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W.B. Marguerite pulled into river by Bonnechere. The Ottawa Journal, 22 Apr 1976. BRYSON (Staff) Workmen ease tug into river at Bryson. Last of the tugs launched. River-men on the payroll of the Upper Ottawa Improvement Company were ready to go "full power ahead" with their spring work Wednesday when the W. B. Margurite, the last of the company's fleet of 11 tugs to be put to work this year between Mattawa and Ottawa, was launched at Bryson. The company, which employs 130 men, is a joint subsidiary of E. B. Eddy Co., Consolidated-Bathurst Ltd. and Canadian International Paper Co. The movement of the three firm's logs downriver is its chief purpose. Yesterday's launching was supervised by regional super-intendent Michael Cushing. W. B. Margurite, a battered, steel-hulled, 30-foot veteran is a native of Espanola, Ont, where she learned her trade in the Spanish River. She was pulled into the Ottawa from a flat-bed trailer Wednesday by a larger sister ship, Bonnechere. During the navigation season, when not riding herd on sawlogs, the rivermen are repairing booms or removing dead-heads from the river. "Mill operations have been cut down, so there are not as many logs in the river this spring as usual," Mr. Cushing said. "Consolidated-Bathurst won't be cutting anything until June. That does not mean the tugs and their crews will be idle. "Our first job will be to repair the booms," Mr. Cushing said. "A lot of them broke this year because of the high water." In 1972, an E. B. Eddy Co. official predicted that "log drives on the Lower Ottawa are not likely to end until 1976." After 1976, he said, timber will move down the Upper Ottawa only as far as Braeside. The Upper Ottawa has still to reach its 1976 peak. After that, there will be more work for W. B. Margurite and her sister ships and their crews. When the river "goes down," dead-heads show up.

John Pomeroy notes: Bonnechere ashore at Fort Coulonge, QC, 1993.

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Bonnechere and Bonnyville ashore at Fort Coulonge, QC. The Upper Ottawa Improvement Company (ICO) (1868- 1999) ran the log-driving operations on the Ottawa River.
source: http://hwtproject.ca/lumbering/the-ico-booms-culbute-ship-canal/

 

Bonnechere, from Roger Read's photo album.

 

RBF notes: photographed in Bryson, QC, July 6th, 2006.

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Temiskawa Park in Bryson, QC.

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Bonnechere in Temiskawa Park, Bryson, QC.
source: http://www.bgcp.ca/bryson.html

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Contents: drop down & click!HOMERussel Vessel ListingFamous Russel BoatsRussel Company HistoryR-H News and BrochuresLogging Boat OperationBoat Photo CollectionsBoat Designs & BlueprintsRussel Video InterviewInside Russel Bros.Hull Number Index

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