Feb. 23, 2009: Delbert Seaman (Russel Brothers Ltd. estimator and accountant) provides photos developed July 16, 1951, of the Clark B. Davis, at Lowbush, Ontario in June, 1951 after reassembly and prior to launch. Also one shot of the Russel-Hipwell outpost at Temiskaming, QC, (bottom right) where the P.J. Murer had been launched 3 years before. The Temiskaming photo shows a Russel Ville and Winch Boat in the water. The original black and white photos were 3 x 2 inches in size. 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI 600   1024   1200DPI   Prior to the launch of the Clark B. Davis at Lowbush, Ont. Left to right: Ivan Dawkins, Buddy Tripp, Jack Murdoch, Robert F. Olaveson. Photo courtesy George Poirier.   The Launch of the Clark B. Davis at Lowbush, Ont. June 18, 1951. Photos courtesy George Poirier.   Clark B. Davis wheelhouse at the boat's launch party in 1951. Image from Iroquois Falls Pioneer Museum. Image courtesy George Poirier. These shears were said to have been used by Mrs. Clark B. Davis at the launch of the Clark B. Davis at Lowbush, Ont., as well. The inscription reads "Used by Mrs. Clark B. Davis at the Launch of the M.V. Kam at works of Canadian Vickers Limited June 20th 1938." Owned by Barb Davis, photos courtesy of Kat Devine from Iroquois Falls, ON.   Gerry Ouderkirk Collection.   ENLARGE to 1024 pixels wide ENLARGE to 600 DPI SCAN   From Russel company brochure: STEELCRAFT TOWING. Gerry Ouderkirk archive.   UNUSUAL LOGGING TUG LAUNCHED FOR ABITIBI 320 HORSEPOWER TUG HANDLES 10,000-CORD RAFTS RUSSEL - HIPWELL NEWS Vol. 11, N0. 1 - Fall 1951 Up in Northern Ontario where the newsprint is made...and about 350 miles due north of Toronto, the launching of a powerful logging tug took place on June 18, 1951. Christened the "Clark B. Davis" after Abitibi's Vice-President of Woodlands, she has many unusual features...all designed for the log towing job in hand. To call her a "she" seems out of place for she has a man's name and a man's job, and certainly no feminine lines. In fact the "Clark B. Davis" looks more like a trim houseboat or a Mississippi river boat than a powerful tug. This new tug replaces the 29-year old tug "F. H. Anson" and the 31-year old paddle alligator "Dokis" and is expected to haul about 100,000 cords of pulpwood annually to the big newsprint mill at Iroquois Falls. The "Clark B. Davis" is a big sister to the tug "T. Gibbens", built four years ago and operating also on Abitibi Lake. Between them, they tow the bulk of logs moved on this lake and both were built by Steelcraft of Owen Sound. These special logging tugs were not built completely...then cut into sections for shipment...but designed and constructed so that each section would fit onto a flatcar, and when final assembly was completed at launching site there would be no loss of strength. The assembly point for these sections was at Lowbush River, Ontario, a C.N.R. siding about one mile up the Lowbush river from Lake Abitibi. A crew of 19 experienced men, aided by two cranes and a tractor, unloaded each section onto the ways where final assembly and launching took place. From the time the sections arrived to the actual launching took 53 days. Although Lake Abitibi is large, the average depth of water is only about eight feet, and at points where the log booms are collected it may not be more than four to five feet. Consequently, these tugs had to be designed to operate in the latter areas...with an operating draft of between 42" and 48". Each tug is a special flat-bottom design, has a single screw with tunnel drive, and powerful machinery. The "T. Gibbens" was built in 1947 and is 85 feet overall length with 18 feet beam, and powered by a 180 horsepower Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine. The "Clark B. Davis", which was just launched, is 85 feet overall length with 20 feet beam, and is more powerful, with a 320 horsepower Lister-Blackstone diesel engine. Both tugs are equipped with Cummins "Dependable" Diesels for auxillary power...Steelcraft Hydraulic steering gears...and special Russel warping machinery. Complete living accommodation is provided for a crew of 12 men on the "T. Gibbens" and for 14 men on the "Clark B. Davis". Low towing operations on Lake Abitibi are much like other "warping" operations. Logs are watered or driven down the various streams into the lake and made up into booms around the shore. For readers not familiar with this type of operation, here is a brief description. Supposing you were Skipper on one of these tugs and you were told to go 25 miles across the lake and pickup a raft of 8000 cords. By weight this would be about 16,000 tons. You would be driven across the lake at a pleasant 8 to 9 miles per hour by the conventional propeller in its shallow-draft tunnel. Then instead of hitching to the raft when you arrive, you would stand off about one mile...drop your big anchor which is held by a 1" steel cable wound on the winch drum...and slowly move to the raft, unwinding the cable from the big drum. Each tug is equipped with a powerful variable speed warping set capable of handling a mile of 1" steel wire rope. It's a tough looking winch, something like a mine hoist, and this is her pulling power when it comes to work. The tow now begins...by winding or warping in the cable. One mile per hour is a good average, depending on wind and weather, for if you faster the logs may jump or go under the boom. When you have wound in all the cable, you have achieved one mile, and must lift the anchor, unhook the raft, go ahead about a mile, drop anchor again and carry through the same procedure. It's slow work but in the next 25 hours you will have moved about 16,000 tons of logs...all with a small crew and a 320 horsepower warping tug. Rafts of logs vary between 5,000 and 10,000 cords depending largely on the distance and direction of travel...as many narrows have to be navigated before the river is reached. At the mouth of the river, smaller booms are made up and towed 18 miles down the river to Twin Falls where a power dam halts river navigation. Logs are sluiced through the dam and run free for the next 12 miles to the mill boom and jackladder at Iroquois Falls. Pulp logs also arrive at the mill by rail, truck, and from other rivers but the majority arrive from the Lake Abitibi region. In deep water you would probably tow the same cordage with a bigger tug of conventional design, and with a 1,000 horsepower diesel you could probably haul a 10,000 cord raft at a slightly higher average speed. However when the shallow waters of Lake Abitibi are to be considered, a special design is necessary. The "T. Gibbens", built four years ago, has proved itself and must have hauled over half a million cords of pulp logs in her young life; consequently the "Clark B. Davis" was built to similar design. "The latest addition to our Lake Abitibi towing fleet certainly looks a good one" said Mr. Clark Davis at the launching ceremony, "the "T. Gibbens" has done a good job and this should do a better one" he concluded. Mrs. Clark Davis christened the tug after being presented by Mr. T. H. Stone, Woodlands Manager for the Iroquois Falls Division, with the silver launching shears. A silver tray, engraved with a profile of the new ship, was presented to Mr. Clark Davis by Mr. R. Jardine Russel, co-founder of the builders, Russel-Hipwell Engines Limited.   George Poirier posted these undated photos in the "I grew up in Iroquois Falls" Facebook group February 11, 2015.   George Poirier posted these undated photos in the "I grew up in Iroquois Falls" Facebook group in May 2015. Florian Caron at the helm of the Davis.   George Poirier posted these undated photos Feb. 11, 2015.   George Poirier posted this undated photo in the "I grew up in Iroquois Falls" Facebook group in May 2015.   Clark B. Davis at Twin Falls c. mid 80's. Photo courtesy Roger Gaboury.   Tim Olaveson Sr. comments (June 19, 2017): "...just got off the phone with Eddie O'Donnell (who was the driving force behind Lake Abitibi Adventures). He was very happy that the boat was someday going to be visible to the public. The Gibbens towed the Davis from Twin Falls to Matheson, the engine was removed there and sold to an outfit close to Owen Sound to repower a tug boat. The money from this engine was paid to the contractor that moved the boats over the dam at Twin."   RBF notes: Was being cut up in 2004, hull reportedly sold to person in Qu�bec. (Matheson, ON Aug 19, 2004) ENLARGE to 1024 pixels wide ENLARGE to 600 DPI SCAN   RBF notes: T. Gibbens was scheduled for scrapping with Clark B. Davis. Reported sold along with Davis Hull (Matheson, ON Aug 19, 2004) ENLARGE to 1024 pixels wide ENLARGE to 600 DPI SCAN   Scrapping of the Clark B. Davis in Matheson, Ont., Aug. 2004. Photos by Rob Farrow. Matthew Carlson comments (Aug. 2, 2019): "Lister Blackstone engine, similar to a Vivian diesel like the Glenada originally would have had."   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 For more Russel exhibits visit Owen Sound Marine & Rail Museum 1165 1st Ave West, Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K8 (519) 371-3333     http://marinerail.com