Appendix 1

'CAP' ANDERSON: LAST OF THE LAKE STEAMBOAT PILOTS

At Sixty-Eight, He Looks Back Upon Many Years Of Sailing Harvey's Lake; Was Thoroughly Liked By Thousands Of Passengers During That Period

SAW BEGINNINGS OF ROMANCES

Not the story of a hard, seafaring, blustering boatman, but rather that of one who has led the quiet, joyous and less eventful life of a "lake steamer" pilot, describes the earliest of all Harvey's Lake yeomen, George "Cap" Anderson. Sixty-eight year old "Cap" Anderson, as he is known to his many intimate friends, was a familiar figure a little way back in the history of the famed summer resort, where for thirty-seven years he commanded the Lake Transit Company, operators of the boats, affording transportation around Harvey's Lake before the advent ofthe motor car.

His life is filled with stories of the early days on the placid and sometimes turbulent waters of the lake. Passengers were his best friends and their welfare remained foremost in "Cap's" mind. During his long period of faithful service not even the slightest mishap blemished the proud record of the lake steamer captain.

Born at Harvey's Lake, "Cap," when only a young lad, had not particular craving for a career as a boatman. Enterprising and youthful as he was at the time, he sought the advantages of the more thickly populated areas and moved into town. He worked for the Farmers Dairy on North Main street, Wilkes-Barre, for several years and then timbered in the woods near Ice Cave Hotel along the old turnpike above Luzerne. A short time later he returned to Harvey's Lake and with the assistance of his brother undertook the difficult task of clearing the land near the outlet section of the lake. Here was the state of a lifetime for young Anderson. He recalls seventeen trips he made into the city with timber, returning each time with a load of coal, which sold at the bin for three dollars a ton, with a nice-sized profit for the teamster. It was hard work in those days and he later resolved to start on another career.

Those early settlers in that region probably never visioned George Anderson, at twenty-five, a deckhand on the "Shawnee" as some day captain of the entire fleet of "lake steamers." One of the first pilots, Captain Carpenter took a liking to Anderson and under the tutelage of the veteran the deckhand learned the many tricks of boat travel. Rube Shafer succeeded Carpenter as captain on the "Shawnee" and Anderson subsequently advanced to engineer. Upon retirement of Shafer, Anderson, a full-fledged captain now filled the breach.

Add Two Steamers

At the turn of the century the Lake Transit Company held a monopoly of steamer travel around Harvey's Lake. Two boats, the old "Shawnee" and the "Rosalin." each with a capacity of one hundred passengers, were the only steamers to ply the lake waters. Phil Rafe was president of the Lake Transit Company, which met competition several years later with the formation of the Wilkes-Barre and Kingston Boat Company under the supervision of Captain Dymond, another veteran voyager. Owners of the latter enterprise included John Redington, Judge Strauss, Sam Lewis and IT. Honeywell, who brought two additional boats, the "Wilkes-Barre" and the "Kingston," into service along the lake's shore.

The new organization served as impetus to lake travel and in order to meet competition, many new luxuries and conveniences of the day were added to the steamers of the Lake Transit Company. When the boats of the new company were first started, awnings were provided on the decks for the protection of the passengers from the sun's rays. Early patrons of the "Shawnee" and "Rosalin" were placed at the mercy of Ole Sol if they by chance selected a seat on the deck. Then came the awnings and shelter.

The Wilkes-Barre and Kingston Boat Company survived only a short time, when the interests of the group were purchased by the pioneer steamer firm, the Lake Transit Company. "Shawnee" and "Rosalin" had outlived their usefulness and as business increased two new boats, constructed by a veteran boat-builder of the period, W.R. Osborne, located on the Hudson, were added. First came the "Acoma." pride of "Cap" Anderson who was the first to run the steamer and operated it steadily thereafter, and later the largest of the combine, "Natoma," which rests near West Corner, near Sandy Beach at present. The "Shawnee" was ripped apart and the "Rosalin" went to Lake Carey. Thus was ended the story of the early boats as modern steamers arrived to replace them.

Colorful Appearance

A color scheme of green and white decorated the boats under the command of "Cap" Anderson, whose appearance at the wheel in pilot house on the lower deck was always welcomed. Life preservers were carried on all boats as an added precaution in case an accident should occur to mar the voyage. On the upper deck, picnickers flocked to get views of the lake front. The lower deck contained steady travelers and those who desired to listen to the music supplied on many occasions by the famed Ruggles Band of the day. A cozy cabin offered refuge during rainstorms. On the stern an American flag was placed while a flag bearing the name of the boat could be seen waving from the bow of the steamer. One boiler was sunk in the hole of each boat and supplied the power, consuming for this purpose about a ton of coal per day. Whistles on the steamers sounded a cheery note at the landing piers along the way. Upon entering and leaving port one blast was sounded. Passing other boats was accomplished by blowing one whistle, fi contemplated passing was on the port side. Two shrieks signaled passage on the starboard side.

Lake travel was at its heaviest at this period. Rhodes' hotel, the Onconta, two of the most popular hotels at Harvey's Lake, beckoned a score of travelers. Around the lake traveled the steamers with stopping points at Laketon, Boyd's, picnic grounds and Hunlocks. Round trip required about one hour and cost twenty cents. Excursions were vogue at the time and on such occasions "Cap" Anderson was tendered the felicitations of the merry group for his valuable service on the steamers. Most popular of all cruises were the moonlight excursions. Many marriage had their inception on the $6,800 "Natoma," largest steamers of the fleet used on such occasions, and the agility of "Cap" Anderson at the pilot wheel through swift waters, evading sand bars and rocks, hastened many a budding romance. Kerosene lamps provided the necessary amount of light to guide the ship through the night and the several trips around the lake offered to moonlight excursion patrons. A band was on hand to lend music in keeping with the spirit of the evening and singers completed the evening's program, presented during the course of the journey.

Holidays were boom davs for the lake steamers. Many of the hotels would sponsor entertainments for the festive crowd and serve to boost the amount of passengers. "Cap" Anderson vividly recalls the time when Rhodes' hotel offered a resident from Ruggles Hollow fifty dollars for a "tight-rope walk" across Harvey's Lake near the inlet by the bridge. Strange as it may seem the feat was accomplished. Picnics of various societies, glee clubs and railroad organizations attracted thousands of followers to points along the Lake front. From New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other distant points came spectators to witness the launch and skiff races, scheduled for the holidays.

Advancing with time, the automobile soon spelled doom for the lake steamers. However, a short interim marked the advance of private launches, motorboats or "water jitneys." as they were called. Lake Transit Company pressed a spacious launch, "Emily," into service to meet competition. The "lake steamers" then faded fast. "Cap" Anderson took the wheel of the "Emily" and piloted the craft for a number of years. Then as steamers and launches gave way to the motors of the twentieth century, "Cap" Anderson retired to his home near the outlet, overlooking the blue waters, on which "Cap's" steamers once traveled so majestically.

Sunday Independent, June 6, 1937 (Wilkes-Barre, PA)

[Editor's Note: This article is reproduced as published and may contain spelling errors. George M. Anderson (1869-1942) was the grandson of Simon Anderson who settled in Dallas, PA., in 1820, but relocated to the Lake among its original settlers about 1840. George M. Anderson was also a farmer and was well-known as a Lake Township school bus driver-contractor from the late 1920s to the mid 1930s. The original Anderson settlement was near Point Breeze, but George and his brother Charles had homes near the Outlet near the Lake Transit Company's steamboat houses. His neighbor was Clarence Shaver, manager of the steamboat company. An Anderson daughter, Mable Anderson Oney, died in the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918. George and Martha Kocher Anderson partly assisted in raising Mable Anderson's three daughters, Pauline, Elsie and Jean. George Anderson is buried at Perrego Cemetery, overlooking the Lake near Old Sandy Bottom beach.]

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