S.S. Inlander

S. S. Inlander was built in 1910 at Victoria by the Victoria Machinery Depot for the Prince Rupert Skeena Trans. Co, a group of businessmen and residents on the Skeena River.

They ran her on the Skeena River under Capt. John Bonser, engineers Robert Ryder and W. L. Alexander.

In Sept. 1912, she made her last run after the completion of the GTP Railway and was pulled up on the ways at Port Essington and was left to rot.

Bluff bowed and carrying her width on the waterline clear to the stern, she was of light draft and efficient, with positive opening and closing valves and hydraulic steering. She had a locomotive type boiler. She was a dream to run for her chief engineer. The engines were capable of producing 13 h.p. but her rear hull construction compensated and gave her more cleavage in the water. Stateroom capacity was 36 passengers and 120 regular passengers, hot and cold running water, steam heated rooms, plush velvet and lightweight dining table and chairs, brass double decker beds, men’s and ladies washrooms, three English flush toilets, thick floor carpets as well as all other amenities for comfortable river travel. In 1912 she was the last sternwheeler to make the downriver trip and was later put into Port Essington ways where she rotted away beside the Monte Cristo. Part of her boiler and paddlewheel axel are now on display in Hazelton. Her piano resides at the Terrace Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum.

Wiggs O’Neill was purser on the Inlander for some time.

Crew:
Capt. Joseph P. Bucey
Capt. John H. Bonser
J. Cunningham, First Officer
Robert Ryder, Chief Engineer
Ed. Clark, Second Engineer
W. L. Alexander, Engineer
Wiggs O’Neill, Purser
F. Waller, Freight Clerk
Joe Doven, Steward

Ships Registry for the Inlander courtesy Library and Archives Canada: