Dispatches from the Samuel Center

Barge Canal and River

Although the Canal and the Hudson are two different geographical features, the similarity is that the same traffic can make use of both, not unlike the fact that a land vehicle can travel on highways but also byways, driveways, or offroad. The cruiser Mesabi II with Duluth registry on the stern had to have traveled…

will van dorp
1–2 minutes
, , , ,

Although the Canal and the Hudson are two different geographical features, the similarity is that the same traffic can make use of both, not unlike the fact that a land vehicle can travel on highways but also byways, driveways, or offroad. The cruiser Mesabi II with Duluth registry on the stern had to have traveled across the Great Lakes to get to its “land cut” location passing a string of wooden barges no doubt towed by a tugboat. Mesabi II might be making its way to the Hudson, and from there into the ICW.

The photo below was taken from a Hudson River excursion vessel. What’s intriguing about it for me is 1) the string of possibly 30 barges being towed, with one assist tug alongside, and 2) the person to the left seems to be holding a device in the posture often used to snap photos with a cell phone.

Anyone have ideas where this was? I don’t.

The tugboat seems to be John E. Matton. If so, it was built in 1958, and scrapped around 2014.

Comments, additions, corrections?

2 responses to “Barge Canal and River”

  1. David Williams Avatar
    David Williams

    May have been the tank farm near Utica. The tanks are still there but are now filled via pipeline.

    Reply
  2. Lee Rust Avatar
    Lee Rust

    That gentleman is likely recording the passing scene with a tall, thin movie camera like the Keystone K-8, which would match perfectly with the vague camera shape and the positions of his hands and fingers. His dignified jacket and collar plus the style of the lady’s shoes hint that the photo dates from the 1930s.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Trending