Troubles All My Life: the day grandfather's canal boat "went to the bottom"

One of my great grandfathers, John Mylott,  descendant of Nicholas Millot dit Champagne, was a canal man in Whitehall. He and his first wife, Addie, traveled the Champlain Canal from Quebec to Brooklyn with their children on board.  Several years after the death of Addie, John continued to transport merchandise on his boat but it all ended one night when his boat sank in the fog....

The Ticonderoga Sentinel October 14, 1920 

On page one, fifth column

"Boat Sunk in Hudson"

John Mylott, who runs a canal boat on the waters of Lake Champlain, Hudson River and Barge Canal, last week had one of his boats split in two when a tug hit it head on in a fog on the Hudson River.  Mr Mylott had on board a consignment of molasses for northern points.  The boat went to the bottom in a short time. 

Typical canal boat on the Champlain Canal

John Mylott was 68 years old when the accident occurred and he had been canaling all his life.  He died five years later.  His obituary stated he worked for the YMCA in Whitehall when he passed away.  It seems the sinking of his boat ended his canaling days once and for all.