Dauntless (steamboat) facts for kids
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Dauntless
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Dauntless |
| Owner | McDowell Trans. Co.; Moe Bros. |
| Route | Puget Sound |
| Completed | 1899 |
| Out of service | 1923 |
| Fate | Wrecked. |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 91 |
| Length | 93 ft (28.3 m) |
| Installed power | steam engine |
| Propulsion | propeller |
The steamboat Dauntless was an important ship that sailed the waters of Puget Sound in the early 1900s. It was part of what people called the "Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet". This was a large group of steamboats that carried passengers and goods all around the Puget Sound area.
Contents
The Steamboat's Beginning
The Dauntless was built in 1899. A man named Matthew McDowell built her in Tacoma. He wanted her to take the place of an older boat, the Defiance (I). The Dauntless was designed to travel between Seattle, Tacoma, and East Pass.
This steamboat was about 93 feet (28 meters) long. That's almost as long as three school buses! It weighed about 91 tons.
New Owners and New Routes
In 1900, Captain McDowell built an even bigger steamboat. It was called the Defiance (II). Because he had a new boat, he sold the Dauntless. The new owners were the Moe Brothers. They used the Dauntless to carry people to and from Bainbridge Island.
A couple of years later, in 1902, the Moe Brothers sold the Dauntless again. This time, L.B. Hastings and Captain Mann bought her. They were from Port Townsend.
Speeding Along the Sound
The new owners put the Dauntless on a route between Port Townsend and Irondale. Irondale was a busy place back then because it had a steel mill. The Dauntless was quite fast for its time. It could travel at 11 knots, which is about 12.6 miles per hour (20.4 kilometers per hour). This speed helped it make quick trips on its route.
The End of a Journey
The Dauntless's story came to an end on December 30, 1923. A big storm hit the area. The strong winds and waves caused the Dauntless to break free from where it was tied up at Appletree Cove. The storm pushed the boat all the way across the sound. It ended up on the beach at Meadow Point, where it broke apart.
