Bayview Historical Society
BAYVIEW, ID
dedicated to preserving the history of Bayview, Lakeview and other locations on Lake Pend Oreille
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dedicated to preserving the history of Bayview, Lakeview and other locations on Lake Pend Oreille
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Steamers and Boats on Lake Pend Oreille Records indicate that the Mary Moody, built in 1865-66, was the first
steamer on Lake Pend Oreille although ferry service began at Seneaquoteen
Crossing on the Pend Oreille River a few years prior to that date. As soon as
more settlers moved into the area, the need for more steamers arose and many
were constructed. They were the main means of transportation in the late 1800s
and the last one still plied the lake until the 1930s. Logging relied on the
steamers and mining operations moved ore and supplies up and down the 40-mile
length of the lake. Gradually passengers and mail became vital to the
successful operation of steamer companies. Major routes connected Sandpoint and
Hope in the north to Bayview and Lakeview in the south and all points in
between.
Most steamers were powered by wood-burning boilers, so vast amounts of cordwood were cut down from the surrounding mountains. Many men were employed in logging operations located in the larger towns, but others were kept busy cutting and splitting wood as private businessmen at all the stopping points around the lake. There was such a huge demand for cordwood that one researcher commented, "at one time nearly every tree within a half mile of the lake had been cut down."
A Glimpse at a Few Steamers Mary Moody Financed by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, this 108-footer took four months to construct in the winter of 1866. She had a 20' beam, a 4'9" depth of hold and could hold 85 tons of burden. All of her timber was whipsawed from yellow fir and white pine. The Mary Moody was based out of Pen d'Oreille City at the southern end of the Lake and made trips to Boyer's Slough near present-day Sandpoint and up the Clark Fork River as far as Cabinet Landing. (See Pen d'Oreille City History) Bayview Built in 1906, the Bayview was owned and operated by the Washington Brick and Lime Company. She hauled 100 tons of processed lime from the plant in Bayview to the railhead at Hope. Her usefulness subsided after the railroad came directly to Bayview in 1911 and later she was sold to the Northern Navigation Company. Northern
Western The Western, shown on the left at the railroad dock in Bayview, was based out of this southern lake port. She was built by Bayview resident Charles Spealman (on left in the photo) and the Northern Navigation Company. Another longtime Bayview resident, Earl "Cap" Moore (right) was her captain, while Spealman served as fireman and engineer. The 82' long Western carried mail and passengers until 1938 when she was dismantled and burned in the lake. Dora Powell
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The Northern was built in Sandpoint in 1908 by the Northern Navigation
Company. She was 102' long and capable of carrying 250 passengers. Northern
Navigation operated the mail route between Hope and Bayview and later between
Sandpoint and Bayview. She made regular stops along the way and alternated
routes with the Western - one going north and the other going south each day.
Her captain was Ralph Smith who lived in Bayview with his wife Grace. The
Northern carried Teddy Roosevelt in its early years and was known to often
have a live band on board.
Constructed by a Seattle builder for the owners of the International Portland
Cement Company, Spokane, Washington, this 80'coal-burning tug ran twice-a-day
trips from the railroad dock at Bayview to the two cement plants near Lakeview
and back pushing a barge with six gondola cars loaded with crushed limestone.
After arriving back at Bayview, the cars were moved onto the Spokane
International rail lines which ran directly onto the dock and taken to a siding
in what is now Farragut Park to await the second complement of cars for the
day.
The entire load was then hauled to Corbin Junction, transferred to the
main line, and brought to the plant in Spokane. The Dora Powell
was named after the wife on a Portland Cement official. She had a 3-man crew,
all of whom lived in Bayview: Robert W. Russell, captain; William "Billy"
Workman, engineer; and Rueben Best, fireman. Coal-burning steamers were rare on
the lake. According to Dewey Almas, a long-time SI employee, the cinders and
clinkers were taken from the boiler and tossed into the lake.