Charles F. Richardson (Towboat, 1921-1945)

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Towboat
• BUILT: Hays, Pennsylvania, 1921 by Eichleay Contracting Company
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Dismantled in 1945 at Cincinnati after three years of remaining idle
• OWNERS: 1921: West Kentucky Coal Company; April, 1942: Mississippi Valley Barge Line
• OFFICERS & CREW: 1921: Captain William M. Crow (master), Captain Henry Nye (pilot), James S. Martin (pilot); April, 1938: Captain Fred McCandless (master), Cal McCandless (pilot), Arthur Simpson (chief engineer); May, 1939: Captain Charles W. Biederman (master), Charles W. Clay (pilot); 1941: Captain Fred McCandless (master), Cal McCandless (pilot); 1942: Captain Levert (master and pilot), Captain Charles McCandless (pilot), Walter Coran (chief engineer), Leslie J. Walker (1st assistant engineer), Robert Moore (2nd assistant engineer), Joseph Hensley (1st mate), Albert Powell (2nd mate), Joe Lucas (clerk)
• RIVERS: Ohio River; Mississippi River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - T0380; The Charles F. Richardson was named after the popular president of West Kentucky Coal who died at St. Louis, age 78, on July 17, 1939. She originally towed coal between Paducah, Kentucky and Mississippi River points. She was the second largest towboat on inland waters. In April, 1938 she handled 61 pieces of USE equipment from Paducah, Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio including the dredge C.B. Harris and 53 pontoons under Captain Fred McCandless. In May, 1939 she was chartered by Commercial Solvents Company to tow between New Orleans, Louisiana and Peoria, Illinois under Captain Charles W. Biederman. In 1941, once again under Captain Fred McCandless, this boat took a tow of fuel oil to St. Paul, Minnesota. In April, 1942 she was laid up at Cincinnati and thus became one of the very few, if not the sole, towboat which was idle during the boom river traffic days of World War II. She was ultimately dismantled at Cincinnati. Her pilotwheel was presented to the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen and for many years graced the ceiling of the Gun Room, Hotel Lafayette, Marietta, Ohio. During a remodeling of the hotel in 1985, the pilotwheel was removed to the Ohio River Museum, Marietta, Ohio