Clyde Steamship Company was a
steamship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
transportation company connecting New York City to Florida as well as routes to Boston and Providence, Cuba, New Orleans, and various Keys.
William P. Clyde
William Pancoast Clyde (October 11, 1839 – November 18, 1923) was an American businessman who was the owner and president of the Clyde Steamship Company, a steamship and canal boat mercantile and passenger transportation business founded by h ...
organized the company in 1874 and acquired various ships including the steamboat ''Beverly'', ''Bristol'', ''Philadelphia'', ''Alliance'', ''A.C. Stimers'' (likely named for
Alban C. Stimers), ''May Flower'', ''Ann Eliza'' (perhaps named for
Ann Eliza Young) and the
canal boats
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
''City of Buffalo'' and ''Catherine Moan''.
In 1882 it had sailings along the west coast of Florida, to New Orleans, down to Key West and Havana.
By 1899, it had lines from New York to Wilmington, Brunswick, New York to Philadelphia, Philadelphia to Norfolk, New York to the
West Indies, from Boston, Providence, and New York to Jacksonville, Florida as well as a St. John River Line.
The steamships connected to rail lines in Florida.
wrote about his dealings with the company in his autobiography. He was trying to establish a steamship line to Haiti.
In 1902, the company advertised tri-weekly sailings from Jacksonville to New York with a stop in Charleston, South Carolina as well as its
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...
line with the ''City of Jacksonville'' and routes to Providence and Boston, also stopping in Charleston.
Captains with the line included Augustus Chelton and David Kemp.
In 1926 the S.S. ''City of Jacksonville'' served a Christmas dinner that included pickled peaches,
Indian relish, fruit fritters, macaroni au gratin, mince pie as well as turkey and cranberry sauce and desserts such as fruit cake and
demitasse.
History
The
Whitney family sold its
Metropolitan Steamship Company The Metropolitan Steamship Company was for 75 years one of the chief transportation links between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts. It was closely associated with the Whitney family until its acquisition by Charles W. Morse in 1906. Even af ...
business to
Charles W. Morse
Charles Wyman Morse (October 21, 1856 – January 12, 1933) was an American businessman and speculator who committed frauds and engaged in corrupt business practices. At one time he controlled 13 banks. Known as the "Ice King" early in his career ...
in 1906. He organized the Consolidated Steamship Company in January 1907 as a holding company for the
Eastern Steamship Company
Eastern Steamship Lines was a shipping company in the United States that operated from 1901 to 1955. It was created through successive mergers by Wall Street financier and speculator Charles W. Morse.Robert F. Bruner and Sean D. Carr, ''The Panic ...
, Metropolitan Steamship Company, Clyde Steamship Company and Mallory Steamship Company.
References
{{Authority control
Defunct shipping companies of the United States
Steamships