Antelope was a steamboat that was operated on the Coquille River and on Coos Bay on the southern Oregon coast from 1886 to about 1908. Antelope was a versatile boat, which served in various roles, including passenger transport, barge towing, and as a fisheries tender.
Construction Antelope was built in 1886 at Marshfield, Oregon.U.S. Treasury Dept., Statistics Bureau, Annual List of Merchant Vessels (for year ending June 30, 1893), at page 274. The builder was either Capt. Olaf Reed (b.1827).Dodge, Orvil, Pioneer History of Coos and Curry Counties (Biographical appendix), page 77. or his brother, Capt. Hans R. Reed (b.1840)."Captain Reed's Narrative", Out West Monthly, Vol. 25 (1895), at pages 295-296.
In 1893, Antelope was registered as being 60.3 feet long, with a beam of 11.2 feet, and a depth of hold of 4.6 feet. The vessel measured out at 29.21 gross tons and 19.65 net tons. The registry number was 106440. As of the period 1891–1892, Antelope was fitted with a steam engine with a 10-inch cylinder bore diameter and a 12-inch stroke.
Operation on the Coquille River It was 23 miles from Bandon to Coquille City.Coast Mail, July 24, 1890, page 2, col. 6. In July 1890, Antelope made two round trips a day on this route. During the year 1890–1891, Antelope was reported to have been "irregularly employed" on the Coquille River.Report of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, page 3,153
Jetty construction on Coos Bay William E. Baines of Marshfield had a contract to supply stone to the Corps of Engineers for the construction of the north jetty at the Coos Bay Bar.Report of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, page 2,676. The quarry for the stone was on the north fork of the Coos River, about 23 miles from the works. From August 24, 1891, to April 5, 1892, Baines used steamers to push scows loaded with stone from the quarry to the works. At first Baines used the steamer Express, but when that vessel burned, he brought in Antelope to do the work. Baines delivered 100 scow loads of rock from the quarry, with a total weight of 23,923 tons.
On September 20, 1895, it was reported that the steamer Antelope had changed hands, and was going to be withdrawn from the fish trade and placed into competition with the Dispatch on the run to Coquille."News of Earlier Days", Bandon Recorder, September 21, 1915, page 2, col. 4.
In 1895, Antelope was owned and operated by engineer C.E. Lockwood (b.1858) of Bandon, Oregon.Wright, E.W., ed., Lewis & Dryden Marine History of the Northwest, page 253. H.W. Dunham (b.1845), and his nephew Capt. Robert J. Dunham.
Sinking during repair Repairs of small vessels like Antelope were commonly done on the beach. For example, in July 1901, Capt. George Leneve beached Antelope to repair its propeller, which had lost one or two blades."All Around the County", Coast Mail, July 27, 1901, page 2, col. 3. However, there were risks associated with this method. On June 2, 1899, Antelope listed over and sank during the night while on the beach for repairs.U.S. Life-Saving Service, Annual Report of the United States Life-Saving Service 1898-1899, at page 184. The steamer lay with the stern towards the beach, and at high tide only the wheelhouse and part of the after cabin were clear of the water. Using a surf boatThe crew of Coquille River life-saving station boarded the stranded vessel and ran two wire cables under the bow, then ran the cables out to the windlass of the schooner Parkersburgh. After working all day they were able to raise Antelope enough so that the bulwarks were awash. During the following night, one of the cables parted, and the next morning new lines had to be run, from a different schooner and from a tug. The salvors eventually succeeded that morning in raising the Antelope, and pumping it out. The steamer was reported not to have been damaged by the swamping.
Stranded on tide flats On October 29, 1904, at 8:00 pm during a strong gale from the northwest, Antelope was blown ashore on the tide flats two miles south of the Coquille River life-saving station.United States Life-Saving Service, Annual Report for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1905 Government Printing Office, Washington, DC (1906), at page 104. Antelope sounded the whistle calling for assistance. The life-saving crew launched the surf boat, and took all eight passengers off from Antelope. The next morning Antelope was able to float free without further aid.
Passenger service In the fall of 1903, it was anticipated that Antelope, once fishing season ended, would be put on the Bandon–Coquille City run.Weekly Coast Mail (reprinting items from the Bandon Recorder), October 24, 1903, page 6, col. 3. Counting Antelope, this would make a total of five steamers running daily from Bandon to Coquille, the others being Dispatch, Favorite, Reta and Liberty.
On January 28, 1905, Antelope was scheduled to carry passengers free of charge from Bandon to a ball at Riverton (admission price $1 each).Bandon Recorder, January 26, 1905, page 1, col. 2. On May 20, 1905, Antelope similarly was scheduled to provide free transport from Bandon to a dance at Parkersburgh, Oregon.Bandon Recorder, May 18, 1905, page 1, col. 1.
In October 1906, Antelope was in service again as a fishing tender, under the command of Capt. Orsan R. "Ott" Willard."Some Salmon", Daily Capital Journal, October 23, 1906, page 7, col. 3. (reprinting story from the Bandon Recorder). On Saturday, October 21, 1906, 7000 salmon were caught and delivered to the salmon cannery in Bandon, Oregon, and nearly as many were delivered to the cannery at Prosper. On Sunday, October 22, a photograph was taken of Ott Willard, his crew and their "floating palace", the Antelope, with two scows loaded with salmon lashed alongside, as they came to the dock in Bandon.
Disposition The final disposition of Antelope is unclear. It is possible that the vessel was dismantled in 1908, as it was reported in that year that Antelopes boiler was sold to Charles James and others to be installed in a new shingle mill that was to be built at a place called Two Mile, downriver from Bandon, Oregon.Daily Coos Bay Times, November 24, 1908, page 4, col.2.
See also Steamboats of the Coquille River Coos Bay Mosquito Fleet
Notes
References Historic Oregon Newspapers Newell, Gordon R. ed., H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, Superior Publishing, Seattle WA (1966)