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125th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, October 1, 1991 - 21 Photo of Captain John Bowerman"s steamship the "Cora" taken near Fenlon Falls early this century. Captain Bowerman is seen in center of photo, main floor of ship, standing with Pat Turner. Man at front of boat in white shirt identified as Howard Clems. RE One of the tug boats used to transport bricks and other freight from Lindsay to Port Perry is seen here ted-up at Pine Point. From left, John F. Gerrow, Oliver Raymes (captain), Orme Gerrow, John Gerrow, Mr. Dafoe, Miss Claughton, Della Raymes, Hershel Raymes and Mr. Claughton. Fleet of small steamboats move people and supplies There was quite a fleet of small steamboats on Lake Scu- gog at one time and another. In conversation with Mr. Tom Cae- sar and Mr. Wm. Hern, the num- ber remembered totalled twen- ty-five in all. They were, of course, mostly tugboats; but some of them were engaged ex- clusively in passenger service, for you must know that in those early days there was no railroad between Port Perry and Lindsay and the north country. That was a wonderful coun- try for timber north of Lindsay. For that matter it was a wonder- ful country for timber right around the Scugog until the clearings spread and the finest of the trees were cut. A boat like the Woodman would haul four scows, loaded heavily with tim- ber of various sorts. Perhaps there would be masts from Mon- mouth or Glenmorgan, or from any of the nine townships be- longing to the English Land Co. - glorious sticks of timber, the like of which could not be found in these parts today. Or there . might be a great load of square timber. Both these shipments were for the English market. Perhaps there would be a load of telegraph poles to be shipped to McCaffrey, at Oswego. Tan bark went to Frank A. Cutting at Bos- ton. Paving timber was sent to Godson's in Toronto. This was the cedar that used to be cut into six or eight inch blocks and set endwise on the surface of Toron- to streets. A nice surface they made too - at first. But that was long before the days of tarvia, ce- ment, and similar roads so com- mon in these days when we ride Less important, but quite necessary, was cordwood. Sixty or seventy full cords would be loaded on a scow. Today beech and maple are selling at from eight to ten dollars wholesale {f.o.b.) Port Perry. At that time the price was $1.26 per full cord, or $1.50 per cord if cut into 22 inch lengths. Two good men could cut four cords of this body wood in a day, so that it will readily be seen that both the wood and the wages were low in price. Union hours were un- known. Ten hours was a short day. It was more likely to be twelve, and chores extra. As one man who was working on the boats put it - "A fellow has to sleep fast to get any." Life was rough and ready on the boats that made up the Scugog transportation fleet. A list of the boats and some comments regarding them follows. JOHN BOWERMAN Captain of the Cora The first steamboat on Lake Scugog was the "Wood- man" owned by George Cran- dell, with Hugh Chisholm as Captain. It was a tug and pas- genger boat, and did a thriving business for a number of years. The boat was originally built for Rowe & Cotton, of Whitby, but was acquired by George Crandell later, after it had been seriously damaged by fire. Mr. Crandell made the necessary repairs and the "Woodman" continued the hauling busi- ness.