[1] The fleet upon formation consisted of three smaller wooden-hulled steamers: Leonora, Senator, and, the largest of the three, the steam tug Skidegate.
[1] Capilano 1 and Coquitlam were built in Glasgow, Scotland and shipped to British Columbia in a knocked-down condition, then reassembled on the beach near present-day Stanley Park.
To meet the demand, both Capilano 1 and Coquitlam were outfitted with crude berths for passengers, and then run north to the mouth of the Yukon River.
[8] Camosun, 1,369 GT, 192 ft (58.52 m) LOA, was a steel-hulled modern vessel built at Paisley, Scotland by the Bow, McLachlan concern.
[8] Camosun arrived from Scotland in Vancouver on June 30, 1905 and was placed in service on a weekly route to Prince Rupert, BC under Capt.
[13] The start of World War I caused economic disruption and a fall off in the British Columbia salmon fishery, impacting the company’s operations so much that one-half of its fleet was taken out of service.
[14] On June 7, 1913, disaster struck when Cheslakee capsized at its dock in Van Anda, on Texada Island, drowning several people.
On February 3, 1914 the company’s freighter Vadso, running a few hours out of Port Simpson, struck an uncharted rock, caught fire, and sank.
[16] There were no casualties among the crew, but they had to row twelve miles to the Arrandale Cannery, from whence they were able to return to Vancouver on board another company freighter, Venture.
[16] The All-Red Line had been running local service from Vancouver to Powell River with the steamers Selma and Santa Maria.
[17] The All-Red Line also owned property at Selma Park, on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, near the town of Sechelt.
[17] In 1917 Union Steamship purchased the All-Red Line, including all of its floating equipment and the property at Selma Park.
[18] The company carried freight and passengers to new pulp mills at Powell River, Ocean Falls, and Swanson Bay.
[19] In 1919 Union Steamship bought the freighter British Columbia from Griffiths, renamed it Chilliwack, and used it to replace the 1891 steamer Comox.
[20] During the approximately 30 years Alexandra was in service, the steamer seldom left Howe Sound, and was mostly used during the summer months, including especially cruises to Bowen Island.
[20] In December 1920, Union Steamships bought the Terminal Steam Navigation Company from the veteran shipping man Capt.
[21] The sale included the Bowen Island property of Terminal Steam, the wooden steamer Bowena, and the route up East Howe Sound to Squamish.
[21] In 1923 Cardena 1559 GT 223 ft, was completed at Glasgow, Scotland for Union Steamship, which placed the new vessel on a route running from Vancouver to Prince Rupert, and then to Stewart, British Columbia.
[23] Cecilia and Cynthia, each about 950 GT, were fitted to carry 800 passengers and 75 tons of freight on Howe Sound routes and to Powell River.
[24] In 1939 Union Steamship bought the ships and freighting interests of the Frank L. Waterhouse Co., which had been in the cannery service business for many years.
[27] After World War II Union Steamships resumed regular weekly service to Ketchikan, Alaska after a lapse of many years, including stops en route at Prince Rupert and Ocean Falls.
[29] Victor David, who had bought Chelosin, surprised everyone when he and a five-man salvage crew were able to quickly refloat the ship and take it into a dock.