Oct. 18 (1991) -- There was a surprise arrival at Marine Salvage in Ramey's Bend, Humberstone, as the McAllister Towing & Salvage Inc. tug SALVAGE MONARCH towed her venerable fleetmate JAMES BATTLE into the scrapyard. The former City of Detroit Fire Commission, 198 grt fire tug, a product of the Detroit Shipbuilding Company of Wyandotte, was launched on October 13, 1900 as Hull # 137. In 1941, she was sold to Canadian interests, repowered and later absorbed into the McAllister Towing fleet in 1969. At Ramey's Bend, the tug's entire upper deck was to be removed for preservation, and, by mid-November, the 91 year old JAMES BATTLE had been completely stripped and cutting had begun.

-- Lake Huron Lore

The upper deck cabins can be found in the weeds at Ramey's Bend on the Welland Canal near Port Colborne, Ontario.

That fellow on the seaward side of the deckhouse had a brief but thrilling ride.