Merritt-Chapman & Scott

American marine salvage and construction firm

Merritt Chapman & Scott, nicknamed "The Black Horse of the Sea", was a noted marine salvage and construction firm of the United States, with worldwide operations. The chief predecessor company was founded in the 1860s by Israel Merritt, but a large number of other firms were merged in over the course of the company's history. It was taken over in the 1950s by famed corporate raider, Louis E. Wolfson. It ceased operation in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The 1850s and 1860s were a dangerous time for mariners and marine operations around the American continent. The transition from sail to steam with the consequent unreliability of equipment, and the growing needs of commerce to fuel US expansion meant that a large number of ships operated. Some foundered or got into trouble on their own, and some were lured to their doom by wreckers. Salvage operations were in their infancy, and commercial diving was almost unheard of. It was with this background that a number of companies started operating under law of the sea salvage rules rather than as wreckers. Israel Merritt founded Merritt Salvage in or before 1860 to operate in this nascent industry. The company continued to grow and expand the scope of operations, merging with other firms, and adopting the famous "black horse" house flag, a black horse in full gallop on a white flag. Iris Vinton, a noted author of young adult novels, wrote "Flying Ebony", a story about the origins of the Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York and the story behind the black horse shown on the corporate flag. "The memory of the black horse of this book is preserved as a symbol to this day on the house flag of Merritt Chapman & Scott Corporation, the great ship salvage firm." In addition to salvage operations, the company got involved in marine construction, acquiring a number of boats, and steam derricks. By the late 19th century, the firm had some experience in maritime investigation, with the ability to determine causes for wrecks and explosions. When, in 1898, the USS Maine exploded in the harbour of Havana, Cuba, the U. S. War department engaged Merritt Chapman to determine whether the unknown explosion came from inside the hull or outside. Investigators decided that it was external, and attributed it to blast powder. This incident became the precipitate cause of the Spanish–American War. In 1909, the RMS Republic was struck by the SS Florida, and sank in 40 fathoms of open ocean off Nantucket, Massachusetts the next day after unsuccessful towing attempts by the MC&S Relief and other tugs, taking a rumoured 3 million in gold currency with her. Merritt Chapman were engaged to evaluate salvage operations and whether it would be possible to raise her, or to carry out a diving salvage. It was their conclusion that operations were not possible, and the New York papers all reported the view as definitive, demonstrating that MC&S already had considerable reputation for expertise in maritime salvage.

It is not clear from the sources consulted so far what sorts of activities MC&S were involved in during the 1910s although some ships were sold to the Navy just prior to US entry into World War I in 1917, including the Relief and subsequently purchased back after the war's end. In the 1920s, it is known they continued to be involved in diving operations and they had a reputation of "skilled artisans with an average individual experience probably not to be found in any other group".

By the 1930s MS&C's broadening of scope was clear. They continued to acquire companies and were involved in a large number of construction projects during this decade that utilised their underwater, pile driving, concrete setting, foundation construction, and diving expertise. These projects included the Waldo Hancock Bridge, 1931, Bucksport, Maine, the Marquette Ore Docks, 1931, Marquette, Michigan, and the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Hunting Creek Bridge, 1932, Alexandria, Virginia. and even sinking an elderly destroyer (USS Moody) for the 1933 MGM film Hell Below.

Marquette had been an ore transshipment (from rail to ship for a journey down Lake Superior and the rest of the Great Lakes to either Chicago, Detroit or Cleveland where the mills were) point since the 1850s, with a succession of more elaborate ore storage and transfer facilities being constructed. The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway (DSS&A) commissioned the construction of a large and modern facility in 1931. The construction process began with the awarding of contracts. The first one was awarded in March 1931 when the Lake Shore Engine Works of Marquette was contracted to construct 150 hoists for raising and lowering the dock chutes. The second contract was let out on April 1, to the Merritt Chapman & Whitney Corporation of Duluth. This company was the successor to Whitney Bros. which specialized in the building of docks, bridges, heavy construction work of all kinds as well as river and harbor improvements. They would bring their experience to this project. The fabricated steel for the dock including the large steel ore chutes would be furnished by McClintick, Marshall Corporation of Chicago. Jernstad Electric of Ishpeming would install the electrical work and the Worden—Allen Company of Chicago was given the contract for furnishing all of the reinforced steel for the dock and its approach. Hospital Universitario UCV 1943 Caracas, Venezuela.

The company ceased operation in the late 1960s or early 1970s (records are not clear but 1971 is likely<). After dissolution, some operations were apparently taken over by Murphy Pacific. Since 1971, the New York Ship site has been owned by the South Jersey Port Corporation, a state agency, and operated as the Broadway Street Terminal. The Destroyer Yard was replaced in the 1960s by the Kitty Hawk drydock. That drydock is now the 850 feet (259 m) principal berth for the Broadway Terminal, and is used for general cargo including petroleum coke, coal, dolomite, steel products, wood products, minerals, cocoa beans and perishables.