 The ship that was to become Edward M. Cotter was built in 1900 by the Crescent Shipyard of Elizabeth Port , New Jersey . She was originally named William S. Grattan after the first paid fire commissioner for the city of Buffalo . Construction was started on March 24 , 1900 and she was christened on September 5 , 1900 by Virginia Pearson , the young daughter of one of the city 's fire commissioners . The final construction cost for the ship was $ 91 @,@ 000 . 
