the wreck of the a.j. goddard - tourism and culture · back cover, top: clara goddard with the a.j....
TRANSCRIPT
A sternwheeler from the days of the Klondike Gold Rush
The Wreck of the A.J. Goddard
Lindsey Thomas, Doug Davidge and John Pollack
Gold 3
Achancetoprofit 4
Thelandroutes 5
BoatsfortheKlondike 6
BennettLake 7
TheYukonRiversystem 8
LeavingBennett 9
OntoDawson 10
Afterthegoldrush 11
Theworststormoftheyear 12
Disaster 13
Losttomemory 15
Theyearspass 16
Lookingforclues 17
Peopleofthelake 18
Thesearchcontinues 19
Apromisingfind 20
Discovery 21
Detailedsurvey 22
The2009season 23
The2010season 24
Newtechnology 25
Constructiondesign 26
Prefabrication 27
Forprofitandadventure 28
Wasthedesignsuitable? 29
Modifications 30
Artifacts 31
Lifeonboard 32
Outfittingthevessel 33
Morethanutilitarian 34
Conclusion 35
Acknowledgements 36
Contents
Boats line the shore of Lake Bennett at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush.LibraryandArchivesCanada
ThisbookisdedicatedtoFayGoddardandtoallthevolunteerswhohavehelpedwiththeworkrelatedtotheA.J. Goddard.
©GovernmentofYukon,2012
ISBN:978-1-55362-565-0
DesignandlayoutandadditionalresearchandwritingbyPatriciaHalladayGraphicDesign
Photocredits:ASL=AlaskaStateLibrary,Juneau;LAC=LibraryandArchivesCanada,Ottawa;UAF=UniversityofAlaska,Fairbanks;UofW=UniversityofWashington,Seattle;YA=YukonArchives,Whitehorse
Front cover: Underwater view of the paddlewheel of the A.J.Goddard. Photo:LarryBonnettBack cover, top: Clara Goddard with theA.J.Goddardat Bennett, circa 1898. CandyWaugamanCollection,KLGO,UofAlaska;centre: TheA.J.Goddardin Dawson City, June 1898; A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard; bottom: Albert Goddard looking out from under a tarp on his namesake vessel, Bennett Lake, circa 1898. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddardBack cover, background: Underwater view of the bow of the A.J.Goddard. Photo:LarryBonnett
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 3
GoldInAugust1896goldwasdiscoveredonatributaryoftheKlondikeRivernearwhatisnowDawsonCity.Becauseofthearea’sremoteness,newsofthefinddidnotreachcivilizationuntilJuly1897—nearlyayearlater—whentwoshipsladenwithprospectorsandgoldreachedSeattleandSanFrancisco.
NewspaperheadlinesandtelegraphlinesspreadthenewsacrossNorthAmericaatatremendouspace.People
quittheirjobsbythetensofthousandsandleftfortheKlondikeasquicklyastheycouldfindequipmentandsupplies.
ThebusinesscommunityacrossthePacificnorthwestrushedtoequipthestampederswhoweresettingouttoseektheirfortunesintheKlondikegoldfields.
Guidebookswerehurriedtopress,writteninmostcasesonthebasisofsecondhandinformationbyauthorswhohadnotbeenthere.WestcoastcitiessuchasVancouver,Victoria,SeattleandSanFranciscobecamethedeparturepointforthestampeders.
Inthemidstofthisexcitement,agroupofSeattlebusinessmendecidedtogonorthandexploitthecommercialopportunitiesofthegoldrush.
Above: Stampeders tried almost anything in their rush to get over the mountain passes.YA,U.ofAlaskaArchivesphotographcollection#3122
Right: Stores in west coast cities competed for the miners’ business. In its haste to cash in on the rush, this store misspelled “Klondike.”YA,BillRoozeboomcollection#6303
YA,The Seattle Daily Times,Sunday,July18,1897
4 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
A chance to profitAlbertJ.GoddardwasaSeattlebusinessmanandwasactiveinpolitics.OriginallyfromIowa,heandhisbrotherCharlesmanagedapros-perousSeattlefoundrybusiness,thePacificIronWorks,forseveralyears.
AlberthadbenefitedfromthegreatSeattlefireof1888,whichdestroyedallofthefoundriesexcepthisown.WhengoldwasdiscoveredintheKlondike,Goddard’sbusinesswasone
ofthemostprofitablefoundriesintheregionandhewasfinanciallycapableofimmediateaction.
Goddardhadexpertiseinfabricationandsteamengineering.Thisputhiminanexcellentpositiontoheadnorthandbenefitfromthecommercialopportunitiesthatwereemergingontheroutestothegoldfields.
AlltheroutestotheKlondikeinvolvedvastdistances.One—theall-waterroute—lednorthalongthePacificCoastbycoastalsteamertoSt.Michael,Alaska,nearthemouthoftheYukonRiver.
AtSt.Michael,passengerstransferredtooneofthefewriversteamboatsheadeduptheYukonRivertoDawson.
Thisroute,approximately7,000kilometres(km)long,wasexpensiveandpassedthroughthe
treacherousBeringSea.Inaddition,theshortnorthernsummerlimitedthenavigationseasonontheriver.
Above: This 1897 map promotes Portland, Oregon as a departure point for the Klondike. YA,Pamphlet1897-82C
Right: Gold-seekers throng the Seattle waterfront, 1898. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
Below: Steamboats Louiseand Bellaat St. Michael, Alaska, ca. 1898. ASL,ClaudeHobartPhotographColl.P425-6-34
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 5
The land routesMostofthegoldseekerstookashorterbutmoredifficultroute.AftertravellingbysteamshiptosoutheasternAlaska,theypackedtheirsuppliesovertheChilkootorWhitePasstrailstotheheadwatersoftheYukonRiversystem.
TheportsofDyeaandSkagway,Alaskawerethestagingpointsforthetwoheadwatertrails;DyeawasthestartingpointoftheChilkootTrailandSkagwaywasthestartingpointoftheWhitePassTrail.ThetrailsledfromtheUnitedStatestoCanada,acrossaboundarywhoseexactlocationhadstillnotbeendetermined (see map, right).
Thetwotrailsbecameinfamousfortheirhardships.Inadditiontosevereweatherandharshterrain—andtheinexperienceofmostofthestampeders—therewasanotherchallenge:theNorth-WestMountedPolice
(NWMP),concernedthatthousandsofpeoplewouldarriveinDawsonwithoutadequatefoodorsupplies,ruledthateverygoldseekerhadtobringayear’ssupplyofprovisions.Thestampedershadtohaulthis“tonofgoods”overthemountainpasses,relayingitontripaftertrip.
Right: Organised chaos at Dyea, ca. 1898.YA,AntonVogeefonds#114
Left: An unending line of stampeders ascends the Chilkoot Pass, ca. 1898. YA,WinterandPondfonds#2293
The land routes to the Klondike. The disputed boundary line shown on the map is farther inland than the eventual U.S./Canada border.YA,A.e.Ironmonger-Sola:Klondyke: Truth and Facts of the New El Dorado,1897
6 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
Boats for the KlondikeOncethestampedersfinallyhauledalltheirgoodstotheheadwaterlakes,theyhadtobuildaboatorraftforthe800-kmriverportionofthejour-neytoDawsonCity.Mostofthemhadneverbuiltaboatbefore,andmany
ofthevesselsthattheybuiltattheheadwaterlakeswerecrudescowsmanoeuveredwithlongoars,orsweeps,barelyabletomakethetriptothegoldfields.
AlbertGoddardsawtheneedforamoresophisticatedvessel.HeorderedpartsfortwosmallprefabricatedsteamboatsfromtheRisdonIronWorksinSanFrancisco,California.Thevessels,whichweredesignedtohisspecifications,wouldbeshippednorthinpiecesandassembledatBennett.TheywouldbeputtouseontheYukonRiversystembythenewventureheestablished,theUpperYukonCompany.
Somestampederswhotookthelonger,all-waterroutetoSt.Michael
in1897hadbeencaughtbywinter,andfoundtheirsteamboatsfrozeninonthelowerYukonRiver.Goddarddecidedthatthemountainpasses,whiledifficultanddangerous,werethebetterroutesfortransportingthedisassembledvessels,millandsupplies.Above: Two men whipsawing lumber for a boat.
YA,GeorgeB.Laddfonds90/13R#183
Men on handmade boats at Bennett, ca. 1898; note the small paddlewheel at left. UAF-Selid-Bassoccoll.64-92-369
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 7
Bennett LakeByMarch1898Goddard’scompanyhadmovedthemanytonnesoftools,sheetiron,rivets,steamenginesandboilerstothecommunityofBennett,BritishColumbia.Bennett,attheheadofBennettLake,waswheretheChilkootandWhitePasstrailsconverged.Moststampedersmadetheoverlandtripinthewinter
andthensetoffintheirhomemadeboatsassoonastheicewasoffthelakesandriver.
TheUpperYukonCompanyemployeesreportedlyhauledtheirfreightovertheWhitePassTrail,longerbutlesssteepthantheChilkootandmoresuitableforhorses.TheymayhavereturnedtothecoastviatheChilkootTrail.TheymayalsohaveusedtheaerialtramwaythathadrecentlybeeninstalledontheChilkootPass.
Bennettwasabustlingfrontiertentcommunitycreatedbythegoldrush.Tensofthousandsofmenandwomanwerecampedthere,waitingfortheicetogoout,buildingboatsofallshapesandsizes.
Overthecourseofmanyweeksthecompany’sskilledworkersassembledtwo16-metrerivetedsteelstern-wheelersontheshoresofthelake.TheA.J. Goddardwascompletedfirst,followedbytheF.H. Kilbourne.
Above: Bennett, ca. 1898. Note small wooden sternwheeler, centre (not the A.J.Goddard).ASL,P.e.LarsscollectionPCA4-1-21
Below, left: The completed A.J.Goddardat Bennett, with the hull of the F.HKilbourne (at right); below right: At Bennett while the vessels were being assembled; Clara Goddard at right. Left:RobertCourtneyColl.,KlondikeNationalParkHistoricSite;right:A.J.GoddardColl.,courtesyFayGoddard
8 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
The Yukon River systemLikethestampeders,thecompanydependedoncompletingthevesselsbythetimetheicemeltedandtheriveropenedup.Thentheracetothegoldfieldswouldcontinue,nowonwaterinsteadofland.
TheupperYukonRiversystemconsistsofaseriesoffourlargeinterconnectedheadwaterlakesthatextendedmorethan243km,fromBennettinB.C.tothedownstreamendofLakeLabergeintheYukon.
FromthefootofLabergeitisanother550kmontheYukonRivertoDawsonCity.TheYukonRiverflowsnorthtoDawson,thencurveswesttoemptyintotheBeringSea.
Thewaterwayisnavigableinbothdirections,exceptforthefive-kmsectionofwateratMilesCanyonandtheWhitehorseRapids,justupstream
fromwhatisnowWhitehorse.There,aftermanystampederscametogrief,theNWMPruledthatonlyexperiencedriverboatmanandpilotscouldrunthegauntletofswiftwhitewaterandrapids.Upstreamtravelthroughtherapidsandcanyonwasimpossible.
Above: Raft in Miles Canyon, ca. 1898.YA,VancouverPublicLibrarycoll.#2174
Left: Stampeders at Marsh Lake, waiting for the ice to go out.YA,92/15RoyMintercoll.#21
Above: The A.J.Goddard, with a canoe across the bow, at Carcross circa 1898.YA,VancouverPublicLibrarycoll.#2237
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 9
Leaving BennettOnMay28,1898,theicewentoutonBennettLake.Thousandsofboatstooktothewaterwithin48hoursandheadedfortheDawsonCitygoldfields.TheA.J. GoddardappearstohavedepartedBennettonJune2,1898,reachingtheNWMP’sTagishLakepostthenextday.TheboatwasunderCanadianregistration.
SincetheU.S.-Canadaboundarywasstillbeingdeterminedatthetime,thestampeders,whostartedtheirover-landjourneyinAlaska,hadtoclearCanadiancustoms,eitheratthesummitoftheChilkootorWhitePass,oratTagish.
OnJune17,1898,theSan Francisco Call reportedatrialrunonMay31bytheA.J. GoddardbetweenBennettandCarcross,atthefootofBennettLake.ThevessellikelyreturnedtoBennettandwaitedtherefortherestoftheheadwaterlakestobecomefreeofice.
TheA.J. GoddardstayedonthelakessouthofTagishpostforanothertwoweeks,possiblybecauseicewasstill
blockingMarshLake.Thecrewlikelytookadvantageofthisopportunitytotowotherboatsforprofit(see photo, below left),ortoactasaferry,
astheUpperYukonCompanyhadplannedfortheGoddard’ssistership,theF.H. Kilbourne.
Above:ASL,Daily Alaskan(Skagway),July22,1898
Below: The A.J.Goddardat Bennett. ASL,CharlesH.MetcalfPhotographColl.P34-009
The F.H.Kilbourne towing boats on Lake Bennett, 1899. MacBrideMuseum1989-3-1-412
1 0 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
On to DawsonOnJune16,1898,theA.J. GoddarddepartedtheupperendofLakeBennettandheadedforDawson.Shortlyafterward,thevesselarrivedatthesmalllandingofCanyonCity,justupstreamofMilesCanyon.
TheA.J. Goddardproceededunderitsownpowerthroughthedifficultstretchofwater,onlythethirdstern-wheelertoaccomplishthisfeat.The
vesselarrivedinthesmallsettlementofWhitehorseonJune17.
TheboatcontinueddowntheYukonRivertoLakeLaberge,thenthroughthesectionofriverknownastheThirtyMile.ItarrivedinDawsonCityintheearlyhoursofJune21withtenpassengersandacrewofeight.
TheA.J. Goddardwasthefirststern-wheelertonavigatefromBennetttoDawsonCityin1898.Ashorttimelater,itwasoneofthefirststern-wheelerstomakethereturntripupstreamfromDawsontothelowerendoftheWhitehorseRapids.AlbertGoddard’swifeClaraaccompanied
himonthevoyage,andwaslaterhonouredasthefirstfemaleriverboatpilotontheUpperYukonRiver.
The Columbian,JosephClossettandVictorian on the Whitehorse waterfront, Spring 1900. The diminutive Clossettwas still 7 metres longer than the Goddard.YA,UAAcollection#3124
Below: Clara Goddard, 1898, in the tent that served as her home and the office of the Upper Yukon Company. When her husband Albert became ill with typhoid she took over his duties as well as nursing, cooking and cleaning.A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
The A.J.Goddardat the dock in Dawson, 1898.A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 1 1
After the gold rushFromthispointon,littleisknownabouttheA.J Goddard.LikemanyofthepioneervesselsontheYukonRiver,itwaslikelytoosmalltobeasprofitableasthelargersteamboatsonthe500-kmjourneybetweenWhitehorseandDawsonCity.WiththecompletionoftheWhitePassand
yearslater,theCDCwasitselfsoldtoWP&YR,butthereisnoevidencethattheA.J. GoddardwaseverrecognizedasbeingapartofWP&YR’sassets.
Above: By 1901, Whitehorse had grown (compare this to photo, p. 10). Most of these vessels were owned by WP&YR’s river division.YA,e.J.Hamacherfonds(MargaretandRolfHougencoll.),2002/118#95
YukonRouterailway(WP&YR)betweenSkagwayandWhitehorsein1900,WhitehorsehadbecometheheadofnavigationontheYukonRiver;Bennettbecameaghosttown.
TheA.J. GoddardwastoosmalltoeasilynavigatethemoredifficultsectionsoftheYukonRiver,suchasFiveFingerRapidsandRinkRapids.ItspentmuchofitstimeinthetowingbusinessonLakeLaberge.
In1899theUpperYukonCompanywassoldtoacompetitor,theCanadianDevelopmentCompany(CDC),whichappearstohaveconfinedthevessel’sservicebetweenWhite-horseandthefootoftheThirtyMileRiver.Two
The A.J.Goddardin Dawson, dwarfed by larger boats. YA,RobertCouttsfonds,78/69#357
1 2 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
Inthelatefallof1901,theA.J. GoddardmadeatripbacktoWhitehorsefromLowerLaberge.Thesmallvesselhadonlyfivepeopleonboard:thecrew—CaptainCharlesedwardMacDonald,cookFayRansom,firemanJohnThompsonandengineerJuliusStockfeld—aswellasonepassenger,C.P.Snyder.
OnOctober11,theA.J. GoddardenteredLakeLabergewithalargebargeintow;CaptainMacDonaldlikelyhopedtomakeWhitehorsebytheendoftheday.ThelakeissimilartomanyotherlargemountainandnorthernlakesinwesternCanada.Violentstormsanddangerousseaconditions,withshortsteepwaves,canarisewithlittlewarning.
TheKlondike Nugget reportedthattheA.J. Goddardencounteredthe“worststormoftheyear.”AnOctoberstorminasmallopensteamboatonalargenorthernlakewouldbe
anintenseandmiserableexperience.Thelittleshipwasblastedwithfreez-ingrainandsnowandpoundedbywavesthatputwaterontothedecks.Thevesselwasreportedtohavelostitstowandwascompelledtokeepitsbowintothenowintensewind.
Clara Goddard with the vessel at Bennett. Note how open the ship was to the elements. CandyWaugamanCollection,KLGO,UofAlaska
The worst storm of the year
Lake Laberge is prone to wind and storms. Photo:GovernmentofYukon
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 1 3
DisasterDespitethecrew’sefforts,theA. J. Goddardbegantotakeonwater,whichextinguishedtheboilerfires.Thisleftthewood-burningshipwithoutpower.Thevesselfounderedandsanktothelakebottomonlyafewhundredmetresfromshore.CharlesMacDonald,FayRansomandJohnThompsonalldrowned.
JuliusStockfeldandC.P.Snyderwentintothewaterandhungontothedetachedpilothouse.Aftermorethananhouroffightingfortheirlives,theywererescuedbyalocaltrapperinarowboat.Giventhecoldtemperatureofthelakeitisremark-ablethattheydidnotdieofhypothermia.Thereislittledoubtthatthetrapper’sactionssavedtheirlives.
ThebodyofCharlesMcDonaldwasfoundonMay3,1902;FayRansomewasfoundJuly8andJohnThompsonwasfoundJuly27.ThethreewereburiedatthebackoftheLowerLabergepolicepostbythemembersofthedetachment.
Above: The Royal North-West Mounted Police detachment at Lower Laberge, 1915. GlenbowArchivesNA-1663-43
Albert Goddard on his namesake boat, Bennett Lake, circa 1898. The open vessel provided little protection from the elements.A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
1 4 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 1 5
Lost to memoryTheA.J. Goddardwasoneofseveralsternwheelersfromthegoldrusherathatwerelostduetomisfortuneordisaster.Despiteextensiveresearch,informationaboutitswhereaboutswasnotfound;thelocationwasnevermappedordescribedinanydetail.
Theonlythingthatmarkeditsexistencewasthenameofthemodestshorelineprominence,GoddardPoint,whichin1936becameanofficialmapfeatureontheNationalTopographicSystemMapSeriesandisstillinusetoday.
PeoplereturnedtoGoddardPointonafewoccasionstopayhomagetothosewhohaddied.ThesurvivingfamilyofCaptainMacDonaldreceivedaphototakenin1939 (above, right)showing
twomenwhoplacedamarkeratthegravesiteofCaptainMacDonald.
Intheearly1950s,MacDonald’sdaughter,IreneMacDonaldHopp,madeapilgrimagefromsoutheastAlaskatotheYukontorememberherfather.Withthehelpofwell-knownYukonpilotBudHarbottle,she
reportedlyflewtotheLowerLabergeareatolookforthegravesiteandtodropabronzeplaqueoverthesiteofthewreckinhonourofherfather.
Above: Grave of Capt. MacDonald. N.DeckerColl.Left: A model of the A.J.Goddardappeared as a parade float in the 1929 gathering of the Sourdough Stampede Association in Seattle. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
Above: Clara Goddard died in 1953; Albert in 1958. A.J.GoddardColl.,courtesyofFayGoddardPage14:YA,Klondike Nugget,October14,1901
1 6 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
The years passOvertheyears,anyknowledgeofthewreck’slocationwaseventuallylostaspeoplefamiliarwiththestoryeitherlefttheterritoryordied.Thefewarticlesandbooksthatmen-tionedtheA.J. GoddardtalkedaboutthelossasamysteryorastheghostshipofLakeLaberge.
TouristsandoutdooradventureseekerspassedbyGoddardPointbythethousandswithoutknow-ingwhatlaybeneath.
In1978,however,interestinthemanyhistoricalshipwrecksalongtheupperYukonRiverandSouthernLakesregionoftheterritoryincreased.Parks
Canadateams,underthedirectionofPeterWaddell,visitedmanywetorsubmergedhistoricgold-rush-erasites;thesestretchedfromLakeLinde-maninB.C.allthewaydownthelakeandriversystemasfarastheThirtyMileRiverintheYukon.
TheParksCanadadiveteamssurveyedmanysites,includingtheareanearGoddardPoint.ManyanecdotalreportsofthetimeconnectedtheA.J. GoddardtothewoodenremainsofasternwheeleralongtheshorelinenotfarfromGoddardPoint.Left: Looking south at Goddard
Point. Photo:GovernmentofYukon
Above: Aerial view of Goddard Point, May 2010; note ice on lake. Photo:DougDavidge
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 1 7
Looking for cluesThereis,infact,awrecksitevisibleinshallowwaterjusttothenorthofGoddardPoint.Fieldworkin1978bytheParksCanadateamrevealedthatthiswasnottheA.J. Goddard,butmostlikelytheremainsofthesteamerVidette
andpossiblyasecondwooden-hulledvessel.TheParksCanadateamsearchedoffshoreofGoddardPointusingdiversonatoweddiveboard,butdidnotdetectanysignoftheA.J. Goddardwreck.
In1986theYukonUnder-waterDivingAssociation(YUDA)resumedthesearchforthemanywrecksinthewatersoftheupperYukonRiver.TheGovernmentof
Yukon’sDepartmentofTourismprovidedfundingfortheYukonUnderwaterHistoricResourcesInventory,whichwouldfurtherinvestigatethemanystoriesbehindthesternwheelerwrecks.
MarinearchaeologistNormeastonconductedagreatdealofarchivalresearch,duringwhichhediscoveredthattheA.J. GoddardsankclosertoGoddardPointthanpreviouslythought.Findingthevessel,whichwasonlyabout15metreslongandaboutthreemetreswide,wouldbeverydifficultwhensearchingoneormoresquarekilometresoflakebottom.
Below: Steamer Vidette, which later sank in Lake Laberge, stuck in the ice near Indian River, south of Dawson. YA,A.K.Schellingerfonds#5919
Left:YukonUnderwaterDivingAssociationHeritageResourcesInventory:FinalReport.
1 8 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
People of the lakeTheTa’anKwäch’änareaFirstNationwhotaketheirnamefromTàa’anMän(LakeLaberge)intheheartoftheirtradi-tionalterritory.GoddardPointisatraditionalcampforTa’anKwäch’änfamilies,anditispossiblethattheyassistedintherescueofpeoplefromthesinkingsternwheeler.
WeacknowledgetheassistanceofMarkNelson,GlenGradyandJasonShorty,whovisitedtheprojectin2009withTKCelders.
Above: Ta’an Kwäch’än elder Jim Miller (at right) was born at Goddard Point and his family resided there for many years following the sinking. When Jim started working, he was a crew member on the sternwheelers and used to pass by Goddard Point all the time. Dennis Broeren (at left) grew up at Lower Laberge, not far from the wreck site. Photo:Ta’anKwäch’änCouncilLeft: Dennis Broeren, Jim Miller and Glenn Grady at Lower Laberge, 2009. The wooden fragments along the shore are the remains of the sternwheeler Casca, sticking out of the beach gravels. Photo:DonReid
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 1 9
The search continuesIn1986volunteersfromYUDAconducteddetailgridsurveysinthevicinityofGoddardPointusingconventionaldepthsonartechnol-ogy.Thisprovedunsuccessful;nopromisingsonartargetsweredetectedanywhereclosetoGoddardPoint.Attemptstospotthewreckfromtheairalsofailedtoturnupanyresults.Thequestionremained:WherecouldtheA.J. Goddardhavegonedown?
Asunderwatersonartechnologyimproved,YUDAacquiredasidescansonarsystem,whichwasbettersuitedforsearchinglargeflatareas.GoddardPointwastheperfectplacetotesttheequipment.InJuly1997,DougDavidge,withthehelpofSteveArrell,usedthesystemtoscanaswathof
lakebottom1000metreswide.
AftertheysurveyedthelakebottomtheyhadagrainysidescanimagethatrevealedapromisingtargetnotfarfromGoddardPoint.Thetechnologywasnotrefinedenoughtoidentifytheobject,however,ortopinpointtheexactlocation.GPStechnologywasnotyetavailable.
Furtherattemptstohoneinonthewrecksiteorinvestigatethelakebottommetwithlittlesuccess.TheA.J. Goddardremainedelusive.
Right: Goddard side scan chart, July 1997.Photo:DougDavidge
Above: Doug Davidge surveying the wreck of the sternwheeler Canadian in 1986. Photo:Normeaston
2 0 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
A promising findIn2007,interestinYukonwrecksiteswasrekindledbytheInstituteofNau-ticalArchaeology(INA)andindividu-alssuchasJohnPollackandRobynWoodward.TheyvisitedthemanywrecksitesbetweenCarcrossandDawsonCitytoexploreanddocumentthevarietyofship’sarchitectureusedalongoneofNorthAmerica’slongestnavigableriversystems.
TheYukonRiverSteamboatSurvey(YRSS),acollaborativeeffort,graduallyevolved.ItspartnersincludedtheGovernmentofYukon,theINA,ProMareandtheRoyalCanadianGeographicalSociety.InearlyJune2008,theYRSSfocusedonseveraloftheknownandrumouredwrecksitesalongtheThirtyMileRiver.
AsmallteamfromthesurveymadeanunscheduledstopatGoddardPointatDougDavidge’ssuggestiontotesttheirequipmentwhileonroutetotheThirtyMile.ThegroupincludedDavidge,JohnPollack,RobynWood-ward,ChrisAtkinsonandTimDowd.
Whiletheteammemberstestedoutanewsidescanimagingsystem,aconventionalfishfinderpickedupasizabletargetofinterestinabout15metresofwater,notfarfromGoddardPoint.Theteammaderepeatedpassesoverthetargettoobtain
accurateGPScoordinates,sotheycouldrevisitthesite.
Above: Carlos Velazquez conducts a LIDAR survey of the evelyn/Norcom on Shipyard Island, Thirty Mile River, 2007. Photo:JohnPollackBelow: The KlondikeI, sinking in the Thirty Mile River, 1936. YA,GSCcoll.90/36#81585
The OliveMay, sinking in the Thirty Mile River and roped to shore. YA,e.J.Hamacherfonds(MargaretandRolfHougencoll.),2002/118#93
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 2 1
DiscoveryOnJuly5,2008,DougDavidgereturnedtoGoddardPointbyboatonasolotrip.HewantedtoinvestigatethepromisingsonartargetthatthesurveyteamhadfoundinJune.WiththeaidofGPStechnologyandadepthsounder,herelocatedthelakebottomanomalyandflaggeditwithafloatmarker.
Hethenloweredasmallunderwatervideocameratothelakebottomwhiledriftingoverthetarget.Despitepoorvisibility,imagesofmetalstructurecameintoviewonthesmallvideodisplayintheboat.
Davidgemadeseveralmorepassesoverthewreckagewhilerecordingvideoimagesfromtheunderwatercamera.Itwasclearthattherewasalargemetalstructureaswellasdeckhatches,planksandmachinery.
Thekeyfindingwasasteam-poweredwindlass.Itwasobviousthatthiswasasunkenvessel.AllthathecouldseehadastrongresemblancetotheA.J. Goddard asseeninhistoricphotos.
DavidgereportedtheseinitialfindingstotheCulturalServicesBranchoftheGovernmentofYukonandtothemembersoftheINAteam.
Right: The first glimpse of the wreck, July 2008. Photo:DougDavidge
2 2 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
Detailed surveyItwasclearthatmoretimeandeffortwasneededtosubstantiatetheinitialfindings.DougDavidgeplannedafollow-upsurveyusingamoresophisticatedunderwatervideocamera.
OnAugust30,2008,DougDavidge,BonnieBurns,KenNordin,MitchNordinandDylanNordintravelledintwoboatstoGoddardPoint.Thenextmorning,theteammembersdeployedaremoteoperatedvehicle(ROV)tothelakebottomandbeganadetailedsurveyofthediscovery.
Withinafewminutestheysawacompletepaddlewheelstillinplaceonthesternofasmallshallow-drafthull.ItwasindeedtheA.J. Goddard.Thevesselsatperfectlyupright,withdebrisandobjectsofallsortslitteringthedeckandsurroundingarea.
ItwastheviewthatDavidgehadwonderedaboutformorethan20yearsanditwasexactlyhowhehaddreameditmightlook.ThelittlegoldrushsteamerwasnolongertheghostshipofLakeLaberge.
AfterreturningtoWhitehorsethatevening,DavidgealertedtheGovermentofYukonandtheYRSSteamoftheexcitingfindings.
Left: Doug Davidge next to the wreck, June 2009. Photo:DonReid
ROV survey boat, August 2008. Photo:BonnieBurns
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 2 3
The 2009 seasonAfterthewreckoftheA.J. Goddardwasdiscoveredin2008,thepriorityoftheYRSSprojectteamwastodivethewreckasearlyaspossiblein2009tocarryoutapreliminaryassessment.TheteamplannedafieldseasonforearlyJuneassoonastheicewasoffthelake.
DougDavidgeandtheINA’sJohnPollackledateamofarchaeologists,scientistsandphotographers.TheyspentfivedayslivingontheshoreofLakeLabergeanddivingontheshipwreck,despiteawatertempera-turethathoveredaroundtwodegreesCelsius.
Team photographerDonReidtookhundredsofphotographsofthevesselandmajorartifacts.Therestoftheteamsurveyedtheshipusingtraditionalmethods:tapemeasuresandslates.Themeasurementsandphotographswereusedtocreateasetofplansforthevessel.
Theextentofmaterialatthesitemadeitclearthatareturntripin2010wasneeded.LindseyThomas,agraduatestudentintheNautical
Above: A Longnose sucker (Catostomuscatosto-mus) on the paddlewheel. Photo:LarryBonnett
ArchaeologyProgramatTexasA&MUniversity,wasofferedthesiteforherthesisproject.
Above: John Pollack, Doug Davidge and Jim Delgado sitting around the campfire, 2009.Below: crew, boat and gear on shore, 2009.
Bothphotos:GovernmentofYukon
2 4 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
The 2010 seasonInJune2010alarger14-memberteamwasledbyLindseyThomas.TeammemberstravelledtoLakeLabergefortendays,withfourgoals:recordthemachineryandconstruc-tionfeaturesofthehull;usesonarto
mapthevesselinthreedimensions(3D);createacompletecatalogueofartifacts;andrecoverartifactsforconservationandexhibit.
TheteamsetupalargebasecampontheshoreofLakeLaberge(right).MostteammemberswerevolunteersfromCanadaandtheUnitedStates;theywereledbyunderwaterarchaeologistsfrombothcountries.Divingandsonaroperationsextendedthroughthedayandsometimesaslateasteno’clockatnight,takingadvantageofthemidnightsun.
Recordingofthehull,whichbeganin2009,continued.Diverslaidabase-linedownthecentreofthebowand
alongthesideofthemidshipssectionofthehullinordertorecordthevessel’sdimensionsandlayout.
Althoughthismethodwasveryusefulforrecordingsmalldetailsofthehull,itcouldnotanswerallquestions.Theteamwouldneedtouseasonarunittoobtainaccuratedataaboutthethree-dimensionalshapeofthehullandtheinteriorofthevessel.
Above: Camp photo, 2010. Photo:WayneLusardi
A German film crew filming the documentary GoldRushGhostShips, 2010. Photo:GovernmentofYukon
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 2 5
New technologyThefieldteamhadaccesstotheBlueViewBV5000,afasthigh-resolutionprofilingsonar,throughthedonatedassistanceofBlueViewTechnologies,whichdevelopsunder-wateracousticmeasuringandimagingsystems,andOceanGate,acompanydedicatedtoassistingscientificresearchbypairingresearcherswithinterestedvolunteerswhocontributeresources.
Thesonarunit,whichwasmountedonatripodanddeployedbydivers,wasidealfortheA.J. Goddardproject.Itwassetup22timesbothonandaroundthevesselinordertocreatea
digitalmodeloftheboat.
Visibilityatthesitewaslimitedtotwometresevenonthebestdays,andthe3Dimageproducedbythesonarunitwastheonlywayfordiverstoseetheentirevesselatonetime.
Avaluableaspectofthesonarunitwasitsabilitytoseeinsidesectionsofthehull.Constructiondetailsthatwereotherwiseinaccessibletodivers,suchasthespacingofdeckbeams,werevisibleonthecomputerscreenwithinminutesofthescan.
Wayne Loeber with a BlueView BV5000 mechanical scanning sonar. Photo:MarkThomas
Below and right: Images from BlueView sonar.BlueViewTechnologiesandOceanGateInc.
2 6 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
Construction designLindseyThomasusedthesonardataandfieldmeasurementstocreateaconstructionplanoftheA.J. Goddard.Theplanwouldhelpteammembersbetterunderstandthemethodsusedbytheboat’sbuildersandthepeoplewhocarriedthecomponentpartsofthevesseloverthemountains.
ThehulloftheA.J. Goddardfeaturesasimpleconstructiondesign,likelytofacilitatebothitsassemblyinthewildernessandanyfuturerepair.Onlythepilothouse,guards,tackstrips,bowrailing,cylindertimbers,wheelsupport,splashbulkheadandpaddle-wheelbucketsweremadeofwood.Theywerelikelyhand-cutfromthe
sprucetreessurroundingLakeBen-nett,thuseliminatingtheneedtocarrythesepartsoverthemountains.
Thehullanddeckaremadeofsteelsheetsingle-rivetedtothedeckbeamsandframes.Thestructuralcomponentsarerelativelyuniform,withfive-cmangleironusedfortheframing,deckbeams,carlings,trusses,stanchions,clampsandhatchcoaming.
TheA.J. Goddardwasunusualforitstime;mostYukonsteamboatswerebuiltofwood.AlbertGoddard’sfamil-iaritywithmetalboatconstructionatthePacificIronWorksinfluencedhischoiceofametalhull.
L. Thomas 12/10
Exterior plan. LindseyThomas
Right: The wooden hull of the S.S.KlondikeII, under construction at the Whitehorse shipyards, 1936–37; Syd Smith on scaffolding. The vessel was built to replace its predecessor, also made of wood, which sank in the Thirty Mile River in 1936 (see page 20). SydSmithcollectionParksCanada
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 2 7
PrefabricationTheA.J. Goddard’sconstruction,usingangle-ironframing,issimilartomanyothermetalhullsbuiltduringthisperiod.Whilethesimplicityofthedesign,whichmeanteaseofrepair,wassuitedtotheYukon,itwasnotdevelopedspecificallyforuseontheYukonRiver.Instead,itispartofthelargertraditionofthenewlydevelop-ingfieldofmetalhullconstruction.
Similardesignandconstructionfeaturescanbefoundinnumerousship-buildingguidesfromthenineteenthcentury.ThesetypesofvesselswerefarmorecommonoutsideoftheYukon,wherethetraditionalwoodenboat-buildingmethodswerepredominant.
PrefabricatedinSanFranciscobyRisdonIronWorks,theA.J. Goddardwasakitvesselintendedtobetransportedinsections.“BuildItYourself”steamboatkitswerecommonattheendofthenineteenthcentury.Buyerscouldpurchase
aboatthroughacatalogueorfromasupplierandassembleitthemselves.
Insteadofpurchasingapre-designedkitvessel,AlbertGoddarddesignedonehimself.RisdonIronWorkslikelyhandledthedetailsofcreatingafullconstructionplan.Ifspecificplansstillexist,theyhavenotyetbeenfound.
Interior plan. LindseyThomas
L. Thomas 10/10
Risdon Iron Works, San Francisco, ca. 1898. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
2 8 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
For profit and adventureWhenAlbertandClaraGoddardtravellednorthwiththeUpperYukonCompany(UYC)in1898,theyweretakingagreatrisk.AlbertGoddardclearlyhadagoodideaofwhatwasrequiredwhenhedesignedhisvessel,butquestionsmusthavelingeredasheandClaraheadedoverthemountainsintothewilderness.
WouldthevesselsuittheirneedsandtransportthemsafelytoDawson?Hadtheychosentherighttypeofboat?ResearchintothehistoryandconstructionoftheA.J. Goddardanswerssomeofthesequestions.
TheGoddardswentnorthforprofitandadventure.Inordertoprofit,speedwasessential.Althoughhaul-ingtheboatsovertheCoastMoun-tainrangemeantexponentiallymoreeffortthanshippingthembytheallwaterroute,AlbertGoddardknewthatthiswasthefastestandmostreliablemethodofgettingtothegoldfields.Hedesignedaboatthatwouldbesuitableforthesecircumstances.Portabilitywasthemostimportantfactorindeterminingthedesignofthevessel.
Right, top: The A.J.Goddard and F.HKilbourne being assembled at Bennett. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddardRight, above: Ship’s registry for the A.J.Goddard. P.A.C.RegistryRecords(PublicArchivesofCanada)
Below: Albert Goddard had to contend with typhoid fever in addition to other challenges. Here he recovers in the home/office of the UYC. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 2 9
Was the design suitable?Forthemostpart,itwas.TheA.J. Goddardwasasmallboatwithashallowdraft,well-suitedfornavigatingtheshallowupperYukon.Inaddition,itwasmadeupofsmall
partsthatcouldbetransportedinsectionsoverahighmountainontrams,sledsandthebacksofmenandpackanimals.
Ideally,anyvesselusedfortrans-
portationwouldbeaslargeaspossible,whichwouldmaximizeprofit.Althoughlargerboats,somecloseto100feet,hadbeennavigatingontheupperYukon,theA.J. Goddard’sprimaryrequirementwasthatitbeeasilytransportableoverland.
Transportationlimitationslikelyrestrictedthetypesofmachineryused.Thelargermachineryandassemblieswouldhavebeenthemostdifficultthingstocarryoverthemountain,particularlytheboiler.Wisely,theownersoftheUpperYukonCompanychoseaBuckleyWaterTubeBoiler.Theinventoroftheboileremphasizedinthepatentthatitfeaturedacompactdesign,aswellaseasyassemblyandrepair.Itcouldbetransportedinmanysmallerpiecesandassembledontheothersideofthemountains.Modificationswererequired,however,foritssuccessfuluseontheYukonRiver.
Right: Underwater photos of the boiler (above) and Buckley firebox (below).Photos:LarryBonnett
Above: Pieces of the dismantled A.J.Goddard in San Francisco on the way to SteamerDirigo for shipment north to Alaska. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddard
3 0 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
ModificationsAlthoughthemodestsizeoftheA.J. GoddardhelpeditnavigatethenarrowYukonRiver,theUYCfoundthatthevesselwastoosmalltooperateeasily
onthelargersectionsoftheriver.Aftertheboat’sfirsttriptoDawson,theA.J. Goddardwasswitchedtoferryserviceonthelake.ItsusualrouteranfromWhitehorsetonofartherdown-
streamthanthefootoftheThirtyMileRiver.
experienceonthewaterresultedinothermodifications.Thephotographicrecordindicatesthatthewindlass
(see left)wasnotaddeduntilafterthetriptoDawson,possiblybecausethecrewdidnotneeditduringthefirsttripdownriverandthecompanydidn’twanttoexpendtheefforttohaulitoverthemountains.
Othermodificationsincludetheadditionofthebowrailandanewhigherpilothousewithwindows,
likelytoprotecttheopenboilerdoorandthepilotfromspraywhileonLakeLabergeinstorms(see below).Theroofwasextendedaswell,providingextraseatingforthosewhowantedtositawayfromthecommotionondeck.Atalltowpostlocatedamidshipsmayhavebeenremovedlaterinthevessel’scareer.
Left: Early pilothouse, circa spring 1898; right: later pilothouse, July 1898.Left:CandyWaugamanColl.,KLGO,UofAlaska;Right:YA,DawsonKlondikeHewittfonds,82/255#8
Windlass. Photo:LarryBonnett
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 3 1
ArtifactsMorethanonehundredartifactswerecataloguedaroundthewrecksite.Theyprovideafascinatingglimpseintolifeaboardthesteamboatatthebeginningofthetwentiethcentury.ThemenwhofledtheA.J. Goddardwhenitsankdidnothavetimetosavemuch,ifanything.
Therearethreegeneralcategoriesofartifactsonandaroundtheship.Cookingpots,enamel-ware,bottles,andcupsarescatteredintheimmediatevicinityofthevessel,andthesmallgalleystoveremainsonthedeck.
Thereisalsoabroadvarietyofwood-andmetal-workingtools,includingacarpenter’smallet,anvil,smallblacksmith’sforge,andotherhandtoolsrequiredtomaintainandrepairasmallsternwheelsteamboat.
Finally,therearethepersonaleffectsofthecrew,includingsmallbitsofclothingandthreeshoes,fullbottlesofinkandvanilla,andapocketmagnifyingglass.
WhenengineerJuliusStockfeldfledthesinkingship,hethrewoffhisshoesandthoseofthefireman.Perhapstheshoesfoundatthesitebelongedtothem.
Above: Axe handle and shovel. Photo:LarryBonnett
Underwater photo of an enamelware plate with an artifact inventory tag attached. The plate remains on the wreck site. Photo:LarryBonnett
Above: One of three shoes recovered from the wreck. All three have worn heels, so they likely belonged to the men on board.GovernmentofYukon
3 2 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
Life on boardManyoftheA.J. Goddard’sartifactsarewhatonewouldexpecttofindonasmallworkingvesselinthemiddleofthewilderness.OneofthemoresurprisingfindswasaBerlinergramophoneinawoodencase.Whendiversfoundit,theyinitiallythoughtitwasatypeofchronometerorcompass.WayneLusardiidentifieditassomekindofplayer,butnoonebelievedhimuntilheretrievedone
ofthethreerecordsalsoatthesite.earlyBerlinergramophonerecordshadrecordinginformationstampeddirectlyintothehardrubber.Cleaningrevealedtherecordstobe“MaOnliestOne,”“RendezVousWaltz”and“TheharpthatoncethroughTara’sHalls.”
Musicwasundeniablyimportantduringthegoldrush,andthecrewoftheA.J. Goddardwaswillingtocareforabulkyandunwieldygramophoneinordertobeabletohearmusic.Infact,therecordcontainingthesong“MaOnliestOne,”writtenbytheAmericanvaudevillianFayTempleton,wasstillontheturntablewhentheplayerwasfound.
ThegramophonewasavailablefromtheCanadiandistributorfor15dollars,lessexpensivethanother
modelsinSears,andcamewiththreerecords.Perhapsthecrewmemberwhoownedthegrama-phonetookadvantageoftheoffer.TherecordsandthegramaphonearecurrentlyundergoingtreatmentattheCanadianConservationInstituteinOttawafordisplayattheYukonTransportationMuseuminWhitehorse.
Left: Berliner Gramophone advertisement.www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/028011-3005-e.html
Above: Sheet music, 1896, for “Ma Onliest One.” NewYorkPublicLibrary
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 3 3
Outfitting the vesselThemachineryandartifactsfoundonboardtellastoryabouthowtheboatwasoutfitted.AlthoughthehullwasbuiltinCalifornia,makers’marksindicatethatAlbertGoddardusedavarietyofsourcestoequipthevessel.
ThesteamfixturescamefromallovertheUnitedStates:Seattle,Boston,Rochester,NewYorkandCincinnati.Whileitispossiblethatthesepartswereorderednewfromtheiroriginalmanufacturer,theUYC—initsrushtoreachtheKlondike—wouldlikelyhavepurchasedthemusedandcobbledthemtogethertoquicklyoutfittheA.J. Goddard,orfoundnewpartsfromvariousdealersinSeattle.
Someoftheotherartifacts,suchastheforgeandothertools,canbefoundinthe1897yearlycatalogueofSears,RoebuckandCompany.
Presumablytheywerealsoavailablefromothercatalogues.IftheywereobtainedaftertheshipreachedtheKlondike,theyprobablycamefromoneofthesecatalogues.
TheitemscouldhavebeenpurchasedinSeattle,althoughthecrewwouldhavelimitedwhattheycarriedoverthemountains.Thehodgepodgecollectionofdishwaresuggeststhatpieceswerecollectedovertheyearsorthatthecrewmembersownedtheirownsets.
L–R: Steam gauge; water pitcher (see also photo, page 34); ship’s forge and cookstove. Photos:LarryBonnett
3 4 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
More than utilitarianTherewerefewtownsalongtheYukonRiverandthousandsofmilesbetweentheYukonandoutsideworld.ThecrewoftheA.J. Goddardhadtobeselfsufficient.Thisisreflectedbythetoolsandforgefoundaboardthevessel.
Sinceonlyaplankroofandcanvascurtainsseparatedthecrewandpassengersfromtheelements,lifeonthesmallopenshipduringbadweathermusthavebeenhard.Becauseofthis,someoftheluxuryitemsfoundatthewreckcameasasurprise.Althoughmanyofthelargerwesternriversteamboatswereknown
fortheirluxuriousaccommodations,mostofthesternwheelersoftheKlondikewerefarmoreutilitarian.
Thevanillasuggeststhatthemenuwasnotasbasicanduneventfulasmightbeexpected.Musicmighthavesoundedalongtheriveronquietnights,hand-cranked
fromthecherishedgramophone.Ifthousandsofmilesofocean,riverandmountainsdidn’tstopfreshgrapes,cigarsandlemonadefromreachingDawsonCityduringthegoldrush,perhapsit’snotunusualtofindsuchluxuriesonboardthesmallestandmostutilitarianmemberoftheYukonRiversteamboatfleet.
Water pitcher (see page 33), documented in the field before being returned to the wreck site. Photo:GovernmentofYukon
First Avenue, Dawson City, 1898.YA,VancouverPublicLibrarycoll.#2092
A S T e R N W H e e L e R F R O M T H e D AY S O F T H e K L O N D I K e G O L D R U S H 3 5
Conclusion DuringtheKlondikeGoldRush,hundredsofrafts,canoes,bargesandsteamboatswerebuiltorbroughtintotheYukon.TheA.J. Goddardwasoneofthesevessels.Mostofthe266sternwheelersthatoperatedontheYukonRiverwerelargemulti-deckedwoodenvessels.
TheA.J. Goddardistheonlyexamplefoundofoneofthesmallersteamboats;oftheKlondikesternwheelersstillscatteredalongtheriver,itisthebestpreservedinitsoriginalform.
ThevesselwasnotideallysuitedforthelargersectionsoftheYukonRiver,butitwasfastandwasconstructedwithingenuity.UnlikesomeofthethousandsofboatsthatsetoutfortheYukoninthespringof1898,itmadeittoDawsonintimeforthegoldrush.ThelittlesternwheelerwentontohaveashortbutsuccessfulcareeronLakeLaberge.
TheintactstateofthewreckoftheA.J. Goddardanditscargomakesitatangiblelinktothepast.This,combinedwithdetailsaboutAlbertandClara
Goddard,providesaglimpseofthelifeofoneoftheYukon’ssmallsternwheelers.Afloatforlessthanfouryears,theA.J. GoddardtellsastorythatconveystheinventivenessandperseveranceagainstterribleoddsthatcharacterizedtheKlondikeGoldRush.
In2010,inrecognitionoftheimportanceoftheA.J. Goddardtotheearlytransporta-tionhistoryoftheYukonandthesignificanceofitsintactstateofpreservation,thevesselwasdesignatedasaYukonHistoricSite.Photo:LarryBonnett
The A.J.Goddardnext to larger boats at Dawson, 1898. YA,VancouverPublicLibrarycollection#2079
3 6 T H e W R e C K O F T H e A . J . G O D D A R D
AcknowledgementsThisprojectwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthesupportandcollaborationofalargenumberoforganizationsandpeople.TheInstituteofNauticalArchaeology,YukonTransportationMuseumandtheGovernmentoftheYukonhaveprovidedfunds,in-kindcontributionsandcollaboration.
SupportforthispublicationwasprovidedbyRuthGotthardt;FayGoddard;LarryBonnett;GlennIceton;theDeckerfamily;YukonArchives;DonReid;DanVerhalle,ParksCanada;andKarlGurcke,KlondikeGoldRushNationalHistoricPark.
SupportforunderwaterarchaeologywasreceivedfromtheInstituteofNauticalArchaeology,theNationalGeographicSocietyandtheWaittFoundation,theRoyalCanadianGeographicalSociety,ProMare,Spiegel-TV,theRPMNauticalFoundation,TexasA&MNauticalArchaeologyProgram,theTexasA&MCenterforMaritimeArchaeologyandConservation,BlueViewTechnologies,OceanGate,the
CanadianConservationInstituteandtheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration,aswellasprivatedonors.
WesincerelythanktheeldersandmembersofTa’anKwäch’änCouncilfortheirhospitalityandfortheiracceptanceofthisprojectintheirtraditionalterritory.WealsothankDrs.JamesP.DelgadoandKevinCrismanfortheirsteadfastsupport.
Left: Sign for White Star Line at Bennett, 1898. A.J.GoddardCollection,courtesyofFayGoddardAbove, right: Rob Ridgen next to paddlewheel. Photo:LarryBonnett
Tourism and CultureTourisme et Culture
TheA.J. Goddardwasoneofhundreds
ofrafts,canoes,bargesandsteamboats
thatwerebuiltorbroughtintothe
YukonduringtheKlondikeGoldRush.
Thelittlesternwheelerworkedforonly
fouryearsbeforeitsankinastormon
LakeLaberge.In2008,morethana
hundredyearslater,thewreckofthe
A.J. Goddard wasdiscovered.Theintact
stateofthevesselanditscargo
providesanextraordinary
linktothepast.