Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-29


10 the papers of that day on the subject.
then collected and arranged as complete 8
history Of steamboaring on our beautiful
river as il was possible to do at the time. anc
az the question is again occupying the minds
of the public, at the request OF friends have
verv carefully rewritten the article for your
columns.
The following list comprises all the steam
ers that ever ran on the Kennebec prior to
1875 and all or nearly all that ever ascended
the river as far as Gardiner:
Kennebeck, Kennebec, waterve. Patent, Legis
lator, Ticonic Chancellor Living tone, Tom Thumb
propeller, lsf3) Portland, McDonough, Water
Witch. Robin Hood, New England Lawrence, N; Y
Beach. VI pease Telegraph. Splendid; c: Van. Van
Augusta, roaeller) Tigress. Charter Oak, ocean,
Sea Gull, Clifton, T. F. secor, Huntress, John Mar
shall, Penobscot, tate of Maine, Governor City of
Bath, Eastern State, Harvest Moon, Eastern Queen.
Montana, Idaho, Daniel Webster Eastern City. Star
of the East, Kennebls, ferry boat Minerva Beling.
wan, Halifax. Old lack. J. d. Pierce Bonny Doom,
Maiden, Nequasset, Ella Morse. Union, Falcon,
Clarion Lila Kapella, Samoset Knickerbocker, Sc
ocia, New Brunswick. B0;ton, Teazer, Riverside.
Starlight, American Union, II obomoc, Popham, Res
olute, spray, Enterprise, Clinton, Thorn, Victor,
wawenock, Iris. c, W. Dex,er. Peerless. Adelia'
Peck. Jefferson, Hanc ,ck California. Woodstock,
Clipper, ii. ;. Hager, Lookout, Magnet.
During the season Of 1919 Jonathan Nor
gan, an attorney, came to Gardiner from Wis
casset in An open scow, propelled by steam
power which he had fitted up at his home in
Alma The strange craft was visited by many
curious people. This was undoubtedly the
! first steamboat that ever ruff the waters of
the Kennebec. In 1922, Capt Seward Porter
either purchased this steamer or fitted out
another one (probably the former) which he
l In Al ~
wharf, in Bath named her the Kennebeck
and took her around to Portland, where he
made excursions among the Islands of Casco
Bay There was also another steamer, said to
have been a ships "longboat" heightened
out, which commenced her wanderings on the
river soon after the Morgan boat came, and
one called the Experiment, of which mention
will be made hereafter
Early in the season of 1928 the steamer
Wa.erville was built at Bath by Capt Porter
| and was placed on the route between Bath
and Augusta, under command of Capt. f X
Bryant, the same season.
During the summer of the same year (1S23)
Capt. Porter purchased in New York the sea
going steamer Patent, which he brought to
Portland, arriving at that port August 9TH,
and soon after sailed for Bath; but soon re-
turned to Portland. and began plying, betw cen
there and Boston, arriving at the latter place
on his first trip August 18th in l75 hours
from Portland.
The following season O82Q the Patent
extended her trips to Bath where she connect
ed with the Waterville for Augusta.
In June, 1925, we find Capt Porter in COM
mand of larger and finer boat, called the
Legislator, plying between Boston and Bath
via Portland. The Legislator connected at
Bath with the Patent, Capt Henry Kimball
for Belfast, where the Patent connected with
the double-keeled steamer Maine, Capt
Cram, for East ort. Late IN the fall of the
same year the Patent came to Gardiner and
towed The new ship Cassendrr t. Bath.
The following spring (lS26) Capt. kimoall
resumed command of the Patent. which was
placed on the route between Gardiner and
Portland, where she connected with either the
Legislator or Chancellor Livingston tor Bos-
ton. The little steamer Experiment, Capt
Porter, Ga son of Capt. Seward Porter) ran
from Bath to Augusta. | think the Water
vile was of the route for part, or the whole,
of the seBson of 1926, as | can find no account
of her running that season. Capt VIM.
Waterman, of Augusta, was in command of
the Waterville at one time.
The seasons of 1928, the Patent was still
running from Gardiner to Portland. where
she connected with steamer Connecticut
Capt. Porter, for Boston. In the spring of
1929 Capt Porter succeeded Capt Kimbiu in
command of the Patent. and continued on the
same route Gardiner TO Portand) for part,
or the whole, of that season. In 1880 the
Patent did not run above Bath, the Water
vile connecting with her for Augusta.
can find no account of any steamer run
ming above Bath in 1881, and few, if any,
visited Gardiner that season.
Early in 1882. the stern wheel steamer
Ticonlc was built at Gardiner, under the
supervision of a Mr. Blanchard, of Spring
field Mass, to ply between Gardiner and
Waterville and made her first appearance at
the latter place June LIST, of the same year.
under command of Capt. w. X. Bryant.
Her coming was an event of great importance
to the citizens of Waterville, as she was the
| first steamboat that ever succeeded in reach
ing that village. Her arrival was celebrated
by firing cannons, ringing bells, and public
dinner at the Waterville house where speeches
were made, songs sung, and a glorious time
generally had Many citizens of towns (there
were no cities on the Kennebec them
along the route went on the boat and partici.
pated in the Qualification Capt j. Flitner, Ma
than Faunce, S. Smith, and possibly others,
were subsequently in command of the
| Ticonic, which continued on the route to
Waterville until the building of the dam,
which, OF account of the size of the lock, put
a stop to her visits above Augusta.
The steamer Hancock was on the route be-
tween Augusta and Bath during part, or the
whole, OF the season Of 1888, this boat and
the Ticonic being the only steamers PLYING
regularly on the river above Bath, althou Oh
the petite steamer Tom Thumb came up from
Bath occasionally, and in Nov. 1884, towed
the new ship Constitution to Bath, but it took
her SIX days to do the job.
| In the spring of 1885 the steamer Sandusky
came to Gardiner and remained few DAYS
! This was the largest and finest steamboat
that had ever visited the place. Soon after
the Sandusky left. the steamer McDonough,
under command of Capt. Nathl Kmoall, a
brother of Capt. Henry Kimball, was placed
on the route from flaIlowell to Portland,
where she connected with the steamer Port
! land for Boston, and continued on the route
during the season.
| The McDonough was awav during 1856, but
came on again in 1887 under command Of
! Capt. ndrew Brown of Haliow ell. who ran her
that season from Hsllowell to Boston, via
Portland.
Early in the spring of 1886 company was
formed at Gardiner, and between $50. 900 and
| SAC. 900 raised, in shares of 800 each. and
Nsth'l kimball, Henry Bowman. and Parker
Sheldon were chosen directors, with authori-
ty to buy suitable steamboat to ply between
Gardiner and Boston. The steamer Nsw
England, a very swift boat. built at Norwich.
| Conn, to run On Long Island Sound, was