Bonita (sternwheeler 1900)

''Bonita'' was a steamboat which operated on the Willamette and Yamhill rivers. This boat was renamed ''Metlako'' in 1902, and operated under that name until 1924 on the Columbia River and its tributaries, the Cowlitz, Lewis and Lake rivers. In 1924, ''Metlako'' was renamed ''B. H. Smith Jr.'', operating under that name until 1931, when the steamer was abandoned. As ''Bonita'', in September 1900, this vessel was the first steamer to pass through the Yamhill locks.

Design, construction and dimensions

''Bonita'' was built specifically to run from Portland to McMinnville, Oregon. According to one source, ''Bonita'' was built for Captain Hosford by the Johnston boatyard on the east side of Portland, Oregon. According to another (non-contemporaneous) source, ''Bonita'' was built by Robert Green for Bucham & Burns Construction.

Reportedly ''Bonita'' was built for the run from Portland to Lacamas Lake near Camas, Washington, but the boat's owner, Captain Hosford, was considering placing the vessel on the route to Dayton, Oregon, along the Willamette and Yamhill rivers.

''Bonita'' was measured over the hull. Measurements over the hull excluded the length of hull extensions, such as the projection of the main deck over the stern, called the "fantail", to mount the sternwheel. The ''Bonita'' had a beam (width) of , again measured over the hull and exclusive of projections along the top of the hull, called the guards. The vessel's depth of hold was .

A vessel's overall size was measured in tons, which was a unit of volume and not of weight. ''Bonita'' was 198 gross tons and 122 net tons. Each steamer in commercial service at that time had an official steamboat registry number. For ''Bonita'', the official merchant vessel registry number was 3830.

''Bonita'' was expected to carry 200 passengers and 125 tons of freight. Power to the stern-wheel was furnished by twin steam engines, horizontally mounted, single cylinder, cylinder bore and stroke of . These engines generated 5 nominal horse power.

Operations as ''Bonita''

''Bonita'' was launched on the morning of March 28, 1900.

Hosford took ''Bonita'' on a trial run on Saturday, April 14, 1900, and the vessel ran well. Full completion of the vessel was expected by the evening of April 17, 1900.
On Sunday, April 22, 1900, an excursion on ''Bonita'' was advertised, to run from Portland to Oregon City, to see Captain Edward Morey, billed as the "champion high diver of America" dive 80 feet off the Oregon City suspension bridge. Round trip fare was 40 cents. The next Sunday, April 29, 1900, ''Bonita'' ran an excursion to Vancouver, Washington, again to see Captain Morey dive, this time from a tower 90 feet high.

In 1900, ''Bonita'' ran daily from McMinnville to Portland, leaving every morning. The boat remained two hours in Portland, then returned to McMinnville. The rates charged by the steamer were lower than the rates charged by the railroad. Soon after ''Bonita'' began the McMinnville route, the railroad lowered its rates to compete and improved its service. The railroad, which also controlled the steamship dock in Portland, refused to allow ''Bonita'' to use the dock, thus increasing drayage fees for the steamer. The railroad won back the shippers, and Bonita was forced off the route.

Carriage of hop pickers

In early September 1900, ''Bonita'' carried hop pickers from Portland to hops yards in the Willamette Valley, departing daily from Portland at 1:30 pm.

Collision with ''Pomona''

On October 22, 1900, ''Bonita'' collided with the steamer ''Pomona'' as both vessels were entering the Willamette Falls Locks. There was no loss of life or damage to cargo. ''Bonita'' sustained $200 worth of damage. The steamboat inspection service investigated the incident on November 5, 1900. As a result, the license of A.J. Spong, master of ''Pomona'', was suspended for 10 days for carelessness and negligence in handling his vessel.

Stranded on Yamhill Bar

In July 1901 as ''Bonita'' was lining across the bar of the Yamhill river, the capstan gave way, throwing one man into the river, and striking several others, but without causing serious injury. ''Bonita'' was stuck for most of a day, until the steamer ''Altona'' happened along and pulled ''Bonita'' off the shoal. The next day, ''Bonita'' successfully transited the Yamhill bar heading upriver, but when the steamer was on the other side of the bar, the river water fell, leaving ''Bonita'' trapped behind the bar.

''Bonitas captain sought assistance from the local road crew, which put to work carving out with a road scraper a channel in the bar, reportedly just big enough for ''Bonita'' to pass through. Said the ''Morning Oregonian'' of this incident: "It is further proposed that she be renamed the ''Gopher'' and equipped with a plow or two and a few agricultural huskies as assistant engineers. With a bucket of water and a road-scraper the ''Bonita'' could go overland to Kansas or anywhere."

Transport of hop pickers

''Bonita'' carried hop pickers in the 1901 picking season, departing from the foot of Washington street at 7:00 am daily for the hop fields.

Operations as ''Metlako''

On Saturday, March 15, 1902, the White Collar Line (also known as the Regulator Line) acquired ''Bonita'' for the run from Portland to The Dalles, Oregon. On this run, ''Bonita'' was to alternate with the White Collar line's steamer ''Tahoma''.

On April 10, 1902, the new owners changed the name of the vessel to ''Metlako'', a name derived from a Native American legend. Reportedly when ''Bonita'' was renamed, the vessel "received improvements which made her practically a new boat."

Placed on Columbia River route

In late April 1902, ''Metlako'' ran from Portland to The Dalles, Oregon every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing from the Regulator Line's dock at the foot of Alder Street at 7:00 a.m. ''Metlako'' departed The Dalles on the return trip to Portland every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 7:00 a.m.

On the morning of May 3, 1902, en route to The Dalles, about five miles upriver from Vancouver, a cylinder head blew out on ''Metlako'', seriously (or slightly injuring a passenger.

Sold to Seattle, Portland & Spokane Railway

The Regulator Line sold ''Metlako'' to the Seattle, Portland & Seattle Railway.

At about noon on January 27, 1903, Peter Gearin, a crewman on ''Metlako'', either leaped or fell off the boat into the Columbia River and was drowned. The incident occurred at Reed's Island in the Columbia River, as ''Metlako'' was steaming upstream from Vancouver, where Gearin had boarded the vessel. Gearin was seen to dive off the companionway into the river, but whether it was suicide or an accidental loss of footing, could not be determined. The boat stopped to look for him, but no trace could be located, so ''Metlako'' continued on its way. Gearin, age 38, had been working on steamboats for about 15 years.

Captain Johnnie Brown had been master of ''Metlako'' for several years. In October 1910, Capt. Charles Jordan took over as captain of ''Metlako'' from Capt. G.F. Gildez.

In May 1908, ''Metlako'' was engaged as a tender for the construction of the Columbia River Railroad Bridge, and had been so since the start of bridge construction.

Cowlitz, Lewis, and Lake river service

Once construction of the railroad bridge was complete, ''Metlako'' was tied up at Vancouver until December, 1908, when the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway sold the vessel to Albert Burcham, of Kelso, Washington. Burcham intend to use ''Metlako'' on the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers in the logging business.

Reconstruction

''Metlako'' was rebuilt in 1909 at Kelso, Washington, by Robert Green for Burcham & Burns Construction. In 1907, prior to reconstruction, Metlako was 198 gross and 122 registered tons, the same as Bonita when constructed. The total crew required for ''Metlako'' was 13, as shown on the 1907 merchant vessel register. After reconstruction, in 1909, Metlako measured out at 91 gross and 87 registered tons. The total required crew was reduced from 13 to 6. The length and beam of the vessel remained the same, indicating that the reduction in size was attributable to removal of a large part of the cabin structure.

Operations following reconstruction

In February 1915, as ''Metlako'' was being overhauled in Portland, there was talk on the waterfront that it would be placed on the Portland- Lewis River route. In early July 1916, high water on the Columbia river backed up the Lake River to Ridgefield, Washington, which was served by the steamers ''Metlako'' and ''Mimare''. In 1919, A.E. Hayes, of Kelso, Washington, rebuilt ''Metlako'' and ran it for a short time on the Portland-Kelso route.

Legal claims

In March 1920, ''Metlako'' was tied up at a dock in Kelso, Washington, because of legal claims pending against the vessel in federal court in Tacoma, Washington. The claims arose from an action filed by the Union Oil Company, alleging that they were owed $1,070.65 for fuel supplied to ''Metlako''.

On April 26, 1920, ''Metlako'' was sold by the U.S. Marshal for $5,200 to Captain Caples, of Woodland, Washington and associates. Another source states that Walker & Co. bought the vessel at the marshal's sale. In February 1921, Walker & Co. sold ''Metlako'' to E.E. Graham & Co.

Sinking filmed

The sinking of the ''Metlako'' was filmed on motion picture camera and made into part of a newsreel which was exhibited in August, 1921.

Operations as ''B. H. Smith Jr.''

In January 1923, E.E. Graham & Co. sold ''Metlako'' to Long-Bell Lumber Co. The new owners intended to use the vessel to tow barges and other craft. ''B. H. Smith Jr''. was much smaller than ''Metlako'', with the ''Smith'' measuring out at 97 gross and 81 registered tons.

On April 25, 1924, the name of the vessel was changed to ''B. H. Smith Jr.'', after the assistant general manager of Long-Bell Lumber Co. Long-Bell Lumber Co. had its headquarters in Longview, Washington.

Disposition

''B.H Smith Jr.'' was abandoned in 1931.

See also

*Steamboats of the Willamette River

Notes

References

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Images

Longview Public Library
Excellent high resolution image of ''Metlako'', at Cowlitz River Dike, circa 1923.

{{Columbia River Steamboats

Passenger ships of the United States
Steamboats of Oregon
Steamboats of Washington (state)
Ships built in Portland, Oregon
1900 ships
Steamboats of the Willamette River
Steamboats of the Columbia River