Skeena (sternwheeler)

Skeena (sternwheeler)

The Skeena sternwheeler was one of five sternwheelers built for the use on the Skeena River by Foley, Welch and Stewart for construction work on the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway from 1909 until 1911. She was built at Robertson's yard in Coal Harbour, Vancouver, in 1908. The other four were the "Conveyor", the "Operator", the "Distributor" and the "Omineca". Three of these, the "Conveyor", the "Operator" and the "Distributor" were built at Victoria, British Columbia in 1908 by Alexander Watson Jr. [cite book|last=West|first=Willis|title=The BX and the Rush to Fort George|year=1949|publisher=British Columbia Historical Quarterly|pages-185]

keena River

The "Skeena" began her work on the Skeena River in 1909 under the command of Captain Magar. [cite book |last=Bennett |first=Norma |title=Pioneer Legacy: Chronicles of the Lower Skeena River|year=1997|publisher=Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation|isbn=0-9683026-0-2|pages= page 135] She and the other four Foley, Welch and Stewart sternwheelers had their work cut out for them. The construction of the railway from Prince Rupert to Hazelton was one of the most difficult sections of track that would ever be laid in North America. This 186 mile stretch would take nearly four years to build and would employ thousands of workers. The "Skeena" was unique in that she was used primarily for delivering food supplies to the work camps along the river. In fact, she carried so much of meatpacker Pat Burns products that she was often mistakenly called his boat. [cite book |last=Downs |first=Art |title=Paddlewheels on the Frontier Volume 1|year=1971|publisher=Foremost Publishing|isbn=0888260334|pages= page 72]

Fraser River

In 1914, Captain Charles Seymour purchased the "Skeena" and took her down to the Fraser River. For eleven years the devotion of her skipper-owner kept her plying the river past Surrey, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Langley and Mission. But when Captain Seymour died in 1925 she lost her only advocate and was sold and converted to a floating barge for an oil company. Her departure ended the historic era of sternwheelers on the lower Fraser River. [cite book |last=Downs |first=Art |title=Paddlewheels on the Frontier Volume 1|year=1971|publisher=Foremost Publishing|isbn=0888260334|pages= page 44]

ee also

* Steamboats of the Skeena River
* List of ships in British Columbia

References

*cite book
last=Downs
first=Art
title=Paddlewheels on the Frontier Volume 1
year=1971
publisher=Foremost Publishing
isbn=0888260334

*cite book
last=Bennett
first=Norma
title=Pioneer Legacy: Chronicles of the Lower Skeena River
year=1997
publisher=Dr. REM Lee Hospital Foundation
isbn=0-9683026-0-2

*>cite book
last=West
first=Willis
title=The BX and the Rush to Fort George
year=1949
publisher=British Columbia Historical Quarterly

Notes


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