Oregon Steam Navigation Company

Transportation company

Oregon Steam Navigation Company

Founded| 1860
Defunct| 1879
Fate| stock bought by Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
Successor| Oregon Railway and Navigation Company
Headquarters| Portland, Oregon

The Oregon Steam Navigation Company (O.S.N.) was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen. It was incorporated in Washington because of a lack of corporate laws in Oregon, though it paid Oregon taxes.[1]

The company operated steamships between San Francisco and ports along the Columbia River at Astoria, Portland and The Dalles, serving the lumber and salmon fishing industries.[2] A railroad was built to serve the steamship industry.

## Formation of the monopoly

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The company was incorporated on December 29, 1860, at Vancouver, Washington, with 22 shareholders. Principal shareholders included D. F. Bradford (one of the owners of the north bank portage railway at the Cascades), Jacob Kamm, Harrison Olmstead, Simeon G. Reed, R. R. Thompson, and steamboat captains John C. Ainsworth and L. W. Coe. The company then gained control over most of the boats on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Timmen described the Oregon Steam Navigation Company as "the many-tentacled monopoly of river transportation."

From 1858 to 1863, the Oregon Portage Railroad operated 4.5 miles of track between Bonneville and Cascade.[2] The railroad hauled primarily military and immigrant traffic.[2] In 1862, the railroad was sold to the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company for $155,000.[2]

Soon afterwards, the company acquired most of the steamboats on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.[2] The Oregon Railway and Navigation Company purchased the Oregon Steam Navigation Company in 1879.[1][2]

* On the lower Columbia, the company's boats included Senorita, Fashion (ex-James P. Flint), Julia (Barclay), Belle (of Oregon City), Mountain Buck, and Carrie Ladd.
* On the middle Columbia, boats were Mary, Hassaloe, Wasco, and Idaho.
* On the upper Columbia, the company ran the Tenino and the Colonel Wright.[3]

## Competitors bought off

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In 1862, river transport concerns not involved with the Oregon Steam Navigation Company formed the People's Transportation Company.[3] The new competitor put the E.D. Baker on the lower Columbia, the Iris on the middle, and the Kiyus on the upper Cascades.[4] These boats posed serious competition to the monopoly, so much so that in about 1864,[4] the Oregon Steam Navigation Company paid its rival $10,000 a year to confine its operations to the Willamette River.[3] Oregon Steam Navigation Company also picked up People's Transportation's boats Iris and Kiyus, in exchange for three OSN boats on the Willamette River, Onward, Rival, and Surprise.[4]

## Expansion of fleet

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Traffic increased in the early 1860s, so in 1863 and 1864, OSN added the Nez Perce Chief, the Webfoot, the Owyhee and the Yakima, all built at Celilo on the upper Columbia, and the Mississippi-style side-wheeler Oneonta on the middle river. OSN also purchased the side-wheeler New World to work the lower Columbia.[3] By 1878, OSN had added to its fleet the sternwheelers Harvest Queen, John Gates, Spokane, Annie Faxon, Mountain Queen, R.R. Thompson, and Wide West.[3]

## Struggle for the portages

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The Dalles-Celilo portage railroad in 1867 looking west towards "Cape Horn".

Control of the portages was critical to control of the river. OSN controlled all the portages, including both the north and the south portage railways around the Cascades (which had once been in competition with each other) as well as a portage system that had been built around Celilo Falls by one Orlando Humason. In 1863, the company replaced the mule-drawn portage railway on the north side of the Cascades with a steam locomotive. The company also built a 13-mile (21 km) steam railway from the Dalles around Celilo Falls, which opened on April 23, 1863 and cost $1 million to build.[3]

Cascades of the Columbia

* Cascade Portage and railroad, Washington side, 1867
* Oregon "Pony," first steam engine in Oregon, used on portage railroad

## Competition

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The People's Transportation Company was organized in 1862 to compete with the Oregon Steam Navigation Company.[3] The company then began a rate war with the O.S.N.[3] People's Transportation was so successful that O.S.N. bought them off with an agreement to pay them $10,000 a year for ten years if People's Transportation would restrict its operations to the Willamette River.[3]

## See also

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* Steamboats of the Columbia River
* List of steamboats on Columbia River
* John Gates (Portland mayor) – OSN's chief engineer starting in the 1860s

## References

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1. ^ a b Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1888). History of Oregon. Vol. II. p. 481.
2. ^ a b c d e f Laubaugh, Glenn. The Oregon Steam Navigation Company and its Related Portage Tramways, Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Timmen, Franz: Blow for the Landing, A Hundred Years of Steam Navigation on the Waters of the West, at 14, 17, and 27, Caxton Printers, Caldwell, ID, 1973
4. ^ a b c Affleck, Edward L., A Century of Paddlewheelers in the Pacific Northwest, the Yukon, and Alaska, at 43, Alexander Nicholls Press, Vancouver, BC (2000) ISBN 0-920034-08-X

## Further reading

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* Poppleton, Irene Lincoln (1906). "Oregon's First Monopoly—The O.S.N. Co" . Oregon Historical Quarterly. 7 (2).

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oregon Steam Navigation Company.

* John Gates, chief engineer for Oregon Steam Navigation Company

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Oregon Steam Navigation Company

Lower Columbia
Lower Willamette boats|

* Multnomah (1851)
* Belle of Oregon City (1853)
* Express (1854)
* Senorita (1855)
* Jennie Clark (1855)
* Fashion (ex-Venture) (1858)
* Julia (Barclay) (1858)
* Mountain Buck (1857)
* Carrie Ladd (1858)
* Rival (1860)
* E.D. Baker (1862)
* Wilson G. Hunt (1849;1862)
* Cascades (1864:1865)
* New World (1849:1868)
* Alice (1871:1876)
* Daisy Ainsworth (1873)
* Governor Grover (1873)
* Otter (1874)
* Wide West (1877)

Portland to Astoria route|

* John H. Couch (1863)
* Wenat (1867)
* Dixie Thompson (1871)
* Emma Hayward (1871)
* Bonita (1875)
* S.G. Reed (1878)

Portland to Kalama route|

* Welcome (1874)

Middle Columbia boats|

* Mary (1854)
* Hassaloe (1857)
* Wasco (1855)
* Idaho(1860)
* Iris (1863)
* Oneonta (1863)
* Teaser (1874)
* Harvest Queen (1878)
* R.R. Thompson (1878)

Upper Columbia
Lower Snake River boats|

* Colonel Wright (1859)
* Tenino (1861)
* Okanagon (1861)
* Kiyus/Cayuse (1863)
* Nez Perce Chief (1863)
* Webfoot (1863)
* Owyhee (1864)
* Yakima (1864)
* Almota (1876)
* Spokane (1877)
* Annie Faxon (1877)
* Mountain Queen (1877)
* John Gates (1878)
* Harvest Queen (1878)

Upper Willamette boats|

* Surprise (1857)
* Onward (1858)
* Willamette Chief (1874)
* Occident (1875)
* Orient (1875)

Cowlitz River|

* Rescue (1864)

Upper Snake River|

* Shoshone (1866)

Owners and personnel|

* John C. Ainsworth
* John Gates (chief engineer)
* Jacob Kamm
* William S. Ladd

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Steamboats of Oregon and the Columbia River basin

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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

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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
* 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)

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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
* 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

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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

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Puget Sound steamboat lines

Lines|

* 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.

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Pioneer history of Oregon (1806–1890)

Topics|

* American Fur Company
* Columbian exchange
* Executive Committee
* Ferries
* Hudson's Bay Company
* Oregon & California Railroad
* Oregon boundary dispute
* Oregon Country
* Oregon Lyceum
* Oregon missionaries
* Oregon Spectator
* Oregon Territory
* Oregon Trail
* Oregon Treaty
* Organic Laws
* Pacific Fur Company
* Provisional Government

Events|

* Treaty of 1818
* Russo-American Treaty of 1824
* Willamette Cattle Company
* Champoeg Meetings
* Star of Oregon
* Whitman massacre
* Cayuse War
* Donation Land Claim Act
* Holmes v. Ford
* Rogue River Wars
* Constitutional Convention
* Modoc War
* Great Gale of 1880

Places|

* Albina
* Applegate Trail
* Barlow Road
* Canemah
* Champoeg
* Elliott Cutoff
* Fort Astoria
* Fort Dalles
* Fort Vancouver
* Fort William
* French Prairie
* Linn City
* Meek Cutoff
* Methodist Mission
* Oregon City
* Oregon Institute
* Philip Foster Farm
* Thomas and Ruckle Road
* Tualatin Academy
* Whitman Mission
* Willamette Trading Post

People|

* George Abernethy
* Jesse Applegate
* Ira Babcock
* Sam Barlow
* François Blanchet
* William H. Boring
* Elijah Bristow
* Tabitha Brown
* Matthew Deady
* Abigail Scott Duniway
* Thomas Lamb Eliot
* Philip Foster
* Peter French
* Joseph Gale
* Cornelius Gilliam
* David Hill
* Chief Joseph
* Joseph Kellogg
* H.A.G. Lee
* Jason Lee
* David Thomas Lenox
* Asa Lovejoy
* Morton M. McCarver
* John McLoughlin
* Joseph Meek
* Ezra Meeker
* James D. Miller
* John Minto
* Robert Newell
* Joel Palmer
* Osborne Russell
* Sager orphans
* Levi Scott
* Eliza Hart Spalding
* Henry Spalding
* William Vandevert
* Elijah White
* Marcus Whitman
* Narcissa Whitman
* Geo. H. Williams
* Ewing Young

Transportation|

* Columbia
* Lot Whitcomb
* Canemah
* Colonel Wright
* Gazelle
* Oregon Steam Navigation Company

Oregon history|

* Native peoples history
* History to 1806
* Pioneer history
* Modern history

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