Telephone was a sternwheel-driven steamboat built in 1884 by Captain Uriah Bonsor "U.B." Scott for service on the Columbia River. Reputedly the fastest steamboat in the world in its time, Telephone served on the Columbia River and San Francisco Bay. Telephone was rebuilt at least twice. The first time was after a fire in 1887 which nearly destroyed the vessel. The reconstructed and much larger second vessel was sometimes referred to as Telephone No. 2. The third vessel, Telephone No. 3, built in 1903 and using components from the second steamer was larger but little used during its time on the Columbia river.
Plans and design Newspaper reports of the plans to construct the steamer which eventually was named Telephone appeared in July 1884. U.B. Scott and his partners intended to build the fast boat on the Columbia river which could make the 110 mile distance from Portland, Oregon to Astoria in five hours. The boat was expected to be complete by December 1, 1884. It was expected to cost $35,000.
Construction Telephone No. 1 was built in East Portland, Oregon for Captain Uriah Bonser Scott (1827–1913) and his partners. The contract for construction of the vessel was signed on July 18, 1884. Scott was a steamboat owner and captain on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers during, before and after the American Civil War who had come to Oregon in 1873.
The steamer was launched on October 30, 1884. The vessel’s trial trip occurred in February 1885.
Telephone No. 1 was 172 feet long measured over the hull, exclusive of the extension over the stern, called the "fantail" which mounted the sternwheel. Telephone had a width, called "beam", which measured across the hull, and exclusive of the long wide protective timbers along the sides of the hull, called the "guards", of 28 feet, with a depth of hold of 7.2 feet. The steamer drew 3.5 feet of water. The planned draft was 3.5 feet.
The total size of Telephone No. 1, measured in tons, a unit of volume and not weight, was 386.27 gross and 333.97 registered tons.
Engineering The machinery for Telephone No. 1 was built at Willamette Iron Works in Portland. The engines generated 500 indicated horsepower. The official steamboat identification number was 145400.
Power was furnished by two non-condensing steam engines, with a 22-inch cylinder bore and a stroke of 8 feet. The boiler was 32.5 feet long, 6.5 feet in diameter, containing 280 tubes, each 2.5 inches through, and 18 feet long. Total heating surface was reported to be 3,468 square feet. The purpose of having 280 tubes in the boilers was to raise steam rapidly.
The authorized steam pressure generated by the boilers was 140 pounds per square inch. With the stern-wheel turning at 38 revolutions per minute, the theoretical horsepower generated by both engines combined would be 1301. (According to one report, the stern-wheel made 14 revolutions per minute, with four paddles in the water, two completely and two partially.)
The boilers were wood fired, and when running fast, the consumption of wood was estimated to be approximately 3 cords per hour.
Telephone No. 1 was equipped with three lifeboats and 315 life preservers. The steamer was reported to have cost $15,000 to build, and was insured for $30,000.
In early 1886, Telephone No. 1s stern-wheel was fitted with new paddles, called "buckets". These buckets were twenty inches wide, and were four inches wide on the inside of the while, gradually curving and tapering to one and three-quarter inch thick on the outside of the sternwheel.
This bucket design was thought to improve the speed of the steamer, because less water would have to be lifted off the paddles after they rotated out of the water. Instead, before the bucket reached the level of the stern-wheel shaft, the water would have completely run off. Backing operations were also improved by the new design.
Captain Scott was reported to have estimated fuel savings of 15% as a result of the new paddle design and a speed increase of 10%.
In February 1888, Captain Scott ordered a new pair of cylinders for Telephone No. 2. The new engines would have a 25-inch bore and an eight-foot stroke.
Searchlight on Telephone No. 2 In September 1895, Telephone No. 2 was fitted with the most powerful searchlight on the Columbia River, rated at 5,000 candle power. The light was manufactured in New York and had been furnished by Campbell & Swigert, of Portland, and installed by their chief engineer, Joseph Gleason. The light was reported to be "so simply constructed that the pilot can throw it in any desired position by the pressure of three fingers."
Accommodations Telephone No. 1 had 17 staterooms, with a total of 34 berths between them. (Originally the reported plan was to have 20 staterooms.)
The steamer was licensed to carry 300 passengers overall. Reportedly the vessel was "handsomely furnished throughout in white and gold, and neatness without lavish expenditure is apparent at a glance." Telephone was also the first boat on the Columbia river to carry a piano. The planned length for the main dining hall was 119 feet.
According to another report, as initially built, Telephone had sixteen staterooms, several closets and cupboards, a purser’s office, a dining room, and for and after cabins. The cabin floors were to be of ash. The interior was to be painted white with gold trimmings. Newspaper reports in 1885 claimed that upon completion, Telephone would be the "handsomest as well as the fast boat on the river."
Launch and initial run According to one source, Telephone was launched on November 6, 1884. Another source gives the launch date as October 30, 1884.
William H. Whitcomb (1851–1923) was the first captain of Telephone, and remained so until the vessel burned. Edgar W. Wright (1863–1930), later a maritime historian, served as mate on Telephone at about the same time.
Telephone was taken out on a trial trip in early February, 1885. On Sunday, January 31, 1885, Telephone steamed down the Willamette River to St. Johns to test the machinery and take on wood for fuel. The seven mile trip, which began at 7:40 a.m., was completed in 28 minutes.
The trial trip was reported to have been successful. At this time the steamer was already being as "said to be the fastest stern-wheeler afloat."
Finishing construction In the second half of February, 1885, Telephone was undergoing final construction. The upper interior painting was being done. The seats had been taken down to the dock, and were soon to be installed.
Telephone made its first regular trip from Portland to Astoria, Oregon on March 1, 1885. Telephone departed Portland at 9:00 a.m. and arrived in Astoria at 3:40 p.m. or 3:45 p.m. The boat’s fastest time was between Pillar Rock and Astoria, covering the fourteen mile distance in thirty-seven minutes, for a rate of 22 miles per hour. Crowds attended the departure and arrival of the steamer.
Along the way, Telephone made about twenty landings. The steamer carried about 225 passengers on this trip. The actual running time was 5 hours and 26 minutes, for an average speed of 20 miles per hour.
When placed into service, Telephone was reported to have been capable of departing Astoria at 9:00 a.m., and reaching Portland at 2:00 p.m., two hours faster than all other vessels on the river.
In March 1885, the Columbia Transportation Company advertised "fast time for Portland!" on Telephone, with the steamer departing Wilson & Fisher’s dock in Astoria every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 a.m., and arriving at Portland at 1:00 p.m. Returning to Astoria, Telephone would depart Portland on Tuesdays and Thursdays, arriving in Astoria at 1:00 p.m. An extra trip would be made every Sunday morning, leaving Portland at 9:00 a.m. Passengers on this trip could make a connection to the overland route to the Puget Sound region at Kalama, W.T.
Telephone was able to hold to the five hour running time even in adverse conditions, such as fog on the river, incoming tides, and wind blowing against the steamer’s run, even when all three were combined.
Speed Telephone No. 1 was one of the fastest steamers on the Columbia River Indeed, Telephone was reputed to have been "the fastest sternwheeler in the world."
Telephone No. 1 replaced the propeller-driven steamer Fleetwood, itself considered a speedy vessel, on the Portland-Astoria run.
On one of its first runs to Astoria from Portland, Telephone No. 1 made the round trip in 11 hours and four minutes. On July 2, 1887, Telephone ran downriver from Portland to Astoria in the unheard-of time of four hours, thirty-four and one-half minutes, even while heading into a gale during the last 40 miles. Reportedly when in peak trim, Telephone was capable of reaching 22 miles per hour.
Early operations
In April 1885, Telephone was scheduled to depart Astoria, from the Wilson & Fisher’s dock, for Portland every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, arriving at Portland at 1:00 pm.
Starting in the 1880s, the Long Beach Peninsula was a popular summer vacation destination for residents of the Portland area. Steamers would run to the dock at Ilwaco, Washington, and passengers would then travel overland to the resort areas of the peninsula.
In August 1885, E.A. Seely, agent for Telephone, worked out a plan to provide service from Astoria to Ilwaco with J.H.D. Gray, agent for the Ilwaco Steam Navigation Company.
Steamers of the ISN, either the General Miles or the then-new General Canby would meet Telephone at Astoria, and then depart immediately for Ilwaco, without waiting for other steamers to arrive at Astoria. This was claimed to trim three hours off the travel time to Ilwaco.
In 1887, Telephone set the record for speed on the Portland-Astoria route.
Near destruction by fire At 6:00 in the evening, while en route from Portland to Astoria on Sunday, November 20, 1887, Telephone caught fire and was nearly destroyed. The fire occurred just down river from Tongue's Point, near Astoria. On board at the time were 140 or 150 passengers and 32 crew.
The fire started in the oil-room and spread quickly. The steamer was rapidly approaching Wolson & Fisher's dock at Astoria, and preparations were being made for the landing when the fire occurred. A large crowd had gathered on the dock to greet the people arriving on the boat.
A cry was heard: "the Telephone is on fire." Some of the people along the waterfront, and on the ships moored in the harbor saw a bright flame shoot above the steamer's wheelhouse.
Fire control efforts on Telephone failed. Captain Scott was at the wheel, and he quickly turned the steamer towards shore. There were docks along the shore at this point, but Scott was able to maneuver the boat into a gap between two piers towards the shore.
The engineer also increased the speed so the steamer could reach the beach faster.
Normally an increase in speed would accelerate the rate of the progression of the fire, but a rapid landing was the only course of action to be taken. As a result, Telephone hit the beach at 20 miles per hour. Only three minutes passed between the report of the fire and the beaching of the vessel.
According to Alf. D. Rowen, the owner of the Oysterville Journal newspaper:
In less than ten minutes the vessel was completely on fire. All passengers save one intoxicated man escaped, as did all the crew. The man, a Swedish logger named Peter Hanson, was badly burned and had to be taken to the hospital, where he died.
The pilot house steps had burned while Captain Scott stayed at the wheel, and he escaped through the window just before the entire upper works caved in.
The Astoria fire department was summoned to the scene. They were able to save enough of the hull to allow the vessel to be rebuilt. The new Telephone was launched in early 1888, and was under the command of Capt. Thomas H. Crang (b.1858) for at least six years after that.
Rebuilt and relaunched Reconstruction