Chicago Tribune, May 17, 1870
TRIAL TRIP.—The new tug General Shields will make a trial trip out in the lake to-day at 1 o’clock.
Chicago Tribune, May 18, 1870
The M. Shields.—This new tug commenced towing in our harbor yesterday. In the afternoon also made a trial trip out in the lake.
Chicago Tribune, May 13, 1872
One third tug M. Shields, from A. Severt and M. Shields to Patrick Roach. $3,000.
Name changed to M. Shields in 1873-74, assigned new number 90462.
Chicago Tribune, April 1, 1874
One-third of tug M. Shields, Pat Roach to A. Sevort and M. Shields, and $2,500.
Chicago Inter-Ocean, Dec. 25, 1874
Propeller tug Shields, machinery damaged at Chicago, June 1874. Loss $200.
Casualty List for 1874.
Inter Ocean, July 2, 1875
Tug M. Shields, Severt & Shields to A. Burton, whole, $8,000.
Tug M. Shields, A. Burton to Fred. A. Rich, one-fourtth, $2,000.
Inter Ocean, December 10, 1877
ALL ICED UP.
That Is the Condition of the Tugs Tarrant and Shields—They Put Back to St. Joseph—The Shields Breaks Down.
Special Telegram to The Inter Ocean.
St. Joseph. Mich., Dec. 9.—The tag Shields of Chicago, arrived at 10 o’clock this morning, and left at 1 o’clock with the Sunrise in tow also the tne Tarrant. with the R. B. Hayes in tow. all bond for Chicago. Wind southeast, gentle.
Special Telegram to The Inter Ocean
St. Joseph. Mich., Dec. 9.—The tugs Tarrant and Shields arrived back here at 6 this evening. The wind was blowing so hard outside, and there was such a big sea, that it was impossible to make any headway. The Shields broke down outside and both vessels wore left alone until the Shields was fixed. which was about one hour. Both tugs’ decks are covered with ice. The wind is blowing a living gale south by east,
Chicago Tribune, June 23, 1881
A SERIOUS COLLISION.
While the tug Shields was towing the schooner Harrison, laden, down the river yesterday, and when near the Iowa Elevator, the tug Commodore came up the river with the barge Grimsby, light. The Shields rave the signal to the Commodore to keep to the starboard, which the latter answered, but immediately after the Commodore signaled to the Shields that she was going to pass on her port. The Shields answered by the starboard signal, as she had the right, as she was towing a loaded vessel, notwithstanding which the Commodore kept on, and the result was that the barge struck the schooner amid-sips, cutting her down to the water, and inflicting serious damage. There was evidently a misunderstanding on the part of the Captain of the Commodore as to the course of the Shields and her tow, as her commander is one of the most careful tugmen on the river. The Harrison will be placed in dry-dock for repairs. The barge was only slightly injured.
Chicago Tribune, November 11, `1882
The Barge S. A. Wood Collides with the Eighteenth Street Bridge.
There was trouble at the Eighteenth street bridge about 10 o’clock Thursday night, which resulted in considerable damage. The bridge had been opened to let two barges through, when the tug M. Shields with the barge S. A. Wood (US No.32765) in tow signaled the bridgetender to let them through. The tug men claim that notwithstanding the signal to keep the bridge open the bridgekeeper ran the “red Light” up and closed the bridge in the face of the advancing vessel. The result was that the Wood crashed into the bridge and had her foremast carried away, while a considerable portion of the railing of the bridge was broken. The tugmen also claim that it would have been impossible to have stopped the barge, as the tug was alongside the protection under the bridgewhen the bridgetender clised the bridge. This is the tugmen’s side of the story, and Capt. Higgoe, President of the Vessel-Owners Towing Company, to which the tug Shields belongs, claims that the Captain and crew of the Wood will substantiate it. On the other hand, Capt. Higgie says the bridgetender claims that the Captain of the tug was drunk or the accident would not have happened. This Capt. Higgie denies. It is likely that there will be a judicial investigation of the matter and the blame placed where it belongs. It is possible, however, that the whole affair was the result of circumstances unavoidable. Eighteenth street bridge is one of the most difficult bridges in the river to pass, having only one draw through which a vessel can pass, and is on the knuckle of a sharp bend. It is the first serious that has happened there since the present bridgetender (Golderman) has been in charge. He has the reputation of being a very careful, cool man, and it is no more than justice to withhold censure of him until all the facts are legally established. The Captain of the Shields, also, has the reputation of being a very careful tugman, and he should, too, be given a chance to prove his version of the affair.
Eighteenth Street Bridge
Robinson Fire Insurance Map
1886
Chicago Tribune, June 26, 1883
A Heartless Tugman.
The folly of tug-boats racing with each other in order to pick up a tow was fully exemplified yesterday morning at the expense of the schooner Evra Fuller (US No. 15956). The schooner was coming into port shortly after 3 o’clock yesterday morning, and was just rounding the crib when her Captain espied two tugs coming toward him at full speed, each one trying to distance the other. One of these was the tug Shields, and as she was the first to arrive she was given the tow. As the line was being made fast the other tug, the name of which is unknown to the Captain of the Fuller, came crashing into the schooner’s stern, completely demolishing it. The top rail and monkey rail were smashed into splinters, and the small boat converted into kindling-wood. Without waiting to ascertain the extent of the schooner’s damage, and not knowing but what she might sink, the Captain of the unknown tug backed out and sped away into the darkness under full pressure. That any one to whom is entrusted the command of a boat, and who is in a measure responsible for the lives of her crew, would be guilty of such an inhuman act seems almost incomprehensible. Fortunately, the Fuller was not cut down below the water-line, and was towed in by the Shields witbout further damage. It is stated that the officials will look into the matter and endeavor to attach the blame to the proper person. The accident was probably not intentional, but this does not lessen the contempt which every one must feel for a man who would abandon a disabled vessel when he alone was responsible for the damage.
Chicago Tribune, September 8, 1884
Capt. Frank Anderson of the tug Shields has been appointed Captain of the tug Protection and Capt. Arthur McGuire will take commund of the Shields.
Inter Ocean, June 15, 1902
The tug Mike Shields, owned by Captain Louis Hohman, is being fitted out and will start in service tomorrow.
Inter Ocean, July 17, 1902
Shields Mistaken for Nonunion Tug.
Dozens of bricks and heavy pieces of coal were yesterday showered by union sympathizers upon the tug Mike Shields, owned and operated by Louis Hohman, president of the Chicago lodge of the Licensed Tugmen’s Protective association. The assault, which took place at the Kinzie street bridge, resulted in the smokestack of the tug being knocked down, while several windows in her pilot house were smashed. The men throwing the missiles were later learned to be union coal passers.
They thought the Shields was a nonunion craft, because it bore no union card. George McElevey, captain of the Shields, had left his beat to go to union headquarters for the sign whose absence caused the trouble. His three companions on the tug had no chance to explain their standing to the coal handlers and early in the fusilade retired beneath the tug’s the tug’s deck. The Shields was kept off duty but two hours by the damage inflicted upon her. She is operating with the feet of the Chicago Towing company, making the second boat President Hohman has in operation here. There are now fourteen tugs operating on Chicago river, seven of them doing general towing.
HISTORY
1876 Owned A. Burton et al, Chicago, IL.
1883 Repaired.
1884 Owned Vessel Owners Towing Co., Chicago, IL.
1898 Owned Wilkenson Lighter Co., Chicago.
1899 Owned J. L. Higgie.
1904, May 30 Burned, Lake Superior, Portage Lake, MI.
Leave a Reply