Hunt Brothers (steamboat line)
Encyclopedia
The Hunt Brothers were the owners of a steamboat business that ran on Puget Sound
as part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet
. Five of the seven Hunt children became owners, engineers and masters of steamboats, these were Emmett E., Arthur.M., A.R, L.B., and F.M. Hunt.
in 1876. They started out in the maritime business when the oldest brother, Emmett E., rowed the mail once a week between Steilacoom and Wollochet Bay
, a 20 mile row.
.
In 1898, the Hunt Brothers had Sentinel
built at the Crawford and Reid yard in Tacoma, and placed her on the East Pass Route between Tacoma and Seattle. In 1899, they had Crest
built at Tacoma for service on the Tacoma-Gig Harbor route
In 1902, the partnership ended, and Emmett Hunt took over the Crest
on the Gig Harbor route. and appears to have continued in business until at least 1907 as the Hunt Steamboat Company. Arthur M. Hunt kept Sentinel and the sternwheeler Clara Brown
.
In 1905, Arthur M. Hunt and Frank Bibbins formed the Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company
. Arthur M. Hunt designed Burton
, launched 1905, and Magnolia
launched 1908. One authority states that about three years later, Arthur M. Hunt sold both boats (Sentinel going to the newly-formed Merchants Transportation Company
) and quit the steamboat business. Another authority indicates that Arthur M. Hunt bought out Bibbins' interest in a shipyard on the Puyallup river, where he superintended the construction of boats such as Ariel (1912).
In May 1913, the Hunt Brothers, consisting of Arda R., Arthur M., and Lloyd) launched Atalanta, built at the Marine Supply Company in Tacoma, as a replacement for Crest on the Gig Harbor route. Atalanta was a 147 ton steamer, measuring 111.7' long, 23' on the beam, and 6.7 depth of hold. Captain A.R. Hunt, who had been in command of Ariel'' on the same route, took over as her skipper. Captain Hunt's son, Reed Hunt, who later became chairman of the board of Crown Zellerbach Corporation, recalled the launching of Atalanta:
In 1914, the Hunt Brothers sold Ariel to Henry and Marcus Johnson, who brought her up to Lake Washington
to run in the suburban passenger business.
In 1924, Pierce County
decided to go into the automobile ferry business and built the 124' City of Tacoma to run between Tacoma and Gig Harbor. Arthur M. Hunt designed the ferry and the Hunt Brothers operated it for the county until 1927, when a new ferry, the Defiance was built at Gig Harper for the Skansie Brothers and their Washington Navigation Company, who took over operation of ferries for Pierce County on the Tacoma, Gig Harbor and Vashon Island
runs.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
as part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet
Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet
The Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet was a large number of private transportation companies running smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers. This large group of steamers and sternwheelers plied the waters of Puget Sound, stopping at every waterfront dock...
. Five of the seven Hunt children became owners, engineers and masters of steamboats, these were Emmett E., Arthur.M., A.R, L.B., and F.M. Hunt.
Background
The family originally came from Michigan and settled near Wollochet BayWollochet Bay
Wollochet Bay is the name of a narrow long and shallow bay in southern Puget Sound in the state of Washington. The bay is located on the southern part of the Kitsap Peninsula which opens onto the southern Hale Passage which separates Fox Island from the Kitsap Peninsula, near Gig...
in 1876. They started out in the maritime business when the oldest brother, Emmett E., rowed the mail once a week between Steilacoom and Wollochet Bay
Wollochet Bay
Wollochet Bay is the name of a narrow long and shallow bay in southern Puget Sound in the state of Washington. The bay is located on the southern part of the Kitsap Peninsula which opens onto the southern Hale Passage which separates Fox Island from the Kitsap Peninsula, near Gig...
, a 20 mile row.
Course of business
In 1882, Emmett E. built a little steamboat, Baby Mine, just 26' long, and his brother Arthur.M. came on board as the engineer. They built or operated for others additional boats including Gypsy Queen, Susie and VictorVictor (steamboat 1893)
Victor was a steam-powered tugboat built in 1893 in Tacoma, Washington. This vessel should not be confused with the similarly named Victor II, also active in Puget Sound.-Career:...
.
In 1898, the Hunt Brothers had Sentinel
Sentinel (steamboat)
Sentinel was a small wooden propeller-driven steamship of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet.-Career:Sentinel was built in 1898 for the Hunt Brothers, who ran a family steamboat business on Puget Sound. The Hunts ran the vessel to stops on Bay Island in southern Puget Sound, and also on a run to...
built at the Crawford and Reid yard in Tacoma, and placed her on the East Pass Route between Tacoma and Seattle. In 1899, they had Crest
Crest (steamboat 1900)
Crest was a wooden steamboat that operated on Puget Sound in the early 1900s. Following a sale of the vessel in May, 1912, this boat was known as Bay Island.-Career:...
built at Tacoma for service on the Tacoma-Gig Harbor route
In 1902, the partnership ended, and Emmett Hunt took over the Crest
Crest (steamboat 1900)
Crest was a wooden steamboat that operated on Puget Sound in the early 1900s. Following a sale of the vessel in May, 1912, this boat was known as Bay Island.-Career:...
on the Gig Harbor route. and appears to have continued in business until at least 1907 as the Hunt Steamboat Company. Arthur M. Hunt kept Sentinel and the sternwheeler Clara Brown
Clara Brown (steamboat)
Clara Brown was a sternwheel steamboat of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet which operated from the late 1880s to the early 1900s, and possibly as late as 1930.-Career:...
.
In 1905, Arthur M. Hunt and Frank Bibbins formed the Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company
Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company
The Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company was a shipping company that operated steamboats on Puget Sound in the early 1900s. Steamboats owned by the company included Burton and Magnolia.-References:...
. Arthur M. Hunt designed Burton
Burton (steamboat)
Burton was a steamboat built in 1905 in Tacoma, Washington and which was in service on Puget Sound until 1924.-Career:Burton was built for the Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company, whose principals had once been partners with the owners of a rival steamer Norwood on runs from Tacoma to points on...
, launched 1905, and Magnolia
Magnolia (steamboat)
Magnolia was a wooden-hulled steamship that operated on Puget Sound from 1907 to 1937.-Career:Magnolia was built at Tacoma in 1907 for the Tacoma and Burton Navigation Company, which intended her to replace Burton on the company's routes around Tacoma and Vashon Island...
launched 1908. One authority states that about three years later, Arthur M. Hunt sold both boats (Sentinel going to the newly-formed Merchants Transportation Company
Merchants Transportation Company
The Merchants Transportation Company was a shipping firm that operated on Puget Sound from 1905 to 1929. This company should not be confused with the similarly named Merchants Transportation Company of Olympia, formed in 1874 and a completely separate firm....
) and quit the steamboat business. Another authority indicates that Arthur M. Hunt bought out Bibbins' interest in a shipyard on the Puyallup river, where he superintended the construction of boats such as Ariel (1912).
In May 1913, the Hunt Brothers, consisting of Arda R., Arthur M., and Lloyd) launched Atalanta, built at the Marine Supply Company in Tacoma, as a replacement for Crest on the Gig Harbor route. Atalanta was a 147 ton steamer, measuring 111.7' long, 23' on the beam, and 6.7 depth of hold. Captain A.R. Hunt, who had been in command of Ariel'' on the same route, took over as her skipper. Captain Hunt's son, Reed Hunt, who later became chairman of the board of Crown Zellerbach Corporation, recalled the launching of Atalanta:
In 1914, the Hunt Brothers sold Ariel to Henry and Marcus Johnson, who brought her up to Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
to run in the suburban passenger business.
In 1924, Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
decided to go into the automobile ferry business and built the 124' City of Tacoma to run between Tacoma and Gig Harbor. Arthur M. Hunt designed the ferry and the Hunt Brothers operated it for the county until 1927, when a new ferry, the Defiance was built at Gig Harper for the Skansie Brothers and their Washington Navigation Company, who took over operation of ferries for Pierce County on the Tacoma, Gig Harbor and Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
runs.