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Pellett weaves a powerful and enthralling story of inventive engineering and professional management amid the uncertainties of the business cycle and the unvarnished business dealings of the titans of industry at the turn of the 20th century America. The story is a captivating 'whodunit' of this exciting period. The patented design, construction, and operation of Alexander McDougall's unique whaleback ships is traced within the burgeoning development of the American iron and steel industry. This book is a must-read by the students of ships, shipping, and American industrial development.-- (01/18/2018) There is much for a business historian to learn here, from the tradeoffs facing ship owners to the details of how Great Lakes shipping operated generally. Pellett has made a good contribution to shipping history, and there is much here for a business historian to build on.-- (12/01/2018) Whaleback Ships and the American Steel Barge Company by C. Roger Pellett is a timely release. One of Alexander McDougall's whalebacks, Clifton (formerly Samuel Mather, 1892-1924), and a similar vessel known as a straight-back, Choctaw (1892-1915), were recently discovered in Lake Huron. As a result of these discoveries, the nation's fascination with these unique vessels has been rekindled. More than just a book on the technological aspects of the whaleback, Pellett sets the historic context in which the vessels were designed and constructed in the late nineteenth century. The use of wood to construct large Great Lakes bulk freighters was rapidly coming to an end, yet traditional shipbuilders continued to produce steel vessels along the same lines as their wooden predecessors. Alexander McDougall broke that mold. Pellett explores McDougall's life, his business aspirations, and the lack of traditional biases that helped him develop an innovative design that, although relatively short lived, had a tremendous impact on Great Lakes maritime heritage.-- (01/18/2018) The author has carefully researched the history of Alexander McDougall, the American Steel Barge Company, and the Great Lakes' unique whaleback ships, and he has very successfully captured for modern readers their colorful story. Whaleback Ships and the American Steel Barge Company is a fascinating and very informative account of their place in regional history. It's a must-read for modern shipping enthusiasts and history buffs.-- (01/18/2018)

Pellett weaves a powerful and enthralling story of inventive engineering and professional management amid the uncertainties of the business cycle and the unvarnished business dealings of the titans of industry at the turn of the 20th century America. The story is a captivating 'whodunit' of this exciting period. The patented design, construction, and operation of Alexander McDougall's unique whaleback ships is traced within the burgeoning development of the American iron and steel industry. This book is a must-read by the students of ships, shipping, and American industrial development.-- (01/18/2018) There is much for a business historian to learn here, from the tradeoffs facing ship owners to the details of how Great Lakes shipping operated generally. Pellett has made a good contribution to shipping history, and there is much here for a business historian to build on.-- (12/01/2018) A veritable boatload of information. . . . . Readers interested in northern Minnesota history and maritime history will relish the original design drawings and Pellett's ample narrative of this relatively obscure history.-- (06/01/2019) Whaleback Ships and the American Steel Barge Company by C. Roger Pellett is a timely release. One of Alexander McDougall's whalebacks, Clifton (formerly Samuel Mather, 1892-1924), and a similar vessel known as a straight-back, Choctaw (1892-1915), were recently discovered in Lake Huron. As a result of these discoveries, the nation's fascination with these unique vessels has been rekindled. More than just a book on the technological aspects of the whaleback, Pellett sets the historic context in which the vessels were designed and constructed in the late nineteenth century. The use of wood to construct large Great Lakes bulk freighters was rapidly coming to an end, yet traditional shipbuilders continued to produce steel vessels along the same lines as their wooden predecessors. Alexander McDougall broke that mold. Pellett explores McDougall's life, his business aspirations, and the lack of traditional biases that helped him develop an innovative design that, although relatively short lived, had a tremendous impact on Great Lakes maritime heritage.-- (01/18/2018) The author has carefully researched the history of Alexander McDougall, the American Steel Barge Company, and the Great Lakes' unique whaleback ships, and he has very successfully captured for modern readers their colorful story. Whaleback Ships and the American Steel Barge Company is a fascinating and very informative account of their place in regional history. It's a must-read for modern shipping enthusiasts and history buffs.-- (01/18/2018)

Author Information

C. Roger Pellett is a retired business executive with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. Pellett has many years of experience managing the fabrication of heavy industrial components, as well as a formal education and training in naval architecture and marine engineering. He lives in Duluth, Minnesota, where the fi rst whaleback ships were built, and since retiring, has worked as a volunteer for the SS Meteor, the world’s only survivor of the fleet of forty-four whaleback barges and steamships.

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