User:SicamousDocent/SS Kelowna

SS Kelowna was a steam tug commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) company. She was operational between the years 1892-1912 on Okanagan Lake in British Columbia until it was dismantled in Penticton. Kelowna was the last of the three coal-fired steam tugs of the CPR.

Kelowna Saw Mill Company
In 1892, a new boat named Kelowna was built by Keswick & Son for the Kelowna Saw Mill Company. When the Kelowna Saw Mill Company had been formed, it had taken over the saw mill business in Kelowna that was formerly carried on by Lequime Bros. Previous to the construction of the S.S. Kelowna, the Kelowna Saw Mill Company had used the S.S. Okanagan as a tow boat on Okanagan Lake until the boat was dismantled in 1902. The machinery taken from Penticton was placed on S.S. Kelowna.

Role of the S.S. Kelowna
Kelowna was a coal-fired steam tug that operated along Okanagan Lake. She was used to haul log booms to David Lloyd-Jones’ recently built mill as well as deliver lumber along various points in the lake. In her later years, some of Kelowna’s parts were used in mines.

Crew
C.P.R. Tugs carried a crew of 11-13, which consisted of a captain or first officer, a pilot, two deckhands, a chief engineer, a second engineer, two firemen, one bargeman, and a cook who also served as a steward. Below-deck accommodation consisted of nine bunk-beds. The senior deckhand (the Bargeman) was privileged of a porthole beside his bunk.

Later Years
The Kelowna Saw Mill Company used Kelowna until 1911. She was then sold to a man in Vernon named S.C. Smith, who at the time was operating a saw mill near Naramata. Afterwards, Kelowna was taken to Penticton and dismantled there. The boiler from Kelowna was used for a while on the Okanagan Mine near Penticton, BC.