Mystic Steamship Company, also known as Boston Tow Boat Company was a Boston, Massachusetts shipping company named after the Mystic River. The company was founded in 1854 as the T-Wharf Towing Company. Boston Tow Boat Company was an operator of ship salvaging, icebreaker shipping, and a tugboat operator. The other major operation was transporting coal. Mystic Steamship Company operated collier ships and coal barges. Coal was load at Newport News, Virginia and delivery to New York Harbor, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Mystic Steamship Company was also a bulk grain transporter. Eastern Gas & Fuel Associates, which is now Eastern Enterprises, purchased and ran Mystic Steamship Company.[1][2][3][4] T-Wharf Towing Company merged into the Boston Gas Eastern Enterprises Incorporated, its parent company, on June 30, 1917. Boston Gas Eastern Enterprises reformed the shipping lines as the Boston Towboat Company Incorporated. Boston Fuel Transportation Company purchased Boston Towboat Company in 1985. Boston Fuel renamed the company the Boston Towing and Transportation Companies.[5] In 1940, the company became the Mystic Steamship, a Division of Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates.
| Industry | Shipping, Tug towing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1854 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Defunct | 1985 |
Area served | Eastern United States |
Key people | Frederick B Craven, James Lorin Richards, Robert Winsor |
| Parent |
|
During World War I, Mystic Steamship Company operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II, Mystic Steamship Company was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration.
Post Mystic Steamship purchased some World War surplus Liberty ships, both tankers and colliers types.[6]
Ships
edit- Luna, tugboat, a City of Boston Landmark [2]
- Venus, tugboat
- Trojan, tug
- Biwabik, ship
- Brandon, ship
- Admiral Clark, ship
- Brockton, 1908 Steamboat
- Arlington, 1910 Steamboat
Liberty ships
edit- SS Winchester, ship [7]
- Sewanee Seam [8]
- Sewell Seam [8]
- Beckley Seam [9]
- Pittsburgh Seam [10]
- Jewell Seam [7]
- Jellico Seam [7]
- Mingo Seam [11]
- Roda Seam [12]
World War II
edit- USS Stephen R. Jones
- SS William A. McKenney[13]
- SS Melrose, collier, Coal cargo 7200 tons, bunkers 800 tons, crew of 3
Liberty ships
editSee also
editExternal links
edit
Media related to Luna (tugboat, 1930) at Wikimedia Commons- Tugboat Luna Preservation Society
- City of Boston, Landmarks Commission. Tugboat Luna Study Report, 1985
References
edit- ^ Eastern Enterprise about
- ^ a b "The Luna and Boston Harbor -- Luna Settles Into Her New Home (2)". www.tugboatluna.org.
- ^ "House Flags of U.S. Shipping Companies: M". www.crwflags.com.
- ^ "Mystic Steamship Company (Boston, Mass.) [WorldCat Identities]".
- ^ "Tugboat Information". www.tugboatinformation.com.
- ^ winchester.us, Mystic Steamship Company
- ^ a b c d "LibShipsJ". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ a b c "LibShipsSam". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibshipsB". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsP". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsM". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsR". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "William A. McKenney". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "LibShipsH". www.mariners-l.co.uk.
- ^ "LibShipsZ". www.mariners-l.co.uk.