The Upper Willamette Transportation Line was a line of four inland steamboats that operated from the fall of 1859 to the summer of 1860 on the upper
Willamette River
The Willamette River ( ) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward b ...
in the
state of Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, United States.
Operations
As of November 1, 1859, businessman Theodore Wygant (1831-1905) was the agent in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
for the steamers
''Elk'',
''Onward'',
''Surprise'', and
''Relief''.
Wygant formed these steamers into the Upper Willamette Transportation Company, and starting November 19, 1859, advertised, stage of water permitting, steamers of the line would depart for
Corvallis twice a week, and, for
Eugene City, once a week.
[ This arrangement was advertised until June 30, 1860.
In 1860, the steamers of the line were competing against two powerful companies on the Willamette River, the ]Oregon Steam Navigation Company
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company (O.S.N.) was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen. It was incorporated in Washington because of a lack of corporate laws in ...
and the People's Transportation Company
The People's Transportation Company operated steamboats on the Willamette River and its tributaries, the Yamhill and Tualatin rivers, in the State of Oregon from 1862 to 1871. For a brief time this company operated steamers on the Columbia Rive ...
.
Steamers of the line
All vessels of the line were wooden-hulled sternwheelers, built in the 1850s at Canemah, Oregon
Canemah was an early settlement in the U.S. state of Oregon located near the Willamette River. Canemah was annexed to Oregon City in 1928.
Location
The district of Canemah is located on the east side of the Willamette River. At that time, Oregon ...
.
* ''Elk'', built 1857, destroyed by boiler explosion at Davidson’s Landing, near present day Dundee, Oregon
Dundee is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2010 census.
History
The first post office in the area was Ekins, established in 1881. Dundee is named in honor of the birthplace of William Reid, Dundee ...
, on November 17, 1860.
* ''Onward'', built 1858 for Archibald "Archie" Jamieson (d.1861), later came under control of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company (O.S.N.) was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen. It was incorporated in Washington because of a lack of corporate laws in ...
, then transferred to the People's Transportation Company
The People's Transportation Company operated steamboats on the Willamette River and its tributaries, the Yamhill and Tualatin rivers, in the State of Oregon from 1862 to 1871. For a brief time this company operated steamers on the Columbia Rive ...
in 1864, dismantled 1865 at Canemah.[ Engines to '']Fannie Patton
''Fanny Patton'' was a stern-wheel driven steamboat that operated on the Willamette River, in Oregon, starting in August 1865. This steamer operated from 1865 to 1880 for various owners, and was a considered a profitable vessel. The steamer was n ...
''. (Not to be confused with later ''Onward'' built 1867.)
* ''Relief'', built 1858 at Oregon City for Cassidy & Co. Dismantled 1865 at Canemah.[
* ''Surprise'', built 1857, laid up 1864.][
]
Notes
References
Books
*
*
*
*
Newspaper collections
*
{{Willamette River Steamboats
Steamboats of the Willamette River
Defunct transportation companies of the United States
Transport companies established in 1859
Transport companies disestablished in 1860
1859 establishments in Oregon
1860 disestablishments in Oregon
Defunct companies based in Oregon
American companies established in 1859
American companies disestablished in 1860
Transportation companies based in Oregon