Sarah Dixon (sternwheeler)
Encyclopedia
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Sarah Dixon was a wooden sternwheel-driven steamboat operated by the Shaver Transportation Company
on the Columbia
and lower Willamette
rivers from 1892 to 1926. Originally Sarah Dixon was built as a mixed use passenger and freight vessel, and was considered a prestige vessel for the time. Later, in 1906, Sarah Dixon was converted to become primarily a towing vessel. Sarah Dixon sustained a serious explosion in 1912, which killed the captain and the first mate. The steamboat was reconstructed, and served until 1926 when it was destroyed by fire while hauled out on a shipway for an additional reconstruction.
by for the Shaver Transportation Company
. As built, the dimensions of the vessel were 145 feet (44.2 m) long, 26 feet (7.9 m) beam, 6.5 feet (2 m) depth of hold, 369 gross and 278 registered tons. The hull was built by Johnson & Olson. The cabins were built by Capt. Charles Bureau. The vessel cost about $35,000 to construct. The steamboat was named after the wife of George Washington Shaver, the founder of the business which eventually became Shaver Transportation.
The sternwheel was driven by twin high-pressure single-cylinder steam engines
manufactured by Iowa Iron Works
of Dubuque, Iowa
. The cylinder of each engine had a bore of 14 inches (355.6 mm) diameter and stroke of 84 inches (2,133.6 mm). The boiler was built by James Monk, a Portland boilermaker. The official steamboat registry number of the vessel as built was 116470. The vessel was equipped with electric lighting, and steam-powered steering gear and hoisting machinery. The passenger accommodations were considered to be superior. Overall, Sarah Dixon when it was built was considered to be one of the more prestigious vessels to operate on the Columbia river system.
. In 1894 this route was extended to Astoria, Oregon
. George M. Shaver (b.1865) was placed in command, with Henry Pape as chief engineer. On November 9, 1894, Sarah Dixon, under Capt. George M. Shaver, collided with the Lurline
under Capt. James T. Gray, in a thick fog near Kalama, Washington
. Damage to both vessels was minor, $50 worth to Lurline and $150 to Sarah Dixon. Even so, following a hearing on December 10, both captains, who were prominent steamboat men, were found to be at fault for violating the navigation rules, and their licenses were suspended for seven days.
In November 1896, Sarah Dixon was the first sternwheeler to pass through the newly completed Cascade Locks at the opening ceremony for the works. The Regulator, owned by the Dalles, Portland, and Astoria Navigation Company (DP&ANC) was also present at the opening of the locks, and the two vessels raced to The Dalles, with Sarah Dixon coming in one-half hour ahead of Regulator. In addition to the two Shaver brothers who were on board as co-captains, another highly experienced steamboat man, Capt. Fred H. Sherman (1858-1954), who from 1901 to 1913 was to command the famous sternwheeler Bailey Gatzert
, was serving as pilot (second in command). DP&ANC later offered Shaver Transportation, and Shaver accepted, a subsidy of $250 per month to refrain from competing with DP&ANC on the run to The Dalles. Shaver Transportation returned Sarah Dixon to the Portland-Clatskanie route.
In the 1890s, Sarah Dixon was one of the fastest steamboats on the Columbia river. Several times Sarah Dixon was able to beat T.J. Potter, a fast steamer, on the Portland-Astoria run. The Potters owners, Oregon Railway and Navigation Company (OR&N), struck an anti-competitive deal with Shaver Transportation, whereby the Shaver boats, including the Sarah Dixon, would stay off the Portland-Astoria route in return for a monthly subsidy from OR&N.
In 1909, Sarah Dixon and the Regulator were immobilized for six weeks in the lock chamber in the Cascades Locks when the Columbia River froze.
, about 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream from the present town of Hood River, Oregon
. The steamer was proceeding east up the river toward The Dalles. The sailboat was proceeding west, down the river. The wind was blowing from the west, at about 25 miles per hour up the river, and so the sailboat had to tack back and forth across the river to make progress against the wind. After the collision, the sailboat sank, and one man on board drowned. In a contested court case, the finding was that the captain of the Sarah Dixon was not at fault, because the sailing vessel had turned unexpectedly, causing an unavoidable collision with the steamer.
, to get help and medical treatment. Although initially the vessel appeared to be a total loss, the company later determined it could be rebuilt into a towing vessel.
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Sarah Dixon was a wooden sternwheel-driven steamboat operated by the Shaver Transportation Company
Shaver Transportation Company
The Shaver Transportation Company is an inland water freight transportation company based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The company was founded in 1880, and played a major role in the development of freight transport in the Portland area and along the Columbia., Harry L...
on the Columbia
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
and lower Willamette
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...
rivers from 1892 to 1926. Originally Sarah Dixon was built as a mixed use passenger and freight vessel, and was considered a prestige vessel for the time. Later, in 1906, Sarah Dixon was converted to become primarily a towing vessel. Sarah Dixon sustained a serious explosion in 1912, which killed the captain and the first mate. The steamboat was reconstructed, and served until 1926 when it was destroyed by fire while hauled out on a shipway for an additional reconstruction.
Design and construction
Sarah Dixon was built in 1892 at Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
by for the Shaver Transportation Company
Shaver Transportation Company
The Shaver Transportation Company is an inland water freight transportation company based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The company was founded in 1880, and played a major role in the development of freight transport in the Portland area and along the Columbia., Harry L...
. As built, the dimensions of the vessel were 145 feet (44.2 m) long, 26 feet (7.9 m) beam, 6.5 feet (2 m) depth of hold, 369 gross and 278 registered tons. The hull was built by Johnson & Olson. The cabins were built by Capt. Charles Bureau. The vessel cost about $35,000 to construct. The steamboat was named after the wife of George Washington Shaver, the founder of the business which eventually became Shaver Transportation.
The sternwheel was driven by twin high-pressure single-cylinder steam engines
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
manufactured by Iowa Iron Works
Iowa Iron Works
The Iowa Iron Works, re-named the Dubuque Boat and Boiler Works in 1904, was a manufacturing company established in Dubuque, Iowa in 1883.-Notable Boats :The Sprague built in 1901, was the world's largest steam powered sternwheeler towboat...
of Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. The cylinder of each engine had a bore of 14 inches (355.6 mm) diameter and stroke of 84 inches (2,133.6 mm). The boiler was built by James Monk, a Portland boilermaker. The official steamboat registry number of the vessel as built was 116470. The vessel was equipped with electric lighting, and steam-powered steering gear and hoisting machinery. The passenger accommodations were considered to be superior. Overall, Sarah Dixon when it was built was considered to be one of the more prestigious vessels to operate on the Columbia river system.
Operations
Following construction, Sarah Dixon was placed on a route running from down the Willamette and Columbia rivers to Clatskanie, OregonClatskanie, Oregon
Clatskanie is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the Clatskanie River, which empties into the Columbia River within the city limits. The population was 1,528 at the 2000 census. The 2007 estimate is 1,710 residents.-History:...
. In 1894 this route was extended to Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. George M. Shaver (b.1865) was placed in command, with Henry Pape as chief engineer. On November 9, 1894, Sarah Dixon, under Capt. George M. Shaver, collided with the Lurline
Lurline (sternwheeler 1878)
Lurline was a steamboat that served from 1878 to 1930 on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. Lurline was a classic example of the Columbia river type of steamboat.-Construction:...
under Capt. James T. Gray, in a thick fog near Kalama, Washington
Kalama, Washington
Kalama is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is part of the 'Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 2,344 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. Damage to both vessels was minor, $50 worth to Lurline and $150 to Sarah Dixon. Even so, following a hearing on December 10, both captains, who were prominent steamboat men, were found to be at fault for violating the navigation rules, and their licenses were suspended for seven days.
In November 1896, Sarah Dixon was the first sternwheeler to pass through the newly completed Cascade Locks at the opening ceremony for the works. The Regulator, owned by the Dalles, Portland, and Astoria Navigation Company (DP&ANC) was also present at the opening of the locks, and the two vessels raced to The Dalles, with Sarah Dixon coming in one-half hour ahead of Regulator. In addition to the two Shaver brothers who were on board as co-captains, another highly experienced steamboat man, Capt. Fred H. Sherman (1858-1954), who from 1901 to 1913 was to command the famous sternwheeler Bailey Gatzert
Bailey Gatzert (sternwheeler)
The Bailey Gatzert was a famous sternwheel steamboat that ran on the Columbia River and Puget Sound from the 1890s to the 1920s. She was named after Bailey Gatzert, an early businessman and mayor of Seattle...
, was serving as pilot (second in command). DP&ANC later offered Shaver Transportation, and Shaver accepted, a subsidy of $250 per month to refrain from competing with DP&ANC on the run to The Dalles. Shaver Transportation returned Sarah Dixon to the Portland-Clatskanie route.
In the 1890s, Sarah Dixon was one of the fastest steamboats on the Columbia river. Several times Sarah Dixon was able to beat T.J. Potter, a fast steamer, on the Portland-Astoria run. The Potters owners, Oregon Railway and Navigation Company (OR&N), struck an anti-competitive deal with Shaver Transportation, whereby the Shaver boats, including the Sarah Dixon, would stay off the Portland-Astoria route in return for a monthly subsidy from OR&N.
In 1909, Sarah Dixon and the Regulator were immobilized for six weeks in the lock chamber in the Cascades Locks when the Columbia River froze.
1898 collision
On August 14, 1898, Sarah Dixon collided with a 26 feet (7.9 m) sailing fishing boat, which resulted in the death of one man from the smaller boat. The collision occurred on the Columbia River near Eighteen Mile IslandEighteenmile Island
Eighteenmile Island is a 9.89 acre island on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at river mile 174 in Wasco County, Oregon, United States. It is about a half mile downstream of Mosier, Oregon and four miles upstream of Hood River...
, about 4 miles (6.4 km) upstream from the present town of Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
. The steamer was proceeding east up the river toward The Dalles. The sailboat was proceeding west, down the river. The wind was blowing from the west, at about 25 miles per hour up the river, and so the sailboat had to tack back and forth across the river to make progress against the wind. After the collision, the sailboat sank, and one man on board drowned. In a contested court case, the finding was that the captain of the Sarah Dixon was not at fault, because the sailing vessel had turned unexpectedly, causing an unavoidable collision with the steamer.
1906 reconstruction
In 1906, Sarah Dixon was reconstructed. The dimensions of the rebuilt vessel were 161 feet (49.1 m) long, 29.5 feet (9 m) beam, 7.2 feet (2.2 m) depth of hold, 368 gross tons, and 334 registered tons. The new registry number was 203009.1912 explosion
At midnight on January 18, 1912, a boiler explosion occurred on Sarah Dixon as the vessel was on its regular Portland-Astoria route. Three of the 12 persons on board were killed in the blast. They were Captain Fred Stinson, first mate Arthur Monical, and fireman Silas Knowles. The nine survivors, some of whom were injured, rowed four miles (6 km) downriver to Kalama, WashingtonKalama, Washington
Kalama is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is part of the 'Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 2,344 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, to get help and medical treatment. Although initially the vessel appeared to be a total loss, the company later determined it could be rebuilt into a towing vessel.
Disposition
The disposition of Sarah Dixon is reported differently in the sources. One source, which includes a photograph of a fire-damaged vessel, reports Sarah Dixon to have burned at Portland in 1926 while on the ways undergoing reconstruction. Another source reports that Sarah Dixon remained in towing service until 1930 or 1933. At that time, the engines were removed and the vessel was converted into a floating machine shop at the Shaver company docks. The steamboat is also reported to have been abandoned in 1930.External links
- Photographs from the collections of the Public Library of Salem, Oregon:
- Maria, Dalles City, Harvest Queen and Sarah Dixon waiting to lock through on the opening day of Cascades Locks, November 8, 1896 (accessed 07-13-11)
- Sarah Dixon, Cascades and Henderson at north Portland, Oregon (accessed 07-13-11). In this image, Sarah Dixon appears to be unpowered (no funnel) and allows the photo to be dated to sometime between 1926 and 1930 or 1933.