RUSSEL BROTHERS Ltd. Steelcraft winch boat and warping tug builders from Owen Sound, Ontario.

Russel Brothers Limited OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO Steelcraft Boat Builders

Nellie S.

Hull #644. Canadian List of Shipping 1956: Nellie S. [C.176591] registered at Montreal; built at Owen Sound in 1946. 25’ x 7’5 x 2’9; 4 g.t.; 3 n.t.; 20 hp. Owned by The Canadian International Paper Co. Ltd., Montreal. Canadian List of Shipping 1970: Steel tug Nellis S. [C.176591] registered at Montreal. Built at Owen Sound 1946. 25’; 4 g.t. Canadian List of Shipping 1994 - 95: Steel tug other [TGO] Nellis S. [C.176591] registered at Montreal. Built at Owen Sound in 1946. 25’; 4 g.t. Owned by Canadian Pacific Forest Products Ltd., 1155 Metcalfa St., Monteal, QC. Canadian List of Ships 1997: Owned By Gerard Charron, Hull, Québec. Transport Canada List 2004: Registry closed August 17, 2000.

Doug Gagnon notes (Oct. 2007): I remember the Nellie S. she was used on the northern part of the Gatineau river. Nellie S. was actually Nellie Spittle, a spinster who lived in Maniwaki, she died in the 1950's. My uncle owns the house where she died...

John Pomeroy notes (Mar. 2018): "From left: Non-powered refueling barge, the H.D. Freeze, The E. Champagne, The Skimmer, The Cliff M., and, although unclear, likely The Siskin, and two winch boats, one of which would be the Nellie S."

JP notes: Nellie S. ashore ahead of fuel barge
CIP Chelsea Dam base, Cantley, QC, May 1993.

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JP notes: Nellie S. still at work 1994.

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John Pomeroy notes (May 19, 2019): The Gendron Bridge in Wakefield, Quebec had been burned down by an arsonist in July of 1984 - the supposed intent was to speed up the process of building a new bridge that could support heavy trucks to get across the Gatineau River. The fire and loss of the bridge left the citizens of Wakefield and surrounding communities in shock and dismay. The new bridge was eventually built a bit up stream from the old wooden bridge piers but the community wanted their covered bridge back. It took twelve years and a massive fundraising effort to make it happen. The log drive on the Gatineau ended in 1994 and Canadian Industrial Paper (CIP) which owned the Gatineau Boom Company made a huge donation of old log boom timbers which were milled into pieces for the bridge superstructure.

The pictures you are seeing here were taken on September 6th, 1996 (Bridge Day!) and are of the finished frame work of one of the sections being pulled by the Russel warping tug Le Champagne using her winch (the cable of which was attached the central pier) and pushed by a non-Russel tug owned by Laflamme General Contractors. You will also note Russel winch boat Nellie S. standing by to starboard in one of the pics. This was an absolutely incredible undertaking; the full story of which can be found here: http://outaouais.quebecheritageweb.com/article/bridge-building-rebuilding-wakefield-covered-bridge Thanks to my buddy Ryan Miller for the pics.

Margaret Phillips wrote (May 2019): "These are great photos. I think the Municipality of Cantley bought the Champagne right after this in 1996 and my Dad bought the Nellie S."

Margaret Phillips wrote (May 2019): "My Dad (Bob Phillips) and my sister (Brigid Janssen) definitely bought the Nellie S. for a price from Gerry Charron and it has been resting on the shore of our family property ever since. I seem to recall that there were problems finding its papers at the time. My sister would be better able to tell you. My Dad passed away in 2003. Brigid now owns the property the Nellie is on."

John Pomeroy notes (Oct. 8, 2007): I have attached a bunch of pics of Nellie S. (Hull #644). She is in pretty good shape but she’s been full of water for sometime which will likely mean a big engine and marine gear overhaul…