Erie Railroad - Erie Railroad Lake Line - Union Steamboat Line History



From the August, 1914 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
ERIE RAILROAD LAKE LINE DIVISION (Union Steamboat Company)
By H.C. Snyder, Assistant General Freight Agent, Chicago.


Superintendent J.C. Maclay, compiled the following interesting historical data, when the Erie Railroad Company was preparing its application to the Interstate Commerce Commission, for permission to continue to operate its Lake Line, which the Panama Bill Act, effective July 1, 1914, prohibits, unless the Commission finds upon due investigation, such control and operation does not restrict competition, as between Rail and Water routes.

"Soon after the completion of the New York & Erie Railroad to Dunkirk, in 1851, its management began to take into consideration the advantage to be derived from facilities in its interests, upon the Great Lakes, and in 1852 it had under charter certain side-wheel steamers, to wit: "Keystone State," "Niagara," "America" and "Empire." These steamers were used for only a short time, for the reason that screw steamers were better suited, and vessels of this type, including the "California," "Genesee Chief," "Paugassett," "Princeton," and "Oregon," were taken into service. In subsequent years the fleet was extended largely and steamers of the same type were chartered, among which were the "Owego," "Portsmouth," "Susquehanna" and "Indiana."

The first propeller ship which the company constructed, was the "Jersey City," built in Cleveland, coming out in 1854. She was followed by the building, at the same point, of the "Olean" and the "Elmira," completed in 1856; also the "New York," built in 1856 in Buffalo. The "Canisteo" and "Passaic" were built in Buffalo in 1862; also in the same year the "Tioga" was built in Cleveland. These were all wooden steamers of the first class, at that time, ranging from 550 to 660 tons capacity; the two former were slightly larger. The "Wabash," launched in 1863, was the last steamer built by the Erie Railway Company previous to the organization of the Union Steamboat Company. About the same time the "Governor Cushman" and "Marquette," were in the company's fleet, by charter, and were of the same type of steamers and about the same size as the others named. These steamers, up to 1869, were used in the traffic of the Erie Railroad Company upon Lake Erie only, and constituted lines to Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit.

Early in 1869 a combination was made of different lines of lake steamers and the organization of a corporation under the laws of the State of New York, was made, which constituted "The Union Steamboat Company" the purpose of which was to create a forwarding lake line and feeder to the Erie Railway Company and to extend tlie operations of such line to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. It has fulfilled that purpose in a most efficient manner and has been a powerful instrument and ally of the railroad company. At first the stock was not wholly owned by the Erie Railway Company, but subsequently that company acquired the whole property.

At the time of the organization the fleet consisted of 16 steamers, all of which have since gone out of the possession of the company, or out of existence, mainly the former by sale to outside parties, so that not one of the original fleet of the company is now its property.

In 1869 the company completed its first steamer after its organization. This was the steamer "Jay Gould," with a carrying capacity of 1,000 tons. In 1870 it built two steamers, the "B.W. Blanchard" and the "Jas. Fisk, Jr.," each with a capacity for carrying 1,200 tons; also in this year were purchased the steamers "Galena," "Winona" and "Mendota." These steamers carried 600 tons each. In 1871 the steamer "Newburgh," with a carrying capacity of 1,350 tons, was completed. The "Dean Richmond," a steamer with a capacity of 1,500 tons, was purchased in 1870, burned in 1871, and thoroughly rebuilt and put in commission in the Spring of 1873. The steamer "Waverly" was built in 1874. She had a carrying capacity of 1,200 tons. In 1875 the steamer "Starrucca" was built. She had a carrying capacity of 1,500 tons. This steamer was stranded on Lake Superior in November, 1888 and became a total wreck.

In 1875 the steamer "Portage," with a carrying capacity of 1,900 tons, was built. In 1878 the Avon, with a carrying canacity of 2,100 tons, was built. Also, in 1878, the steamer "Nyack," a very fine passenger ship, with a carrying capacity of 1,250 tons, and accommodation for 150 passengers, was completed. In 1879 the steamer "New York" was built, having a carrying capacity of 2,400 tons. In 1882 the first metal steamer built by the company, was completed. This was the "H.J. Jewett," (now called the "Binghamton"), which has a carrying capacity of 2,400 tons. In 1885 the "Tioga," the next metal steamer was completed, with a carrying capacity of 2,650 tons. In 1888 the twin steamers "Chemung" and "Owego," were built, each with a carrying capacity of 2,550 tons. It will be noticed that the names of some of the earlier ships have been duplicated in naming later steamers of the fleet.

In 1872 the Union Steamboat Company became interested in the Union Dry Dock Company (of Buffalo), by the purchase of one-fourth of the stock of that company. Subsequently it became the owner of the entire stock, and all the steamers built by the company since 1872 were built in the yards of that company.

In the year 1869, in which the company was organized, the following lines were maintained: One between Buffalo, Chicago and Milwaukee, of seven steamers; one between Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo, of 6 steamers; one between Buffalo and Detroit, of 6 steamers; one between Buffalo and Lake Superior, of two steamers. Several of these steamers were under charter and not the property of the company. The following year, 1870, the line between Buffalo and Chicago, was increased to 12 steamers. The Buffalo and Toledo line remained the same, as did the line from Buffalo to Detroit, and Buffalo to Lake Superior.

In 1871 the Buffalo and Lake Superior line was increased to 5 steamers. The other lines were continued with the same number of steamers, as the year before. The same arrangement continued in 1872, except that the Detroit line was diminished by the withdrawal of 3 steamers.

In 1872 the Union Steamboat Company and the Atlantic, Duluth & Pacific Lake Company, the latter an institution organized by the Erie & Western Transportation Company, made a coalition to run a joint line between Buffalo and Lake Superior. This line consisted of 11 steamers mainly contributed by the two interests mentioned, though several steamers owned by outside parties, were taken into this fleet. This arrangement was maintained for one season only, both of the parties in interest abandoning Lake Superior for the year 1873, to be renewed again in 1874, though the line was largely reduced and consisted of but 3 steamers, two of which, the "Arctic" and "Pacific" were contributed by the Union Steamboat Company, and the "Winslow" by the Erie & Western Transportation Company.

In the year 1873 the Union Steamboat Company, by contract with the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad Co., ran a line to Green Bay, in connection with that road, which contract was for a term of years, but was terminated before the expiration of the contract in the year 1877, by the bankruptcy of the road in question, and the line was withdrawn. In 1875, 1876 and 1877, the Lake Superior arrangement continued with the same fleet, except the addition of one steamer, making 4 in all. In the Winter of 1877 and 1878, a new arrangement for doing Lake Superior business was perfected and an organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, entitled "The Lake Superior Transit Company," the parties to which were the Union Steamboat Company, The Erie & Western Transportation Company and The Western Transportation Company. This organization owned no steamers, but provided that each of the institutions interested should charter to the L.S.T. Co. such of its steamers as were fitted for the business. This arrangement continued until the Winter of 1889 and 1890, when the Union Steamboat Company withdrew from it entirely, selling its stock to the other parties in interest.

In 1878 distinctive and separate lines were discontinued to Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit. For some years afterwards business to Lake Erie ports was done by through lines, but latterly none of the steamers of the through line to Chicago and Milwaukee, have stopped at any way ports.


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