From the November, 1913 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
The Steamer Starrucca was built in 1897 and was operated under this name until 1912, when new boilers were installed and a general overhauling given its machinery under the supervision of our Marine Engineers, Messrs. Babcock & Penton, and when the steamer was ready for service President Underwood ordered the staunch ship named "Delos W. Cooke," in honor of the Company's General Traffic Manager.

The "Cooke" has a gross tonnage of 3,398 tons; an average package freight carrying capacity of 4,000 tons; is 350 feet in length, 44-foot beam and 29-foot depth, making it and the Steamer "Underwood", the two largest ships in the fleet. This ship has carried at one time 169,000 bushels of wheat, over 5,000 tons, from Chicago to Buffalo, or 125 carloads of forty tons each.

The photograph herewith was taken while the steamer was en route in the St. Clair River and shows her to be very substantial, as well as good looking. As with the Steamer Underwood and other vessels of the fleet, it makes Erie men feel proud when these vessels are seen where they can be compared with ships in competitive fleets. The weather has to be unusually bad to compel this vessel to go into shelter and we are always able to count on four days' service between Buffalo and Chicago.

Image of DELOS W. COOKE, steamer from the Erie Railroad Lake Line being pulled by tugboat FREDERICK U. ROBBINS along the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois. Drawbridge is in the raised position above the steamer and other bridges and industrial buildings are visible along the river. Originally named the STARRUCCA when built in 1897, ship was renamed the DELOS W. COOKE in 1912 and retained that name until 1942, when it was again renamed the STEEL KING. Source: DN-0061410, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.