Many thanks to Bill Hecht for sharing this photo of Hiawatha, said taken at Salt Point, near Lansing NY on the east side of Cayuga Lake. Any wagers about the approximate era of the photo? Answer follows.
Here’s another shot from Bill of the same vessel, but with benches on the stern and additional people on the deck, including
a woman. What might have been the occasion?
Also from Bill, this scene of workers loading a barge.
The box cars have “Empire Line” stenciled on a sliding door.
Might the differences in dress reflect who is with the Empire Line, who is with the barge, and who might be bystanders?
My guess is that the tugboat is the 1903 Tottenville NY vessel.
From the Dryden Herald of October 11, 1911, this was the demise of Hiawatha. She shows up in the 1912 MVUS but not the 1913 edition, possibly evidence that the 1912 edition was already in print before the catastrophic fire.
Cargill De-icing Technology facility is still location south of Lansing NY.
Dispatches from the Samuel Center 
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