Henry A. Laughlin News - The Waterways Journal

A River Towboat With An Ocean Name

Old Boat Column

A River Towboat With An Ocean Name

July 10, 2026

The Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, better known as simply J&L, had roots in the Pittsburgh area going back to 1852. The firm was founded by Benjamin Franklin Jones… Read More

The Steamer Fairplay And Capt. Vernon Byrnside The Campbell Line Str. Fairplay at Pittsburgh. (David Smith collection)

The Steamer Fairplay And Capt. Vernon Byrnside

May 8, 2023

The James Rees & Sons Company, with origins dating back to 1848, operated at what is now the foot of Stanwix Street on the left bank of the… Read More

J&L Steel Experiments With Prop Towboats The str. Vesta departing Pittsburgh with a tow for Memphis in 1935. (WJ, August 31, 1935, David Smith collection)

The str. Vesta departing Pittsburgh with a tow for Memphis in 1935. (WJ, August 31, 1935, David Smith collection)

J&L Steel Experiments With Prop Towboats

March 25, 2023

As mentioned in this column in the March13 issue, the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation (J&L) broke with tradition in 1931 and had two steam prop towboats built… Read More