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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Delaware River (USA)
The
long Delaware river reaches the more densely populated part of the
eastern seaboard at Trenton NJ and flows between Philadelphia PA and
Camden NJ and passes Wilmington DE before broadening out into
Delaware Bay. The Bay waters flow into the Atlantic ocean at Cape May.
The New Jersey coastline is characterised by sand bars and lagoons and
beaches. Atlantic City was the most famous, known for its boardwalks
and specially licenced casinos. One paddle steamer was registered at
the small port of Tuckerton in 1900
The first steamboats
operated between Bordentown and Philadelphia as the final leg of a
tortuous journey from New York City. The overland segment was the first
to be replaced by the Camden & Amboy Railroad. Captain Jonathan
Cone's Upper Delaware River Transportation Company became the dominant
steamboat owner with his paddle steamer Thomas A Morgan, to which
he added the John A Warner in 1857. Captain Henry Crawford's paddler
Twilight ran in competition after 1868. The Upper Delaware added
Columbia in 1876. The small screw steamer Trenton was built in 1894 and
was used between Trenton and Bristol, where passengers would change to
one of the remaining larger steamers, Warner, Twilight or Columbia.
These services were primarily for excursionists as a number of resorts
were developing along the river and fun fairs were becoming a major
attraction. Captain Cone died in 1887 and the operation was sold
off out of the family and the Delaware River Navigation Company was
established.
Due
to the relatively short distances involved in travelling in the area,
the boats operating after 1900 were all day steamers, with
scheduled passenger runs to Philadelphia on the Delaware River and
healthy summer business taking excursionists from the big city to
waterside beaches and amusement parks.
Passenger Paddle Steamers Registered as at 30th June 1900
At Philadelphia PA
| Thomas A Morgan |
1854 |
24748 |
| John A Warner |
1857 |
13429 |
| Chauncey Vibbard |
1864 |
5664 |
| Twilight |
1868 |
24788 |
| Lota * |
1871 |
15816 |
| Columbia |
1876 |
125507 |
| Republic |
1878 |
110352 |
| Old Point Comfort | 1888 | 155122 |
* Lota remained on the register in 1900 despite being destroyed by fire whilst laid up at Big Timber Creek NJ on 10th June 1899
At Camden NJ
| Suffolk County * |
1860 |
22792 |
| National Park |
1861 |
4069 |
| Sylvan Glen |
1869 |
23768 |
| Sylvan Dell |
1872 |
115040 |
* Suffolk County was already laid up and was scrapped later in 1900
At Bridgeton NJ
At Tuckerton NJ
At Trenton NJ
Delaware River Navigation Company
The
successor to Jonathan Cone's Upper Delaware River Transportation
Company opened the new Century serving piers between Trenton and
Philadelphia, with the Trenton originating steamers sailing direct from
Bristol with a call at Burlington only. An additional fast service from
Philadelphia downstream to Wilmington was offered.
In 1901, the
company was also operating the New York-registered paddle steamer John
Sylvester as well as screw steamers Pokanoket and Diamond State
The
company went into receivership after the 1916 season and paddle
steamers Twilight and Columbia were laid up pending a decision about
their future.
Thomas A Morgan (to 1900)
024748
Built in 1854 at Wilmington DE
Wood 193.8 x 27.6 430 GT
Retired after the 1900 season
John A Warner later Burlington (to 1911)
013429
Built in 1857 at Wilmington DE
Wood 211.8 x 27.8 592 GT
Renamed Burlington in 1905
Ran aground on Perriwig Bar in 1911 and abandoned
Above : As John A Warner. below : As Burlington
Twilight (to 1916)
024788
Built in 1868 at Wilmington DE
Iron 170 x 27.4 ft 466 GT
Sold for further use in 1923, but soon after reconditioning, was destroyed by fire at Camden without entering service
Columbia (to 1916)
125507
Built in 1876 at Wilmington DE
Iron 220 x 34 ft 663 GT
Briefly served as an accommodation ship at Philadelphia in 1918
Damaged by fire at Camden in 1923 but reconditioned and sold for further use
The project was not successful and Columbia returned to lay-up
In 1930 she was bought by the Franklin Transportation Company and renamed Franklin
The venture lasted for one season and the ship was laid up once again
Destroyed by fire on 5th October 1932
Republic (to 1902)
110352
Built in 1878 at Wilmington DE
Iron 272.9 x 37 ft 1285 GT
Renamed Cape May for the 1903 season, based on the Delaware River, sailing between Philadelphia and Cape May
Renamed Dreamland in 1904
In
1904 ran for the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey on a
short-lived service between their terminal at Jersey City and Coney
Island
Registration transferred to Baltimore MD in 1908 to sail for the Queenstown & Love Point Transportation and Development Company
Love Point was being developed as a excursion destination and hotel.
The ship proved a little large for Queenstown harbour and ran aground on a number of occasions
She was sold in 1912 and ran between Baltimore and Chesapeake Beach until the end of the 1925 season
She was broken up in 1928
John Sylvester (1901-1902)
013185 HLJB
Built in 1866 in Jersey City NJ
Wood 193 x 30 ft 495 GT Beam engine 44 x 120 in by Murphy, McCurdy & Warden of New York NY
Built for day service between Norfolk VA and Richmond VA
Later on the Delaware River the used for excursion work in the New York area
In 1901-02 was registered at New York City but sailed for the Delaware River Navigation Company
Moved to Bridgeport CT in 1903
Became Starlight in 1915 sailing for George W Brown at Baltimore and survived until 1931
Bristol (1904-1916)
023471
Built in 1867 at Wilmington DE
Iron 175.1 x 27 ft 688
Originally built as Sue for the Eastern Steamboat Company she had several owners before joining the Weems Line in 1896
Bought in 1904 and renamed Bristol
Removed from the register after 1923
Everard Steamboat Company
Former
Hudson River Day Line flyer Chauncey Vibbard remained on the
books of the Everard Steamboat Company who had taken over the
registration of the ship which had run between Philadelphia and a local
fun park since 1890. Laid up after being deliberately beached in 1899
to avoid a major sinking disaster, it was decided not to reactivate the
vessel and she was subsequently scrapped.
Chauncey Vibbard (1890-1902)
5664
Built in 184 at Brooklyn NY
Iron 281 x 35 ft 1158 GT
Originally built for the Hudson River Day Line between new York City and Albany NY
Reconstructed on two occasions to increase capacity, including lengthening
Sold in 1890 to Alfred B Stoney's Lincoln Steamboat Company and transferred to the Delaware River
Operated between Philadelphia and Lincoln Park amusement park
Beached in 1899 when taking on water. Laid up and scrapped in 1902
Gloucester Ferry
Sylvan Glen (1886-
023768
Built in 1869 at Brooklyn NY
Wood 153.5 x 27 ft 330 GT
Bought by the Harlem & New York Navigation Co. 1873-1879
Bought by the Gloucester Ferry Company
Sylvan Dell (1886-1919)
115040
Built in 1872 at Brooklyn NY
Wood 178 x 27 ft 440 GT
Bought by the Harlem & New York Navigation Co. 1873-1879
Bought by the Gloucester Ferry Company in 1886
Sank in the Delaware River near Salem Creek on 16th July 1919
Raised in 1921 and scrapped at Camden
Reybold family : (Delaware City & Salem Steamboat Company)
Paddle
steamer Major Reybold ran between Salem and Philadelphia. William
Reybold, a peach grower at Delaware City inaugurated a steamboat to
transport his crop and to offer a public service. He also owned
Woodland Beach and began to run services from Phildadelphia to various
riverside beaches. he was a majority owner of the paddle steamer Thomas
Clyde and the two vessels were jointly marketed. In later years,
Thomas Clyde was owned by the Delaware Beach Corporation and ran to a number of beaches in the area.
Major Reybold (1853-1906)
017524
Built in 1853 at Wilmington DE
Iron 204.3 x 30.3 ft 530 GT Beam engine 42 x 132 in
Thomas Clyde (1878-1929)
145173
Built in 1878 at Wilmington DE
Iron 212 x 31 ft 625 GT
Later owned by the Delaware Beach Corporation
New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk Railroad
This
railroad company built a line from Wilmington DE to Cape Charles VA
which opened in 1884. To get passengers to the important city of
Norfolk VA, a ferry service had to be inaugurated across the entrance
to Chesapeake Bay. Passenger ferries Cape Charles and Old Point Comfort
could carry railway cars but the fleet included special barges for that
purpose. New-build from 1899 was screw steamers, so the paddle steamers
became increasingly redundant. By 1900, Cape Charles was registered at
Shieldsboro, Mississippi. Old Point Comfort was sold in 1908
Old Point Comfort (1886-1908)
155122
Built in 1886 at Wilmington DE
Iron 173 x 31 ft 480 GT
Originally built for the New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk Railroad's ferry crossing from Cape Charles to Norfolk VA
Sold to the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railroad for service on Chesapeake Bay
Paddle Steamer Rosedale
Rosedale
(1918-1921)
110329
Built in 1877 at Norfolk VA
Wood 216 x 34.2 Ft 938 GT
Came to Bridgeport
CT initially as independent operation.
In service from 1918 until 1921 at Philadelphia PA
Paddle Steamer Florence
Florence
022572
Built in 1864 at East Haddam CT
Wood 128 x 22.6 ft 245 GT
ex- Silver Star
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