The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-12-11
SCRAP PILE GETS
BOAT KLONDYKE'
FLATHFAD LAKE STEAMER HAS
BEEN SALVAGED AT
POISON
Closes Interesting Chapter in History
of Navigation in Northwestern
Montana; Business Improbable
Because of the Automobile.

The scrapping of the old steamer
KIOndyke, which piled for more
than 20 years in Flathead waters
closes a chapter in the history OF
TRANSFORMATION in this valley. The
mOurnfuI whistle of the flat old
cnd-wheeler Will no longer echo
through the wooded hills around
FIathcad lake, and though many
here cXDcct that beautiful body of
water to be dotted with scores Of
pleasure yachts and power boats ut
no distant day, it is believed I'M
likely that the lake will ever again
see any business traffic aside from
faithful tug boats towing bOOms
for the lumber companies.
In the late nineties Eugene Hodge
built a steamer to replace the smaller
one he had had on the run from
Demersville, Flathead river, to the
foot Of the lake. 1t was the time of
the gold rush in the KlOndyke, and
when the new boat was ready to
launch, KlOndyke was the name that
appeared on the pilot house. After
she had been used on the river and
lake for a few years, however, Mr..
Hodge decided he wanted a larger
vessel, and accordingly he dismantled
the old boat, and built a larger one
the same that has been lifted from
the rocks at Poison.
Second KIOndyke Built
Much of the material used on the
new boat was from a s~hipbuilding
yard at Seattle. The new steamer was
also called 'KlOndyke", and vas kept
in service on the old route until the
railroad to SOmers had been built
when the service from Demersvillt
down the river was discontinued, anC
the daily runs were made between
SOmers and Poison.
With the announcement that the
Flathead reservation Was to be
thrown open there was an increase
in the traffic on the lake, and by the
time of the opening in 1910 it haC
grown to such an extent that a mum
Der of other steamers and gasoline
boats appeared on the lake to share
in the business. The KlOndyke wa
kept on the SOmeTs-POlsOn run, max
ing no stops on the way; the Mon
tana, the Filler, the WascO and
number Of others made the ives
shore landings, often Overlooking OF
Saturday and Sunday afternoon
with Kalispell people going to ant
returning from their summer home
along that shore.
Autos Cut Into Business
The KlOndyke usually had a goo,
number Of passengers and plenty o
freight each trip and, taking every
thing into consideration, the SOmer
dock was pretty we'll crowded at boa
time. The prospect looked bright in
deed and it was believed that tn
lake fleet would probably see a con
siderable increase in numbers.
Then came the automobile, an
gradually the boat passenger traffi
along the west shore diminished. TIL
building of a branch railroad to POl
son cut off much of the lake freigh
business, and when finally trucks be
gan to ply up and down the ives
shore road, the end of the lake trat
fic was in sight. One after anOthe
the boats were pulled off the run
and tied up to the docks for gOoC
The KlOndyke was still operated fC
some time, despite the declining bus
ness, but hers was a losing game an
when this year the boat sank off tn
Poison dock nc attempt was made
raise her.