~ This is an aerial view of Stephens-Adamson by the bay in 1973. Notice the vertical conveyer belt loading system in the lower centre-right of the picture. successfully completed the new blessed thing would work." b Little gremlins continued to system. had tremendous talent plague the new belt. "In the in "We such men as the late Art depths of their knowledge, May, chief engineer Anthony they had to tread into un- Janitsch, chief engineer Tony known areas -- innovative Lassing and Dave Dibben. ideas -- and they were good at These are the men that stand it." feet tall in my eyes." Stephens-Adamson wanted 10These defied natto be the company to introduce ural lawengineers by designing and the new system to the world. building a vertical conveyer "There was a competitor belt. who was designing one of these "People would say the law of self-unloaders. They Were in- gravity would make it spill all stalling it in a particular ship over, but we did it." and we were rather glum." Stanton remembers the enStanton and a few engineers gineering department resemwere at the yacht club worry- bled the League of Nations. ing about the competition Stephens-Adamson recruited when Stanton's nephew, Dick engineers from countries inBird, of Belleville, walked in. A cluding Hungary, France, Timan from across the room bet, England, India, Pakistan, asked Bird if he had heard a China and Japan. ship making an awful racket After 36 years service, Stanon the lake. The ship he men- ton retired in 1973. tioned was their competitor's. "I remember it as ready, "We looked at each other willing and able people. I hope and said, It failed.' You know the good Lord gives them a what they say, 'A slip of the lip good place in the hereafter becan sink a ship/ We were still cause they all deserve it. "I don't know if I do," he in the running." Finally Stephens-Adamson adds with a chuckle.