Yorktown (1894)

Photograph

Steamboat Era Museum

Profile shot of starboard.

Name/Title

Yorktown (1894)

Entry/Object ID

2017.12.012

Description

YORKTOWN (1894) Year Built: 1894 Built By: John Roach and Son Built At: Chester, PA Built For: Old Dominion Steamship Company Official Number: 27660 Length: 299.5 feet Beam: 40.0 feet Depth of Hold: 16.8 feet Gross Tons: 2,898 gross, 2,126 net Propulsion: Propeller Hull: Steel Engine: Triple expansion engine with cylinders of 22 inches, 44.5 inches and 73 inches diameters generating 3,000 hp Passenger Capacity: Purchased by: US Navy in 1898 during the Spanich-American War and renamed USS Resolute. Transferred to the US Army in 1900 and renamed Rawlins. Purchased by the Merchant and Miners Transportation Company in 1902 for $200,000 and renamed POWHATAN. After being sunk in a collision, refloated and sold to the McCormick Company for $21,000 then resold to Hasler and Company and renamed CUBA after restoration. Sold to the Clyde Line in 1925 and renamed SENECA. Route: Norfolk to New York for Old Dominion, Baltimore to Providence for Merchant & Miners Previous Name: Later Name: RESOLUTE in 1898, RAWLINS in 1900, POWHATAN in 1902, CUBA in 1920, SENECA in 1925 Comments: 1894, 12 April; The Norfolk Landmark reported that the new steamer Yorktown, sister ship to Jamestown, of the Old Dominion Steamship Company, is expected to arrive in Norfolk on her maiden trip in two weeks. 1901, 9 July; The Baltimore sun reported that the Merchant and Miners Transportation Company has purchase the United States Army transport Rawlins. Rawlins was formerly the Old Dominion Steamship company’s Yorktown and will be renamed Powhatan. 1908, 26 September; The Baltimore Sun reported that the Merchant and Miners steamer Powhatan, which has been laid up at Skinner’s Shipyard for months, will take her place on the Baltimore to Boston route. Captain Thomas Pratt, who has been master on Merrimac between Savanah and Philadelphia, will take command of Powhatan. 1945, 24 April; The Baltimore Sun reported that a case of smallpox was identified on the steamer Powhatan on the trip from Baltimore to Savannah. The patient was nine years old and and was taken ill shortly after leaving this city. The Powhatan steamed up the Savannah river displaying the yellow flag and the child was taken off and quarantined. All passengers and crew were vaccinated even though there was some lively protests. 1920, 16 November; The Baltimore Sun reported the steamer Powhatan was converted into the first electric drive passenger ship in the world and will pioneer a new service between Jacksonville and Havana. Disposition: Burned on 30 December 1927 in Hoboken, NJ.