The steamboatElfin operated on Lake Washington and Puget Sound from 1891 to 1900. The vessel served as an important transportation link in the area when roads and railways were poor or non-existent, and there were no bridges across the lake.
Elfin was built at Pontiac, on the north side of Sand Point, on Lake Washington in 1891. The vessel was 54.5 feet (16.61 m)[1] ( or 60 feet (18.29 m))[2]) long, with a beam of 13.5 feet (4.11 m). Power was provided by a two-cylinder compound steam engine. The builder was Edward.F. Lee. The first owner was Capt. Frank Curtis, whose prior vessel, the Squak, had been sunk in a storm during Christmas, 1890.[2] The vessel was launched in April 1891. Other steamers on the lake, Kirkland, and Mary Kraft brought spectators to the launching.[2]
Operationsedit
Elfin, following 1896 reconstruction, at Kirkland dock.
Elfin first carried passengers on July 4, 1891.[2] Frank Curtis was in charge, with his sons Al and Walter as mate and deckhand. Irving Leake was the engineer.[2]Elfin made six round trips per day, starting at 7:10 a.m from Yarrow Bay (then called Northup’s Landing), to Kirkland then Houghton, and then west across the lake to the foot of Seattle’s Madison street. Fares were 10 cents each way. In the first two years, the most passengers transported in a single day were 180. Average monthly passengers in the first half of 1892 were 1,070 a month.[2]
In 1896 the vessel' s capacity was expanded, and the pilot house was moved to the boat deck.[1]
Destruction and partial salvageedit
Early in the morning on December 2, 1900, while moored at a dock, Elfin was destroyed in a fire. The machinery was salvaged, to be installed in a new vessel, Peerless.[1]
Notesedit
^ abcdNewell, Gordon R., ed., H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, at 4, Superior Publishing Co., Seattle, WA 1966
^ abcdefghiLange, Greg, Lee Shipyard, first business on Sand Point (Lake Washington), opens about 1886, HistoryLink.org Essay 2306, March 15, 2000
External linksedit
Ely, Arlene, Our Foundering Fathers: The Story of Kirkland, Kirkland Public Library, 1975
April 12, 2024
elfin, steamboat, steamboat, elfin, operated, lake, washington, puget, sound, from, 1891, 1900, vessel, served, important, transportation, link, area, when, roads, railways, were, poor, existent, there, were, bridges, across, lake, elfin, before, 1896, reconst. The steamboat Elfin operated on Lake Washington and Puget Sound from 1891 to 1900 The vessel served as an important transportation link in the area when roads and railways were poor or non existent and there were no bridges across the lake Elfin before 1896 reconstructionHistoryNameElfinOwnerFrank CurtisRouteLake WashingtonBuilderEdward F LeeIn service1891Out of service1901FateBurned engines salvaged installed in Peerless General characteristicsTypeinland steamboatLength54 5 ft 16 61 m 1 or 60 ft 18 29 m 2 Installed powercompound steam engine cylinder bores 6 inches 15 2 cm and 12 inches 30 5 cm stroke 10 inches 25 4 cm PropulsionpropellerSpeed12 miles per hour 2 Capacity35 passengers 2 5 tons freight 2 Crew4 captain mate deckhand engineer NotesRebuilt in 1896 to increase capacity Contents 1 Construction and launching 2 Operations 3 Destruction and partial salvage 4 Notes 5 External linksConstruction and launching editElfin was built at Pontiac on the north side of Sand Point on Lake Washington in 1891 The vessel was 54 5 feet 16 61 m 1 or 60 feet 18 29 m 2 long with a beam of 13 5 feet 4 11 m Power was provided by a two cylinder compound steam engine The builder was Edward F Lee The first owner was Capt Frank Curtis whose prior vessel the Squak had been sunk in a storm during Christmas 1890 2 The vessel was launched in April 1891 Other steamers on the lake Kirkland and Mary Kraft brought spectators to the launching 2 Operations edit nbsp Elfin following 1896 reconstruction at Kirkland dock Elfin first carried passengers on July 4 1891 2 Frank Curtis was in charge with his sons Al and Walter as mate and deckhand Irving Leake was the engineer 2 Elfin made six round trips per day starting at 7 10 a m from Yarrow Bay then called Northup s Landing to Kirkland then Houghton and then west across the lake to the foot of Seattle s Madison street Fares were 10 cents each way In the first two years the most passengers transported in a single day were 180 Average monthly passengers in the first half of 1892 were 1 070 a month 2 In 1896 the vessel s capacity was expanded and the pilot house was moved to the boat deck 1 Destruction and partial salvage editEarly in the morning on December 2 1900 while moored at a dock Elfin was destroyed in a fire The machinery was salvaged to be installed in a new vessel Peerless 1 Notes edit a b c d Newell Gordon R ed H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest at 4 Superior Publishing Co Seattle WA 1966 a b c d e f g h i Lange Greg Lee Shipyard first business on Sand Point Lake Washington opens about 1886 HistoryLink org Essay 2306 March 15 2000External links editEly Arlene Our Foundering Fathers The Story of Kirkland Kirkland Public Library 1975 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elfin steamboat amp oldid 1096716755, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
