SS ''Dispatch'' was a small sternwheeler that operated from 1888 to 1893 on the
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
and
Arrow Lakes in
British Columbia,
Canada. She is sometimes referred to as ''Despatch'', though sources from the time period during which she operated usually utilized ''Dispatch''.
[Turner, Robert D. (1998). ''Sternwheelers and Steam Tugs''. Winlaw, British Columbia: Sono Nis Press.] ''Dispatch'' was the first ship to be built for regular steamboat service on the lower Columbia and the beginning of a long line of steamships that opened the area for development.
Construction
In 1888, regular steamship service commenced on the lower Columbia after entrepreneurs J. Frederick Hume, William Cowan, and Robert Sanderson formed the Columbia Transportation Company. The first ship, ''Dispatch'', was built at
Revelstoke, British Columbia. She was an unattractive, a twin-hulled, asymmetrical catamaran vessel with a boxy wood cabin and a wheelhouse on top.
Nonetheless, she was functional, if not comfortable, and enabled early settlers to develop the region.
Early years
''Dispatch'' was launched on August 9, 1888 under Captain Sanderson, journeying from Revelstoke to Sproat's Landing in two days. It soon became apparent that her design limited her speed and hauling capacity. As well, her owners had lacked the funds to freight on her second engine, so during her first runs, the crew and passengers had to climb onto the paddle wheel and help turn it when the single engine stopped at the end of a stroke and was unable to rotate the wheel. Passengers were also expected to gather wood for fuel. Soon after,
SS ''Marion'' entered service, but the two ships could only provide primitive service.
In July, 1889,
George Mercer Dawson from the
Geological Survey of Canada, a geologist responsible for early surveys of areas of western Canada, traveled up the Columbia River in ''Dispatch''.
[Zeller, Suzanne. "George Mercer Dawson." The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.d. The Canadian Encyclopedia. 1 Oct. 2008. Web. 13 July 2015.] He described the service in his diary as “primitive steamboating” and wrote that the accommodations consisted of “dirty bunks, a stove with pantry, a chinaman
ook and stewardand a table.” Also present on deck were cordwood for fuel, sacks of ore, and one chair aft of the wheelhouse for a passenger wishing to be outside.
Late Years
Mining in the West
Kootenays
The Kootenays or Kootenay ( ) is a region of southeastern British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Kutenai First Nations people.
Boundaries
The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay ...
produced busy traffic and it was apparent that ''Dispatch'' and ''Marion'' were not sufficient. Although ''Dispatch'' had many flaws, she proved the necessity of steamship service and justified investments for later ships, such as
''Lytton'' and ''Columbia'', built in 1889 and 1891, respectively. This allowed the ships to provide two rounds trips a week between Revelstoke and Little Dalles, freeing up
''Kootenai'' and ''Dispatch'' for freight and extra business. In addition, ''Dispatch'' was useful for pulling snags and emergencies.
By 1892, a replacement for ''Dispatch'' was required. As the major investment during her construction had been the boiler and engines, scrapping the hulls and cabin was not a big loss. Her two by engines were put into her replacement,
SS ''Illecillewaet''. ''Dispatch'' was dismantled in 1893.
Footnote: Dispatch was a paddlesteamer, and should be termed PS, not SS. In North America, a paddlesteamer was presumed to be sternwheel unless specified as sidewheel; the reverse distinction applied elsewhere in the world.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dispatch
Steamboats of the Arrow Lakes
West Kootenay
Ships built in British Columbia