Oswego Belle (Propeller), 2 Nov 1875

St. Catharines, Nov. 2. -- A very handsomely modelled propeller, named the OSWEGO BELLE, was launched from Simpson's Shipyard, at Lock No. 5 Welland Canal today. Her dimensions are 144 feet long, 26 feet 2 inches beam, with 9 feet depth of hold. The new craft is intended for the passenger trade on the Bay of Quinte between Belleville, Oswego, and intermediate ports.
      Toronto Daily Globe
      Wednesday, November 3, 1875
     


A NEW PROPELLER. - The new propeller Oswego Belle was launched at Lock No. 5, Welland Canal, on Tuesday. The dimensions of the vessel are as follows: Length, 144 feet; breadth of beam, 26 feet 3 inches; depth of hold, 9 feet. The arrangement of the machinery is such that the ship will, unlike most other propellers, float on a nearly even keel, and is expected to make from twelve to fifteen miles an hour. She is intended to ply between Belleville and Oswego and intermediate ports. Being intended primarily for the passenger trade, her
accommodations are first class for about eighty persons, and the cabins are furnished in a very superior manner and will be heated by steam. The entire cost of the vessel is about $34,000. She will be commanded by Capt. J. N. L. Mosher.
      Detroit Tribune
      Wednesday, November 10, 1875



The new prop. OSWEGO BELLE was launched at Lock No. 5, Welland Canal, on Tuesday. The dimensions of the vessel are as follows: Length, 144 ft.; breadth of beam, 26 ft. 6 inches; depth of hold, 9 ft. She is intended to ply between Belleville and Oswego and intermediate ports. The entire cost of the vessel was about $34,000. She will be commanded by Capt. J.R.N. Mosher, and is intended principally for the passenger trade.
      Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
      November 11, 1875 3-5



      Oswego And The Bay.
      _____
      The New Steamer Being Built at St. Catharines for the Bay of Quinte Route.
      _____
      Just below lock N. 3, Welland canal, Melancthon Simpson, a man who has no superior in Canada as a ship builder, has on the stocks one of the handsomest modeled screw steamers we have seen in some time. She is being built for the Bay of Quinte & Oswego Navigation Company, the company which owns the KINCARDINE, and will when is launched ply between this city and Belleville, touching at ports on the Bay of Quinte.
The builder has shown excellent taste in the lines of the new boat, for she has a clean, well cut run, is sharp forward, with good entrance, and has what so many crafts are deficient, a graceful sheer. The keel of the new steamer was laid last April, but such was the desire of the company and builder to put a boat afloat staunch in every respect and an honor to Lake Ontario, that the work has been hurried, and the result will be a steamer complete in every part, with a hull of the best of seasoned oak.
The finish of her cabin will be far ahead of anything ever seen here, the arrangement of it being such as to allow an exhibition of skill in work in the way of panels, scrolls, ribbons, brackets and pilasters. On the main deck aft will be the kitchen, office, purser¹s baggage and engineer¹s rooms; while the deck hands and firemen will have a forecastle below the main deck. The cabin on the upper deck will be for passengers exclusively; excepting a state room for the captain, and will contain twenty state rooms with accommodations in each room for three persons.
The hall through the cabin runs from the forward end to the stern and will be well ventilated. At the forward end of the cabin will be a parlor, similar to those on the side wheel boats, which can be shut off from the
after part by folding doors, while aft over the fan tail will be a smoking and wash room on one side of the hall for gentlemen, and a toilet room for ladies on the opposite. The ascent to the cabin will be by winding stairs, starting from abreast of the engine room, while opposite to the landing will be the pantry. Abaft of the pilot house will be a ' texas,' a large room for the wheelsman and mates.
The dimensions of the new boat are: Length over all 144 feet, beam 26 feet, 3 inches depth of hold 9 feet. As will be seen she is shallow in the hold, on account of the necessity of being light draught to trade at Bay ports, but will carry, it is estimated 10,000 bushels of wheat in 8 feet of water. She will have two boilers, one forward of the other, a compound low pressure engine (the cylinders being 22x24 inches each) and a screw 7 feet 9 inches in diameter. The builder of the boilers and engines, Mr. Oillie, of St. Catharines, one of the best machinists in the Dominion, says the boat will run fifteen miles an hour with ease. One boiler was put in last Saturday, and unless something unforeseen happens, the new steamer will be off the docks and ready for use three weeks from tomorrow. The owners of the steamer have decided to honor our city, and the handsome craft will bear the name "OSWEGO BELLE," a name in keeping with her beauty, style and finish. That she may be a source of profit to the men who have taken in hand the task of giving us a much needed steam line, between this city and the Bay of Quinte, we sincerely hope. Gentlemen, we give you the steamer OSWEO BELLE: May her days be many and her earnings large; may she ever be free from accident and a home to those who patronize her.
      Oswego Palladium
      August 20, 1875




      The OSWEGO BELLE.
The handsome new steamer OSWEGO BELLE, which arrived in port yesterday morning on her maiden trip, was the center of attraction yesterday and hundreds of people visited her. It is unnecessary for us to go into particulars regarding the new steamer for we gave a full description of her when she was on the stocks at Lock 3, Welland Canal.
      The builder of the boat, Melancthon Simpson, has ever reason to be proud of her for she is as handsome a piece of marine architecture as Canada has ever given to the inland unsalted seas. The engines and boilers, from the famous works of Oille, St. Catharines, are models of beauty, strength and durability. The saloon is large and roomy, extending the whole length of the cabin, and is finished and furnished with exquisite taste. The state rooms are far ahead of anything we have ever seen on screw boats, both in size and in accommodations.
Dressed in her gay bunting the OSWEGO BELLE makes a very pretty picture, and as she has a flag bearing the name of each port on her route in addition to the burgee and American and British ensigns she presents the appearance of a naval ship.
She will be a very fast boat, and we doubt if any other steam craft on the lake will approach her. She made the run from Bath to this port, sixty-five miles, in five hours, although she was loaded by the head several inches.
When the engines become smooth it is confidently believed that she will do fifteen miles an hour loaded.
The officers of the new boat are: Captain Mosher, Mate Pender, Pursor Johnson and Engineer McFall, competent, polite and attentive gentlemen.
The Bay of Quinte and Oswego Navigation Company deserve success for their enterprise, and we hope their reward will be such that next season we may have a daily line of boats from here to the picturesque Bay. Among the stockholders of the company in this city are Messrs. Irwin & Sloan, C. Allison and Manister Worts.
      Oswego Palladium
      November 22, 1875