Northern Ships and Shipping

Dateline: April 21, 2025.

The information on the that follows is simply a cut-and-paste from my database, compiled from a wide variety of sources, primarily the White Pass & Yukon Route corporate records (COR 722) at the Yukon Archives and various newspapers including The Whitehorse Star.

• U.S. Reg.#27623

• wooden sternwheeler, 70 feet long, with 18.5 foot beam and 3.5 foot hold. Gross tonnage 20, registered as 10 tons.

• powered by steam engines.

• August 20, 1883 (probably July), launched at St. Michael by the Alaska Commercial Company (MacBride). Built to replace the original Youkon. The old boat, due for replacement because of its age, was smashed by the spring ice on May 19, while on the beach at Fort Yukon.

• 1883, crew consisted of Captain Petersen and an Eskimo crew.

• on July 27, 1883, Lieutenant Schwatka's party was able to purchase enough food from the YUKON at Fort Yukon to enable them to continue their exploration. On August 24, they met again, and the YUKON towed Schwatka's bark to St.Michael (Wright,p.161). Schwatka wrote that YUKON often ended up aground trying to avoid herds of moose.

• L.N. "Jack" McQuesten acted as Captain for a time; he said that "it is a wonder to me that we didn't blow her up or sink her as I didn't know anything about steam boating. Often we would get a moose in the water and all hands would grab the guns and let the steamer take care of herself." (Downs,p.64)

• operated on the lower river in 1898.

• 1900-1901, wintered on the ways at St. Michael (Star, Mar.6).

• wrecked on the Koyukuk River.

Yukon, 1883. This photo was used to create line-cut showing the boat in a herd of moose, for several of Schwatka's books. (Yukon Archives: Schwatka Coll., PHO425, 94/102)