Elk (steam tug)
Encyclopedia
Elk was a steam tug that operated on Puget Sound
, and earlier, from 1880 to 1896, on Lake Washington
under the name of Katherine.
, and launched under the name Katherine. Katherine was 44 ft (13.41 m) long, 44 ft (13.41 m) on the beam, and rated at 14.25 registered tons. Katherine operated on Lake Washington
, and by 1895, was owned by Capt J.C. O'Connor, who had been born in New York in 1846. O'Connor had been involved with steamboats on Lake Washington since 1874, when he had worked on the steamer Chehalis
In 1896, Capt. O.G. Olsen (d. 1924) bought the steamboat Katherine. Olsen was a native of Norway who came to Pacific Coast in 1883. Olsen rebuilt Katherine as a tug and took the vessel to Puget Sound to operate out of Tacoma as a tug under the name of Elk, the first vessel of what became the Olsen Tug Boat Company.
. Elk was not a total loss, and the vessel was able to be removed to the King and Winge shipyard
in West Seattle where repairs were made.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, and earlier, from 1880 to 1896, on Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
under the name of Katherine.
Career
Elk was originally constructed at Houghton, WashingtonHoughton, Washington
Houghton is one of the lakeside neighborhoods of the city of Kirkland, Washington. Consisting mostly of upscale, single-family homes, Houghton overlooks Lake Washington and is one of the wealthier districts of the Eastside suburbs of Seattle. The village was named for Willard Houghton, a local...
, and launched under the name Katherine. Katherine was 44 ft (13.41 m) long, 44 ft (13.41 m) on the beam, and rated at 14.25 registered tons. Katherine operated on Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
, and by 1895, was owned by Capt J.C. O'Connor, who had been born in New York in 1846. O'Connor had been involved with steamboats on Lake Washington since 1874, when he had worked on the steamer Chehalis
Chehalis (steamboat 1867)
Chehalis was a sternwheel steamboat that ran on the Chehalis River, Puget Sound, and Lake Washington from 1867 to 1882. This vessel should not be confused with other steam vessels named Chehalis.- Career:...
In 1896, Capt. O.G. Olsen (d. 1924) bought the steamboat Katherine. Olsen was a native of Norway who came to Pacific Coast in 1883. Olsen rebuilt Katherine as a tug and took the vessel to Puget Sound to operate out of Tacoma as a tug under the name of Elk, the first vessel of what became the Olsen Tug Boat Company.
Stranding
In 1909, while operating under the Seattle concern of Crosbie Towing Co., Elk was towing a barge loaded with telephone cable intended for the Kitsap County Telephone Company, Elk went aground near Restoration Point. As a result the vessel suffered extensive damage, including breaking the tail shaft, rudder shaft and keelKeel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
. Elk was not a total loss, and the vessel was able to be removed to the King and Winge shipyard
King and Winge Shipbuilding Company
The King and Winge Shipbuilding Company was an important maritime concern in the early 1900s on Puget Sound. The shipyard was located at West Seattle. The owners were Thomas J. King and Albert M Winge. King was born in Boston and learned to build ships under the famous Donald McKay. He came to...
in West Seattle where repairs were made.