As newer vessels came into service, Emma Hayward was relegated to secondary roles, and, by 1891, was converted into a Columbia river tow boat.

Emma Hayward was involved in a wide variety of maritime work, including the transport of troops to Seattle when martial law was declared in that city to counter anti-Chinese riots.

[1] According to a contemporaneous source, the machinery was "put up" by John Gates, chief engineer of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company.

[1] In the first years on this run, the Hayward ran on alternating days with the "less elegant"[6] Dixie Thompson, also built in 1871.

[1] As of August 12, 1873, the Haywood ran downriver to Astoria every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and returned to Portland the following day.

[10] Although considered a luxury passenger vessel, Hayward also transported livestock, such as 30 head of mules on April 30, 1875, from Portland to Kalama, W.T.

[13] In 1874, Holladay put the sternwheelers Willamette Chief and the newly constructed Beaver in competition with the Hayward and another O.S.N boat, the Josie McNear.

[16] The O.R.&N had just completed a rail line along the Columbia river, making it difficult for the steamboats to compete for business.

[1][16] The formal deed of sale was executed and filed with the office of the Multnomah County clerk on March 31, 1880.

[17] As a result of the sale, the O.R & N controlled every steamboat of note on the Columbia River except for the Lurline, owned by Jacob Kamm, and a few smaller vessels operating on routes out of Portland.

[19] Edith was towing a log raft when the boat caught fire when the vessel had nearly reached St.

[19] The crew on Edith saw the Emma Hayward coming upriver, and signaled to the sternwheeler, and the larger vessel, with Captain Babbidge at the wheel, came to the aid of the beached towboat.

[19] The crew on Hayward hooked up the firehose to the steam pumps, and used it to spray water on the Edith.

fleet in 1880 and completion of the railway in 1882, river traffic was booming, and profits were very great, even though fares were much lower than under the O.S.N.

responded with a tactic typical of its predecessor, the Oregon Steam Navigation Company, that is, a predatory rate cut.

[20] The growing demand for riverine transport was fueled by the rapidly developing salmon and logging industries.

[20] Fleetwood cut two hours off the time on the Astoria route, and forced the O.R.& N to run not one but four boats against Scott’s steamer.

Denny and Engineer Pardun, the Hayward was taken out across the Columbia Bar into the open Pacific Ocean and then around the Olympic Peninsula, arriving in Seattle on October 24, 1882.

[1] Business was booming on the Sound, and the Hayward handled "an immense traffic,", making a round trip every day from Olympia to Tacoma, where a connection would be made with the trains of the Northern Pacific Railway.

[22] After that, the steamer would return to Seattle, arriving at 8:45 p.m.[22] On April 21, 1889, the Hayward began making regular runs from Tacoma to Whatcom.

[23] When newer, faster, and finer vessels, such as the City of Kingston and the big sidewheeler Olympian began to be placed in service on the Sound, the Hayward was relegated to secondary status.

[24] On June 18, 1891, somewhere en route from Whatcom to Tacoma, a deckhand fell overboard from the Hayward.

[25] A few months before September 1891, Hayward sustained a broken stern wheel shaft in an accident while bound from Whatcom to Seattle.

[26] At this time, the boat was owned by the Union Pacific and operated as part of the railroad’s steamship division.

[26] After the accident, Hayward was towed to Tacoma, where Union Pacific port captain, one Clancy, ordered that repairs be made.

[26] According to a Seattle newspaper, the reason for the transfer was that "the people of the Sound demand more elegant and faster means of navigation than is afforded in steamers of the Hayward’s class.

For example, on November 16, 1894, Hayward towed out the British three-masted ship Evesham Abbey, loaded with wheat, from Portland downstream to Astoria.

[14] The Shaver firm then moored the hulk at the foot of Washington Street in Portland, and used it as a workshop and storeroom.