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CHAMPION and BANSHEE as reserve." The Company had also purchased the American Line steamers ONTARIO and BAY STATE (re-named ATHENIAN), to run from Lewiston to Ogdensburg, connecting with the CHAMPION and BANSHEE for Montreal. The Saguenay route came under the same control with the steamers UNION, CATARACT (re-named COLUMBIAN), and LADY ELGIN. The management was in the hands of the Hon. John Hamilton. In June, 1868, the ATHENIAN and COLUMBIAN were advertised as running on the Lewiston-Ogdensburg route, calling daily except Sunday, at Kingston, Alexandria Bay and Brockville. Thus the Company had regular through service daily from the head of Lake Ontario to Montreal, on both the Canadian and American sides of the lake and St. Lawrence River. Adverse days again came with another period of economic depression in the early "seventies," bringing about the transfer of the Canadian Navigation Company steamers and assets to the Richelieu Navigation Company, in 1875. This merging of interests brought into existence the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company, which continued to dominate lake and river passenger traffic until the incorporation of the Canada Steamship Lines in 1913. **** To again take up the main theme of our narrative. The Reciprocity Treaty (1854-1866) had increased trade between Canada and the United States, the movement of traffic from north to south being further accentuated by the outbreak of the American Civil War in the opening 1860's. To take advantage of trade from north shore ports of Lake Ontario to the port of Rochester, N.Y., Overton Gildersleeve withdrew the NEW ERA from Royal Mail Line service at the close of the 1861 season of navigation. The steamer was hauled out, received a rebuild during the winter, and was launched in the spring of 1868 as the EMPRESS. The boat was at once placed on a new route, from Cobourg and Port Hope, Ontario, to Charlotte (Port of Rochester), New York; the run being extended at times to include ports as far east as Brighton on the Canadian side. The venture proved profitable the first year, accounting no doubt for an opposition steamer - the ROCHESTER, owned at Montreal - making its appearance in 1863. The EMPRESS, however, continued in the lead, showing satisfactory returns from year to year. This was the inception of the across-the-lake service which the Gildersleeves continued to operate for half a century. **** Although having many exacting business interests demanding his attention, Overton S. Gildersleeve found time to serve the municipality as an Alderman, and also as Mayor. He also took an active part in the political affairs of the constituency. It was a shook, therefore, when his labors were terminated suddenly by death. In announcing his demise, the News of March 10th, 1864, stated: "The startlingly sudden death of Overton S. Gildersleeve, Esq., is an event which deeply concerns every resident of Kingston. Mr. Gildersleeve has held a prominent position in the city, socially, commercially and -28-