SSGeorge W. Elder

TheGeorge W. ElderoffSitka, Alaska.
History
United States
Name	George W. Elder
Owner	Old Dominion Steamship Company 1874–1876 Oregon Steamship Company 1876–? Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company ?–1904 San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company 1904–1905 North Pacific Steamship Company 1905–1918
Operator	Old Dominion Steamship Company 1874–1876 Oregon Steamship Company 1876–1879 Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company 1879–1899 United States Army 1899 Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company 1899–1904 San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company 1904–1905 North Pacific Steamship Company 1905–1918
Route	Chesapeake BaytoNew York City 1874–1876 San Francisco, CaliforniatoPortland, Oregon 1876–?
Builder	Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding and Engine Works(Chester, PA)
Launched	1874
In service	1874–1918
Out of service	1918
Fate	Sold in 1918
Notes	RenamedAmerica
Chile
Name	America
Owner	Artigas Riolrio Compania 1918–1935
Operator	Artigas Riolrio Compania 1918–1935
Route	Chilean coastal service
Out of service	1935
Fate	Scrapped in 1935
General characteristics
Type	Coastal passenger/cargo liner
Length	250 ft (76 m)
Beam	38 ft (12 m)
Draft	16 ft (5 m)
Installed power	SingleTriple expansion engine
Propulsion	Single screw

SSGeorge W. Elder(1874–1935) was a passenger/cargo ship. Originally a U.S. east coast steamer, she was built byJohn Roach & SonsinChester, Pennsylvania.TheGeorge W. Elderbecame a west coast steamer in 1876 and served with theOregon Steamship Company,Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company,San Francisco and Portland Steamship Companyand theNorth Pacific Steamship Company.In 1907, theGeorge W. Elderhelped to rescue the survivors of her former running mateColumbia.The last owners of theGeorge W. Elderwere a Chilean firm which operated her under the nameAmerica.She operated the Chilean Coast under this guise until 1935, when she was finally scrapped. The location of her scrapping remains unknown.

History

TheGeorge W. Elderwas launched in 1874 at theDelaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine WorksofJohn Roach & SonsinChester, Pennsylvaniaand first served as a nightboat for theOld Dominion Steamship Companyon theNew York CitytoChesapeake Bayroute. She was equipped with brigantine-rig sail configuration and a triple-expansion steam engine rated between 900 hp (671 kW) and 1,000 hp (746 kW). TheGeorge W. Elderdrew 16 ft (5 m) of water, was 250 ft (76 m) long, had a beam of 38 ft (12 m) and measured 1,709 gross tons. Due to her design, theGeorge W. Elderwas able to visit several different ports.

In 1876, theGeorge W. Elderwas sold to theOregon Steamship Company,which brought the ship aroundCape Hornand placed her on theSan Francisco, CaliforniatoPortland, Oregonroute. TheGeorge W. Elderbecame part of theOregon Railroad and Navigation Companyfleet after O.R. & N purchased the Oregon Steamship Company.In O.R. & N service, theGeorge W. Elderserved alongside the innovativeColumbia,which was the first structure to use theincandescent light bulboutsideThomas Edison's laboratory inMenlo Park, New Jersey.O.R. & N was bought out by theUnion Pacific Railroadin 1898.

On May 31, 1899, theGeorge W. Elderset out ofSeattle, Washingtonon a scientific exploration voyage toRussia,viaBritish ColumbiaandAlaska.Although her stopovers were brief, the actions and nature of research done on theGeorge W. Elderfollowed tradition. The voyage, called theHarriman Expedition,was over 9,000 mi (14,484,096 m) long. TheGeorge W. Elderwas captained by Peter A. Doran during this expedition.

After the Harriman Expedition, theUnited States Armydrafted theGeorge W. Elderin November 1899 for use as a troopship in thePhilippinesduring theSpanish–American War.Strangely during this time, the owners of theGeorge W. Elderwere listed asGoodall, Perkins & Company,the agents of thePacific Coast Steamship Companywho were the owners of the ill-fatedPacificback in 1875.In December of the same year, she was returned to O.R. & N.

In 1904, theGeorge W. Elderwas transferred to the newly formedSan Francisco and Portland Steamship Companyalong with theColumbia.During this time, theGeorge W. Eldercontinued to build on its reputation for being a safe vessel. In 1905 however, this reputation vanished, when theGeorge W. Elder,now 31 years old, struck a rock along theColumbia Riverand sank under 16 ft (5 m) of water. She was raised in May, 1906.After being salvaged, the San Francisco and Portland Steamship Company abandoned her and she was sold in Auction to Captain J.H. Peterson. In 1906, theGeorge W. Elderwas sold to theNorth Pacific Steamship Company,who would be her last American owners. In a chance of coincidence, theGeorge W. Elderwas paired the SSRoanoke,which had also been built as a nightboat for the Old Dominion Steamship Company.

On July 21, 1907, the former running mate to theGeorge W. Elder,theColumbiacollided with the lumber schoonerSan PedrooffShelter Cove, California,causing theColumbiato sink, killing 88 people. Among the dead was Captain Peter A. Doran, who had commanded theGeorge W. Elderon her 1899 Harriman Expedition. Both theGeorge W. ElderandRoanokearrived at the site of the disaster and picked upColumbia's survivors from the badly damagedSan Pedro.TheGeorge W. Elderreturned some of the survivors toAstoria, Oregon.TheGeorge W. Elderalso towed theSan Pedroto shore, following the disaster.

By 1915, theNorth Pacific Steamship Companywas struggling, due to the loss of their steamerSanta Claraon the bar ofCoos Bay, Oregon,in 1914. The management considered closing the company's doors. Thankfully, relief came when theCalifornia South Seas Navigation Companychartered bothRoanokeandGeorge W. Elder.Neither were used for passenger service under this charter. Unfortunately, theRoanokecapsized and sank off the California coastline, on her second voyage under the charter. Only three people survived. DuringWorld War I,theGeorge W. Elderwas leased by thePacific Mail Steamship Company,which was at the time owned by theGrace Line.TheGeorge W. Elderwas used during this time as part of a four ship feeder service for Central American and Mexican ports.

At war's end, now 44 years old, theGeorge W. Elderwas sold toArtigas Riolrio Compania,based inValparaiso, Chile,they were to be her last operators. TheGeorge W. Elderwas renamedAmericaand served the Chilean coastline until 1935. On 7 December 1928, the Chileancargo shipSSQuinterocollided withAmericaand sank.

Americasurvived the collision and was reported scrapped in 1935, but it remains uncertain whether the job was done inJapanor Valparaiso. Either way,Americahad reached an outstanding age of 61 years.

See also

• SSParthia(1870)
• SSColumbia(1880)

External links

• Kelley House Museum Archives – Search results for George Elder– Includes many photographs of theGeorge W. Elder.
• Photograph of the George W. Elder– Dated circa 1898. This photograph however, shows the ship partially sunk, suggesting that this may be after her 1905 sinking.