Under the name of the Astoria Farmers' Wharf Company, some of stockholders of the Willamette River Transportation Company had built a wharf in Astoria to allow ready transfer of wheat and other farm products to ocean-going ships, and Willamette Chief was going to be the inland transportation link in this chain of commerce they had envisioned.

She was considered to be strongly built and a good cargo hauler, with a shallow draft to allow her to work as far inland as possible.

Baughman remained in charge of the William Chief until she was acquired by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company in 1879 and rebuilt.

By this time the steamer was owned by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company which arranged to have its wheat dock located near the coal tipples for its steam locomotives.

Drifting free, the burning ship crashed into Willamette Chief which herself was quickly consumed by the fire.