The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-08-29
EVO[UTINOF LAKE SHIPPING
THE NEW STEAMER IDAHO
A@fis nsJs 50 Lake Cosur d'AIsns-Ths
rasasr sa~amsE Amelia wheaton
c.ps. &c. s@Esassa fir.t Navigator
fleet shows Growth Of tsastns..,

Idaho marks an epoch ia the shippi M
and passenger traffic ON Occur a Aiene
lake and the rivers emptyIng into Il.
Last April the Occur d'Alsne A 81.
Joe Transportation company. limited,
Was formed, with James II. Spaulding
- president; j. c. White, vice
president; J. II. spanlding, secretary
aud treasurer. These officers, together
with John Il. ,i0ods and James II.
haFts. constitute the board Of
directors. The corporation Was
formed for the parposs Of doing
general boat aud transportation
business on the lake aud rivers and
the completion Of the steamer Idaho
IL the result.
The construction of the Idaho wac
hegun Arpil II under the supervision
Of UeoEe~ Ryan, nn experienced chip
builder q Oshkosh. Wis. who brought
bis 0Sn erew d men Nth him. The
bull u tho Idaho IL las fest ia length
uith beam II 40 fest over all and
lie substantially bailt Of Oregon Or.
said.so he che best timl,ar that grows
for tbs purpose. On the firss deck is
located thu buffet. handsonaely lifted
ap and Furnished room occupying the
nunIeT ~ tho back snd u the boat
The boiler, tubular marine tytsa a
500 hoFse power. and tho twin engnles
~ AftN bs,ks.a s.nM.w e....aRAa. .sisA
dynamo II the latest pattern. having
capacity II i2S lights. aud all other
machinery ls located on this deck.
Tho middle deck IL divided into =
eentismen's cabin forward. which is
- fest in iength snd IL feet vide.
neatly Furnished and supplied with
all necessary eonvcnlcncrs. The
ladies cabin 10 ~ X go fest aud the
furnishing aF~ al that coald Ia
dsaiF~d. Elegantly upholstered
furniture, plnsh caTP~is. dnpertes,
lonngv~ and easy chairs complete tha
equipmsns- Theses cabins arr connect.
Ell BY a taaaare way GA either side Of
uhich aFn located the purser's office,
luo state rooms aud the toilets. The
upper deck il finished With two
cabins aud the ubeel bouss on which
- located an electric scarchlighl Of
500 candle power The interior
tsnisb II the boat IL ivory white. With
maroon panels In cabins. Electric
liRhis Ars convenientiy situated Tor
furnishing tho best light The
ldaho la side wh-olsr. the wheels
being u fees In diameter. aud IL
calculated 10 mako a speed 81 = miles
an honr. She uas buili for the run
hpswcen here and the bead of nAviga.
tiap GA the Sc. jos river. aisd IL l.
the intention TO connect with the
Northern Pacific train both ways.
She made her initial trip TO ST. Maries
iass Sunday. having ON board $50
passengers. Tier owners we're we'll
pleased with the run and state that
the time between herr aud Harrison
uiil 10 reinced TO one hour The
beat is the largest. ewiftest aud most
complete steamer on the lake aud IL
as handsomely furnished ~ any boat
on Puget sound She uill carry
/ loo passengers. and IL a credit 60
her owners a. veil A. the town.
Named 10 honor 81 the state. no citizen
nead ~ ashamed 81 her She repre-
-en's an investment Of cas-, 600,
The officers II the Idaho are James
a. SpauidinR. captain; J. II. Spsuld
ing. purper; Thomas Fairbanks, pilot,
c. O Fuller. chief engineer; NJ. W.
Lawson. second engineer. Asa Switzer.
fireman.
Excursions will b. made to St
Maries each Sunday during the
saason aud lunches will be served
aboard the boat.
In this connection brief history
ol the boat business ON the lake will
prove interesting. That history dates
from the summer of 1879, when Capt.
z. c. sorenson was employed by the
government TO come To this place and
build a boat for the use Of the troops
stationed at the fort This boat was
named the Amelia Wheaton, in honor
Of q daughter Of Gen. Wheaton, then
post commander This was the first
steamboat ON the lake and Capt.
sorsnson has the honor Of being the
pioneer navigator The boat was
stern wheeler. So feet long with Ia
feet beam aud was later sold by the
government 10 company. She was
then put on the run up the ST. Joe
river and continued in the service
until 1898. when the machinery was
taken out and the hull abandoned.
In 1889 the great mineral discover.
lee caused rush TO the Occur d Alene
mining district aud traftlc on the lake
Lecame coneeeted for want Of shipping