USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Hallowell > Historic Hallowell > Part 10
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The first steamboat to arrive in the Kennebec from other parts was the Tom Thumb in 1819. She was an open boat, 28 feet long, with an exposed engine, and paddlewheels. Highly ridiculed up and down the Ken- nebec at first she turned out to be very successful on the Bath-Hallowell route.
In 1823 the steamer Waterville was built to run be- tween Hallowell and Bath to connect with the Patent which was on the Bath-Boston run.
For Hallowell residents the steamboat business started out in earnest in 1836 when a company was formed to run a steamer from Gardiner to Boston. Their first steamer was the New England. A vessel of 307 tons and 173 feet long, she was sunk in a collision with the schooner Curlew off Boon Island on May 31, 1838.
At this time the steamer MacDonough, 300 tons and 146 feet long, ran between Hallowell and Port- land. In 1838 she was replaced by the steamer Clifton.
After the New England was sunk the steamer Huntress was put on the route but in 1839 her terminus was moved from Gardiner to Hallowell. The Huntress, classed as one of the fastest sidewheelers of her time, measured 333 tons, 172 feet long and 231/2 feet beam. Built in New York in 1838, she was brand new when she came on the Kennebec run.
Opposition to the local company sprang up when Commodore Vanderbilt, sensing that there was money to be made on the Kennebec put a steamer called the Augusta in the Hallowell-Boston route. The Augusta, a new vessel recently built in New York, proved inade- quate against the Huntress. So Vanderbilt had another steamer built bearing his name. The C. Vanderbilt was a sidewheeler 175 feel long and 24 feet beam.
The Huntress quickly challenged the Vanderbilt to a race between Boston and Gardiner. The Huntress won, arriving in Gardiner about one mile ahead of her rival. Convinced that he could not beat the Huntress, Vanderbilt bought her from the local company. After threatening to run the Huntress in opposition to the local company, he sold her back to the original own- ers for a tidy profit of $10,000. He then left the Ken- nebec scene never to return.
On July 2, 1847, the Huntress became famous when she made a special trip from Portland to Hallowell carrying President James K. Polk and his Secretary of State James Buchanan, later President himself, on a state visit. President Polk and his party were taken from Hallowell to Augusta by carriage after a visit to the state capital and the Oaklands at Gardiner. He boarded the Huntress at Gardiner and was taken back to Portland.
The Huntress was succeeded on the Hallowell-Boston route in 1840 by the J. W. Richmond, the largest and ablest boat of her time on the Maine coast. She was on this run until Sept. 30, 1843, when she burned at her dock in Hallowell. The Richmond was followed by the Penobscot, Kennebec II, Ocean and Governor on this route.
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" JORK W. RICHMOND.
SS JOHN W. RICHMOND
Built 1838. 210 feet long, 28 feet breadth, 10 feet deep, 320 tons. On the Hallowell-Boston run 1839-1843. Docked at the steamboat wharf south of Shepherd's Pt.
-
SS PENOBSCOT I and KENNEBEC II
Penobscot built 1843. Placed on Hallowell-Boston route after JOHN W. RICHMOND was destroyed by fire. On this run until 1845. Measured 196 feet long, 26 feet breadth, 101/2 feet deep; 494 tons. KENNEBEC II built 1845 placed immediately on Hallowell-Boston Route. On this run until 1849. Measured 212 feet long, 261/2 feet breadth, 101/2 feet deep; 480 tons.
OCEAN.
SS OCEAN
Built 1849. Measured 223 feet long, 28 feet breadth, 11 feet deep; 658 tons. On the Hallowell-Boston route from 1849 until 1854. Rammed and sunk while leaving Boston Harbor by the Cunard Steamship CANADA on November 24, 1854.
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After the railroad reached Portsmouth in 1841, a steamer called the New York Beach made regular runs between Hallowell and that port. When the railroad reached Portland about a year later, the steamer Tele- graph was put on the Hallowell-Portland route.
Between 1843 and 1850 Kennebec Valley residents enjoyed low passenger fares between Hallowell and Boston due to the cut throat competition between steamboat lines who were trying to keep the railroad
Boston & Lowoll :
FARE REDUCED!
$1.00 to BOSTON -- $1.73 to LOWELL.
The New, Sofe and Fast Sarling
STEAMER
OCIAN,
CAPT. E. H. SANFORD.
* 1
TTNTIL. further notice, will leave Steamboat IF'hary Hallowell, every
Wa
MONDAY AND THURSDAY,
CS.
For Boston, at half-past two, Gardiner at three, and Bath at siv o'clock. P. M.
This
RET. RMINO-Leaves Foster's Wharf, Boston, every
Tuesday and Friday Evenings.
IF.
Thr Orran i- n arw bont, built expressly for this
ciny in
f. My
comusadations will render her a great favorite with the
Proo
21, even
travchug public, and the proprietors hope to bave e share of the business the coming sesentt.
tion in
Ir of a
Stages will be in readiness of the arrival of the Geenn
in Hattuwell, tu carry passengers to Winthrop, Rond-
held!, Wilton, Livermore, Farmington, Dixiteld, Cuaton, Showlegal, Nurfolgewock, Waterville, Nr.
pocket-
Thr simmer PL.iYTON will nio be in tradiness In
'is that tahe fright and passruger- to and from Waterville on
anthro- 1
S. f .-- This Bout will take un Lire Cofres, Matches.
*crows'
A. II. HOWARD, AGENT.
33
of her
one fourth of wine per cent , if required by applying to
The xtavr. without charge for Poltry.
keep Boason
Arrangement.
out of the passenger business. This competition and rate cutting started when a New York company put a steamer called the Splendid on the route in opposition to the regular line. At one time passengers were actually paid twenty-five cents to make the trip.
In 1850 the steamer T. F. Secor was placed on the Hallowell-Bath route connecting with the Kennebec and Portland R. R. at Bath. When the railroad reached Richmond she plied between Hallowell and that place. An ad in the Hallowell Gazette of July 12, 1856 shows this vessel making three trips a week from Hallowell to Portland.
24 T
SS T. F. SECOR
Built 1846, 130 feet long, 210 tons. Ran out of Hallowell to Richmond, Bath and Portland. Sold to U. S. Government in 1863 for Civil War Service.
In 1857 the Kennebec and Boston Steamboat Com- pany was formed by a group of Gardiner and Hallowell men. Their first steamer was the Eastern Queen, run- ning between Hallowell and Boston. This company had a monopoly of the river traffic until 1865 when an opposition line, formed at Bath, put a steamer called the Daniel Webster on the route. The local company countered with a new palatial steamer called the Star of the East, costing $180,000 to build. The local com- pany ran the Eastern Queen and the Star of the East
SS STAR OF THE EAST at her dock in Richmond
SS "STAR OF THE EAST" .- Built 1866 in the shipyard of John Englis and Son, Brooklyn, N. Y. to run between Boston and Hallowell. A top flight performer of her day, she was 1413 tons and driven by a 700 H.P. engine. Her measure- ments were 244 ft. long, 35 ft. beam, and 12.8 ft. deep. Owned by the newly formed Kennebec Steamboat Co. From 1870 'til 1889 the "STAR OF THE EAST" was the only Boston Boat on the Kennebec route and made two trips weekly. Re- built and modernized in 1889 and renamed SAGADAHOC. Under this name saw considerable service between Boston and Gardiner.
Purchased by N. Y. steamboat interests in later years and ran out of New York City on Long Island Sound as the GREENPORT. Wound up her days on the Hudson River run- ning between New York and Troy.
in opposition to the Bath company's Daniel Webster and Eastern City. This started the fare cutting again until the price of a ticket to Boston had dropped as low as twenty-five cents. This was too much for the Bath company and at the end of 1866 they sold their boats and closed their doors. The Kennebec company once more had the river to themselves.
The Della Collins appeared on the Hallowell scene in 1879, having replaced the Clarion which connected Hallowell with the Boston boat at Gardiner.
The day& ný ativní mal sailing.
Irı
Powder, or other estra hon ird-m- freight this season.
, when Hallowell, Ang . 1- 23.
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Taugen
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of Ber
10 size
94
The DELLA COLLINS at Eastern Steamship Company Wharf foot of Winthrop Street
In 1902 the Eastern S.S. Co. bought out the Ken- nebec Company who had controlled the passenger traf- fic on the Kennebec River for over 50 years.
The Della Collins was replaced by the new steamer City of Augusta in 1905. This vessel met the Boston boats at Gardiner. When the tide was too low for the Boston boat to get to Gardiner, the City of Augusta ran to Bath to transfer her freight and passengers.
SS "DELLA COLLINS"
Built in East Boston in 1879 to replace the Clarion which connected Hallowell and Augusta with the Bos- ton boat at Gardiner. Started her Kennebec run in May of the same year.
Measured 106 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. Said to float anywhere there happened to be a heavy dew. Her Captain, Ira Lewis of Five Islands, once said, "To turn her around with a breeze of wind blowing it took the whole width of the river and part of the adjacent pasture."
She was equipped with three rudders and an old fashioned horizontal engine built by Warren Robbins of Gardiner. The big hind wheel that pushed her was 36 ft. in circumference. She was named for the daugh- ter of Capt. Jason Collins who was well known as the skipper of the Star of the East.
Often the target for good natured fun, she was never held in very high esteem by Kennebec Valley residents. She was often referred to as a "wheelbarrow steamer." The old Della never inspired love in the hearts of the men who had to sail her either. She required expert handling. Enlarging upon the remarks that she was just "naturally ornery," one of her Captains said, "She was afraid of the cars."
In her last years she ran between Bath and Augusta stopping at Richmond, Gardiner, Randolph and Hallo- well. Retired in 1905 following the Eastern S.S. Co. decision to build a new steamer. She was dismantled in 1906.
SS CITY OF AUGUSTA passing Cedar Grove bound up river, 1906
Between 1903-1926 the Augusta, Gardiner and Boothbay Steamboat Co. ran four steamers on a regu- lar schedule between Augusta and Boothbay. They were the Islander I, Gardiner, Islander II and The Virginia. The Islander I, Gardiner and Islander II used the Eastern S.S. Co. wharf in Hallowell. The Islander II and Virginia docked at Wingate's wharf during the last few years of their service. The Virginia was the last regular passenger steamer to sail from Hallowell.
...... 2
"ISLANDER II backing away from the Eastern S. S. Co. wharf at Boothbay Harbor." - Considered by conservative steamboat men to be the fastest thing on the river, the ISLANDER was launched at East Boothbay on April 18, 1908. Built for the Augusta, Gardiner, and Boothbay Steamboat Co. to replace the steamer GARDINER. She measured 85 tons, 80.9 ft. long, 19.6 ft. wide, 6.8 ft. deep and carried 340 passengers.
A description of the new boat given out at the time of her launching says that "the cabin furnishings are modern and elegant. The ladies' cabin will have a heavy Wilton Carpet and on the main cabin floor will be placed a linoleum. The upper deck will have accommodations for 14 settees."
An article from the Bath Times of Sept. 29, 1908 states that the ISLANDER steamed a distance of 14,300 miles and car- ried more than 20,000 passengers.
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GARDINEN
"Steamer GARDINER leaving her dock at Gardiner bound up river to Hallowell and Augusta." -- This vessel replaced the first ISLANDER on the Augusta-Hallowell-Boothbay route in the early nineties and was on the run until replaced by the ISLANDER II. Built in 1893 at Bath she measured 38 tons, 65 ft. long, 14.3 ft. wide, 5 ft. depth and carried a crew of four.
SS "CITY OF AUGUSTA"
Built 1906 in East Boston to replace the Della Collins. First appeared in Kennebec waters on April 19, 1906 for service on the Bath-Hallowell-Augusta route of the Eastern SS Co. Her duty was to meet the SS Ransom B. Fuller on her arrival at Bath from Bos- ton taking passengers and freight from the large vessel and transporting them to the up river cities.
She was 330 tons, 150 ft. long, 31.3 ft. beam, 6.5 ft. deep and carried a crew of twelve.
Before she had been on the Kennebec 48 hours the verdict was laid down that she was "somebody's bad mistake." She had all the bad habits of the Della Collins and some of her own, plus the fact that she wasn't much for looks.
Having only one rudder and a 2" keel she steered badly and was unmanageable when she had headway with the engines stopped. The rudder might as well have been on deck for all the effect it had on her heading.
On her first trip to Hallowell Capt. Lewis had his hands full getting into the dock there. He spent 45 minutes trying to get the bow headed up into the freshet. He was way down off Wingate's Wharf be- fore he finally got rounded to. After this experience he told the owners to get a new master.
If this wasn't enough, the fourth day on the river, she piled up on Winslow's Ledges, a few minutes out
Announcement of New Service Augusta, Gardiner and Boothbay Steamboat Co.
A UGUSTA, Gardiner and Boothhay Steamboat Company announces new and additional service for the season of 1922, with two newly conditioned, staunch and speedy steamers, the "Islander" and "Virginia."
From April 10 until May 18 a steamer will leave Boothbay Harbor at 7 o'clock A. M. daily (except Sunday) for Bath, returning from Bath at 2.45 P. M.
On and after May 20 a steamer will leave Augusta at 7.05 A. M. daily (Sunday included) for Boothbay Harbor and the Islands, returning from Boothhay Harhor at 1.30 P. M.
On and after June 15, in addition to the steamer running daily from Augusta a steamer will leave Boothbay Harbor daily (except Sunday) for Bath, at 7 A. M., making two return trips between Bath and Boothbay Harbor and the Islands, arrivals and departures at and from Bath to be later definitely arranged in con- nection with train arrivals and departures of Maine Central Railroad Company at Bath.
The company occupies the City Landing at Bath, accessible to the business sec- tion of the city and the nearest landing to the Railroad Station.
On the Kennebec River, our steamers land at Augusta, Hallowell, Gardiner, Cedar Grove, Richmond and Bath and our service includes Boothhay Harbor, Ocean Point, Squirrel Island, Capitol Island, Southport and Isle of Springs.
At Augusta, we connect with trains of the Maine Central Railroad Company and electric cars running to Waterville, Lewiston, Winthrop and Togus. At Bath, he- sides our connection with trains of the Maine Central Railroad Company, our steamers connect with electric cars running to New Meadows Inn and Brunswick and with steamers for Five Islands and the landings along the route of the Pop- ham Beach Steamboat Company.
We shall he glad at all times to answer any inquiries concerning our service and give any desired information at hand concerning the locality which we serve.
For information, apply to
WALTER M. SANBORN, Treasurer and Manager, Augusta, Maine.
of Bath, after refusing to respond to the rudder. The following day she was towed to Boston where she had a second rudder installed forward of the wheel and her keel was raised up to 8". This greatly improved her handling. In addition, the freight deck was raised up 18" and pilothouse rebuilt.
She came back to the river to make a fresh start. A better handling boat, she went on to establish a fine record. She left Portland in 1917 for new owners in Jacksonville, Florida, as a ferry, then to Savannah as an excursion steamer, and ended up as a floating night club.
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STEAMER "LIZZIE M. SNOW" approaching Hallowell - This friendly old steamer made Hallowell a regular stop on her run between Augusta and Bath. From 1905 to 1910, she made this run in the spring before the ISLANDER started her regular summer schedule and in the fall after the ISLANDER went into winter quarters. Although small, she was serviceable because she could make landings alongside many of the vessels that were strung out all along the river between Bath and Augusta. Built in 1889 at Brewer, she measured 17 tons, 35.7 ft. long, 9.9 ft. wide, 3.9 ft. deep and carried a crew of two.
Seen along the Hallowell waterfront at the same time as the steamers was another type of vessel, the two and three masted schooner. Inbound they brought coal to Hallowell. Outbound, they carried granite, lumber or ice. Among the schooners sailing in and out of Hallowell, during this period, the Abenaki, Emma S. Briggs, Henrietta Simmons and Mary E. Olys were a few of the most prominent.
P
View of the Hallowell waterfront in the old days
The Hallowell Granite Company shipped a tre- mendous amount of granite in schooners and barges. At one time they owned their own fleet of schooners. The old wharf of the Hallowell Granite Co. is plainly visible today at the foot of Temple St. It is now used by the city for a parking lot. The outer edge of the wharf is in fairly good shape and some of the round granite bollards are still there.
Schooner JEREMIAH SMITH Moored at Hallowell - Owned by the Hallowell Granite Co. Built in 1888 at New London, Conn. Measures 143.9 feet long, 35 feet wide, and 10.3 feet deep.
In the early 1900's the schooner finally gave way to the barge as the freight rates on bulk cargoes steadily dropped. The tug and barge could offer more eco- nomical transportation than the schooner as the up- keep of a barge was much less and it took less man- power.
Coal was brought to Hallowell in barges from the ports of Philadelphia, Norfolk, and Perth Amboy, N. J. as late as Nov. 27, 1941. This last load of coal was brought to F. S. Wingate by the barge Robert H. Mc- Cracken of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal Co.
Tug SEGUIN beached and sunk above Richmond Bridge after hitting bridge June 18, 1940
K
Tug SEGUIN passing through draw of Richmond-Dresden Bridge
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Barge BAST anchored north of Richmond Bridge. She was bound for Hallowell being towed by the tug SEGUIN when the tug collided with the bridge and sunk.
The McCracken was towed by the Seguin. With the departure of this barge, another segment of Hallowell's maritime trade disappeared from the waterfront.
This news clipping from the Bath Daily Times of June 29, 1909 tells of one of the many loads of coal shipped to Hallowell by water:
"The large 3 masted steel barge BUFFALO from Perth Amboy, N.J. has made her second trip to the Kennebec. This time she brought 1321 tons of coal now being discharged at the F. S. Wingate sheds. This said to be the largest cargo of coal taken to Hallowell. The vessel drew 12 feet, 11 inches."
Plans were laid in 1959 by the Pocahontas Coal Co. of West Virginia to ship soft coal to Hallowell by water and from there truck it to industries in the valley. On June 18, 1959 the barge Blanche Sheridan towed by
Barge BLANCHE SHERIDAN bound through the Richmond Bridge after unsuccessful attempt to reach Hallowell.
the tug Mary D. of Boston, arrived at the mouth of the Kennebec from Providence, R. I. loaded with 1400 tons of coal bound for Wingate's wharf in Hallowell. Due to a strong freshet it was decided to tie the barge up at Gardiner. Hopes of reaching Hallowell were dashed when the freshet did not reside. After a two day wait at Gardiner, the barge was shifted to South Gardiner and discharged there.
Thus the dream of a revival of the shipping of coal to Hallowell by water faded away.
On October 1, 1920, Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. opened a bulk oil plant on Oil Cloth Point in Hallo- well. The tanker Rockland Socony was the first to ar- rive at this plant. Due to a pipeline opening between Portland and this plant the final load shipped by water arrived on Dec. 20, 1948, delivered by the tanker Poughkeepsie Socony.
"SEGUIN"
A craft richly associated with Hallowell Maritime history having towed schooners and barges in and out of Hallowell for many years. One of the few craft that has plied Maine Waters for over three-quarters cen- tury. May well be the oldest steam tug in the country still in service.
Built, repaired, and operated by Maine men since launched in Bath 1884. Measurements are 88.1 ft. long, 19.8 ft. wide, 9.5 ft. deep. She is 96 tons and carries a crew of six. Her hull was rebuilt at Booth- bay in 1942, her present engine was rebuilt by the Portland Co. over 50 years ago, and a new boiler was installed at Bath in 1946.
Served under three house flags: the Knickerbocker Towage Co., Kennebec Towage Co., and the Bath Iron Works, before being bought by the Eastern Maine Tow- ing Co. in 1949.
Out of all the years of operation on the Kennebec the Seguin suffered only one accident. On June 18, 1940, she struck a submerged pier in the east draw of the Richmond-Dresden Bridge. At the time she was bound for Hallowell with a loaded coal barge. The tug was holed on the starboard side of the hull and beached on the Dresden shore before she could sink completely. A diver patched up the hole. She was then pumped out and towed to Portland for repairs.
For many years this was the only tug on the Kenne- bec. Today she steams out of Belfast and works fre- quently docking ships and towing barges. It is said by her Captain and crew, past and present, "she can't be worn out."
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M/V "NEW YORK SOCONY" - Frequently seen on the Hallowell waterfront in the nineteen thirties and early forties the "NEW YORK SOCONY" measured 263 feet long, 45.6 feet beam and 15.6 feet deep. She made her last trip to Hallowell in November 1942.
The NEW YORK SOCONY, although versatile, was de- signed and built for the more rugged coastwise service. On March 23, 1943 she was requisitioned by and sold to the War Shipping Administration for World War II duty with the Navy. As the USS CONASAGUA she was in the armada of combatant vessels which invaded Normandy in June 1944. I.ater in December 1944 she was allocated to the Free French under the Lend Lease program, and served in the Medi- terranean until the war's end. -Arthur R. Moore
Hallowell became the location of another bulk oil plant when the Colonial Beacon Oil Co., later Esso Standard Oil, built tanks on the land known as the Muster Field. This plant opened for business in 1938. The tanker New York Socony delivered the first ship- ment soon after. From a peak of seventy tankers re- ceived in 1952, this plant now receives about a dozen tankers a year.
Frank Hassen and dog "Zukie" approaching Hallowell Ferry Landing
This last remaining ferry on the Kennebec went out of business in 1960 with the death of its owner Frank Hassen of Chelsea. This ferry had run between Hallo- well and Chelsea since the Bridge went out in the
freshet of 1871. It landed at an open float located at the site of the old Eastern Steamship Co. wharf at the foot of Winthrop St. It was an oar-propelled, open skiff squared at both ends and held six passengers.
Mr. Hassen had operated this ferry since 1931 when he took it over from Lewis Burbank. He received a daily wage from Chelsea and Hallowell, plus the ten cent fare from each passenger.
If the ferry was not at the landing, the ringing of a loud bell located in each ferry house would bring the ferry across the river.
To the people who lived on the Point in Chelsea, this ferry was the most convenient link with the Hallowell Business district. Mr. Hassen and his ferry will long be remembered by Chelsea students attending Hallowell High School and Chelsea people attending Hallowell churches.
Thus, the few remaining oil tankers are all that is left of the maritime business of a city that once was wholly dependent upon the river for its existence.
HORSE STOLEN
1
=
1
Niles Livery Stable
Driven from Stable of L. W. NILES & CO., (4,731 Association,) FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1892, AND NOW SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN STOLEN.
One Sorrel Horse, blocky build, 17 or 18 years old, two spavins; weight 800; wbite spot on weathers in malu, heavy foretop, scar on back from Indy's side saddle; Banner Spring wagon, Moyer make, paluted black, needed varnish; fron on top of shaft In the bend, one side of seat been crashed. Harness silver trimmed, side check, open bridle. Supposed thief about 30 years old, medium height and weight, light complexion.
Any information, telegraph at once, at our expense to
E. W. MADDOX, CITT MARSHAL, OF L. W. NILES & CO., Hallowell, Me.
Hallowell, Maine, July 25th, 1892.
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THE HALLOWELL BRIDGE
OLLOWING the financial panic of 1857, the citi- F zens of Hallowell were anxious that the town return to its previous prosperity; and one of the ideas to in- crease business was that Hallowell should have a bridge. Togus was being developed as a resort area with the building of a grand hotel where people could come and enjoy the waters of its spring. People coming by train could then find direct transportation as it would be the shortest route by team and would also aid in the resi- dential development of Chelsea.
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