John B King #36

Ship Type: Barge, Drill Scow
Canadian Official Number 130255
Life Span: Launched, ???? Sank: June 26, 1930
Length: 140 ft. Beam: 50ft. Tons: 684.14
Loss of Life: 30
Depth 80 ft. - 155 ft.
Location: South side of the shipping channel, North, West side of Cockburn Island, Brockville Narrows, St. Lawrence River, Brockville On.
Access: Boat

The "King" was a 140 Ft. wooden drill barge owned by John P. Porter and sons of St. Catharine. She was engaged in drilling and blasting to deepen the "narrows" to 27 Ft. when she was struck by lightning and exploded June 26, 1930. U.S. Revenue Cutter "Succor" (CG 211) was patrolling nearby and heard the explosion, racing to the scene recovered 10 of the total 11 that survived out of a total 41 that had been onboard. The site is just north of Cockburn Island in quick current and runs to 155 Ft. of depth at the edge of the downstream lane of the shipping channel.

In 1930 a Memorial Monument was erected on the north, west corner on Cockburn Island by the Department of Public Works Canada.

On September 30, 2007, the SOS Quebec chapter placed a Commemorative Stone in the bay along the wall at 35 ft., in the spring of 2010 or earlier, I will try to get some pictures of the Commemorative Stone and post them here to view.