Active (sternwheeler)

''Active'' was a stern-wheel driven steamboat that operated on the upper Willamette River from 1865 to 1872. During its short operational life, ''Active'' was owned by several different steamboat companies. It was dismantled in 1872 at Canemah, Oregon.

Construction

''Active'' was built at Canemah, Oregon for the Willamette Steam Navigation Company.

Dimensions

''Active'' was long, measured over the hull, and exclusive of the extension of the main deck over the stern, called the "fantail", on which the stern-wheel was mounted. ''Active'' had a beam of exclusive of the protective timbers along the upper sides of the hull called the guards. The depth of hold was .

The overall size of the steamer was 269.74 gross tons, which was a measure of volume, not weight. The official merchant vessel registry number was 1232.

Engineering

''Active'' was driven by a stern-wheel, turned by twin steam engines, horizontally mounted, each with bore of and stroke of , generating 13 nominal horsepower.

Operations

Upon completion, ''Active'' was commanded by John T. Apperson, who was also a stockholder in the steamer's first owner, the Willamette Steam Navigation Company.

Competition with the People's Transportation Company

The W.S.N. company had been formed to give competition to the dominant steamer company on the river, the People's Transportation Company. The P.T. Company, as it was known, had bested a number of rivals, but the challenge of the W.S.N. Co., in October 1865, was one of the most serious it had faced.

The W.S.N. built ''Active'' at Canemah as well as the steamer ''Alert'' at Oswego, to make the run from Portland to Oregon City. The new company gained control of the upper Willamette steamer ''Echo'', running both ''Active'' and ''Echo'' on the upper Willamette against the P.T. Company.

Fares dropped fast, so that a passenger could go from Portland to Oregon City for free, then on to Salem fifty cents, with meals and berth free, and then on to Albany for one dollar and to Corvallis for $1.50. Freight rates dropped to fifty cents per ton for shipments from Portland to Oregon City.

The steamboats of the rival companies tested their speed against each other on a daily basis. On one occasion, ''Active'' and the ''Reliance'', a P.T. Company boat, raced all the way from Canemah to Salem. The speed contests between ''Reliance'' and ''Active'' were remembered many years later by one old steamboat man as the "most exciting boat racing I have ever seen."

Merger of the rival lines

By March 1866, the competition had grown too much for both companies, and they decided to merge. In 1866, when Willamette Steam Navigation Company sold all of its assets, including the steamer ''Active'' to the People's Transportation Company, Capt. George Jerome took over, followed a few years later by Capt. George A. Pease.

Sale to Holladay interests

On September 6, 1871, the People's Transportation Company, apprehensive that the pending completion of the locks at Oregon City would bring a new challenge to its near-ten-year monopoly, voted to dissolve the corporation and sell all its assets, including the steamer ''Active'', to Ben Holladay's company, the Oregon and California Railroad, for $200,000.

Disposition

''Active'' was dismantled in 1872 at Canemah, Oregon.

Notes

References

Printed sources

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On-line newspaper collections

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{{Willamette Steam Navigation Company

People's Transportation Company

Ships built in Canemah, Oregon