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Photos Submitted by Captain Doug Leaney
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Photos Submitted by Captain Doug Leaney
Story and Photos Submitted by Captain Doug Leaney
The excitement and adventure of the 1858 Goldrush was a spectacular era in BC’s history with spirits available by the barrel and nuggets by the ton, where sternwheelers were pushed to the extreme with safety valves wedged open resulting in fatal boiler explosions, captains rich one week and bankrupt the next.
The beginning of regular sternwheeler travel on British Columbia’s Fraser River was brought on by the excitement and adventure of the 1858 gold rush.
As noted in the August 3, 1861 Victoria Colonist editorial: “Three of our steamboats have blown up within the last 18 months, resulting in two total wrecks and one saving the hull. Lives lost numbered over 20 and serious injuries to at least an equal number”.
The usual causes of these incidents were incompetent crews, absence of safety regulations and unseaworthy vessels, plus the fact the fastest vessel was the most popular and most profitable.
In the early 1860’s a sternwheeler bound for Hope was being overtaken by a rival vessel. The captain ordered more steam but the rival was still gaining and, as a passenger recalled, “Several sacks of bacon were thrown into the flames, making them roar like a strong east wind. Up went the steam gauge until it showed 160 P.S.I., 40 more than allowed by the government certificate displayed in the cabin”.
When the engineer reported this to the captain he replied, “The old boat’s never been whipped yet, and ain’t going to be ‘till she busts”.
In short order she came to a sudden stop having been impaled by a snag, which pierced through the hull, ten feet of cargo and an unfortunate horse. The rival vessel steamed by with passenger’s cheering, not bothering to stop to see if she were sinking or not.
The hole was plugged with blankets taken from passengers and the vessel put ashore. The passengers then had to wait two days for rescue, as no rival vessel would stop to assist.
The bitter rivalry of the time wasn’t restricted to Sternwheelers. Victoria and New Westminster, capital of the crown colonies of Vancouver Island and of British Columbia, fought bitterly. Yale, on the Fraser River and Port Douglas on Harrison Lake competed for supremacy as supply points to the Cariboo.
The main setting for the saga of the Cariboo gold rush was the last 110 miles of the Fraser River down from Yale, plus some 75 miles of sea travel between the river and Victoria, the southern terminus, with New Westminster at the halfway mark and Port Douglas and Yale at it’s head.
The Sternwheeler Umatilla was the pioneer on the Fraser River arriving at Victoria from the Columbia River July 13, 1858. Besides being the first sternwheeler on the Fraser, she was first to explore Harrison River and Lake and first to reach Yale.
When she arrived at Yale on July 21 an eyewitness wrote “The town was thrown into a high state of excitement upon hearing the steam whistle, everybody was soon on the lookout, and learned by the shouting along the banks of the river and continuous discharge of guns, that the report of her arrival was true.
On August 5, 2008, during B.C.’s 150th celebrations, a very special sternwheel riverboat trip took place. This trip was in recognition of the Umatilla and her historic voyage up the Harrison River and Lake to Port Douglas. For the first time since 1925 a riverboat carrying passengers re-created the Umatilla’s voyage of 1858.
Departing from her home base in New Westminster the Paddlewheeler “Native” began her 3-day voyage to reach Port Douglas, which in 1858 was one of the largest towns in British Columbia and the starting point of the infamous Douglas Trail, overland route to the Cariboo gold fields.
Following overnight stops in Mission and Harrison Hot Springs the Native arrived at Port Douglas on July 7, 2008 to set a new date in the history of the sternwheelers.
Now in it’s 24th year of operation, Fraser Connection Cruises Ltd. DBA Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours is hosting thousands of people each year on an authentic sternwheeler that offers not just a reminder of the historic steamboats but also Tours and Charters that provide a fun party atmosphere, excellent service, the best food bar none and full beverage service.
Check us out at vancouverpaddlewheeler.com
Captain Doug Leaney is Senior Master of the Passenger Paddlewheeler “Native”, based in New Westminster B.C.