ERIE COUNTY OHIO - And Then They Went West (published 1897) [Part 12b] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 May 1, 1999 *********************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio The Kelley Family Book compiled by Hermon Alfred Kelley 1897 And Then They Went West by D. Kelley 1998 (Part 12b) *********************************************** Boats that Served Kelleys Island (Part 2) The cement works at Ottawa City located at the northern extremity of Catawba Island, was then in full operation shipping cement to various lake ports, and the management of the cement company having made liberal offers in the way of freight,the owners of the Islander decided to build a larger boat. A subscription for stock was started and about seven thousand dollars was subscribed by island folks and two thousand by Rivera St. Jurjo of Put-in-Bay. The keel was laid in July on George Kelley's shore dock, and the new boat was christened, " Island Queen " and launched about Thanksgiving day and was froze in until January 7th when she was towed to Sandusky by the steamer Ariel where her machinery was installed and she was ready, for service in the spring of 1855. Her official measurement was 172 tons. During the summer after the sale of the Islander, the people had to depend on sailboats and the Detroit Steamer--Bay City. Captain Lundy agreeing to stop at the island when passengers enough to amount to five dollars in passage money wished to land or leave there. When the Queen started to run, she included on her route, Freemont, Plaster Bed and other Sandusky Bay ports, besides Sandusky, Ottowa City and the Islands. She also went to Cleveland or Toledo once a week with cement from Ottawa City. She, like the Islander, made a part of her earning by towing sailing vessels in and out of Sandusky Bay. She, like the Islander, had a upright or " Sawgate," high pressure engine. She cost about $18,000.00 when completed, which was twice the amount estimated and subscribed and did not pay out for five years. The war breaking out, and the fisheries and vineyards prospering exceedingly during that period together with a good excursion business of full loads twice a week, she made money and invited competion. She gave up going to Fremont at the beginning of the Civil War and began daily instead of tri-weekly trips to the islands except when she went to Huron, Black River or some point after excursions. The Queen never met with a serious accident nor suffered anything more than a broken crankshaft except when she was captured by Rebels and sunk on " Chick-a-no-lee" reef. Claims for $2,000.00 were filed for this loss together with the Alabama Claims, but the commission threw it out as " not coming within the scope of protocol." The growing business on the route necessitated a larger boat and the Queen was accordingly sold in 1866 to the parties of whom the Evening Star a 340 ton steamer was bought. The Star ran about two years without oppostion when the Reindeer was put on route by Mr. Fox of North Bass. The business grew unprofitable for both boats. A consolidation was made and the Lake Erie Steamboat Company was formed with A.S.Kelley as president. The Star and Reindeer were sold at a loss. In 1852 the sailboat Sportsman was brought to the island. The sloop Gazelle owned by J.E.Woodford and Captain William Black and sailed by the latter, was built that year at Port Clinton and brought to the island. The Gazelle was a fast and sea worthy boat of about thirty tons capacity. She was decked over and had a cabin and one large hatchway. She ran from Sandusky to the islands regularly until the steamer Island Queen took the route. She was said by A.S.Kelley to be the best sailing vessel that seved the island It was this boat that brought back the passengers of the " Queen" from Put-in-Bay when the "Queen" was captured by Rebels in 1865. Mr. Woodford also brought the Coral to the island from Lake Huron where he had used her in the fishing trade. The Zouave sailed by Captain Vessey brought passengers and mail from Sandusky in 1863 and before , and the Zula sailed by Captain Dayton served the island similiarly at about the same time. The Rina and the Julia, the latter sailed by "Johnnie " Reinheimer were staunch sailboats. The Julia was built like a pound boat and could carry at least six tons of freight. The Gilmore a three hundred ton Schooner was owned by Erastus Huntington and Captain Ort. Moor of Kelley's Island. Captain Moor sailed her. A story is told about the Gilmour by Captain Corydon Woodford, who when as a lad, sailed on her as cabin boy. The Gilmore was an old boat then and was so leaky, as to require much work at the pumps, to keep her afloat. When she was at dock, the crew did not dare go to sleep for fear she would sink, so they resorted to the following expedient. They procured several bushels of horse manure and dumped it into the water along side the boat near the " run" where she leaked the worse, and by poking the manure down into the water, it was sucked into the seams until the leak had automatically calked itself. Ship was then pumped dry and the crew went to sleep in no fear of waking up in a watery grave. It was only fair to say that the Gilmore was repaired and carried stone from the island, making regular trips up to 1884 or later. >From an account in the Islander regarding the scow Elmina being lost in a fog. we learn that this boat was engaged in carrying stone to Cleveland for Charles Carpenter who owned her. The date is approximately 1860. It is recorded that the sailboat White Fawn, Captain Lincoln sailed to Sandusky on December 20th 1869 and returned with the mail and fourteen passengers. In 1862 the steamer Dart, Captain Selah Dustin ran between Detroit and Sandusky and stopped at Kelley's Island whenever there was freight or passengers for it. In 1864 and '65 the steamer Parsons was on the same run. On September 30 the new steamer Messenger commenced making weekly trips between the island and Cleveland, Ohio. After the sale of the Star and Reindeer, the Island Queen was again put on the route and served for the balance of the season. This was her last appearance. She went to Detroit and was soon afterward burned. (Con't in part 3)