Clyde Iron Works - Amclyde Engineered Products, Inc., 1912-1962 and n. d. | Historical Construction Equipment Association

By Thomas Berry

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Collection Overview

Title: Clyde Iron Works - Amclyde Engineered Products, Inc., 1912-1962 and n. d.

ID: 1/101/261

Creator: Clyde Iron Works - Amclyde Engineered Products, Inc. (1889-)

Extent: 0.3 Linear Feet

Languages: English

Biographical Note

Clyde Iron Works was established in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1889. Its first major product was the McGiffert Log Loader, which was introduced in 1902; its inventor became a company officer.

It was owned by a succession of companies, including:

• Barium Steel Corporation, as a subsidiary in 1944 (the Barium names was printed on and then blotted from records dated Nov 1955 and Jul 1956);

• Republic Industrial Corporation, as a subsidiary from at least Nov 1958 into 1967;

• Vare Corporation, as a subsidiary as of 1968;

• A Microdot Company, as of Mar 1973;

• A Unit of the Equipment Systems Division of Dombirco, Inc. as of Oct 1973;

• A Unit of the Equipment Systems Division of Amca International Corporation, from at least Jan 1976 through at least Jun 1981;

• A Unit of Amca International Corporation, as of Jun 1983.

This is not a comprehensive list, but was assembled from records in this collection. Clyde is cited as Koehring-Clyde in an undated Caterpillar diesel engine applications brochure.

American Hoist & Derrick acquired Clyde Iron Works in 1986, and merged it with American’s Marine Division to create AmClyde. The Duluth facilities were closed at this time. In 1988, Duluth Engineering & Manufacturing Company leased the Duluth plant, bought its equipment, hired part of Clyde’s former staff, and began manufacturing parts for AmClyde.

AmClyde was a brand of National Oilwell Varco as of Apr 2008; this company also owned the remnants of Unit Crane & Shovel (Collection 1526).

According to an article in the Thomas Berry Collection (Collection 9, Group 8, Series 1, Folder 8), whirley cranes branded as Clyde-Wiley (Clyde Iron Works and Dayton Whirley Company/Wiley Whirley?) were used in building the second stage of Grand Coulee Dam.

The Clyde Park market, hotel, sports and entertainment complex was constructed on the site of the former Clyde Iron Works facilities in Duluth in the early 2000s, and was open as of 2009.

There is no known relationship between this Clyde Iron Works and an identically named steel fabrication firm that was founded in 1786 and that served the shipbuilding industry at Clydebridge, Scotland until 1978.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions: There are no restrictions on this collection.

Physical Access Note: Many records in Group 1 Series 1 Subseries 1 are in poor physical condition.

Acquisition Method:

This is an artificial collection comprised of records from multiple accessions. Initial records in this collection were found in files. Additional records have been added from:

• Judd Griffith Collection, Accession 2000-0113 (received Sep 22 2000)

• Donald W. Frantz Collection, Accession 2005-0150 (received Dec 31, 2005). Filed with his collection per his request.

Other Note: A photo essay on the company’s abandoned property in Duluth is available at the linked url.

Other URL: http://substreet.net/iron-clyde/;

Box and Folder Listing

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[Group 1: Machinery records, 1912-1962 and n. d.],
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Group 1: Machinery records, 1912-1962 and n. d.

Series 1: Sales literature, 1912-1962 and n. d.

Subseries 1: Judd Griffith Collection, 1912-1962 and n. d.

Folder 1: General Product Line, 1912 and n. d.

Item 1: Catalog E, 1912: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Catalog and spec sheet discusses: Steam, electric and gasoline hoist; hoisting engine; reversing engine; swinger; erecting engine; dock and steel truck mounting for hoist; dredge engine; cableway engine; steam engine; churn drill engine; horizontal engine; winch engine; quarry engine; endless rope engine; sheave engine; haulage engine; mine hoist; transfer engine; cane engine for sugar cane mills; slackline dragline engine; lever bank; bucket holding drum; horizontal boiler; vertical boiler; steam gauge and steam fittings; belt hoist; Horse Power horse-powered windlass; mast hoist; cableway and cableway fittings; guy derrick; stiffleg derrick; barge- and skid-mounted stiffleg derrick; tower derrick; bull wheel; derrick fittings; sheave; wire rope; hook block; snatch block; sheave block; material elevator; Hand Power hoisting crab (hand winch); cable hardware; pile driver hammer and fittings; skip; Hayward Company clamshell bucket and orange peel bucket; and shop derrick. Photograph subjects include: Clamshell dredge (page 61); guy derrick and stiffleg derrick (pages 218-222); clamshell dredge and dipper dredge (page 223); stump puller/land clearing machine (page 225); Rapid Loader steam log loader, lettered for Wisconsin Central (page 226); pole handler (page 227); Universal Steam Logger and McGiffert log loader; and Four-Line Self-Propelling Log Skidder (boom yarder and log loader, page 230). 240 pages.
Item 2: Catalog F, n. d.: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Catalog and spec sheet discusses: Steam, electric and gasoline hoist; boiler; swinger; steam air compressor; lever bank; dock and steel truck mounting for hoist; dredge engine, hoisting engine; concrete tower hoist; horizontal engine; winch engine; endless rope engine; haulage engine; transfer engine; cane engine for sugar cane mills; slackline dragline engine; bucket holding drum; vertical boiler; belt hoist; Horse Power horse-powered windlass; mast hoist; concrete tower hoist; guy derrick; stiffleg derrick; barge derrick; bull wheel; derrick fittings; sheave; wire rope; hook block; snatch block; sheave block; material elevator; Hand Power hand winch; cable hardware; pile driver hammer and fittings; skip; Clyde-Keith Excavator half-swing skid cable backhoe; whirley crane; and cane derrick. Photograph subjects include: Clamshell dredge (page 43); Clyde-Keith Excavator (page 153); sugar cane derrick (page 155); construction of ore dock (page 156); half-swing traction crane (page 157); derrick car (page 157); skid pile driver (page 159); concrete tower (page 161); tower excavator (page 162); Clyde Bailey Excavator slackline dragline (page 163); Four-Line Self-Propelling Log Skidder (boom yarder and log loader, pages 164, 165, 167); donkey engine (page 166); McGiffert Log Loader, Decker Log Loader and Rapid Loader steam log loader (pages 168-170); and stump puller/land clearing machine (page 171).176 pages; additional copies of pages 14-19, 22 and 23 are cataloged separately as Folder 7.
Item 3: Bulletin J-7, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses: Hydraulic dredge (suction dredge); hoist; hand winch; lever bank; barge derrick (stiffleg derrick on barge or dredge); swinger; spud hoist; bucket holding drum; derrick fittings; sheave; hook block; lighterage derrick; dry dock and marine railway hoist; capstan car puller (used for pulling barge); marine pile driver; pile hammer; Leathem D. Smith Dock Company (Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin) Self-Unloading Boat, a bulk freighter equipped with a slackline dragline for unloading; and skeleton engine. Photograph subjects include Great Lakes Dredge & Dock hydraulic dredge 142, and self-unloading freighter Bulkarier, Material Service and Sierra. Also includes prospect evaluation form for marine derrick and marine hoist application and for pile driver; boiler and hoist requirements for pile driver; cutaway drawing of self-unloading freighter Bulkarier; line pull required for tackle and clamshell bucket; barge draft requirements; cable capacity of drum; and comparative spec sheet for Blaw-Knox Company, Hayward Company, Industrial Brownhoist, Kiesler, Lakewood Engineering, Mead-Morrison, Orton Crane, Owen Bucket Company and G. H. Williams Company - Williams Bucket Division clamshell bucket and orange peel bucket. 40 pages.

Folder 2: Excavators, n. d.

Item 1: Clyde Portable Excavator, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure discusses Portable Excavator and Material Transfer Machine, a half-swing clamshell traction crane consisting of a guy derrick and boiler on traction wheel chassis. Four pages.
Item 2: Clyde Tower Excavator, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and reeving diagram discusses tower excavator. Twelve pages.
Item 3: Clyde-Bailey Excavator, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and reeving diagram discusses slackline dragline. Eight pages.

Folder 3: Whirlettes, 1959-1960 and n. d.

Item 1: Clyde W3 Whirlette, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Flier discusses W3 crane for truck crane mounting. Shown on Autocar COE truck. One page.
Item 2: Circular MP-57, Oct 1959: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and crane rating chart discusses W45 Whirler pedestal crane. Four pages.
Item 3: Circular MP-58, Jan 1960: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and crane rating chart discusses Whirlette pedestal crane. Four pages.

Folder 4: Whirley cranes, 1959 and n. d.

Item 1: Bulletin K-12, n. d., prior to 1944

Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure, spec sheet and crane rating chart discusses 14, 20, 24, 28 and 32 whirley crane. Photograph subjects include construction of unidentified lock and dam (several sites), unidentified dockside installations, and scrapyard. Identifiable machines are marine derrick owned by Central Engineering Company, driving sheet piling for a cofferdam; whirley crane owned by Phoenix Engineering Corporation, at unidentified concrete arch dam; dockside whirley crane lettered Morton, unloading coal from McLain Line barge; U. S. Engineering Department marine derrick Tonawanda; gooseneck boom; marine derrick owned by Merritt-Chapman & Scott; and components. Includes prospect evaluation card. 28 pages.

Item 2: Bulletin 12-Q, Apr 1959

Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure, spec sheet and crane rating chart discusses 14, 20, 24, 28 and 32 whirley crane. Photograph subjects include:

• Whirley crane at construction of Housatonic River Dam, Connecticut, of Roanoke Rapids Dam, Virginia;

• Dockside cranes owned by Port of Beaumont, Texas; Port of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Seaway Port of Duluth, Minnesota; J. K. Davison & Bro.; unidentified dry dock, Camden, New Jersey;

• Marine derrick owned by Chicago Regional Port District and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, and installed on Great Lakes laker freighter Cambria, on converted Liberty ship Thomas Nelson, and on oil drilling platform; and,

• Components.

Many additional photographs of marine derricks and dockside operations do not identify the owner or location. One shows assembly of sections for underwater tunnel. Last page discusses ship Unloader. 32 pages.

Folder 5: Derricks, 1958 and n. d.

Item 1: Bulletin N, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure, spec sheet and crane rating chart discusses guy derrick and land- and barge-mounted stiffleg derrick. Eight pages.
Item 2: Drawing 141M13, Feb 28 1958: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Sepia print of crane rating chart discusses stiff leg derrick. One page.

Folder 6: Hoists, 1958-1962 and n. d.

Item 1: Bulletin G-3, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses electric hoist and swinger. Includes hoist designed for concrete tower application. 28 pages.
Item 2: Bulletin G-4, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses gasoline hoist. Includes artist’s rendition of plant. 12 pages.
Item 3: Bulletin H-4, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses gasoline hoist. Includes artist’s rendition of plant. Photograph subjects include pile hammer, material elevator and concrete tower. 16 pages.
Item 4: Bulletin T, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses gasoline hoist and swinger. Includes hoist designed for concrete tower application. 12 pages.
Item 5: Clyde Hoisting Engines, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Mailer discusses gasoline and electric hoist. Two pages.
Item 6: Bulletin 34A, Sep 1958: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses Frame-4, Frame-5, Frame-6, Frame-7, Frame-8, Frame-9, Frame-10, Frame-12, Frame-14 and Frame-16 gasoline, electric, diesel and air hoist, dredge hoist, and swinger. 20 pages.
Item 7: Circular MP-59, Jun 1962: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Brochure and spec sheet discusses Frame-3 gasoline and electric hoist. Four pages.

Folder 7: Pages from Catalog F, n. d.

Item 1: Page 14, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses single drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, with boiler. One page.
Item 2: Page 15, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses single drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, without boiler. One page.
Item 3: Page 16, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses double drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, with boiler. One page.
Item 4: Page 17, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses double drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, without boiler. One page.
Item 5: Page 18, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses triple drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, with boiler and waterfall arrangement for clamshell and orange peel bucket application. One page.
Item 6: Page 19, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses triple drum, double cylinder steam hoisting engine, without boiler and with waterfall arrangement for clamshell and orange peel bucket application. One page.
Item 7: Page 22-23, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses derrick swinger for land derricks using bull wheel. Two pages.

Folder 8: Miscellaneous, n. d.

Item 1: Information Sheet Pile Driving Equipment, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet and prospect evaluation form discusses pile hammer and marine pile driver. Photograph shows pile driver owned by J. B. Rose General Contractor. One page.
Item 2: Clyde Hand Powers, n. d., prior to 1944: Clyde Iron Works sales literature: Spec sheet discusses hand winch. One page.

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