Iola (steamboat 1885)
Encyclopedia
Iola was a small steam vessel that operated on Puget Sound
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...

 from 1885 to 1915.

Career

Iola was built at Hammersley Inlet
Hammersley Inlet
Hammersley Inlet, in southwestern Puget Sound in the U.S. state of Washington, is an arm of water leading to Shelton, Washington and Oakland Bay. Hammersley Inlet is also known as Big Skookum.-Description:...

, then known as “Big Skookum”, in the extreme southern portion of Puget Sound. The vessel entered service in June 1885 under the command of her first owner, Capt. Edwin Miller. The vessel initially made weekly runs from Oakland, Washington (in northern Puget Sound) to Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...

 and Seattle, but within six months trip frequency had increase to twice a week. In June 1887, Miller hired John F. Vanderhoef to act as the vessel's master and agent. He rebuilt the cabins to accommodate both his wife and himself on a full time basis. By 1889 Vanderhoef had ceased service in north Puget Sound and was concentrating on Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...

 landings.

Overboard incident

A story is reported that as Iola was moving towards Seattle on the west side of Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...

, with Captain Vanderhoef in the pilot house. While shaking a tablecloth over the side, Mrs. Vanderhoef fell overboard. Her husband did not hear her call for help, because of the engine noise. He did not notice she was missing until he reached Seattle. He turned the vessel around to begin looking for her. He is reported to have said "I thought for sure the Devil had her." Mrs. Vanderhoef was kept afloat for a while by air trapped within her voluminous skirts. A man on the shore, Thomas Redding, heard Mrs. Vanderhoef call for help, and took out a boat and rescued her. Two years later Redding bought the Iola.
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