The Wrangell sentinel., 1933-04-28
PACIFTCS.S.C CO.
SERVES ALASKA
FOR SO YEARS

The Admiral Watson sailed south
at noon today on her farewell yoy-
age to Alaska. Captain s. X. ellie,
master, has had Is years continuous
service on the Alaska route and %
years of service with the Pacific
Steamship company.
so Years in Alaska
The date when the Pacific Coast
Company entered the Alaska service
is not known in Wrangell, but the
records at the United States customs
office which began in 1885, show
that the company was operating
vessels in Alaska at that time and
it seems safe to say that the COM
pany has given at least fifty years
of continuous service in Alaska.
The first boats in the service were
the Idaho, Ancon, Cottage City, Bon
ita, Mexico, Olympian and George
w. Elder, and the best known Of
the early captains were Capt. James
Carroll, Capt. ]. C. Hunter, Capt.
David Wallace and Capt. J. C. Pat
terson, who served several years as
first officer under Captains Carroll
and Hunter before he was given a
BOAT of his own.
Gold Rush Boats
During the gold rush of 1898 the
company had the City of Topeka,
Alki, Geo. w. Elder, Cottage City
and Queen on the Alaska run, link
ing San Francisco Puget Sound and
Wrangell Sitka, Juneau, Dyea and
Skagway, Alaska. The ports of entry
varied. During a part of the early
years boats entered at Mary Island
or at Port Tongass south OF Ketch-
ikan before entering through the
port of Wrangell. The Corona and
Yaquina also were in service before
1901.
According to L. NJ. Churchill, who
was master of the steamer Baranof
on the west coast of Prince of Wales
island run at that time, the Pacific
Coast company was managed by the
Goodall and Perkins Co., General
Agents, at San Francisco. The boats
in the Alaska service so years ago
started at Portland and many did
not stop at the little towns of Seat
tie and Tacoma but proceeded TO
Port Townsend where they received
the transfer of Alaska freight and
passengers from the San Francisco
boats.
Other boats in the Alaska service
before and after the turn of the
century were the State of California,
the Ramona, City of Seattle, Spo-
kane and Curacao.
Toll OF Boats
The Alaskan waters claimed its
toll of boats despite the enyiable
record of the masters for cautious
navigation and personal concern for
the welfare and safety of their pas
sengers. The Idaho was wrecked
near Victoria B. C. In the fall OF
1889 the Ancon was wrecked at
Loring. The Mexico went down dur
ing the summer of 1895 at Dixon's
Entrance and in 1901 the Cottage
City was wrecked at Cape Nudge,
b. C. twenty-five or three years ago
the State of California was wrecked
off Gambler Bay and the Ramona
later went down at Spanish Islands,
but the company has not had
major accident for many years past.
Years Bring Changes
Many changes have taken place
during the passing of the years III
both boats and the personnel of
crews. The one thing that never
changed was the unfailing courtesy
of the officers. They treated the
public we'll and were always friend
ly to Wrangell.
Excellent boats and friendly Of
ficers still remain in the Alaska
service, but to the oldtimers there
was distinct feeling of sadness
as they stood at noon and watched
the passing from Alaska of an old
friend, the Pacific Steamship Com
pany.