Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-08-20
-. c,...,,In rr,psport aaIon Company.

Compapy was granted Octoper -,
The next year, new steamer. the ram
Il, wss launched at 81. Adams Bay anu
sent on her first trip October 10, lss' ,unus'
command of the new company's FIRST cap
,.;, .Isbsziel Sherman. Tho first annual
meeting for the election of nine directors
was held at Burlington, January ST. IL
with William A. Griswold, president. Inc
wear 1893. February p - saw the company
the owner of the real estate at Sheiourn
Harbor, together with the old Champiain
Steamship Com any's boats, VIZ tue
Pheuix and Congress. On January ~
1885, they purchased the MAeponougn'
owned nv the Champ.-.n Ferry Com
pany chartered October 81, lo2D' anu
the Watsr-Witeh and Winooski, owned oy
the ST. Adams Steamboat Company
chartered Nov. 4, 1926. and thus became
owners of all the lake steamers, without
rival. The next step was to enlarge Tue
Congress and name her the burlington Inc
naxt IN buv Of Peter Comstoek. who was
building an opposition beat at " hltenA.''
The new Burlington, in charge OF Cap'a'n
R,cbari w. Sherman, and the new White
hall in charge of Captain Dan Lyon, TOOK
their places in line, respectively IN io''
and 1898. Four years later the sAranae
was huilt to take the place Of the Winooski
a. a ferry boat.
Mr.. COmstock. however. was nO' - eis'S
put down. lie built and started the IRAN
els Saltus. in charge of the bold Cap'aih
T;sdale. in 1915. She found sharp oppOsi-
ton in the Saranae and Captain DAVIS,
who carried passengers through the lake
At ffty cents head, while the Saltus, to
meet expenses, was compelled to charge
one dollar: and when, IN ISL, the Onitea
STATES the first steamer on the lake having
state-rooms on her upper deck, came out
,be so far eclipsei all others. that that
year the +. Saltus gave up beat, and T.
c. retired from the contest.
In 1851. the Boston was built Tor the
company. 10 1852. the company was own
er. for short time. of the Ethan Allen,
which it soon sold TO the Northern Trans
portation Line. Ii was not until ISIS, that
they first established day line each way
through the lake, running four boats In
lsj2. the line steamers ceased their trips 10
y Johns. and ROuses Poia, was made the
northern terminus. That year the company,
while reserying their franchise and corporate
rights. sold their steamboats, 10 the Rutland
and Burlington Railroad Company. Two
years later they purchased back all they had
sold to the Rutland Company, save the
Boston and Francis Saltus. and also bought
the steamers America and Canat4. built by
other parties The opening season saw the
Champlain Transportation Company IN pos
session Of majority of the best and swift
e-t boats on our blue waters.-the America,
Captain William H. Fagg and The United
States, Captain William Anderson The
America was not broken Up until l767. and
the United States ran till last year, when
she followed the fate of her old companion.
The company still own the Andrew VIII
liams, built in $50, and used as ferry
boat. and the magnificent boats Adiron-
dack. bull, in IsG- and Vermont, built in
ISL
We here give the names OF the company :
steamers also the periods OF their commend
ing to run: Franklin, ls27 Burlington,
1887 Whitehall, ISIS Slranac, 1872 /;
United States, ISL Boston, l55l; Canada,
1858 Montreal, $50 Adirondack, Io67 /;
and Vermont, Isl. The above were built
Tor OF by the company. who have also pur-
chased or leased the following The Con-
gress. ISIS; Phoenix, l72O Marlborough.
ls2s Water-Witeh. 1882 Winooski.
1893 Francis Saltus, ls44; Ethan Allen,
ISL Cakes Ames. lists (ehanged to the
Champaign. and lately wrecked) +. W.
Sherman and the 4. Williams, $50 By
the constant improvements IN the speed,
comfort, luxury and safety OF steam nayiga-
ton on our lake, the company has won a
reputation which the loss Of the Champiain
cannot tarnisll
Il was no less 2 parsonage than
Charles Dickens, who declared their boats
TO lie superior to any others in the world ="
But what were the Burlington and White
hall Of 1913. thus lsuded, without an upper
deck, or hall, or state-oom. to the Adlron-
dlck and Vermont OF 1875. with their pala-
tial style within snd without, with almost
twice the tonnage. twice the horsepower
and speed, and three times the cost?
Since is organization. the company has
had seven presidents. viz Luther LOOMS.
1926 to Is27 Julius Hoyt. l517 to ISIS !;
William \. Girls void, 1s2s to Isle Henry
H. Ross, 1916 to 1850 Oscar \. Burton 1850
to 1860 Lemuel II. Upper, 1850 TO 1861,
and LeGrand B. Cannon. from 1864 till
the present.
Beginning with Hiram Ferris, Of ChAzy,
who was pilot on the lake for half cen
tury, from 1909 to 1859. down to the pres
ent time, there have been thirty-fve pilots
IN the service Of the company.
The commanders have also been thirty
five D. T. Taylor. in an article in the
Pisttsburgh Sentinel, thus speaks of them
who does not remember, or know, Cap
tain- Sherman, LathrOp, Davis, Lyon,
MAYO, Flagg. Anderson, etc? Flagg died
in 1874, much lamented and honored. after
having been in the company employ since
1881 Mayo sailed with j. Sherman fifty
years ago, and has been captain since 1884.
Anderson has been in the service of the
company As years, all Of which time he has
been captain. Rushlow has been on the
lake since 1913, and z captain since $50
The sedate. calm demeanOr and long expe-
rience Of Mayo, the wide-awake and intense
manner Of Anderson, who watches both the
weather and every inch of his boat a close
lyas sentinel watches on his beat. the
affahle and courteous temper Of the junior
Captain RushlOw. added to the existing fire
system. and good discipline always main
tained among the subordinates, all conspire
to make the traveller feel assured and at
home while under their care. These gen
tlemen in charge are tried and true. faith
ful and competent.
Elijah Root has been Chief Engineer Of
the Steam boat Company ever since the first
year of its existence. Personally, every
week while the boats have been in service,
Mr.. Root inspects the engines and charges
the engineers. His fidelity and skill are
uuquestiOned, and no better word can be
said 10 his favor when We have spoken OF
his 40 years of unbrOken service.
Since 1909, we are unable to ascertain
that any person on our lake steamboats,
has been injured or killed by accidents
arising from steam. until 1870, when the
captain Of small tug employed 10 the
Champlain River lost his life by explosion
OF the steamers boilers The boat was no;
owned by our company.
Ia period of nearly half 4 century the
Champlain transportation Company has
controlled some fl1eniy different steamers
on Lake Champlaiu. and these steamers
have been IN constant service until laid
aside. lost. or till now. The whole time of
their use amounts in the aggregate to 23O