of each trip between geographical landmarks.

The trade network on the Great Lakes can be examined in these logs by studying the general routes traveled for particular types of cargo such as coal or iron ore. The company docks where loading and unloading occurred are listed.

Series Description

REPORTS

COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS
Engineer's Logs
Ca. 1952-1974
Volumes 1-18
Arranged chronologically
Series contains logs maintained by the chief engineer assigned to the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS. Log entries were made daily for each trip sailed in the shipping season. Trip members, ports of departure and arrival, cargo data, locations, and times reached, engine data, total time for each trip, fuel consumption and general remarks are recorded.

COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS
Official Logs
Ca. 1965-1974
Volumes 19-23
Arranged chronologically
Series contains logs maintained by officers assigned to the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS. Log entries were made daily for each trip sailed in the shipping season. Trip numbers, ports of departure and arrival, times of arrival, geographical locations reached between ports, compass headings used, weather data, total distances for trips, engine data, cargo details and general remarks are recorded.

UNKNOWN VESSEL
Engineer's Logs
1950-1955
Volumes 24-26
Arranged chronologically
Series contains logs maintained by the chief engineer. These items may also be from the COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS, but are not identified as such.

Inventory

Volume: COLONEL JAMES PICKANDS Engineer's Log

1. 1952
2. 1953
3. 1956
4. 1957
5. 1956-1957
6. 1958
7. 1959
8. 1960
9. 1961
10. 1962
11. 1963
12. 1965
13. 1966
14. 1967
15. 1968
16. 1969
17. 1970
18. 1974
19. Official Log, 1965
20. Official Log, 1968
21. Official Log, 1969
22. Official Log, 1970
23. Official Log, 1974
24. Unknown vessel, engineer's log, 1950-1954
25. Unknown vessel, engineer's log, 1951
26. Unknown vessel, engineer's log, 1955

HCGL Manuscript Checklist | Vessel Design | Vessel Logs