The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-15
OVERTHEBATYLESHIPS ROUTE
TIE PIONEER STEAM VOYAGES
TO THE Pacific.


Wv AAAaN AHNN
Consequence OF the California Geld
~Fever-NusNy NtHslaDs by the WsS.
The sailing Of the feet Of battleships for
the Pacific recalls the sailing Of another
feet on a similar voyage more than half a
century agO This earlier feet wal com
posed Of the steamers hurried to California
ON the discovery Of gold.
Attention has been directed to the risk
involved in sending SO many and 20 large
vessels on so long a voyage as that OF the
battleships between the James River
Virginia. and the upper Pacific coast. but a
comparison between them and the pioneer
steam vessels on the route makes the
voyage OF the naval heet seem like an ak
cursion by contrast.
Prior to l845 our experience with ocean
steamships had been very limited, and
IL was only after that date. OF In fact IN
1884,. that the first American ocean steam
ship line was established. About the same
time the first cOastwise steamship was con-
structed after the Robert Fulton Of 1919.
So when the gold fever broke out in ls4S
there were not more than six OF eight steam
ships in service in this country and they
were OF established lines. The Pacific
Mail Steamship Company had at this time
| TWO AledIIlhDlDH uuucT GOuBtTuCtIOu ~
the California trade.
The first vessels leaving the Atlantic
coast after the outbreak OF the gold fever
we're three sailing vessels sent out in OctO-
her. 1913. by the War Department. The
virulence Of the fever is shown by the fact
that In one month from December IL. lS4s.
there were cleared from New York for
California six ships. five banks. Ave briggs
| and N gphAnnar purrxyinn a total nf 48S
passengers. and each vessel filed with
freight to the limit of it's capacity; and from
Boston in the same time there were nine
sailing vessels carrying BIG passengers and
freight. For the year 1910 there were 2S5
ships. 2IO barks. I5i brigs. 100 ~schOOners.
q total Of 7I9 sailing vessels, and II steam
ships, most Of these vessels going by the
way of Cape Horn, and carrying about
5000 passengers and freight.
In the latter part OF 1898 the first real
news was obtained in the Fast of what the
prospect was for the transportation bust
ness on Inc Pacific coast, and then began
the fitting 0Nt of small steam vessels for
the voyage for service on the inland waters
and short coast routes Of the new territory.
Many vessels were purchased and redtted
that were in fact totally unsuitable in type
for so long and hazardous a voyage.
Among those that took the risk was the
Governor Dana, a sternwheeler Of the
Western river type, from OldtOwn. Me. She
was only 1870 feet long, and yet this small
vessel arrived safely on the Pacific side
and was in service there until 1864.
There sailed from New York the New
World. "A vessel similar TO the Sound steam
boats OF that date. about 200 feet long.
This is the vessel that was launched with
steam up and made a trial "trip Immediately
afterwaTd and had the reputation Of carry
ing the SheTiff's officers, who we're on board
with a process for a debt. down the bay.
Having thus been kidnapped these Off
GERS had The choice Of going to California
with the vessel or ashore in a small boat;
they followed the latter course.
The vessel went to sea and arrived ~ fely
at San Francisco, and was in service
there many years. The voyage was also
made by The Antelope, a comparatively new
vessel that had seen service in New York
Bay. and the Confidence. another New
! York Bay vessel. neither one as large as
the New World and neither designed for
such service.
The Wilson G. Hunt. a small river boat
that had run to COney Island, met with
many mishaps on the voyage. Leaving New
York on March ;. 1850. the vessel encoun-
tered a very severe gale on March 0 and
narrowly escaped laundering, her upper
works being almost wholly a wreck from
the violence of the storm.
She put in TO one Of the Bermuda islands
for repairs and subsequently proceeded on
her way, 1t was no excursion for the crew
OF hat vessel getting to San Francisco.
About the most unfortunate Of all these
- - a. DILL V--A
which had been on the New York and PrOvi-
dence route and had been laid aside as a
spare boat. She was sold and refitted. or
prepared as well as the short time would
permit. for the voyage. She left New York
on January rs. 1850. and four days later ran
into a viOlen gale.
The vessel was loaded down with coal
and provisions SO that her freebOard was
very small for a vessel on such a voyage.
After lsboring in the heavy sea for twelve
hours she began to leak badly. Her en-
CINE refused to work. while her steering
gear became deranged. and she was at the
mercy Of the waves and sank a few hours
later. Twelve Of the passengers and crew
escaped in a small boat to a schooner that
was near by at the time. but thirty-twO were
lost with the vessel.
All Of these vessels had the light upper
works common TO river boats. but most Of
them we're fitted with masts n sails for
this voyage.
OF another type, like the vessels on the
coast OF Maine. were the Senator and the
W. j. Pease. They had run outside from
New York to Philadelphia. They sailed for
California.
There were also two prOpelIers Of about
300 tons each that had been on the New
England coast. the Gen. Warren and the Com
modOre Preble. There was one New York
and Sandy Hook tugbOat only a few years
old. named Goliah. the crew Of which had
the trial OF their lives in the voyage. The
vessel was in service on the Pacific coast
till ten years ago.
Two or three Of the vessels that had been
running IN short cOastwise routes seem
to have encountered as many trials as the
smaller and lighter built river steamboats,.
The record shows that the W. J.. Pease was
three months in getting near the Straits
Of Magellan and then was compelled by
atraaa Of wRathor In rotlrn IN Montavidan