Northwest (sternwheeler)

During a flood in Portland in early February, 1890, Northwest and its crew salvaged two warehouses from floating down river first by attempting to remove their contents before the flood reached them and then, after the buildings had floated free into the current by chasing them as they drifted along.[6]

In January 1891, Northwest was running on the route from Portland to Salem, Oregon.[7] Northwest continued to operate on the Portland-Salem run at least through early April 1891, when plans were being made to transfer the steamer to a route on the Columbia.[8] Northwest and another steamer owned by the Kellogg company, the Toledo, were viewed as opposition boats on the Willamette river by one newspaper, and their withdrawal to run on the Lewis and Cowlitz rivers was seen as a blow to competition.[9]

On afternoon of Sunday October 11, 1891, when Northwest was in the Cowlitz River near Freeport, Washington, a deckhand Dan Boyd, while slightly intoxicated, threw another deckhand, Charles McLane, over the side and into the river.[10] This produced the death of Charles McLane.[10] There was reportedly no provocation for the crime.[10] Boyd was arrested and placed under the guard of Constable Medlock. While guarding Boyd, the constable accidentally dropped his revolver which discharged, shooting himself through the knee.[10]

By September 11, 1891, Northwest was running on a route from Kelso to Portland.[11] Northwest ran on the following schedule: Leave Kelso Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:00 a.m.; Leave Portland Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 6:00 a.m.[11] Northwest made connections with the Northern Pacific Railway line at Kelso, Castle Rock and Olequa for traffic bound southbound to Portland or northbound toward Puget Sound.[12]

Northwest ran on this schedule up to November 24, 1893.[13] Business then fell off on the river so that Northwest was making only one trip a week.[12]

In April 1896 Albert Otto “Al” Kruse was purser on the Northwest.[14]

In the spring of 1897 a mining boom caused business for the Northwest so much that the steamer could return to its schedule of three trips per week.[12] In April 1897, Northwest was making night trips between Portland and the Cowlitz river, departing Portland on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:00 p.m., and returning to Portland on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights.[15]

Northwest could not operate year-round on the Cowlitz river to Toledo due to low water, generally seasonal, on the river.[5] To address this issue, the Kellogg Transportation Company built the small very light draft sternwheeler Chester.[5] When Northwest could not run on the Cowlitz due to low water, passengers and cargo would be transferred to Chester.[5] Deckhands on Northwest would find themselves having day duty on Chester and night duty on Northwest.

In the summer of 1901, the mining district around Mount St. Helens, then described as a “former” volcano, was reported to have significant prospects.[16] The Morning Oregonian recommended taking either the Northwest or the Northern Pacific railroad to Castle Rock or Winlock, Washington, then proceeding overland by stage coach to Toledo, and from there up various roads and trails to the mining district.[16]

On July 18, 1902, H. Holman, agent for the Kellogg Transportation Company, advertised Northwest as running on the route from to Toledo, on the following schedule: Leave Portland from the wharf at the foot of Salmon street at 10:00 p.m. for Kalama, Carroll's Point, Rainier, Kelso, and Toledo, arriving at Toledo at 10:00 a.m. the following day.[17] Returning, Northwest departed Toledo on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at noon, arriving at Castle Rock at 5:30 p.m. in the afternoon, and arriving at Portland early in the morning.[17]

The larger steamer Joseph Kellogg also ran on the same route on alternating days, except Kellogg drew too much water to go further upriver than Kelso.[17]

Northwest remained on this schedule at least until September 1905[18]

On September 10, 1902, marine engineers on a number of vessels went on strike.[19] The total number of engineers in the union was about 140, and of these about 70 walked out on the first day of the strike.[19] The engineers left their vessels as the boats returned to Portland.[19]

Among the reasons for the strike was the rate of pay for engineers, who sought a 10 percent increase.[19] The highest wage then paid on the river for a chief engineer was $100 per month.[19] The engineers proposed that wages be set depending on the type of steamer, and dividing the steamers then operating into first, second and third classes.[19]

First class boats, such as the Bailey Gatzert would pay their chief engineers $110 under the proposal from the union.[19] Second class boats, which were more numerous than the first class, and which included Northwest, would pay chief engineers $100 per month and assistants $75 per month.[19]

Wages were to be in addition to accommodations on board while in service.[19] The engineers also wanted $5 per day for harbor or towing work lasting less than three days, with 12 hours constituting a day.[19] Boatyard service would be compensated at $3.50 per day, with 9 hours being a day.[19]

In April 1906 the schedule had been altered somewhat, with Northwest departing Portland on Monday and Thursday at 6:00 a.m. for Toledo, Castle Rock, and way points, and returning to Portland on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.[20] This route was being advertised as the “best and cheapest route to the St. Helens mining district.”[20] As with the 1902 schedule, the steamer Kellogg ran on alternate days, but no farther than Kelso.[20]

At about 1:30 a.m. on August 31, 1906, John L. Sinclair (1885-1906), a deckhand on Northwest, fell off the boat and into the Cowlitz river, where he drowned.[21][22] The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but Sinclair was reported to have been slightly under the influence of liquor.[21] Sinclair's parents lived in Oregon City.[21]

News of Sinclair's drowning was passed to Oregon City Police Chief Burns by long distance telephone call, and he gave the news to Sinclair's parents.[21] Following a search of the river, Sinclair's body was dragged up the afternoon of the day of the drowning, by Mrs. Alex Day, of Kelso.[23]

Early in the morning of February 7, 1907, Jack Neil, cook on Northwest, lost his footing while trying to board.[24] He stumbled and fell off the gangplank into the river.[24]

According to one report, another crewman jumped into the water and grabbed hold of Neil, but the cook could not be resuscitated.[24] The incident occurred while Northwest was moored at Portland.

However, conflicting stories later emerged as to whether Neil's fall into the river had been caused by a fight or altercation.[25] Nevertheless, Deputy Coroner Arthur L. Finley found that Neil's death had been accidental.[26]

The steamer arrived at Astoria, Oregon on the afternoon on April 9, 1907 with Capt. G.W. Adams in command, from Portland and Vancouver en route to Vancouver, British Columbia, and thereafter to the Skeena River.[31]

Originally the plan was to send Northwest north alone under its own power, but this was judged too risky, although several similar runs had been made by river boats unassisted or unattended by tugs.[32] Instead the decision was made to hire a tug to escort Northwest, but as of April 11, 1907, no tug had been available.[32]

While waiting, work was done to strengthen Northwest for the trip, including boarding up the bow, and stiffening the hull.[32] This work was supervised by Capt. A. Crowe, of Portland.[32][33] According to one report, this strengthening work was done at Vancouver, Washington.[34]

An escort tug was located by April 12, to proceed in company with Northwest.[33] Northwest would use its own power and the tug would only assist in an emergency.[33]

On April 15, 1907, at 1:35 p.m., Northwest and the tug Tatoosh departed Astoria for British Columbia.[35] Northwest arrived in Vancouver BC without incident 34 hours later.[34]

After arriving in Vancouver, Northwest was “thoroughly overhauled and made to comply with the Canadian regulations governing steamships.”[36] The steamer's boiler had been condemned, and had to be replaced, which delayed the boat's entry into service.[36]

According to the Daily Colonist:

As fitted up she is now complete with modern boilers of ample capacity and engines fitted for the development of the high power required on the Skeena river. She has all modern conveniences, electric lights, search lights, full passenger accommodation and a passenger capacity of 150, stateroom accommodation adequate to the needs on the river and a freight capacity of 150 tons.[36]

• Affleck, Edward L. (2000). A Century of Paddlewheelers in the Pacific Northwest, the Yukon, and Alaska. Vancouver, BC: Alexander Nicholls Press. ISBN 0-920034-08-X.
• Corning, Howard McKinley (1973). Willamette Landings -- Ghost Towns of the River (2nd ed.). Portland, OR: Oregon Historical Society. ISBN 0875950426.
• Kletsch, Albert Gustav (1953). "Steamboating in Its Heyday". Cowlitz Corridor — Historical River Highway of the Pacific Northwest. By McClelland, John M., Jr. Longview, WA: Longview Publishing Co. ASIN B00LR3W2A0.
• Mills, Randall V. (1947). Sternwheelers up Columbia -- A Century of Steamboating in the Oregon Country. Lincoln NE: University of Nebraska. ISBN 0-8032-5874-7. LCCN 77007161.
• Newell, Gordon R., ed. (1966). H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: Superior Pub. Co. LCCN 66025424.
• Timmen, Fritz (1973). Blow for the Landing -- A Hundred Years of Steam Navigation on the Waters of the West. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers. ISBN 0-87004-221-1. LCCN 73150815.
• Wright, Edgar W., ed. (1895). Lewis & Dryden's Marine History of the Pacific Northwest. Portland, OR: Lewis and Dryden Printing Co. LCCN 28001147.

• "Historic Oregon Newspapers". University of Oregon.
• "The Historical Oregonian (1861-1987)". Multnomah County Library.