Vessels

Foreword

Steamship Crew

The history of ownership of DAR vessels is a convoluted trail of acquisition and conquest. These were fast times and the stakes were high as companies jockeyed to be the carrier of choice for the burgeoning business travel and tourism market.

The steamship lines to the United States were particularly lucrative considering the superb tourism branding of the Land Of Evangeline the DAR management, primarily the brain child of Percy Gifkins the general manager, had pushed into the New England area. Everyone wanted an Evangeline vacation and Annapolis Valley apples and the steamships brought them to and from New York and Boston in droves.

As a result, ownership changed hands rapidly until the steamship business consolidated in the teens and twenties of the 20th century.

-Steve Meredith-

Rough History of DAR Vessels

Information taken from *Marguerite Woodworth, History of the Dominion Atlantic Railway, page 148

1893 the W&A put SS Evangeline (I) in service between Kingsport and Parrsboro.

(1894 the W&A and Western Counties Railway were amalgamated and renamed Dominion Atlantic Railway. The DAR was formally incorporated in July, 1895.)

1895 the DAR purchased the SS Prince Rupert and put it in service in July between Digby and Saint John. It was relieved when it needed repairs in the winter of 1895-1896 by the SS St. Pierre which the DAR acquired in 1895.

1897 the DAR took delivery of SS Prince Edward which made its first trip from Yarmouth to Boston on September 8, 1897.

1898 SS Prince George entered the Yarmouth - Boston route in November.

1899 SS Prince Arthur entered the Yarmouth - Boston route in June.

1901 DAR bought out the Yarmouth Steamship Co. and acquired the SS Boston, SS Yarmouth (I), SS Alpha, and SS City of Saint John. The SS Alpha and SS City of Saint John were out of service, condemned at wharf in Yarmouth. The SS Yarmouth (I) was becoming obsolete.

So in 1901 the DAR fleet was - SS Evangeline - Kingsport - Parrsboro - SS Prince Rupert - Digby - Saint John - SS Prince Edward - for sale or charter - SS Prince George - Yarmouth - Boston - SS Prince Arthur - Yarmouth - Boston - SS Boston - used to relieve SS Prince Rupert when needed - SS Yarmouth (I) - becoming obsolete - SS Alpha - condemned - out of service - SS City of Saint John - condemned - out of service

1904 DAR acquired SS Messenger, renamed her to SS Prince Albert, and replaced SS Evangeline (I) on the Kingsport - Parrsboro route. Wolfville was added as a stop at the time.

1910 SS Prince Edward was sold

(1911 CPR leases DAR for 999 years.)

1912 - August 20, SS Prince Albert, SS Prince George, and SS Boston sold by the CPR to Eastern Steamship Corporation.

1912 SS Prince Rupert, still operated by DAR, ran Digby - Saint John. SS Yarmouth (I) would relieve SS Prince Rupert when needed. SS Prince Albert was still running Wolfville - Kingsport - Parrsboro.

1913 CPR bought SS Prince Rupert from DAR and replaced her on the Digby - Saint John route with a CPR vessel SS St. George. SS Yarmouth continued in relief service until replaced in 1916 with a CPR vessel SS Empress.

After 1913, the only DAR-operated vessel was SS Prince Albert on the Wolfville - Kingsport - Parrsboro service.

1926 DAR vessel MV Kipawo entered service on the Wolfville - Kingsport and Parrsboro route replacing SS Prince Albert. MV Kipawo continued on the route until withdrawn in 1941 for war duty. It never returned to Minas Basin service.

Modern Day Operations

On September 1, 1976, Canadian National took over operation of the Saint John, N.B. - Digby, N.S. ferry. This move followed a review of federal assistance to the water transport industry and completed Canadian Pacific's withdrawal from the service. After suffering heavy losses for many years, the "Princess of Acadia"(II) and docking facilities were sold to the Federal Government in December 1974. Canadian Pacific continued to operate the service under a contract which expired August 31, 1976.(1) With the creation of Marine Atlantic in 1986, the Crown Corporation inherited the Saint John, N.B. - Digby, N.S. route. from CN Marine. The service has been operated by Bay Ferries since 1997. (Wikipedia)

References and Footnotes

1. Scotian Railroad Society newsletter. August 1976.

External Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Atlantic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Ferries_Limited
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=112166