North Pacific (sidewheeler)

19th century American steamboat

North Pacific

History
Name| North Pacific
Owner| Starr Bros., Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
Route| Puget Sound, Inside Passage, coastal British Columbia, Columbia River,
Launched| 1871, at San Francisco, California
Out of service| 1903
Identification| US #18685
Fate| Struck rock and sank off Marrowstone Point, 1903
General characteristics
Type| inland steamship
Tonnage| 488.73 GRT
Length| 166 ft (50.60 m)
Beam| 29 ft (8.84 m)
Depth| 15.0 ft (4.57 m) depth of hold
Installed power| Single-cylinder walking beam engine, 40-inch-diameter (1,000 mm) piston, 120-inch (3,000 mm)stroke
Propulsion| sidewheels

North Pacific was an early steamboat operating in Puget Sound, on the Columbia River, and in British Columbia and Alaska. The vessel's nickname was "the White Schooner" which was not based on the vessel's rig, but rather on speed, as "to schoon" in nautical parlance originally meant to go fast.[1]

## Design and construction

[edit]

North Pacific was built in San Francisco for E.A. and L.M. Starr.[1] The Starrs were pioneer businessmen in Portland. The Starrs had been unsuccessfully trying to compete with Finch and Wright, first with the sidewheeler Alida and then with the small steamer Isabel. The Starrs brought North Pacific to Puget Sound in 1871 to compete with the firm of D.B. Finch and Capt. Tom Wright (1828–1906). Finch and Wright had run the pioneer sidewheeler Eliza Anderson on the Sound, and had recently replaced the Anderson with the faster sidewheeler Olympia (later known as the Princess Louise).

North Pacific was 166.8 ft (50.84 m) long, with a beam of 29 ft (8.84 m) and 10.3 ft (3.14 m) depth of hold.[2][3] North Pacific was assessed at 488.73 gross register tons, with "tons" in this instance being a measure of volume and not weight.[2] The official merchant vessel registry number was 18685.[2]

North Pacific was driven by a single-cylinder walking beam engine, 40-inch-diameter (1,000 mm) piston, 120-inch (3,000 mm) stroke[1]

## Operation on Puget Sound

[edit]

When North Pacific arrived at Puget Sound in June 1871, the vessel was considered to be the finest (and was certainly one of the largest) vessels yet to operate in the area.[1] On June 27, 1871, North Pacific raced Olympia across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria, British Columbia to Port Townsend, Washington, beating Olympia by three minutes. A lot of money was wagered on the outcome, and the bets were paid off at Port Townsend. Newell described the scene:

> The black smoke poured out of the paint-blistered funnels in marcelled black waves to streak away aft with the speed of the steamers. The great iron walking-beams blurred up and down while the thundering paddle-buckets churned the water at the ships' side into roaring waterfalls that tumbled astern to form broad white wakes on the blue straits.[1]: 57

The steamers continued racing however all the way to Olympia, Washington and the Olympia was able to edge out the North Pacific over this longer run. Even so, with the North Pacific the Starrs were finally able to best Finch and Wright, who accepted $7,500 from the Starrs to withdraw Olympia from the Puget Sound service, and take her south to California.[1][3]

## Columbia River service

[edit]

The Starrs left the steam navigation business in the onset of 1881 and sold North Pacific to the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company (known as the OR&N), which operated the vessel for a year on the Columbia River under Capt. O.A. Anderson (1842–1912).[1][3]

## Return to Puget Sound

[edit]

North Pacific on left and T.J. Potter on right, at Seattle, 1891

Afterwards, the O.R. & N returned North Pacific to Puget Sound, running the vessel on various routes and as a relief boat.[3] In 1885, North Pacific made alternate runs with the large iron sidewheeler Olympian on the route from Puget Sound to Victoria. Later, apparently after suffering a broken walking-beam and blown out cylinder head, North Pacific was demoted to relief boat service on the Vancouver, British Columbia run for Olympian and Alaskan, another large sidewheeler which was near-sistership of Olympian.[1]

## 1898 Alaska Gold Rush

[edit]

During the 1898 Alaska Gold Rush, North Pacific made runs every 15 days from Seattle to Skagway and Dyea, Alaska, embarking 150 first class and 150 second class passengers and carrying 70 tons of freight on each trip. North Pacific's last Alaska trip began on April 28, 1898. On return was kept at Port Townsend, Washington before resuming service on Puget Sound. In 1899, Cary W. Cook bought North Pacific to replace Ocean Wave on the routes he was running from Puget Sound into British Columbia. In 1900, Cook formed the Western Steam Navigation Company at Tacoma, Washington to conduct the operations of North Pacific.[3]

## Loss

[edit]

North Pacific sinking, with the Rothschild insurance launch alongside.

On July 18, 1903, running off Marrowstone Point in a fog, North Pacific went off course and struck a rock. The tug C.B. Smith heard the distress call of the old steamer (traditionally five blasts from the steam whistle[4]) and was able to rescue all her passengers and crew. Later North Pacific drifted off the rock, sank in deep water (15 fathoms) and could not be raised. Coincidentally the running mate of the North Pacific, the steamboat Mainlander, was headed the opposite direction on the same route. Mainlander also grounded about an hour later near the place, but suffered only minor damage.[1][3]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Newell, Gordon R., Ships of the Inland Sea -- The Story of the Puget Sound Steamboats, pp. 2, 13, 56-59, 70, 72, 82, 98, 102, 126, 146, 147, 190, 200, 212, Binford & Mort, Portland, OR (2nd ed. 1960)
2. ^ a b c U.S. Treasury Dept, Marine Inspection Bureau (1887). Annual List of Merchant Vessels (FY end Jun 30, 1886). Vol. 18\. Wash. DC: GPO. p. 353\. hdl:2027/uc1.b3330056.
3. ^ a b c d e f Newell, Gordon R., H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, pp. 36, 50, 53, 58, 94, 201, 215, 337, 369, 406, 459, 493, Superior Publishing, Seattle WA 1966 ISBN 0-87564-220-9
4. ^ Affleck, Edward L., A Century of Paddlewheelers in the Pacific Northwest, the Yukon, and Alaska, p. 3, Alexander Nicolls Press, Vancouver BC 2000 ISBN 0-920034-08-X

## Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Pacific (ship, 1871).

* Carey, Roland, The Sound of Steamers, Alderbrook Publishing, Seattle, WA 1965
* Gibbs, Jim, and Williamson, Joe, Maritime Memories of Puget Sound, Schiffer Publishing, West Chester PA 1987 ISBN 0-88740-044-2
* Newell, Gordon R., and Williamson, Joe, Pacific Steamboats, Superior Publishing, Seattle WA 1958

* v
* t
* e

Steamboats of Puget Sound and western Washington State

* v
* t
* e

Ships of the Mosquito Fleet

Propellers|

| Wood|

* Albion
* Alice (1897)
* Alice Gertrude
* Annie M. Pence
* Aquilo (steamship)
* Aquilo (yacht)
* Arcadia
* Atlanta
* Audrey
* Bay Island
* Bellingham
* Burton
* C.C. Calkins
* C.C. Cherry
* Calista
* Camano
* Clallam
* Commander
* Concordia
* Crest
* Crystal
* Daring
* Dart
* Dauntless
* Defiance
* Dix
* Dode
* Dove
* Eagle
* Elfin
* Elk
* El Primero
* Elsinore
* Fleetwood
* Florence K
* Fortuna
* Flyer
* General Miles
* Hattie Hansen
* Hector
* Hyak
* Ilwaco
* Inland Flyer
* Iola
* Island Princess
* Islander
* Katherine
* L.T. Haas
* Lady of the Lake
* Magnolia
* Mizpah
* Monticello 2
* Otter
* Quickstep
* Rosalie
* Sentinel
* Triton
* Urania
* Vashon
* Verona
* Victor
* Virginia V
* Willapa

|

Steel|

* Aquilo (yacht)
* City of Sacramento
* Coho
* Duwamish
* El Primero
* Jessie Banning
* Kulshan
* Potlatch
* Sioux
* Sol Duc
* Tacoma

Sternwheelers|

* Bailey Gatzert
* Capital City
* Chehalis
* City of Shelton
* Clara Brown
* Comet
* Daisy
* Elwood
* Enterprise (1855)
* Emma Hayward
* Fairhaven
* Fidalgo
* Greyhound
* Hassalo (1880)
* Henry Bailey
* Irene
* Messenger
* Monte Cristo
* Multnomah
* Northern Light
* Old Settler
* Olympian
* Otter
* S.G. Simpson
* Teaser
* Telegraph
* Triumph
* Wenat
* WT Preston
* Zephyr

Sidewheelers|

* Alaskan
* Beaver
* Cyrus Walker
* Eliza Anderson
* Fairy
* George E. Starr
* Idaho
* King County
* Kirkland
* Leschi
* North Pacific
* Ocean Wave
* Olympia
* Olympian
* T.J. Potter
* Wilson G. Hunt
* West Seattle
* Yosemite

Steam tugs|

* Alice (1897)
* C.C. Cherry
* Cyrus Walker
* Duwamish
* Echo
* Elk
* Goliah (1849)
* Goliah (1907)
* Hector
* Rabboni
* Portland (1875)
* Richard Holyoke
* Ruth
* Wallowa

Steam ferries|

| Converted|

* Bailey Gatzert
* City of Sacramento
* Beeline
* Fortuna
* Sioux

|

Purpose-built|

* City of Clinton
* City of Mukilteo
* City of Seattle
* Issaquah
* King County
* Leschi
* West Seattle

Motor vessels|

* Alverene
* Bainbridge
* Carlisle II
* Coho
* Falcon
* Lotus
* Speeder
* Suquamish

* v
* t
* e

Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet companies, shipyards, and personnel

Companies|

| Passenger
and freight|

* Angeles Brewing & Malting Co.
* Black Ball Line
* Hale Pass. & Wollochet Bay Nav. Co.
* Hansen Trans. Co.
* Hunt Bros.
* Island Trans. Co.
* Kitsap County Trans. Co.
* La Conner Trading & Trans. Co.
* McDowell Trans. Co.
* Merchants Trans. Co.
* Moe Bros.
* Oregon Rwy & Nav. Co.
* Oregon Steam Navig. Co.
* Puget Sound Nav. Co.
* Pacific Coast Steamship
* Straits Steamship Co.
* Vashon Nav. Co.

|

Towing|

Pacific Tow Boat Co.

Ferry|

* Kitsap County Trans. Co.
* Oreg. & Wash. Ferry & Nav. Go.
* Puget Sound Nav. Co.
* West Seattle Land & Improv. Co.

Shipyards|

* Crawford & Reid
* J.F. Duthie
* Holland
* King & Winge
* Lake Washington
* Moran Bros.
* Martinolich

Personnel|

* William Ballard
* Thomas Coupe
* Joshua Green
* Matthew McDowell

* v
* t
* e

Steamboats in other areas

Articles by area|

| Washington|

* Lake Washington
* Columbia River
* Cowlitz River
* Grays Harbor
* Willapa Bay
* Columbia River (Wenatchee Reach)
* Lake Crescent

|

Oregon|

* Columbia River
* Willamette River
* Oregon Coast
* Yaquina Bay
* Coquille River
* Coos Bay

British Columbia|

* Upper Fraser River
* Lakes Route
* Arrow Lakes
* Okanagan Lake
* Upper Columbia and Kootenay Rivers
* Skeena River
* Stikine River
* Peace River

Alaska and Yukon|

Yukon River

Other|

Mackenzie River

Navboxes|

* Columbia River
* British Columbia
* California

Lists of vessels|

* List of ships in British Columbia
* List of steamboats on the Columbia River

Further information: Washington State Ferries

* v
* t
* e

Puget Sound sidewheelers

Wood hulls|

* Beaver
* City of Seattle
* Cyrus Walker
* Eliza Anderson
* Fairy
* George E. Starr
* Idaho
* North Pacific
* Ocean Wave
* T. J. Potter
* Wilson G. Hunt
* Yosemite

Iron hulls|

* Alaskan
* Olympian

* v
* t
* e

Steamboats of Oregon and the Columbia River basin

* v
* t
* e

Routes

Inland|

* Columbia River (lower)
* Willamette River
* Cowlitz River
* Columbia River (Wenatchee Reach)
* Lake Chelan
* Lake Okanagan
* Arrow Lakes
* Upper Columbia and Kootenay Rivers

Coastal|

* Oregon Coast
* Coquille River
* Coos Bay
* Yaquina Bay and river

* v
* t
* e

Inland and coastal vessels

Inland
vessels|

* Alaskan
* Alice
* Altona
* Astorian (1891)
* Athlon
* B. H. Smith Jr.
* Bailey Gatzert
* Beaver (1835)
* Beaver (1873)
* Bonita (1900)
* Carrie Ladd
* Cascade (1864)
* Charles R. Spencer
* Chester
* Clara Parker
* Colonel Wright
* Columbia (1850)
* Cowlitz (1858)
* Cowlitz (1917)
* Dayton
* Eliza Anderson
* Elwood
* Emma Hayward
* Etna
* Fleetwood
* Gazelle
* Geo. E. Starr
* Georgiana
* Governor Grover
* Gov. Newell
* Grahamona
* Hassalo (1880)
* Harvest Queen
* Hooligan
* Idaho
* Ilwaco
* Imnaha
* John H. Couch
* Joseph Kellogg
* Klamath
* Jean
* Jennie Clark
* Jessie Harkins
* Juneta
* La Center
* Logger
* Lot Whitcomb
* Lucea Mason
* Lurline
* Madeline
* Manzanillo
* Mascot
* Mazama
* Metlako
* Mountain Gem
* Multnomah (1851)
* Nahcotta
* Nespelem
* Nestor
* Nez Perce Chief
* No Wonder
* North Pacific
* North Star
* Northwest
* Ocean Wave
* Olympian (sidewheeler)
* Olympian (sternwheeler)
* Oneonta
* Orient
* Otter
* Pearl
* Portland (1875)
* Portland (1947)
* Quickstep
* R. R. Thompson
* Rabboni
* Regulator
* Relief (1906)
* Robert Young
* Sarah Dixon
* Shoo Fly
* Swan
* Teaser
* Telegraph
* Tenino
* T. J. Potter
* Telephone
* Undine
* Virginia V
* Wallamet
* Wenat
* Wide West
* Willamette Chief
* Wilson G. Hunt
* Winema

Coastal vessels|

* Bayocean
* Gazelle
* General Miles
* Life-Line
* Montesano
* Sue H. Elmore
* T.M. Richardson
* Washington
* W.H. Harrison

Vessel lists|

* Steamboats on the Columbia

Modern ferries|

* Wahkiakum County Ferry
* Needles-Fauquier Ferry (Arrow Lakes)

* v
* t
* e

Companies, shipyards, personnel, and navigation

Portages, locks, and canals|

* Cascade Locks and Canal
* Celilo Canal
* Willamette Locks

Steamboat lines|

* Callendar Navigation Co.
* Harkins Transportation Co.
* Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Co.
* Okanogan Steamboat Co.
* Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.
* Oregon Steam Navigation Co.
* People's Transportation Co.
* Shaver Transportation Co.

Steamboat owners and captains|

* John C. Ainsworth
* Alexander P. Ankeny
* John Bonser
* John H. Couch
* Joseph Kellogg
* George W. Shaver
* James W. Troup
* Henry Villard

Builders and shipyards|

* Jacob Kamm
* John J. Holland

Shipwrecks|

* Shipwrecks of the inland Columbia River
* Steamboat Inspection Service

* v
* t
* e

Steamboats in other areas

Articles by area|

| Washington|

* Lake Washington
* Columbia River
* Cowlitz River
* Grays Harbor
* Willapa Bay
* Columbia River (Wenatchee Reach)
* Lake Crescent

|

British Columbia|

* Upper Fraser River
* Lakes Route
* Arrow Lakes
* Okanagan Lake
* Upper Columbia and Kootenay Rivers
* Skeena River
* Stikine River
* Peace River

Alaska and Yukon|

* Yukon River

Other|

* Mackenzie River

Navboxes|

* Puget Sound
* British Columbia
* Oregon Coast
* California

Lists of vessels|

* Ships in British Columbia
* Retired BC ferries
* Steamboats on the Columbia River
* Puget Sound steamboats

Related topic : Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet

* v
* t
* e

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1903

Shipwrecks|

* 21 Jan: USS Leyden
* 4 Feb: Espingole
* 10 Feb: Madiana
* February (unknown date): Ambriz
* March (unknown date): Hougomont
* 26 May: Huddersfield, Oakland
* 9 Apr: Althea
* 17 Jun: HMS Scorpion
* 14 Jul: Monterey
* 18 Jul: North Pacific
* 2 Aug: Tennie and Laura
* 23 Aug: Narara
* 26 Sep: Harold
* September (unknown date): Moonlight
* 15 Oct: Marquette
* 28 Nov: Petriana
* 6 Dec: Warrington
* 26 Dec: Kiowa
* 31 Dec: USS Quiros
* Unknown date: Loch Bredan, Vega

Other incidents|

* 17 Jan: Bombardment of Fort San Carlos
* 16 Feb: Pisa
* 28 Feb: Etruria
* 12 Jul: Emily Reed
* 17 Aug: Empress of India
* 21 Aug: Oslyabya
* 26 Sep: Guggenheim Treasure
* 10 Oct: Etruria
* 6 Dec: Bellingham, Dode

1902 1904
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