Lady of the Lake (steamboat)
Encyclopedia
Lady of the Lake was a wooden steamboat that operated on Puget Sound
from 1897 to 1903. Following a fire in 1903, the vessel was rebuilt as the tug Ruth.
, which had in turn been purchased by Capt. John L. Anderson
for $1,600 as a replacement for his Lake Washington steamer Winnifred which had burned at Leschi Park in early 1896. Anderson built Lady of the Lake by himself with his own money. Shortly after he had finished the boat, he was able to sell it for a good profit to Bellingham
interests. The new owners took the vessel to run on Puget Sound.
In 1903 the steamboat was running on the short commuter route across Elliot Bay between Seattle and West Seattle, and was operated by the vessel's owners, Captains Charles H. Gaffner and J. Holbrook, Chief Engineer Parks, and Purser Greenwood. engaged in a rate war first with the small passenger-only steamer Garden City then more seriously with the steam ferry City of Seattle
. There were two collisions between the vessels during the rate war. The owners of Lady of the Lake reduced their fares to five cents, which prompted the ferry operators to allow 40 rides for one dollar.
.
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...
from 1897 to 1903. Following a fire in 1903, the vessel was rebuilt as the tug Ruth.
Career
Lady of the Lake was built at Seattle in 1897. The engines for Lady of the Lake came from the burned steamer QuickstepQuickstep (steamboat)
Quickstep was a steamboat that operated from 1877 to 1897 in coastal, inland waters and rivers of the Pacific Northwest. This vessel should not be confused with a number of other vessels with the same name, some of which operated in the same area about the same time.- Career:Quickstep was built at...
, which had in turn been purchased by Capt. John L. Anderson
John L. Anderson
John Leonard Anderson . is an American professor of chemical engineering currently serving as the eighth president of Illinois Institute of Technology...
for $1,600 as a replacement for his Lake Washington steamer Winnifred which had burned at Leschi Park in early 1896. Anderson built Lady of the Lake by himself with his own money. Shortly after he had finished the boat, he was able to sell it for a good profit to Bellingham
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
interests. The new owners took the vessel to run on Puget Sound.
In 1903 the steamboat was running on the short commuter route across Elliot Bay between Seattle and West Seattle, and was operated by the vessel's owners, Captains Charles H. Gaffner and J. Holbrook, Chief Engineer Parks, and Purser Greenwood. engaged in a rate war first with the small passenger-only steamer Garden City then more seriously with the steam ferry City of Seattle
City of Seattle (steam ferry)
The City of Seattle was a side-wheel driven steam-powered ferry built in 1888. This vessel was the first ferry to operate on Puget Sound. City of Seattle was also used in the San Francisco Bay area starting in 1913. The ferry was known as YFB54 when owned by the U.S...
. There were two collisions between the vessels during the rate war. The owners of Lady of the Lake reduced their fares to five cents, which prompted the ferry operators to allow 40 rides for one dollar.
1903 fire
June 18, 1903, Lady of the Lake was hauled out of the water in a shipyard in West Seattle when a fire broke out overnight. The origin of the fire was reported to be “not ascertained”, with the vessel suffering approximately $3000 in damage. The rate war and the circumstances of the fire caused a rumor that arson was the cause. In any case, the vessel was a total loss. The hull and engines were salvageable however.Rebuild and final loss
In 1905, King and Winge rebuilt Lady of the Lake into the tug Ruth. In 1916, Ruth was being operated by Pacific Tow Boat Company, when the vessel was destroyed by fire at Ladysmith, BCLadysmith, British Columbia
Ladysmith is a town located on the 49th parallel on the east coast of Vancouver Island British Columbia, Canada. The local economy is based on forestry, tourism and agriculture. A hillside location adjacent to a sheltered harbour form the natural characteristics of the community., the population...
.