| Notes |
- Occupation: 1st Class Marine Engineer - Shipping Industry (23 years); Owner of the Reeb House; Sold Real Estate; Real Estate Salesman (1957); Salesman (1958, 1963); Real Estate Agent (1960); retired (1965, 1972)
St Catharines Standard (ON) -- 02 May 2005
ARBOUR, Dorman Joseph -- Passed away peacefully at Northland Pointe on 01 May 2005, at the age of 100. Dear husband of the late Marie (2001). Dear father of Mary Lou Whitty (Larry) of Port Colborne. Survived by his grandchildren Kevin Whitty(Carol), Catherine McLaughlin (Allan), Maureen Lewis (Jim), Carol Stinson Colleen Burns (Barry), John Whitty (Tiffanie); his great-grandchildren Joseph & Daniel Whitty, Brian & Maggie McLaughlin, Paula, Valerie, Jason & Andrew Lewis, Bruce, Ann & Mark Stinson, Shannon, Laureen & Sean Burns, Victoria, Carling & Brett Whitty, Ryan & Dylan Williams, Melissa McLaughlin and Kobe Artis, all of Pennsylvania. Also survived by his brothers Len (Mary) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Bud (Monnie)of Barrie, his sister Doris Pullen of Toronto, and many nieces and nephews. Dorman was born in Waubaushene, Ontario, and moved to Port Colborne in 1953. He was employed as a 1st Class Marine Engineerin the Shipping Industry for 23 years, owned the Reeb House, and soldReal Estate. Dorman was a member of St Patrick's Church, a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of Fatima Council 3732, a founding member of the Catholic Cemetery Board, a member of the Canadian Corps and the Seniors Centre where heenjoyed playing cards. The family will receive friends at the Armstrong Funeral Home, 179 Clarence Street,Port Colborne on Wednesday from 2-4 & 7-9 pm. Vigil will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 pm. Funeral Mass will becelebrated at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, 05 May 2005, at 11:00 am with Father David Spengler officiating. Interment will follow at Mount St Joseph Cemetery. Donations to NorthlandPointe Residents Fund or Sidewalk Fund would beappreciated by the family.
Received from Linda CHARRON via email on 18 Feb 2009:
Joseph Alphonse Donald Arbour was the 4th of 11 children born to Merrill Arbour and Georgian Bazinet in Waubaushene, Ontario, 4 Sep 1904. His baptism likely took place at St John's RC Church in Waubaushene, performed by Reverend Louis ArthurBarceloon 18 Sep 1904 with records being sent to St Margaret's RC Church in Midland, Ontario. Standing as Godparents were the infant's uncle Alphonse and aunt Marie (Emond) Arbour. Although named for his Godfather, Alphonse, he preferred togo by the name"Donald" or "Don" and in his later life "Dorman." At the age of twenty-nine, on 27 Dec 1933, in Pro-Cathedral in North Bay, ON, Dorman married Marie Madore, daughter of John Alexander Madore and Elizabeth Perreault.Witnesses were Gilbert Arbour, likely Dorman's brother and Mildred Madore, perhaps Marie's sister. The couple made their home in different places like Port Dalhousie, ON (April 1941), and Port Colbourne, ON (April 1956 - 1999), where Don and Marie raisedtheir one known child, Mary-Lou. To their credit they had several grandchildren and even more great grandchildren. Like many of the Arbours, Dorman worked on the Great Lake Freighters as a Chief Engineer. Both Dorman and Marie lived a longlife. Marie died at the age of 90 in2001, and Dorman passed away 1 May 2005, in his 101st year.
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On 26 Jul 1923, 19-year old Dorman arrived in Duluth, MN, aboard the Glenorchy, having departed Midland, ON. The young Oiler joined the crew on 15 Apr 1923, and was recorded as 5' 6 1/2 " tall, weighing 135 lbs. It was noted that he could read.
On 23 Aug 1929, 24-year old Dorman arrived in Duluth, MN, aboard the Anna C Minch, having departed Fort William, ON. The young 2nd Engineer joined the crew on 15 Apr 1929, and was recorded as 5' 6" tall, weighing 135 lbs. It was noted that he couldread.
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unknown newspaper (ON) -- 15 Aug 1936 [received from Maureen Arbour's husband Tom]
VESSEL IGNITES FROM UNKNOWN CAUSE SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT -- CREW OF CAPTAIN AND 10 MEN SAVED
Burned Craft Had Fuel Cargo of 9,000 Gallons of Crude Oil -- Hundreds Viewed Intense Blaze Which Continued for Hours After Valuable Boat Was Beached -- Explosion at 5:30 This Morning Spread Flames Along Shore for Approximately 1,000 Feet.
The St Lawrence River in the immediate vicinity of Brockville had its first marine fire, involving a vessel of importance in the lake trade, in more than a quarter of a century when the tug "Muscallonge," out of Montreal Friday morning destined forPort Credit and towing the small tug"Ajax" and the barge "Bruce Hudson," loaded with crude oil, was consumed on the beach of the Canadian shore aboutone and half miles east of the town this morning. The Captain and crew of 10 men were saved from the burning craft which ignited from an unknown cause in midstream almostopposite the Ontario hospital property. Captain S. Ahearn, of Port Dalhousie, swung the boat eastward after cutting away from the other tug and barge with the engine running full speed ahead drove the burning vessel head-on intothe shallow rock bottom of the river at a point directly opposite the property of J.D. Wetherell, one and a half miles east ofthe town, at present occupied by H.W. Pollock and family, of Dorval,QC.The boat came to a stop with its prow approximately 20 feet distant form the rocky shore-line and in the interval between the discovery of the fire and the beaching of the boat, all of the crew, withthe exceptionof the captain and chief engineer, Dorman Arbour, of Waubaushene, ON, clambered to safety aboard the "Ajax" which followed the "Muscallonge" to shore with its bow tight against the stern of the burning boat at thestarboard side.
One Jumped to Safety. One member of the crew jumped overboard and was picked up by Cleon Price and Bob Wygant, Brockville, who had rushed to the scene with other residents of the summer colony in that vicinity when the signals of distress and criesfor help were heard from the river and launched a rowboat from a dock.
Could Give No Aid. The Brockville fire department was notified by telephone of the outbreak aboard the boat and the platoon on duty at the time responded with apparatus, followed by Fire Chief John Hattley and members of the police department. Owing to the topographical nature of thesurroundings, the heavy fire-fighting equipment could not be taken sufficiently close to the burning boat to be ofany assistance. Mayor Comstock was at the scene shortly after the alarm sounded and endeavored tosecure assistance from Morristown, his plan being to enlist the service of the ferry boat on which the LaFrance pumper might have been carried to the scene. Unfortunately Morristown could not be reached by telephone at that hourand nothing could bedone to save the craft. After assisting in the rescue of the crew from the Muscallonge, the Ajax and Bruce Hudson stood by until nearly daylight, while some of the rescued crew were brought to Brockville in a motorboat. An American patrol boat cruisedabout the scene for a short time after the fire broke out. The vivid reflection sent up by the flames from the boat, which was 143 feet in length and one of the largest tugs plying the Great Lakes, was sween on Barriefield Hill, just east of Kingston, about 12:30 am by a motoring party who were traveling eastward and who broke their journey for hours to watch the flames consume the craft. Hundreds of others, including people from Brockville, Maitland, Prescott, North Augusta, and many summercampers were attracted to the scene and a considerable number remaineduntil after dawn watching the spectacular sight.
Members of the Crew. In addition to Captain Ahearn and Chief Engineer Arbour, the crew of the Muscallonge consisted of T. Bell, Midland, second engineer; Gideon Deschamps, Beauharnais, mate; Sid Smith, Toronto, wheelsman; Jerry Henry, Toronto, oiler; Stanley Wilson, Goderich, fireman; C. Brodeau, Waubaushene, fireman; Hugh Lawson, Toronto, cook; C. Hartley, Port Dalhousie, deckhand. The burned vessel, as well as the other tug and barge, belonged to the Lloyds Refinery Company, Port Credit, and the three left Montreal about six o'clock Friday morning, heading forPort Credit. All went well andthe boats were running with a stiff easterly wind up the river when the fire was discovered shortly after midnight today. The blaze started, it isbelieved, in the boiler room and spread rapidly the length and breadth of the boat, which was entirely of wood construction. Its steam boiler was fitted to burn fuel oil and 9,000 gallons of the crude substance were contained in its tanks amidships. The fire spread with such rapidity that it was impossible for the crew to reach the lifeboats and the Ajax immediately went to the rescue. Captain Ahearn was the last to leave the vessel and was given much deserved credit for successfully beaching the boat after it had ignited in midstream. When the distress signals were sounded by the boat's whistle and cries of the crew for assistance were heard ashore, cottagers alongthe waterfront turned on electric and flashlights and lent what aidthey could. Captain Ahearn and Engineer Arbour were landed ashore and talked briefly with Mayor Comstock and Fire Chief Hartley before being given coffee and a lunch at a cottage nearby. To a representative of the Recorder and Times at the scene Captain Ahearn stated that all of the crew had been accounted for but none of the personal effects of the men had been saved so quickly did the disastrous fire spread.
Oil Ignites in Hull. Less than an hour after the outbreak the superstructure of the craft had been consumed and 20 minutes later, at 1:35 o'clock, the first roar of the igniting oil contained in the tug's tanks was noted. It was not of an explosivenature, but rocked the craft and sent the hundreds of spectators scurrying for safety in either direction along the high shore. Cottagers endeavored to protect their property as much as possible from the myriad of sparks which floatedhigh in the airwestward. At 2:40 o'clock there was a strong roar as the gas emanatingfrom the oil in the tanks through vent pipes rising above the forward deck of the craft which was enveloped in flames ignited apparently under strong pressure. Rain commencedto fall heavily at 2:50 o'clock and continued for several minutes thus reducing the hazard of the fire spreading to property along the shore, particularly to a cottage boathouse onthe Wetherell property not 30 feet distant from the tug. The anchor fellout of the Muscallonge at 3:10 o'clock into the river and shortly afterward the fire reached its greatest intensity. All of the superstructure had been consumed while above the flames and through thebillowing smoke could plainly be seen the aluminum and black funnel and the exposedboiler and machinery. The smoke rapidly grew in density and assumed a coal-black hue as the oil in the tanks was consumed. At intervals therewere explosions of a mild nature within the boat's hull which wasbeinggradually reduced to cinders. Against the intense clouds of black smoke over the burning ship, which floated westward in a north westerly direction across the town, the metal funnel of the boat gradually assumed a bright red colour. Flames gushed from its top and at times the spoutsof fire were as bright as vivid lightning. At 4:47 o'clock the funnel collapsed and fell into the river to the east of the boat with a hissing roar. The flames continued to soar skyward and the Muscallongewasreducedto nothing but a skeleton, its gaping sides feeding the fire right down to the waterline.
Tanks Explode. At 5:30 o' clock the four tanks within the hull explodedalmost simultaneously sending flames 80 feet into the air and scattering fire into the grass and brush along the shore for a distance of approximately 1,000 feet westward. The shock practically obliterated the remains of the vessel. The fire department was again summoned to the scene and prevented any property damage. The Muscallonge was formerly ownedby the Sim-Mac Line and had plied the St Lawrence and Great Lakes foryears. It was a powerful vessel, housing a wealth of machinery, and the loss will mount to many thousands of dollars. It is understood the vessel was insured. Captain Ahearn is well known in Brockville having formerly been stationed here while in command of the tug "Chatson", owned bythe J.P. Porter Company, St Catharines, engaged in widening and deepening the channel in the Brockville Narrows. The tug "Ajax" is commanded by William Miner, of Burlington, and the barge "Bruce Hudson" by CaptainClarence McKellar of Sarnia. The Department of Marine and Fisheries registry of Canadian steam vessels states that the Muscallonge was builtat Port Huron, MI. In 1896. Its port of registry was Montrealand it measured 128 feet in length by 24 feet and five inches in breadth. Its gross tonnage was 360 and registered tonnage 245.
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On 31 Oct 1945, Dorman sailed aboard the SS Joan Virginia, bound from Port Credit, ON, to Buffalo, NY. Employed as the 1st Engineer, he evidently had been part of the ship's crew for some time, as this was not hisfirst voyage with her.
On 13 Nov 1945, Dorman repeated the aforementioned voyage.
On 05 Jul 1960, Dorman and Marie left Montreal, QC, and sailed tourist class aboard the Empress of England, owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. They sailed to Liverpool, England, and intended to stay inLondon for a week at Berner's Hotel.
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