Return To Fraser River Service
In 1878, the Hudson's Bay Company was running the Enterprise on the Fraser River run from Victoria. The Company's rival on this route was Captain John Irving, who held a monopoly on steamboat traffic on the upper Fraser routes but was hindered by the Company's activity on the lower river. In early 1878, Captain Irving travelled to San Francisco, where he found the Hunt and bought her for a cheap price. In February 1878 she was brought up by Captain Stoddard, cleaned up, repainted, and placed on the New Westminster route against Enterprise. (The Hunt 's Canadian registry number was 72676.
New Westminster's newspaper, the Mainland Guardian was impressed by the appearance of the then 30 year old steamer:
| “ | The appearance of the vessel is undoubtedly most imposing. The wheels appear to be much larger than those of the Enterprise, and the new paint and gilding make her look as trim as if she'd just been turned out of a mould. The main saloon is 130 by 26 feet; ladies saloon 35 by 20 feet. The engine, 250 h.p. nominal ... She has 12 staterooms and can dine 100 at one table. | ” |
In July 1878 the Canadian government announced its decision that the transcontinental railroad would run down the Fraser River valley. There were over 5,000 tons of rails that had been piled up at Esquimalt for the construction of the Canadian Pacific's extension on Vancouver Island. On July 23, 1878, Wilson G. Hunt transported the first shipment of these rails to New Westminster, where they were loaded on Royal City and taken up to Yale. During 1878 the Hunt, under captains Irving, Insley, and Rudlin, continued to do well against the Enterprise. In October 1878 Hudson's Bay Company bought Hunt's old rival, Olympia, renamed her Princess Louise and after a put her on the New Westminster run against the Hunt Princess Louise was a far superior boat, and by the fall of 1879 the Company forced Captain Irving to come to terms, under which he and the Company operated Princess Louise, Wilson G. Hunt and Enterprise jointly under Irving's management as the Royal Mail Line.
Read more about this topic: Wilson G. Hunt (sidewheeler)
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