Orient was a light-draft sternwheel-driven steamboat built in 1875 for the Willamette River Transportation Company, a concern owned by pioneer businessman Ben Holladay.

Orient served until 1892 on the Willamette and Yamhill rivers, after which it was sold for a small amount to a new owner who thought the steamer could be put to some use.

Orient was designed to have a shallow draft so that it could operate during low water seasons on the upper Willamette River.

[5] Orient and Occident were both 154 ft (46.94 m) long measured over the hull, exclusive of the extension of the main deck over the stern, called the “fantail” on which the stern-wheel was mounted.

[5] According to a newspaper report from the time they were built, “their great length and breadth of beam will enable them to toat gobs of freight.”[6] Orient's gross tonnage (a measure of size and not weight) was 586.95 in 1878.

[7] Orient was driven by a stern-wheel which was turned by two horizontally mounted single-cylinder steam engines, each with a bore of 16 in (406 mm) and stroke of 7 ft (2.13 m).

In an accident in early October 1878, most of the crew of Orient were thrown into the water while wooding up when a wharf depot gave way.

Cooke was then owned by the Oregon Steamship Company, in which pioneer businessman Ben Holladay held the controlling interest.

[12] According to the Albany Register, a critic of the new company:By this consolidation competition on the Willamette and lower Columbia rivers is practically played out, notwithstanding the promises made by certain parties.

[12]Orient ran for Willamette Transportation & Locks Co. until 1879, when it came back into the direct control of Oregon Steam Navigation Co.[3]

[14] A report of the time stated: The Yamhill River, never offering ample breadth or depth of water for the purposes of commerce, is at this season extremely low, the banks on either side almost touching the boat, as, puffing, backing, steaming along the tortuous channel, she makes her slow way to Dayton, and, after tarrying a short time to discharge freight and passengers, steams a mile or two further up the river in order to find a place where she can turn round before taking on the wheat that awaits her.”[14]Pioneer steamboat captain George Jerome was in charge of Orient for ten years, and when he died in November 1886, his place was taken by captains Sherman V. Short and John C.

[17] Some time later the purser lit the cigar, and in a few minutes it exploded as he held it in his left hand.

[23] Orient was able to raise steam and reached the Ash Street dock in Portland a few hours later at 12:30 p.m.[23] The sudden clearing of the ice was attributed to a heavy rainfall on the Saturday night before.

On April 12, 1893, Orient struck the draw of the Morrison Bridge in Portland, tore a hole in its hull, and sank.

[5] Orient, carrying no passengers, was bound for the Lewis River to pick up a load of lumber for a barrel factory in Portland.

[5] As a result, the steamer hit the stone abutment on the east side of the draw span of the Morrison Bridge.

[5] Hundreds of people watched, crowding onto docks and piers, as the Orient, with steam was still up in the boiler, but in a sinking condition, was able to across to the wharves along the west side of the river and tie it up.

[5] However the forward part of the boat became entangled with the cable for the Stark Street Ferry as the steamer sank to the bottom of the river.