From the May, 1914 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
The "Alice Stafford," which was launched at the yards of the Manitowoc (WI) Ship Building and Dry Dock Company, Apl. 15 (1914), is a steel tug of the most modern construction, built in accordance with designs of the eminent architect and engineer, Mr. W.I. Babcock, of the firm Babcock & Penton, of New York, who has designed all the new boats of the Erie fleet for the past five years.

The "Alice Stafford" is a sister tug of the "Frederick U. Robbins," and will be used in terminal service in the Chicago River, where the Erie has introduced the plan of gathering and delivering freight by water. The "Robbins" has been in service now for about eight months.

The plan is to handle freight cars upon steel floats, gathering them from several stations on the Chicago River, and delivering them to the main Erie terminal, and vice versa. Up to the time the Erie road placed a tug and car floats on the Chicago River it was necessary for the freight to be switched through the different railroads to the nearest point to the consignee.

The movement of cars through the congested sections of the city caused considerable delay to the freight, which delay will be obviated to a large extent by the river service. It will also be the means of placing the freight nearer the consignee quite often. It is a plan that has long been in successful operation in New York harbor, and the addition of the "Alice Stafford" doubles the Erie facilities for water distribution and collection at Chicago.

The "Alice Stafford" bears the maiden name of Mrs. Frederick D. Underwood, whose husband is President of the Erie Railroad Company, a Wisconsin man. The "Frederick U. Robbins" is named for her grandson.

Following are her dimensions:
Length. 87 ft. 6 in.; beam, 22 ft.; steel hull, steel deck house; engine, 17-38 x 30, F. & A., compound, 625 h.p.; boiler, one fire box, marine type, 10 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft., carrying 130 lbs. of steam. Burns anthracite coal, and boiler equipped with forced - draft blower. Tug is absolutely smokeless. Pilot house is furnished in yellow pine, natural finish. Crews quarter forward, and completely equipped galley in the hold, aft. Steam steered and electric light plant. Equipped with fire pumps discharging through a fireboat nozzle on the forward deck and through two standard hose outlets at the ends of the house. All the equipment is most modern and complete.

The "Alice Stafford" was christened by Miss Helen Dunkle, daughter of Mr. H.0. Dunkle, General Manager, Chicago Terminals Division, and Assistant to the President.