The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-17
mn wAsco TO sE KxnoDELxD.


SeDs kufs Proposes - lmprsvs Her.
Asr 9vsntful Htsssry.
tapI Ellis. who has Just bought the
steamer Wascc. proposes TO expend be-
tween $500 and - 90 In putting the boat
"a nsst-ciass shape for passenger service.
ohe - 70 have new keel running clear
tnrouxh to receive the stern-bearing. Al
originally built she was intended for
stern wheeler, bat aftsrward q skag vas
spiieed onto her to support propeller.
She aIEays lacked sufficient beam ana her
guards projected away out over the sides.
She will nov be sponsoned out down 20
the hilgs. Every bit OF decayed timber in
her xili b replaced, making the hull prsc-
ucatiy new. A number of additional
knees viii be put in and other improve
ments made ON her framework. Her
decks will bs renewed and the forward
deck raised ten inches. The estimated
cost OF these improvements 10 s.. 500
Then new shaft wiz be put in, . new
Trout wheel put on. her boilers over
nsuied. cylinders bored out. new pIstons
pat In and all her machinery put in first
class condition in every respect The cost
OF the repairs and improvements on the
machinery, etc, will be about $2,oOo.
Improvements 10 the amount OF about
500 will be made on her cabins. and new
furnishings viii be put in at a cost Of
about $500 more. Leather upholstered
seats will be placed in the mems cabin.
and plush in the ladies', making her one
Of the best passenger steamers on tho
SQUAD.
Capt Ellis expects to have her ready for
service by April 1. He intends to run her
on his old route between Seattle and Port
Orchard and Port Washington. The boat
Is now on Lakes ways in Ballard, and IL
il probable that the wood work will be
done there. The wasco was built az Hood
River. Or. in 1857. by a syndicate OF East
ern Oregon farmers, Ut . cost of SIS. 900.
For short time she was run between The
Dsiles and Upper Cascades. In opposition
to the boats OF the Union Pacific line, car
rying grain and passengers at the bare
cost OF operation. The boat was never
successful and seldom made o trip on
time. She wss finally pulled off the route
entirely. and then lay at Hood River for
many months. 1t vas 81 last decided TO
transfer her TO the lower Columbia
and Willamette rivers The steamer shot
the dangerous cascades Of the Columbia
IN safety, but thsrs Vas no work for her at
Portland and another siege OF inactivity
Was the result. At this time DR.. e. L.
Smith, Of Hood River; Capt. Coz, Of Port
land, and Otis 8. Savage, Of The Dalles,
we're the principal owners Of the boat.
Capt Cos and DR.. Smith died. Then Mr..
Savage succeeded in getting the controlling
interest in the steamer. but before ne could
put the boat on paying run he. too. died.
Ex-Gov. u. +. Moody. OF Oregon, was APP
pointed administrator of the Savage estate
and decided to sell the steamer az auction.
Jacob Kamm. the Portland millionaire,
would have bid her in at $4,000. but Mr..
Moody, not wishing 10 see such a sacrifice,
ran the price up to So 500 and bid her back
into the estate. It was nearly year later,
after many disputes, that she was finally
sold. sponsoned up. and new mast put in
and taken around to the Sound. The
career Of the boat in s4ese waters Is we'll
known. She has run on almost every
route and has been leased and run by half
q dozen companies NJ different times.