❖ MOSQUITO FLEET MONDAY ❖ The VASHON (ex-CITY OF ABERDEEN)

Steamer CITY OF ABERDEEN
ON 126766
128' x 19.5' x 6'
Original photo rom the archives of the S.P.H.S©

"The sternwheeler CITY OF ABERDEEN was built in 1891 on Grays Harbor, the same year she was sent to Puget Sound to operate on the Seattle-Olympia route for S. Wiley Navigation Co.
      She was commanded by a colorful character known as 'Hell-Roarin'Jack.' This steamer was noted for impromptu races, during which, anything flammable in the cargo was apt to be used for fuel. She once consumed several cases of choice bacon in a tussle with the GREYHOUND. As a result, she was almost worn out by 1907, but was completely rebuilt, given even more powerful engines and renamed VASHON."
    

"Under her new name the VASHON ran between Seattle
and Bremerton in the excursion trade and on summer
runs to a resort at Useless Bay, Whidbey Island."
Original photo from the archives of the S.P.H.S.©

Above notes from Pacific Steamboats. Newell and Williamson. Bonanza Books.
A Saltwater People post about one of the CITY OF ABERDEEN races can be viewed here
1907: She was renamed VASHON and chartered by Schubach and Hamilton, to run out of Seattle, on the Alki Point excursion route. After extensive overhauling, she started on that route on 4 July, making hourly departures from the City Dock in Seattle. 
1911: "On 28 November a fire, presumably caused by spontaneous combustion, totally destroyed the steamer VASHON in Guemes Channel. The vessel owned by Mackie Bros who used the vessel in connection with their Whidbey Island resort. The occasional visitor to this port [Friday Harbor] was a total loss. Captain Robert Fredericks and the crew barely escaped.
      V. Widup, one of the firemen, was the only member of the crew to suffer from the flames. Widup was sleeping when the fire started. When making the rounds of his men to see if they were all safe, he was found still in his bed. He was assisted to the dock where he recovered.
      The VASHON had just arrived in Anacortes from Seattle, and was tied up to the Great Northern dock when the fire started. The VASHON was one of the oldest steamers on Puget Sound. Recently she has been on the Seattle-LaConner route, and also made trips to the San Juan islands. On this trip she was serving the Island Belt Co to load salmon canned at Lummi Island. She was 342 tons, valued at $20,000, with $5,000 insurance."
Above fire report from the San Juan Islander, 1 December 1911, submitted to the archives by Richard Schneider from Orcas Island, WA.
Masters:
Capt. Harry Bromley
Capt. Robert Fredericks

❖ The Steamboat RACE ❖ 1945

Sternwheeler CITY OF ABERDEEN

Commanded by Capt. Gus Soderman.

Photographer unknown,

From the archives of the S.P.H.S. ©

"The steamboat story of early days of Puget Sound sprouted when your cruising correspondent casually mentioned to Fred Marvin, Port President, that he had conversed with old "Nick" Perring at Olympia. Exclaimed Fred:
      'Gosh all hemlock! Is Nick still alive? I am glad to hear this. You know, Nick is one of the greatest engineers Puget Sound ever had? A great steamboat man.'
      This fact was agreed to. It was added that this pioneer marine man had told a bit of the story of the famous race in which the CITY OF ABERDEEN had beaten the famous GREYHOUND in a trifle of a race between Seattle and Tacoma.
      'You can bet your life she did!' The ABERDEEN beat her. I saw the finish of the race. This was on Sunday afternoon in the very early 90s. I've got the date in one of my old log books at the ranch.'
      So the story of this Puget Sound steamboat race was authenticated by the port commissioner. This was one of the great steamboat races of the Sound. Private, to a great extent, the affair was held closely in the minds of those taking part.
      Nicholas C. Perring, 'Nick' to old associates, started his career on the Sound in 1878 on the sidewheel tug GOLIAH. In his time he served on many of the famous steamers, including the GREYHOUND.
      'That was quite a race. Old man Willey came aboard one day and asked me if I could best the GREYHOUND with the ABERDEEN. I told him I could, providing I was allowed to have the say in loading the ABERDEEN. She was a deceiving outfit when it came to speed. To run she had to be trimmed just right. I knew the GREYHOUND. She was fast and had a great reputation for speed.

Sternwheeler GREYHOUND,

Commanded on race day by Capt. Ed Darrington.

Original photograph from the Marine Salon

Archives of the Saltwater People Historical Society©

Preparing for the Race:
      'Well, we began to get ready for the run. I had the boys save the best of the fuel. We stowed in plenty of bark to fill up the holes in the firebox. Bark makes a terrific heat.
      The time of the race came and we went to it. I have forgotten who was engineer on the 'HOUND' or who was our skipper. The ABERDEEN hit it up at a good clip. When the boys passed the word back that the GREYHOUND's crew were heaving their cordwood overboard I knew we had them. We beat them into the dock at Tacoma by some distance--in fact, when we docked the 'HOUND' was nearer Brown's Point than the dock.'
      When questioned as to the excess steam carried in the boiler, if any, the veteran engineer parried:
      'Of course, the greater amount of steam carried will naturally increase the speed to an extent.'
      Reporting his observations, Commissioner Marvin said:
      'This race was a fixed affair between the crews of the steamers and several interests to settle the question of which of the steamers was the faster. The race was on the quiet so far as publicity went. There were not many passengers on board, but plenty of excitement. I think the ABERDEEN passed the 'HOUND' at Dash Point. But it's a fact you could hear them coming before you could see them. Both boats were wide open and the long exhausts sounded like a half dozen locomotives going up a hill. I guess the crew of this GREYHOUND lost their shirts and payrolls in that race.'
      The CITY OF ABERDEEN was built at Aberdeen, WA. The steamer was 127-ft long. The craft plied between Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia for a number of years. In later years the vessel was altered to a tug and operated out of Bellingham"
Above text by James Bashford
Tacoma Times, Sept. 1945.
"James O. Bashford was a 'roustabout' on the Tacoma waterfront, eventually becoming engineer on some of the boats plying the harbor about 1905. Apparently neither a professional reporter nor photographer, Bashford nonetheless put in a stint on the Tacoma Ledger and was ambitious in both capacities, leaving behind copious notes and photographs, many of which now repose in the C. Arthur Foss collection."
The above profile on the Ledger columnist Bashford 
by Gordon P. Jones 
Puget Sound Maritime Historcal Assoc. newsletter supplement Nov. 1966.