S.S. Ontario No. 1

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Postcards

Description

Photograph taken at the Genesse Docks, New York.Ontario No. 1 cost about $375,000, was 317 feet long, 54.2 foot beam, 16 1/2 foot draft, speed 13-15mph, capacity of 28 loaded coal cars, 1,000 passengers, berths for 90 people

Notes

From the 1850s to the 1870s Charlotte, New York had a flourishing business in shipping but then certain bills were passed by the federal government favoring the railroads and harbours became nearly empty. In 1880 Bell, Lewis and Yates Co. built coal docks on the river next to the iron furnace. This area became the Genesee Docks and in 1905 the Grand Trunk Railway and the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway got a charter for the Ontario Car Ferry Company to handle the coal traffic. The Ontario Car Ferry company was formed in 1905 in a joint venture between the Grand Trunk Railway and the Buffalo, Rochester and Pennsylvania Railroad. The two ferries based in Cobourg also perfomed the secondary function of taking passengers and sometimes their cars across Lake Ontario. This first ferry, named the Ontario No. 1 was launched in April 1907 and made her first trip with Captain Forrest on November 20th from Charlotte the port for Rochester, New York with a full load of 28 cars of coal.

Inscriptions

"Car Ferry, Cobourg to Rochester, At landing on the American side"

Date of Original

c. 1910

Subject(s)