Colle family on the water, in business for 125 years: tugboat biz still offering challenges, opportunities after decades of success. From: Mississippi Business Journal | Date: February 24, 2003| Author: Gillette, Becky | COPYRIGHT 2003 Venture Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

PASCAGOULA -- When the Colle family bought its first tugboat in New York 125 years ago, the steam boiler that ran the engines was fired by wood. During the trip back down the East Coast, around Florida and back along the Gulf Coast to Pascagoula, the crew had to stop along the way to cut firewood for fuel.

"They didn't have chain saws back then," says John Colle Jr., whose great-grandfather started the family tugboat business. "They had to use axes. You think how much wo...