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Old 12-21-2004, 02:02 PM   #5
Rattlesnake Gal
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Default Farewell Old Mount Washington

Excerpt from Farewell Old Mount Washington; The Story of the Steamboat Era on Lake Winnipesaukee by Edward H. Blackstone
Published in 1969 by the Steamship Historical Society of America

During the final part of the career of the big steamboat, MT. Washington, two young men worked on her during their college vacation. They liked steamboating so well that they decided to become steamboat owners. They informed their father, Michael Carroll, who was postmaster of Laconia, and together they made an offer to Captain Leander Lavallee to purchase MT. Washington. A down payment was made with provisions that certain conditions concerning repair and maintenance be met and that title of ownership would be transferred in April, 1940, when a second payment would be made. This, of course, never transpired, and Captain Leander Lavallee was still owner of his big boat when she was destroyed.
The details of this final episode in the career of MT. Washington must be a part of this story and are here recorded as told to the writer by Captain Edward Lavallee, son of her last commander.



The big boat was customarily moored in The Weirs Channel, near Endicott Rock, during the winter months, where the running water prevented formation of heavy ice.
Captain and Mrs. Lavallee usually lived aboard the boat, but in the fall of 1939, having purchased a home at The Weirs, had moved ashore.
It was necessary to make certain repairs on the boat which included the installation of a heavy timber that supported the shaft of the paddlewheels on the starboard side of the ship. It was decided that it would be easier to do this work with the steamer moored to the dock at The Weirs, with the starboard side moored to the dock and the bow to the shore.
On Dec. 23, 1939, work that had been in progress for several weeks was nearly completed. Just after eight o'clock in the evening, an over-heated stove in the railroad station had started a fire. It was discovered by Fred Moore, a local hotel owner who was passing. He noted that the stove was filled high with coal, that the door of the stove was open and that live coals had fallen out and started a fire which was spreading rapidly. He promptly notified the local fire department.
The complex of railroad buildings, which included station, souvenir shop, platforms and wharf were principally hard pine construction and highly flammable.
Firemen and apparatus from Lakeport and Laconia joined the local fire company and about 5,000 feet of hose was laid in eight lines but the fire could not be contained. Frantic workers broke away the inch-thick ice which had formed about the ship but it was impossible to move her because the seasonal lowering of the water level of the lake had caused her to be hard aground at the bow.
Captain Lavallee made a prodigious effort to reach his beloved and now-doomed ship, which he could see burning, but his exertions and a weakened heart caused him to have a fainting spell and he did not reach the vicinity of the fire until near mid-night when the flames finally died down.
The following morning only smoking ruins and blackened iron work told the sad story of the end of a once-reigning queen.
MT. Washington was estimated to be worth about $100,000 and was partially insured. The damage to the old Boston and Maine Railroad station was about $75,000 and other damage in the area including burning of a sightseeing seaplane brought the total to about $200,000.
The spectators had watched with heavy hearts as MT. Washington burned to the water's edge.
A grand old friend had gone.


Last edited by webmaster; 11-19-2005 at 02:32 PM. Reason: add title
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