Columbia (sidewheeler 1850)
Encyclopedia
The Columbia was a steamboat built at Astoria, Oregon
in 1850. Columbia was the first steamboat built in the Oregon Territory
, and the first to establish regular service on the lower Columbia
and Willamette
rivers. This vessel should not be confused with the many other craft with the same or a similar name, including in particular at least four other vessels named Columbia which ran on the Columbia river or its tributaries.
. One source states that the vessel was built by Gen. James Adair (1808–1888) and James Frost. John Adair was the first collector of customs for the Oregon Territory. Adair was a lawyer with political connections, and later was friend and advisor to Joseph Lane
, one of Oregon's first senators. Frost, originally from Missouri, had come out to Oregon with a pioneer rifle regiment. Frost had been a sutler
in this regiment, and his brother was quartermaster
. When the American Civil War
began, Frost , returned to Missouri where he served with the rebel militia. Frost lived in St. Louis, Missouri
after the war. Another source states that Columbia was built by Thomas Goodwin and George Hewitt for Adair, Frost, and two others, whose names are given as Leonards and Green.
. The vessel was built of wood and powered by sidewheels, which were driven by engines which originally came from France. James Frost had journeyed to San Francisco to purchase the engines, which were shipped up to Astoria. Another source states that the chief engineer, Thomas V. Smith, went to San Francisco to purchase engines.
who had been fishing on the river. By the end of the first day, they had travelled fifty miles, and Frost, not wanting to risk the vessel in the dark, tied up to the riverbank. The next morning, July 4, 1850, the steamer cast off again and proceeded upstream, arriving at Portland, Oregon
(then only a small settlement) at 3:00 p.m. After staying at Portland for about 2 hours, Columbia then proceeded on to Oregon City, arriving there at 8:00 p.m., where there was a celebration of the vessel's arrival. It had taken 26 hours to make the trip.
Once gold strikes began in the west, fares could be paid in gold. One early passenger, John McCracken, reported that he once paid 2 ounces of gold dust for travel on the Columbia from Astoria to Portland. He had to sleep on the upper deck, the vessel was crowded, and the trip took 2 days. The boat did not run at night Columbia completed with the keelboats, bateau
x and sailing vessels that had provided the transport on the river, by towing barges, transporting immigrants who had reached the Cascade Rapids and general steamboat work.
For six months Columbia was the only steamboat on the river, until the Lot Whitcomb
was launched, on December 25, 1850. Lot Whitcomb was a vessel far superior to Columbia. The owners of Columbia dropped their fare to $15. According to one source, Mills, the backers of Lot Whitcomb refused to met this, believing, correctly, that people would pay more to ride their superior steamer. Another source, Corning, states Lot Whitcomb forced the Columbia 's fare down to $12.
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
in 1850. Columbia was the first steamboat built in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
, and the first to establish regular service on the lower Columbia
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
and Willamette
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
rivers. This vessel should not be confused with the many other craft with the same or a similar name, including in particular at least four other vessels named Columbia which ran on the Columbia river or its tributaries.
Owners
Columbia was built at upper Astoria, OregonAstoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. One source states that the vessel was built by Gen. James Adair (1808–1888) and James Frost. John Adair was the first collector of customs for the Oregon Territory. Adair was a lawyer with political connections, and later was friend and advisor to Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
, one of Oregon's first senators. Frost, originally from Missouri, had come out to Oregon with a pioneer rifle regiment. Frost had been a sutler
Sutler
A sutler or victualer is a civilian merchant who sells provisions to an army in the field, in camp or in quarters. The sutler sold wares from the back of a wagon or a temporary tent, allowing them to travel along with an army or to remote military outposts...
in this regiment, and his brother was quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
. When the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began, Frost , returned to Missouri where he served with the rebel militia. Frost lived in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
after the war. Another source states that Columbia was built by Thomas Goodwin and George Hewitt for Adair, Frost, and two others, whose names are given as Leonards and Green.
Design
Columbia has been described as odd-shaped and clumsy-looking, and double-ended like a ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. The vessel was built of wood and powered by sidewheels, which were driven by engines which originally came from France. James Frost had journeyed to San Francisco to purchase the engines, which were shipped up to Astoria. Another source states that the chief engineer, Thomas V. Smith, went to San Francisco to purchase engines.
First trip upriver
Columbia began its first trip up the Columbia on the morning of July 3, 1850, with James Frost acting as captain. No one on board knew where the channel was, and the steamer's progress was slow. To act as pilots, Frost hired two young people of the Coast SalishCoast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
who had been fishing on the river. By the end of the first day, they had travelled fifty miles, and Frost, not wanting to risk the vessel in the dark, tied up to the riverbank. The next morning, July 4, 1850, the steamer cast off again and proceeded upstream, arriving at Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(then only a small settlement) at 3:00 p.m. After staying at Portland for about 2 hours, Columbia then proceeded on to Oregon City, arriving there at 8:00 p.m., where there was a celebration of the vessel's arrival. It had taken 26 hours to make the trip.
Later operations
After a second trip to Oregon City, Columbia began to run regular trips between Oregon City and Astoria, connecting with the ocean steamer coming up from San Francisco that was owned by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. Columbia was "no floating palace". Fares were $25 per person either way, with passengers to furnish their own food, which would be eaten from baskets or on blankets spread out on the deck or a table in the small cabin. Space would be allocated for sleeping at night on the deck, for which there was no additional charge. Often there was standing room only on the boat.Once gold strikes began in the west, fares could be paid in gold. One early passenger, John McCracken, reported that he once paid 2 ounces of gold dust for travel on the Columbia from Astoria to Portland. He had to sleep on the upper deck, the vessel was crowded, and the trip took 2 days. The boat did not run at night Columbia completed with the keelboats, bateau
Bateau
A bateau or batteau is a shallow-draft, flat-bottomed boat which was used extensively across North America, especially in the colonial period and in the fur trade. It was traditionally pointed at both ends but came in a wide variety of sizes...
x and sailing vessels that had provided the transport on the river, by towing barges, transporting immigrants who had reached the Cascade Rapids and general steamboat work.
For six months Columbia was the only steamboat on the river, until the Lot Whitcomb
Lot Whitcomb (sidewheeler)
Launched in 1850, Lot Whitcomb, later known as Annie Abernathy, was the first steam-powered craft built on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was one of the first steam-driven vessels to run on the inland waters of Oregon, and contributed to the rapid economic development of the...
was launched, on December 25, 1850. Lot Whitcomb was a vessel far superior to Columbia. The owners of Columbia dropped their fare to $15. According to one source, Mills, the backers of Lot Whitcomb refused to met this, believing, correctly, that people would pay more to ride their superior steamer. Another source, Corning, states Lot Whitcomb forced the Columbia 's fare down to $12.
Disposition
The sources disagree as to the disposition of the vessel. Corning states that by June 1856, Columbia had made over 100 runs to Portland, and earned over $500,000 for her owners. Mills gives 1852 as the year in which the vessel was dismantled, as does the Lewis and Dryden Marine History. Sources agree however that the engines of Columbia were installed in the sidewheeler Fashion, which was built in 1853. After the engines had been removed, Columbia 's hull was swept downstream and lost during a spring freshlet.Further reading
- Faber, Jim, Steamer's Wake—Voyaging down the old marine highways of Puget Sound, British Columbia, and the Columbia River, Enetai Press, Seattle, WA 1985 ISBN 0-961-5811-0-7
- Timmen, Fritz, Blow for the Landing, at 228-229, Caxton Press, Caldwell, ID 1973 ISBN 0-87004-221-1