A Distinctive Vessel Of 1946 That’s Still Running Today

Streett Towing Company was formed in 1943 as a partnership by Harper C. Patton, Kenneth C. Baker and Rolla W. Streett to move petroleum products for J.D. Streett & Company of St. Louis, which itself dates to 1884. Streett Towing initially bought two small boats and six tank barges from Eddie Erlbacher of Cape Girardeau, Mo. In 1944, the1,000 hp. Locke Tarlton (see The Waterways Journal, April 13, 2024) was purchased from the Missouri-Illinois Materials Company and renamed Zephyr, which was the Streett brand of gasoline. Then, in 1946, the company took delivery of a brand-new towboat from St. Louis Shipbuilding & Steel Company.

St. Louis Ship had gained a great degree of prominence in its 13 years of operation. From building smaller vessels in the early years, the firm shifted to larger vessels, turning out the Sohioan in 1943. The Sohioan was the most powerful vessel on the rivers at 2,415 hp., and it also was very streamlined in appearance. St. Louis Ship was building a reputation for towboats with much more shape than other yards that built vessels with a more traditional, squarish shape.

The June 1, 1946, issue of The Waterways Journal carried a feature story on the new Streett Towing boat named Havana Zephyr. The article began by saying that “folks who know river boats” would be able to tell at a glance that it had been built by St. Louis Ship due to its “distinctive and modern appearance.” A unique feature of the boat was that the front of the cabins formed “a half-spherical shape and tapers back in long easy curves to form one of the most graceful boats on the river.” The front of the pilothouse was rounded as well. The 126-foot by 29-foot hull had a “model-scow” bow and was fitted with a skeg designed by St. Louis Ship to increase thrust.

Interestingly, a patent application for the design of the boat was made on November 2, 1945, by Joseph D. McMichael Jr. and St. Louis Ship, and patent No. 147,344 was granted on August 19, 1947.

Power for the boat came from a pair of National Superior six-cylinder diesels fitted with Buchi turbochargers. The engines each produced 990 hp. at 360 rpm and turned 84-inch three-bladed propellers. A Kirk-Habicht mechanical telegraph was provided to send engine orders to the engine room from the pilothouse. The steering gear was designed by St. Louis Ship, and it was housed in a compartment at the stern, which was covered by the stylish cabin, a feature also unique for the time. Quarters were arranged to accommodate a crew of 18 people and two guests. A galley and dining room were on the main deck, as well as a crew lounge. An officer’s lounge, located at the front of the upper cabin, was semi-circular with a panoramic view.

The Havana Zephyr was christened at St. Louis on May 15, 1946, with Mrs. Kenneth C. Baker serving as the sponsor. Photos taken later show it at Havana, Ill., on the Illinois River, the city it was named for, festooned with pennants and flags as an open house or ceremony must have taken place. It joined the other boats in the Streett Towing fleet moving petroleum on the Upper and Lower Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland and Illinois rivers.

In 1955, the Havana Zephyr was sold to Huffman Towing Company of St. Louis, which initially retained the name. This was apparently the first vessel owned by the firm. In 1973, the boat was repowered with a pair of GM 12-567E engines totaling 2,800 hp. and renamed H.F. Leonard. Huffman continued to own and operate the boat for the next 13 years until it was sold in 1986 to Plaquemine Towing Corporation, Sunshine, La., and renamed Merlin Banta.

The Merlin Banta was seen all over the inland river system, often towing liquid fertilizer. In April 2006, it was sold to Chem Carriers LLC, also of Sunshine. In 2011 and 2012, the venerable towboat received an extensive rebuild, during which it was remodeled and repowered. This project included the installation of Mitsubishi S16R engines and ZF 6:1 reduction gears that generate 3,120 hp. It continues in operation today, rounding out eight decades of service.

Featured image caption: As the Merlin Banta on October 20, 2012. (Photo by Tom Waller)