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ERIE The first rail- FLEET road to operate a steamship line on the Lakes was the predecessor of the Erie Railroad, which in 1852 established the Union Steamboat Co. Fourteen ships were on charter in the first 2 years of service. Some names are recorded, CALIFORNIA, INDIANA, GENESEE CHIEF, OWEGO, PAUHASSET, PORTSMOUTH, PRINCETON, OREGON, GOV. CUSHMAN, & SUSQUEHANNA. In 1854 the line built the propellors JERSEY CITY, PASSAIC & CANISTEO, and two years later added the ELMIRA, The PACIFIC OLEAN & NEW YORK- The MARQUETTE was chartered in 1859. The new vessels WABASH & ATLANTIC (later HOMER WARREN) were built in 1863, and the ARCTIC and PACIFIC a year later. In the early Seventies the larger (c.1000 tons) propellors NEWBURGH JAMES FISK,JR., JAY GOULD, and B.W.BLANCHARD were built for the rot and the GALENA, MENDOTA and WENONA, chartered. The next units in the Union Line were the large propellors WAVERLY,1874, STARUCCA, aru AVON, 1877, PORTAGE, 1875, and NYACK, 1878. Most of these were built by the railroad's subsidiary, the Union Drydock Co., at Buffalo. The NYACK iy of special interest; she was 231 ft long by 33 ft beam and had accom- modations for 150 passengers. In the Nineties she was sold to Crosby and served on Lake Michigan until 1915. The last wooden vessels of the fleet were the NEW YORK and ROCHESTER ‘(later SIDNEY C.McLOUTH), of 2000 tons. Unlike their wooden predecessors they did not have the high arched side braces. Steel hulls in the line began with the H.J.JEWETT (later BINGHAMP- TON), 265 x 40, with two stacks, side by side. The TIOGA of 1885, 285 ft long, carried her machinery amidships, as did the big CHEMUNG (later GEO.F.BROWNELL) and OWEGO, 340 footers, built in 1888. The OWEGO's time of 54 hrs.,16 min. between Chicago and The BINGHAMPTON Buffalo is one of the fastest passages re- corded on the Lakes. In 1896 the RAMAPO (later F.D.UNDERWOOD) 340 ft., was built, & a year later the STARUCCA (later DELOS W.COOKE & STEEL KING) came out. In the early 1900's the GEO.J.GOULD and S.C.REYNOLDS were acquired from the Wa- bash Line and renamed GRANVILLE A RICHARDSON and JOHN G.McCULLOUGH.