Posted by Edward Gawley on December 20, 1999 at 19:54:45:
In Reply to: Re: Noronic posted by BJ Titanic Wynn on October 20, 1999 at 20:19:21:
I served on the Noronic during her last year as Assistant Purser. I left her the week befor the fire to get ready for my marriage. I lived in Toronto and after the wedding rehearsal My fiance and I went down to see the ship and my former crewmates. I remember being up on the top deck and thinking what a long way down it was to the water, little thinking that a few hours later people would be jumping off it.
Early in the morning we were awakened by a telephone call to my father telling him of the fire. He was passenger agent for the C.S.L. and in charge of Pier 9 where the Noronic was docked. If you want more information about the cruises on the Noronic I would be happy to supply some stories.
May I suggest a good reference book on Great Lake steamers is
Railway Steamahips of Ontario by Dana Ashdown. The Boston Mills Press ISBN 0-919783-80-5. Most psteamers connected with the railways. The previos year I was employed in the Toronto ticket office and we sold through tickets to Vancouver for example. They were Canadian National Railways Toronto to Sarnia, Canada Steamshipm Lines (Noronic) to Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) and Canadian National Railways from there to Vancouver. The fare was the same as taking the train all the way with the exception of meals and berth.