Multnomah (sidewheeler 1851)
Encyclopedia
The Multnomah was one of the first steamboats to operate on the Willamette
and Yamhill
rivers. This vessel should not be confused with the Multnomah
, a steamboat built in Portland, Oregon
in 1885, which was larger and of a much different design.
around Cape Horn
on the bark Success. At that time, there were no locks
at Willamette Falls
, so it was important to determine whether a boat would be built above or below the falls. In the case of Multnomah, the vessel was assembled at Canemah, a settlement above the falls. This allowed the vessel to run on the upper Willamette, running south from Canemah through the Willamette Valley
. Multnomah 's hull was barrel-shaped, and held in shape with iron hoops which made caulking unnecessary. The Multnomah was a sidewheeler, as were all the boats operating in Oregon before 1854. The vessel's funnel was equipped with a spark arrester
.
. At Cressman's, the water was so shallow that even Multnomah, which needed only 18 inches to run in, could only cross the bar with difficulty. Multnomah was able to proceed 5 miles (8 km) further upstream to Matheny's landing, (now the site of the Wheatland Ferry
where the water was so shallow that no passage was possible. Under political pressure, the territorial legislature authorized funds to excavate the bars, so that by September, 1851, a channel four feet deep extended all the way to Salem. Multnomah was able to work further upriver from Salem, reaching the mouth of Rickreall Creek
, according to Mills. Historian Corning states that Multnomah went even further that fall, and became the first steamboat to reach Corvallis, then known as Marysville.
Canemah, where Multnomah had been built, was the upriver terminus of a portage road that ran around Willamette Falls. Multnomah ran regularly from Canemah south to Salem
, with side trips up the Yamhill River
to Dayton
. Running downriver, Multnomah often carried 1000 to 1500 bushels of wheat grown in the Willamette Valley.
, an historian of the early steamboats in Oregon, and a folklore expert, found these poems to be lacking in skill, but expressive of the attitudes of the population.
Multnomah needed deeper water to operate in than was generally available on the upper Willamette, so in May 1852, the vessel was lined over Willamette Falls to the lower river. ("Lining" was a process of hooking of a cable to the vessel and a point on the shore, and hauling on the cable using the vessel's capstan to move the vessel up through rapids. With care, the same technique could be used to take the vessel over rapids and short falls.) After this, Multnomah was worked on the routes running from Portland
, including Portland to Oregon City. In the early 1850s, for the steamboats in general on the Oregon City-Portland run, rates were $5 per passenger and $15 per ton of freight. (A ton was unit of volume, not of weight, generally equal to 100 cubic feet.)
In the fall of 1852, Multnomah ran on the route from Portland up the Columbia River
to the Cascades of the Columbia
, under the command of Captain Fauntleroy. In 1853, Multnomah was returned to the Portland-Oregon City route under Capt Richard Hoyt, Sr. In late 1852, Multnomah, advertised as the "new and splendid steamer", made connections in Portland with the Lot Whitcomb
, with Multnomah carrying traffic between Portland and Oregon City, and Lot Whitcomb running between Portland and Astoria
. Multnomah was advertised as embarking Oregon City passengers bound for the Whitcomb at 3:00 p.m. on Mondays and 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. George Abernethy
was Multnomah 's agent in Oregon City. Fares could be paid to Abernathy at his store or to the captain on board Multnomah.
Competition was fierce among the steamboats on the lower Willamette in the early 1850s. To keep rates up, George S. Hoyt, owner of Multnomah and Alexander S. Murray, owner of the sidewheeler Portland formed the first steamboat combination on the river. In 1854 Richard Hoyt, Sr. bought Multnomah and put the vessel on the Portland-Astoria run, where he had the mail contract. During Hoyt's ownership, Multnomah was used mainly on the lower Columbia, that is, the stretch of the river running from Astoria to the Cascades
, and also up the Willamette Portland. In 1859, Hoyt chartered the vessel to Captain Molthorp, who ran it briefly again on the Portland-Oregon City route. Hoyt remained the owner of Multnomah until he died in 1862. After Hoyt died, Multnomah was sold to the Oregon Steam Navigation Company
.
Multnomah was considered the fastest vessel on the river in the early 1850s, and once was able to travel the 18 miles (29 km) from Portland to Vancouver, WT
in one hour 20 minutes, then considered a speedy trip. Captains of Multnomah included John H. Couch
, Richard Hoyt, Sr., H.L. Hoyt, John McNulty, William Molthrop, and Fauntleroy. Pursers included M.B. Miller, J.M. Gillman, J.M. Breck Richard Hoyt, Jr. and others.
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
and Yamhill
Yamhill River
The Yamhill River is an tributary of the Willamette River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of the South Yamhill River and the North Yamhill River about east of McMinnville, it drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
rivers. This vessel should not be confused with the Multnomah
Multnomah (sternwheeler)
The sternwheeler Multnomah was built at East Portland, Oregon in 1885 and operated on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers until 1889 in the United States...
, a steamboat built in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
in 1885, which was larger and of a much different design.
Design and construction
The components of Multnomah were manufactured in the eastern United States, then shipped to Oregon City, OregonOregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
on the bark Success. At that time, there were no locks
Willamette Falls Locks
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1873 and currently closed, they allow boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls...
at Willamette Falls
Willamette Falls
The Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, in the United States. It is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest and the eighteenth largest in the world by water volume. Horseshoe in shape, it is wide and high with a flow...
, so it was important to determine whether a boat would be built above or below the falls. In the case of Multnomah, the vessel was assembled at Canemah, a settlement above the falls. This allowed the vessel to run on the upper Willamette, running south from Canemah through the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. Multnomah 's hull was barrel-shaped, and held in shape with iron hoops which made caulking unnecessary. The Multnomah was a sidewheeler, as were all the boats operating in Oregon before 1854. The vessel's funnel was equipped with a spark arrester
Spark arrester
A spark arrestor is any device which prevents the emission of flammable debris from combustion sources, such as internal combustion engines, fireplaces, and wood burning stoves. Spark arrestors play a critical role in the prevention of wildland fire and ignition of explosive atmospheres...
.
Operations
Multnomah 's engines were first tested in June 1851, and in August 1851 the vessel was taken on the first run upriver. On this trip, Multnomah reached Cressman's Bar, a point about 20 miles (32.2 km) downriver from Salem, OregonSalem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. At Cressman's, the water was so shallow that even Multnomah, which needed only 18 inches to run in, could only cross the bar with difficulty. Multnomah was able to proceed 5 miles (8 km) further upstream to Matheny's landing, (now the site of the Wheatland Ferry
Wheatland Ferry
The Wheatland Ferry is a cable ferry that connects Marion County and Yamhill County across the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The ferry travels approximately 580 feet across the river, depending on the height of the river, and is powered by two electric motors connected to an...
where the water was so shallow that no passage was possible. Under political pressure, the territorial legislature authorized funds to excavate the bars, so that by September, 1851, a channel four feet deep extended all the way to Salem. Multnomah was able to work further upriver from Salem, reaching the mouth of Rickreall Creek
Rickreall Creek
Rickreall Creek is a stream in Polk County, Oregon, United States rising on Laurel Mountain in the Central Oregon Coast Range and draining into the Willamette River west of Salem at Eola. The creek passes through the city of Dallas and the unincorporated community of Rickreall...
, according to Mills. Historian Corning states that Multnomah went even further that fall, and became the first steamboat to reach Corvallis, then known as Marysville.
Canemah, where Multnomah had been built, was the upriver terminus of a portage road that ran around Willamette Falls. Multnomah ran regularly from Canemah south to Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, with side trips up the Yamhill River
Yamhill River
The Yamhill River is an tributary of the Willamette River, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of the South Yamhill River and the North Yamhill River about east of McMinnville, it drains part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
to Dayton
Dayton, Oregon
Dayton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. As of July 2007 its estimated population was 2,495.-History:...
. Running downriver, Multnomah often carried 1000 to 1500 bushels of wheat grown in the Willamette Valley.
Popular reception
Residents of the Oregon Territory saw the coming of the steamboats as a mark of progress. Poems were published in honor of the early steamboats. Randall V. MillsRandall V. Mills
Randall V. Mills was an English professor with a variety of interests related to the Pacific Northwest, including steamboats, railroads and folklore.-Early life and education:...
, an historian of the early steamboats in Oregon, and a folklore expert, found these poems to be lacking in skill, but expressive of the attitudes of the population.
Transfer to lower river
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, including Portland to Oregon City. In the early 1850s, for the steamboats in general on the Oregon City-Portland run, rates were $5 per passenger and $15 per ton of freight. (A ton was unit of volume, not of weight, generally equal to 100 cubic feet.)
In the fall of 1852, Multnomah ran on the route from Portland up the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
to the Cascades of the Columbia
Cascades Rapids
The Cascades Rapids were an area of rapids along North America's Columbia River, between the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Through a stretch approximately wide, the river dropped about in .-Boat portage:Boat travelers were forced to either portage boats and supplies or pull boats up with...
, under the command of Captain Fauntleroy. In 1853, Multnomah was returned to the Portland-Oregon City route under Capt Richard Hoyt, Sr. In late 1852, Multnomah, advertised as the "new and splendid steamer", made connections in Portland with the Lot Whitcomb
Lot Whitcomb (sidewheeler)
Launched in 1850, Lot Whitcomb, later known as Annie Abernathy, was the first steam-powered craft built on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was one of the first steam-driven vessels to run on the inland waters of Oregon, and contributed to the rapid economic development of the...
, with Multnomah carrying traffic between Portland and Oregon City, and Lot Whitcomb running between Portland and Astoria
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
. Multnomah was advertised as embarking Oregon City passengers bound for the Whitcomb at 3:00 p.m. on Mondays and 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. George Abernethy
George Abernethy
George Abernethy was an American pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States...
was Multnomah 's agent in Oregon City. Fares could be paid to Abernathy at his store or to the captain on board Multnomah.
Competition was fierce among the steamboats on the lower Willamette in the early 1850s. To keep rates up, George S. Hoyt, owner of Multnomah and Alexander S. Murray, owner of the sidewheeler Portland formed the first steamboat combination on the river. In 1854 Richard Hoyt, Sr. bought Multnomah and put the vessel on the Portland-Astoria run, where he had the mail contract. During Hoyt's ownership, Multnomah was used mainly on the lower Columbia, that is, the stretch of the river running from Astoria to the Cascades
Cascades Rapids
The Cascades Rapids were an area of rapids along North America's Columbia River, between the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Through a stretch approximately wide, the river dropped about in .-Boat portage:Boat travelers were forced to either portage boats and supplies or pull boats up with...
, and also up the Willamette Portland. In 1859, Hoyt chartered the vessel to Captain Molthorp, who ran it briefly again on the Portland-Oregon City route. Hoyt remained the owner of Multnomah until he died in 1862. After Hoyt died, Multnomah was sold to the Oregon Steam Navigation Company
Oregon Steam Navigation Company
The Oregon Steam Navigation Company was an American company incorporated in 1860 in Washington with partners J. S. Ruckle, Henry Olmstead, and J. O. Van Bergen...
.
Multnomah was considered the fastest vessel on the river in the early 1850s, and once was able to travel the 18 miles (29 km) from Portland to Vancouver, WT
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
in one hour 20 minutes, then considered a speedy trip. Captains of Multnomah included John H. Couch
John H. Couch
John Heard Couch was an American sea captain and pioneer in the Oregon Country in the 19th century. Often referred to as Captain Couch, he became famous for his singular skill at navigation of the mouth of the Columbia River. He is one of the early residents and founders of Portland,...
, Richard Hoyt, Sr., H.L. Hoyt, John McNulty, William Molthrop, and Fauntleroy. Pursers included M.B. Miller, J.M. Gillman, J.M. Breck Richard Hoyt, Jr. and others.