Suquamish (motor vessel)
Encyclopedia
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Suquamish, built in 1914, was the first diesel-engined passenger vessel in the United States. Much later Suquamish was converted to a commercial fishing vessel and was registered as a Canadian vessel under the name Terry.
, which in turn was named after the Suquamish tribe, whose most famous member was Chief Seattle
. Suquamish was also known as “Hyak
's pup”, after a much larger steamboat of the Kitsap County Navigation Company.
Suquamish was of all wooden construction, 84.5 feet (25.8 m) long, 14.9 feet (4.5 m) beam, 7 feet (2.1 m) depth of hold, a 5 feet (1.5 m) draft, 75 gross tons and 51 registered tons. Suquamish cost $24,704 to construct.
The vessel carried 180 passengers. In 1922 Suquamish was reported as requiring a crew of five. As built, propulsion was provided by a 180-horsepower Nelseco four-cycle, six-cylinder, vertical single-acting diesel engine, built by the New London Ship & Engine Building Company, of Groton, Connecticut
. The engine ran at 350 revolutions per minute, giving the vessel a speed of 14 miles per hour. The cost for fuel and lubricating oil averaged only 24 cents per hour. Suquamish carried a supply of fuel oil for two weeks, although there was space for a month's supply. Only one man was required for handling the engine, although on account of the fact that the vessel was in operation from 6 am to 8 pm., two engineers were required to stand alternate watches.
. The vessel was christened by Blanche Thompson, a great-great-granddaughter of Chief Seattle.
(“KCTC”), which operated the vessel between Pier 3, Seattle (now Pier 54) and Poulsbo, Washington
, making three round trips a day, with 14 landings on each trip. These 42 daily landings tested the endurance of the boat, as the clutch and reverse gears were constantly in use at these landings and the vessel was worked many times under the strain of a spring line tied to the wharves. In 1915, it was reported that Suquamish was satisfactory and economical as compared with the steam-driven KCTC vessels.
The vessel was re-engined in 1922 with 125 horsepower Gulowen-Grei diesel. In 1923, KCTC had Suquamish on the Fletcher-Bay-Brownsville-Manzanita route
.
In 1930, the Puget Sound Navigation Company
(“PSN”), the dominant passenger and ferry concern on Puget Sound, secured a mail contract for the San Juan Islands
. PSN put the steamers Monticello
and Mohawk on the route, but there wasn't enough business to sustain two steamers of their size, and so PSN secured the use of Suquamish from KCTC. Suquamish was placed on a route running from Bellingham
to San Juan Island
, where it made a connection with Mohawk. Suquamish was also used on holiday excursions. The mail contract expired in December 1930, and Suquamish was returned to KCTC.
Suquamish was out of service and idle from about 1931 to 1938. In 1935, PSN acquired KCTC and the entire KCTC fleet, including Suquamish. PSN sold Suquamish to the Lake Washington Shipyard
, which in turn, in late 1938, sold Suquamish to R.G. Gibson. Suquamish was re-powered and used as a charter vessel. After some ownership changes, Suquamish ended up working as a commercial fishing vessel in Canada under the name Terry.
At one point a surplus submarine diesel engine was installed in Suquamish.
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Suquamish, built in 1914, was the first diesel-engined passenger vessel in the United States. Much later Suquamish was converted to a commercial fishing vessel and was registered as a Canadian vessel under the name Terry.
Nomenclature
Suquamish was named after the town of SuquamishSuquamish
The Suquamish are a Lushootseed-speaking Native American Tribe, located in present-day Washington in the United States.The Suquamish are a southern Coast Salish people; they spoke a dialect of Lushootseed, which belongs to the Salishan language family. Like many Northwest Coast natives, the...
, which in turn was named after the Suquamish tribe, whose most famous member was Chief Seattle
Chief Seattle
Chief Seattle , was a Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, also known as Sealth, Seathle, Seathl, or See-ahth. A prominent figure among his people, he pursued a path of accommodation to white settlers, forming a personal relationship with David Swinson "Doc" Maynard. Seattle, Washington was named after him...
. Suquamish was also known as “Hyak
Hyak (steamboat 1909)
Hyak was a wooden-hulled steamship that operated on Puget Sound from 1909 to 1941. This vessel should not be confused with the sternwheeler Hyak which ran on the extreme upper reach of the Columbia River at about the same time...
's pup”, after a much larger steamboat of the Kitsap County Navigation Company.
Design and construction
Suquamish was designed by Lee and Brinton and built at the John Wilson shipyard in Seattle.Suquamish was of all wooden construction, 84.5 feet (25.8 m) long, 14.9 feet (4.5 m) beam, 7 feet (2.1 m) depth of hold, a 5 feet (1.5 m) draft, 75 gross tons and 51 registered tons. Suquamish cost $24,704 to construct.
The vessel carried 180 passengers. In 1922 Suquamish was reported as requiring a crew of five. As built, propulsion was provided by a 180-horsepower Nelseco four-cycle, six-cylinder, vertical single-acting diesel engine, built by the New London Ship & Engine Building Company, of Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
. The engine ran at 350 revolutions per minute, giving the vessel a speed of 14 miles per hour. The cost for fuel and lubricating oil averaged only 24 cents per hour. Suquamish carried a supply of fuel oil for two weeks, although there was space for a month's supply. Only one man was required for handling the engine, although on account of the fact that the vessel was in operation from 6 am to 8 pm., two engineers were required to stand alternate watches.
Ceremonial launching
Aware of the significance of the name, Warren L. Gazzam (1864-1861), president of the Kitsap County Transportation Company invited members of the Suquamish nation as well as pioneer settlers to the launching on April 28, 1914, which included an address in Chinook JargonChinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...
. The vessel was christened by Blanche Thompson, a great-great-granddaughter of Chief Seattle.
Career
Suquamish was built for and originally owned by the Kitsap County Transportation CompanyKitsap County Transportation Company
The Kitsap County Transportation Company was an important steamboat and ferry company that operated on Puget Sound. The company was originally founded in 1898 as the Hansen Transportation Company.-Hansen Transportation:...
(“KCTC”), which operated the vessel between Pier 3, Seattle (now Pier 54) and Poulsbo, Washington
Poulsbo, Washington
Poulsbo is a city on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is the fourth largest city in Kitsap County and one of the main suburbs of Seattle in the Kitsap area. The population was 9,200 at the 2010 census....
, making three round trips a day, with 14 landings on each trip. These 42 daily landings tested the endurance of the boat, as the clutch and reverse gears were constantly in use at these landings and the vessel was worked many times under the strain of a spring line tied to the wharves. In 1915, it was reported that Suquamish was satisfactory and economical as compared with the steam-driven KCTC vessels.
The vessel was re-engined in 1922 with 125 horsepower Gulowen-Grei diesel. In 1923, KCTC had Suquamish on the Fletcher-Bay-Brownsville-Manzanita route
Fletcher-Bay-Brownsville-Manzanita route
The Fletcher-Bay-Brownsville-Manzanita. was a shipping route that originated from Seattle, Washington. The route included stops at Fletcher Bay, Brownsville and at Manzanita....
.
In 1930, the Puget Sound Navigation Company
Puget Sound Navigation Company
The Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...
(“PSN”), the dominant passenger and ferry concern on Puget Sound, secured a mail contract for the San Juan Islands
San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the US mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S...
. PSN put the steamers Monticello
Monticello 2 (steamboat)
The steamboat Monticello operated in the early 1900s as part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet. The vessel went through several reconstructions and remained in service until 1962, when she was lost in Alaska waters. Her later names were Penaco and Sea Venture...
and Mohawk on the route, but there wasn't enough business to sustain two steamers of their size, and so PSN secured the use of Suquamish from KCTC. Suquamish was placed on a route running from Bellingham
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
to San Juan Island
San Juan Island
San Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km² and a population of 6,822 as of the 2000 census....
, where it made a connection with Mohawk. Suquamish was also used on holiday excursions. The mail contract expired in December 1930, and Suquamish was returned to KCTC.
Suquamish was out of service and idle from about 1931 to 1938. In 1935, PSN acquired KCTC and the entire KCTC fleet, including Suquamish. PSN sold Suquamish to the Lake Washington Shipyard
Lake Washington Shipyard
Lake Washington Shipyards was a shipyard in Houghton, Washington on the shore of Lake Washington. Today the shipyards are the site of the lakeside Carillon Point business park...
, which in turn, in late 1938, sold Suquamish to R.G. Gibson. Suquamish was re-powered and used as a charter vessel. After some ownership changes, Suquamish ended up working as a commercial fishing vessel in Canada under the name Terry.
At one point a surplus submarine diesel engine was installed in Suquamish.