Cheslakee (steamship)
_at_Powell_River_BC_1912.jpg)
Cheslakee at Powell River, BC, 1912.
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Cheslakee |
| Route: | coastal British Columbia |
| In service: | 1910 |
| Fate: | Scrapped 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | coastal steamship |
| Tonnage: | as built : 526 gross tons. |
| Length: | 132 ft (40.2 m) |
| Beam: | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Depth: | 18 ft (5.5 m) depth of hold |
| Installed power: | steam engine |
| Speed: | 11 to 12 knots maximum |
Cheslakee was a steamship that operated from 1910 to 1913 under the ownership of the Union Steamship Company of British Columbia. In 1913, the ship sank, killing seven people. This was the only accident involving a passenger fatality in the 70-year history (1889-1959) of the Union Steamship Company. Following the sinking Cheslakee was raised, reconstructed, and launched again under a different name.
“Cheslakee” was the name of a settlement of the 'Namgis group of Kwakwaka'wakw at the mouth of the Nimpkish River also known as Whulk. The name Cheslakees is said to have been that of the chief of the village at the time of Vancouver's visit in 1792. This town had been visited by Captain George Vancouver and the name was recorded in his journal.
Cheslakee was built in Ireland in 1910. The ship was designed by A.T.C. Robertson, a Vancouver naval architect who had previously been employed with Bow, McLachlan & Co. The hull, the maindeck and the crew's quarters were completed in Dublin by Dublin Dockyard Co. The ship was then towed to Belfast, where a triple-expansion, compound steam engine was installed, generating 650 horsepower. The engine was manufactured by MacColl & Co., and drove the vessel at a maximum speed of 11 to 12 knots. No cabins or upperworks were installed in Belfast.
The dimensions of the vessel were 132 feet long, 28-foot beam, 18-foot depth of hold, and 526 gross tons. The engine was built by MacColl & Co., of Belfast, Ireland.
Cheslakee would be the smallest modern vessel owned by the company. Chesalakee although small, was like the company's other steamers, built on a steel hull, and was considered, at least in 1910, to have been of the highest standard of construction.
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