WILLIAM A. REISS and KANSAS – late 1970s

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William A. Reiss and Kansas – late 1970s

The above photo shows the William A. Reiss and the tugboat Kansas near a hulett.

The William A. Reiss was a 1925 product of the Great Lakes Engineering Works. Launched originally as John A. Topping for Columbia Transportation-Oglebay Norton Co, it was sold to Reiss Coal Co. and renamed William A. Reiss in 1934. The ship was later laid up in Toledo, OH for a period of time, and finally sold for overseas scrapping in 1994.

The Kansas was built in 1927 by the Great Lakes Towing Company in Cleveland, OH for their own use. In 1958 the Kansas was converted to diesel power. Today she is stationed at Burns Harbor, IN, providing assistance to vessels in the busy port.

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