Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Hallet [C.173547] registered at Kenora. Built at Owen Sound in 1940. 57'; 58 g.t. Bill Breaker Notes: Built for the Fort Frances Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. Dimensions: 60' x 15' x 6'; 58 g.t. 19 n.t. 440 bhp. 2 x 220 hp 6 cly. Cummins driving twin screws. Owned in 1966 - 1980 by The Ontario Minnesota Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. Owned 1983 - 1992 by The Town of Fort Frances, Fort Frances, Ontario. Transport Canada List 2003: No longer registered in Canada. GAO Notes: Still on display in Fort Frances in 2003. See clipping file for pics.
A three engine installation on the warping tug "Hallett". Two main engines are Cummins diesels used only for the tug propulsion. An auxillary Cummins diesel drives the warping set. It will be noticed that plenty of room is available in the engine room. Photo from Company Brochure Circular 46A, Steelcraft Warping Tugs
O.M. 238 "the Bugboat", working beside Hallett, with boom at dock c. 1950. Photo courtesy Fort Frances Museum 995.009.004.
Matthew Carlson notes (June 3, 2018): "A photo from my grandparents. They lived in Fort Frances and aparently a relative on my dad's side worked on the Hallett."
The Hallett was the largest and most powerful boat on Rainy Lake. The 60 foot, 57 ton boat was built by Russel Brothers of Owen Sound. After construction, the boat was transported in pieces by railway flat car and reassembled here for the Pulp and Paper Mill.
The Hallett was later modified to make it more suitable for pulling booms across the Lake. A change from a single to a double rudder was necessary to make the boat stable, an early towing attempt laid the boat on its side. Other renovations occured, including once as a result of fire. Despite the engines being changed and other minor alterations, the Hallett�s essential function remained unchanged until its retirement.
The Hallett was used extensively in hauling logs until 1974. During an average year, the Hallett made twenty round trips of one hundred miles each, hauling 70,000 to 90,000 cords of wood a year in average tows of 4-5,000 cords of wood, a mile in size. Modernization of woodland operations and environmental concerns led to the demise of the lake log drive. It became more economical to use a pulp truck, carrying 40 cords per load to bring logs for paper production.
In 1983, the Hallett was placed in Pither�s Point Park. Restoration was completed by the Fort Frances Museum. Source: http://museum.fort-frances.com/tour.
More from the YOU GREW UP IN FORT FRANCES facebook group...
Reggie King:
(Sept. 19, 2015) 1987- Mighty Hallet Comes Ashore to Stay.
On July 2nd of 1987, the Logging Tug Boat 'Hallett' was officially launched at a tourist attraction at its new home - beached in Pither's Point Park. The Hallett had been officially retired in 1974 from the logging operations of the Ontario & Minnesota Pulp and Paper Company. Noted in the Rainier Chronicle...'The Summer before last the mighty Boise tug Hallett towed 50,000 cords of pulp logs down Rainy Lake and then... her era ended.' 'She was affectionately called the Queen of the Fort Frances Logging Fleet'- comprised of lesser tugs and 'gators and bugs and wannigans that carried the forest to the mills.
The first captain of the Hallett was Billy Martin who came to Fort Frances as a boy in 1905. After working the logging camps he put his experience and knowledge of Rainy Lake to work towing for the Ontario-Minnesota Pulp and Paper Company in 1931.
Her last captain, was interviewed in 1994- recalling the 'Treasured memories of the tugboats'- George Tucker described a days work on the Hallett, 'Twelve hours a day- 6am to 12 pm and then from 6pm to midnight- Tucker stood behind the captain's wheel, steering the Hallett through icy waters pulling between 3,500 and 4,000 cords of wood.
More comments: Bob Ogden: My uncle Art Lee was first Mate aboard the Hallet. Also I worked on her as a tour guide at 7 Oaks for the Fort Frances Museum. Mr Bush, a builder of the Hallet worked on her in Owen Sound, Ontario was my enthusiastic assistant.
Jim Ballard commented in the "You grew up in Fort Frances...or call it home" facebook group (July 12, 2018): "Found this in an old Mandonian." Caption reads: Rescue boat - towing on Rainy Lake is done by this tugboat, under Capt. Billy Martin. Battling six foot waves, the Hallett recently rescued 24 people marooned on islands overnight.
Randy Kirk comments: Possibly the last run of the Hallett. I was working on boat at that time, pic taken in Seine River, the only living 1974 crew members remaining are Don Tucker, Daryl Scott and Randy Kirk - captain was George Tucker.
Hallett: original shipping photos from Owen Sound Russel yard. Thanks to Patric Ryan for providing these images and documents. These 32 year old photocopies of the original Russel photos were included in the Russel valuation of the Hallett (by E.M. Cordrey) Dec. 23, 1975.
Undated clipping courtesy Patric Ryan. (Likely from 1980).
Art by Patric Ryan. Hallett and O.M. 340 (Pepperville). This hangs in my exam room. About 1980 Patric considered buying the Hallett. Both boats were in Fort Frances at the time.
RBF notes: On display (Fort Frances, ON June 10, 2004)
Aug. 19, 2008: This front page newspaper article based on Fort Frances Captain Arden Barnes' research profiles early logging practice and the Russel built Hallett and the Russel Brothers company origins in Fort Frances, Ontario.
Steve Briggs notes: Arden Barnes' winch boat (now named "The Mother Lode", see BOAT
PAGE) started out as the "Owandem" (for O & M, or Ontario & Minnesota Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd., a Fort Frances area based company).
Hallett moved Aug. 25, 2009 The Hallet was used extensively in hauling logs until 1974. In 1983, the Hallett was placed at Point Park. Restoration of the boat was completed by the Fort Frances Museum, and in 2009 it was moved to its current location at the Sorting Gap Marina. Photos from Fort Frances Times Online - click to enlarge.
Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009. Moving the logging tug Hallett from Pither's Point (where it had been put on display in 1983) to the La Verendrye Parkway just west of the Sorting Gap marina. Fort Frances Times images. http://www.fftimes.com/photo-albums/2009-hallett-launch
Fort Frances Times clippings supplied by Hal Armstrong.
MOVING DAY: After a crew hauled on ropes to steady the 57 ton "Hallett" as it was lowered by a crane onto a flatbed trailer yesterday the 60-foot boat was ready to be taken over to Armstrong's Landing just down the road by late afternoon. There it was lowered into the river as a crowd gathered to watch. Then a tugboat owned by George Armstrong Co. Ltd. towed the "Hallett" to its new home - a shoreline site just west of the Sorting Gap marina by yesterday evening. Duanne Hicks photos.
FINAL VOYAGE: The "Hallett," towed by the "Ward," a tugboat now owned by the George Armstrong Co. Ltd., made its final voyage yesterday evening from its former site at Seven Oaks to its new home as a tourist attraction along the La Verendrye Parkway just west of the Sorting Gap Marina. Once known as the largest and most powerful logging boat on Rainy Lake, the "Hallett" first came into service in 1941 and was used to haul logs until 1974. It was opened up as a tourist attraction at Pither's Point Park in 1983.
Duane Hicks photo courtesy of the Fort Frances Times Nov. 2014. Comments in the "You grew up in Fort Frances...or call it home" facebook group (July 12, 2018):
Edwin Johnny Bruyere when it was rough that boat never rocked or swayed, my uncle dolphe Bruyere worked on that boat, Billy Martin, carl anderson, ernie simmons, donny baldwin, old wickstom the cook, george tucker and a lot more Alphonce McPherson. i had many meals on that boat.
Hank Calder She sits high because of the way they displayed , I had memories of her sitting with much less freeboard. She looked really stable.
12 minute video walk through of Hallett, in Fort Frances, from June 2017. Impressive that all areas of the ship are accessible.
Hallett in Fort Frances, ON. Photo by Mike J. Anderson January 18, 2020. MA Photography
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
http://marinerail.com
