Sue H. Elmore was a steamboat built for service on the coast of Oregon and southwest Washington. From 1900 to 1917, the vessel's principal route ran from Portland, Oregon down the Columbia River to Astoria, and then west across the Columbia Bar, then south along the Oregon coast to Tillamook Bay. Once at Tillamook Bay, Sue H. Elmore was one of the few vessels that could reach Tillamook City at the extreme southern edge of the mostly very shallow bay. After this Sue H. Elmore was sold, being operated briefly in Puget Sound under the name Bergen, and then for many years, out of San Diego, California as a tugboat under the name Cuyamaca. During World War II Cuyamaca was acquired by the U.S. Army which operated the vessel as ST-361. Afterwards the army sold ST-361 and the vessel returned to civilian ownership, again under the name Cuyamaca. In 1948 Cuyamaca sank in a harbor in Venezuela, but was raised and by the early 1950s, was owned by one A. W. Smith, of Pensacola, Florida. This vessel's former landing place in Tillamook, Oregon is now a municipal park named after the ship.
Design Sue H. Elmore was built for the Pacific Navigation Company, which was closely linked to the S. Elmore Canning Company, with the wealthy businessman Samuel Elmore (1847–1910) being president of both concerns. The steamer was named after Samuel Elmore's eldest daughter. This vessel was generally called Elmore.
The intended use for the vessel was to establish regular steamship service between Tillamook, on the coast of Oregon, and Portland. Up until that time the bad navigation conditions at the entrance, called a "bar", to Tillamook Bay, had made it not always possible to make regular trips. The new steamer, generally called Elmore in practice, was designed by Capt. Paul Schrader (born 1850), who was also a stockholder in the Pacific Navigation Company. Sue H. Elmore was also intended replace of the company's former steamer, R.T. Elmore, which had been sold and taken to Alaska.
Schrader had over 20 years experience on the Tillamook route, and incorporated this experience into the design of the vessel. The steamer was "especially designed for barred harbor and coasting trade." The Elmore was intended to carry a big load of freight on a light draft on the shallow waters of Tillamook Bay. Elmore was also equipped to carry passengers. It was also built for service along the Oregon coast to the salmon-packing plants of the S. Elmore Cannery Co.
Construction Construction was done at the shipyard of Joseph Supple in Portland, Oregon, where the keel for the new steamer was laid on May 15, 1900. Construction proceeded rapidly. The vessel was launched on Saturday, June 30, 1900, at 2:00 pm. Machinery still had to be installed. On July 9, 1900, the Elmore was towed downriver to the Willamette Iron Works for the boilers and machinery to be installed. There had been a delay in the construction at the Supple yard, which mean that the vessel could not be finished before August 1, 1900, at the earliest. Elmore was scheduled to make its trial trip on September 15, 1900, and Samuel Elmore came to Portland to be on board for the occasion.
Specifications
Dimensions According to a news report in 1900, Sue H. Elmore was 100 feet long, 21 foot beam, with a maximum draft, when fully loaded, of 8 feet. The steamer measured out at 232 gross tons and 131 net tons. Tonnage was a measure of carrying capacity and not of weight. The official figures for the vessel were somewhat different, giving a length of 90.7 feet, beam of 23.8, and depth of hold of 8.0 feet. When unloaded ("light") Sue H. Elmore drew 5.5 feet of water forward and 8.0 feet aft. When loaded, the vessel drew 8 feet forward and 10 feet aft.
Machinery The engine, built by Willamette Iron and Steel Works, was a fore and aft compound condensing type steam engine, with cylinder sizes of 10, 20 and 20 inches and a 20-inch stroke, generating 100 nominal horsepower and 300 indicated horsepower, could turn the propeller shaft at 125 revolutions per minute. The boiler installed in 1900 was larger than usual, and generated steam at 150 pounds of pressure. An electric lighting plant was installed. In 1919, if not before, the vessel was an oil-burner.
The ship had double steam winches mounted both fore and aft, cargo ports, and the latest freight handling machinery. Three life boats of a type then considered modern and improved were carried, as well as a life raft. The ship carried patent anchors, had an auxiliary schooner sailing rig, and was fitted with towing bits. Cruising speed downriver on the Columbia was said to have been easily maintained at 10 knots. The average speed however was stated in 1917 to be 9 knots.
In 1914 a new boiler was installed. The new boiler, made by Kingsford Foundry & Machine Works, was a Scotch marine type that was 8 feet long and 10.5 feet in diameter, generated steam at 160 pounds working pressure.
Accommodations and official designation The interior of the vessel, when new, was said to have been "arranged with excellent taste" and there were sufficient staterooms to accommodate 25 passengers. The official merchant registry number was 116997. The vessel's flag recognition signal letters were K.Q.H.W.
Placed in service On Friday afternoon, at 4:00 pm, September 21, 1900, Elmore arrived at Astoria from Portland, where the new steamer attracted attention. The steamer tied up at the wharf of the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company on the 22nd, and was scheduled to start regular freight and passenger service the following day, September 23, 1900, between Astoria and Tillamook. Captain Schrader (born 1850) (or Schroeder) was in command of the ship at that time. In one of its first runs from Tillamook, the Elmore arrived in Astoria on the morning of October 1, 1900, with 1100 cases of salmon, 500 boxes of butter and about 200 cases of cheese. Captain Schrader is reported to have said the vessel was performing well.
Operations on the Oregon coast
In May 1901, the Pacific Navigation Company, operating the steamers Sue H. Elmore and the W.H. Harrison, was the only shipping line running from Astoria to points on Tillamook Bay, including Tillamook City, Garibaldi, Bay City, Bay City. and Hobsonville. The line's steamers made rail connections at Astoria with the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company and the Astoria & Columbia River Railroad. Samuel Elmore & Co. were the general agents for Pacific Navigation Co.
On February 21, 1901, Elmore arrived at Astoria with 3037 cases of salmon from the cannery on the Siuslaw River. Elmore had had to wait for 10 days at the Siuslaw river for high tides to allow it to cross the Siuslaw bar.
In December 1907, the Pacific Navigation Company advertised itself as the only freight and passenger steamship line between Astoria and Tillamook, Nehalem, Nestucca, Siletz, Yaquina, Alsea, Siuslaw, and Umpqua, Oregon. Also running with Elmore under the line were the steamers Gerald C. and Evie.
Marine route to Tillamook Elmores designated route had been to reach Tillamook City, which was about 2.75 miles up a shallow winding waterway known as Hoquarten Slough, which had been dredged by the Corps of Engineers but only to a depth of 9 feet on mean high tide. During the year ending December 31, 1900, there were a total of 111 arrivals and departures by a total of 10 coasting vessels (sailing and steam) crossing the Tillamook Bar.
Only two steamers, Elmore and the slightly smaller W.H. Harrison (of which Capt. Schrader had once been master), and two sailing vessels, arrived at or departed from Tillamook City during the year. Of the 71 arrivals and departures from Tillamook City in 1900, W.H. Harrison accounted for 48, and Sue H. Elmore, being new on the route, accounted for only 8.
In 1902, there were a total of three vessels, all steamers which crossed the Tillamook bar and either arrived at or departed from Tillamook City. These steamers made a total of 198 arrivals and departures, divided among them as follows: Sue H. Elmore, 89, Geo. R. Vosburg, 99, and W.H. Harrison, 4.
In 1904, eight vessels crossed the Tillamook bar and proceeded to or departed from Tillamook City, including three steamers, Sue H. Elmore, W.H. Harrison, Geo. R. Vosburg, one gasoline-engined vessel, and four sailing vessels. There were a total of 127 arrivals and departures at Tillamook City during 1904, of which Elmore and Vosburg accounted for the vast majority, with 86 and 25 arrivals and departures respectively.
In 1906, the only regular shipping line running to Tillamook was the Pacific Navigation Company, owners of Sue B. Elmore. There were only five commercial shipping vessels which crossed the Tillamook bar in 1906, two of which were smaller, Robarts (24 net tons) and George R. Vosberg (65 net tons). Only three vessels larger than 100 net tons crossed the bar in 1906, the Elmore, Abbie (138 net tons), and Coquille River (265 net tons).
Cargos and passengers transported on Tillamook route
In 1900, shipments into the bay totaled 3,415 tons, comprising 2,415 tons of general merchandise, 600 tons of machinery and implements, and 400 tons of flour and feed. Shipments out of the bay in 1900 totaled 14,225 tons comprising 10,565 tons lumber (7,390,000 board feet) and 3,640 tons of dairy products, produce, fish, chittim bark, and hides. A total of 1,198 passengers arrived and departed the bay by sea during 1900.
In 1902, freight shipments were similar to those in 1900. Freight shipped into the bay during 1902 totaled 4,067 tons, and consisted of coal, fruit, grain, feed, and flour, hay, machinery, wool and woolen goods, and miscellaneous merchandise. Freight shipped out of the bay in 1902 totaled 20,826 tons: dairy products, eggs, fish, laths, lumber (the vast majority at 19,327 tons), vegetables and miscellaneous merchandise. There were a total of 1,702 passengers arriving and departing by sea during 1902.
In 1906, 13,637 tons of freight were shipped out of Tillamook Bay. About 90% of this freight originated from the city of Tillamook, and most of that was carried by Sue H. Elmore. This was a substantial decrease from the freight shipped in previous years.
Operations on the Washington coast On July 30, 1901, Elmore was scheduled to depart, apparently from Portland, with a barge-mounted pile driver in tow for the Quilayute River, in Clallam County, Washington, where M.J. Kinney, a Columbia river cannery owner, was enlarging his salmon packing plant. On January 7, 1903, Sue H. Elmore arrived at Aberdeen, Washington and began loading about 8,000 cases of canned salmon to be carried to Astoria.
In 1904, the Pacific Navigation Company provided steamship service, using Sue H. Elmore, W.H. Harrison, or "other first-class vessels", to Tillamook, Alsea, Nehalem, Siuslaw, Umpqua and other intermediate points on the Oregon coast. The company advertised its steamers as providing "unrivaled accommodations."
Groundings, collision, and other incidents In October 1903, when entering Tillamook Bay, Elmore struck ground on the bar several times, splintering the keel towards the stern of the vessel, losing the rudder stock, and causing the ship to leak around the stern. When Elmore returned to Astoria, the ship was beached for a partial inspection by the Lloyd's agent. This was not sufficient to determine the full extent of the damage, so the ship was ordered to proceed to Portland. The ship was fully insured. The underwriters were M.C. Harrison & Co. It was initially thought that the damage would cost about $3,000 to repair. The ship was taken to the Supple yard in Portland for extensive repairs. The work was scheduled to be completed by Monday, November 2, 1903, and consisted of a new keel, a new propeller, new planking, and a thorough painting.