The Folgers' White Squadron

Although clearly the steamboat business already was booming, the years 1879-1882 saw even more rapid growth of the business. In 1879, the most beloved of all the all Thousand Islands steamboats appeared, "the Saint." S. G. Johnston built at Clayton the steamer St. Lawrence for the Thousand Island Steamboat Company, the growing line of Kingston's Folger Brothers--"the White Squadron."

S.S. St. Lawrence

The St. Lawrence was the largest vessel built at Clayton. She was “allowed by law to carry 886 passengers." She averaged 650 passengers in 1884, providing estimated earnings of $1000 on a good day. With music provided by a trio of violin, harp and flute, passengers found a bar on board and a cabin dining room that seated 400 passengers. 

"The brunt of the Thousand Island Steamboat Company's trafflc in connection with the New York Central [railroad depot at Clayton] was carried upon the steamer St. Lawrence. Captain Mllo D. Kates. It is carefully estimated that over 2,000 persons were transported from point to point upon her during the day, in addition to those who witnessed the [evening] Illumination of the islands from her decks."

The St. Lawrence became the most familiar steamboat on the river, since she regularly connected the villages and resort communities, delivering passengers, baggage, and supplies. The St. Lawrence was not the largest steamboat on the river at the time, however. The law allowed the Folgers' Empire State to carry 1000 passengers. The smaller Islander carried about 500, with an orchestra on board.

During the booming 1870s Kingston's Folger brothers emerged as dominant players in the steamboat business (as well as in Kingston's business community). They supplimented their Folger Line from Kingston with the Thousand Islands Steamboat Company of Clayton and Gananoque. The Folgers were Americans who gravitated across the river to the major city of the region. In the 1870s and subsequent decades they built the "White Squadron," regional steamboats of their Thousand Islands Steamboat Company, dominating the local routes. One day in August of 1897 the ten steamboats of the White Squadron carried ten thousand passengers. We append an extract from a contemporary publication, "Kingston's Folger Brothers."

S.S. Empire State

Folger Lines built the larger Empire State in 1893--"without doubt more sumptuously furnished than any craft on the St. Lawrence"--but in 1895 the flagship of the Great White Squadron was the new America:

S.S. America

"QUEEN OF THE ST. LAWRENCE
The New Steamer America of the
Thousand Island Fleet"

"Great interest is being taken on the St. Lawrence river in the new steamer America, which has just been launched by the Thousand Island Steamboat company. It is the most luxurious of the fleet under the management of that corporation.

"Their Empire State and St. Lawrence are known to thousands of river visitors, and with the new America the trio will be unrivalled by any steamers of their type. The America is of the same size as the St. Lawrence, her frame work and hull being of steel, to correspond with that steamer. Upon her main deck aft is located a large dining-room, equipped with individual tables, comfortable chairs and the finest linen, crockery and glassware. This room is a model of taste and completeness.

"The heavy English brussels carpet, a delicate shade of olive green and gold, harmonizes with the rich velours curtains and Wilton upholstery. Heavy polished plate glass windows extend from stem to stern on all decks, and every panel is filled with a beveled plate glass mirror. A visit to the culinary department alone is extremely interesting and instructive and will account for the excellent meal for which the Folger Line is famous.

"A large saloon cabin is built upon the promenade deck and furnished in the same manner as the dining-room upon the main deck below. The staterooms, with which the steamer is well supplied, connect with the saloon cabin and are equipped in a style consistent with the other tasteful and substantial furnishings.

"The electric lighting is upon a most gorgeous scale, there being 250 incandescent lamps whose radiant beauty is exchanged by artistic oxidized fixtures. The searchlight is an exact duplicate, in size, construction and power, of the far famed lamp of the steamer St. Lawrence. It is the largest ever used on a passenger steamer and in fact the extreme size possible for such a purpose—1,000,000 candle power.

"Owing to the staunchness of the beautiful boat, passengers have access to the hurricane deck, a privilege which everyone familiar with steamboats will appreciate. The interior decorative woodwork is all carefully selected red oak with stairs to match, the curving being executed by Wainwright.

"Among other unique features introduced for the first time on the steamer, is one that deserves special mention. Her wheels are of the most improved pattern of feathering bucket, so instead of having them entirely concealed, and the beauty of their mechanism wasted thick plate glass is inserted, through which one may observe the revolutions.

"Incandescent electric lights of various colors, with powerful reflectors, are placed within the paddle boxes, and at night iridescent rays illumilnating the flying spay and rapidly revolving wheels produce a most novel and facsinating scene.

"This new steamer is certainly a creditable addition to the 'White Squadron' which plies among the Thousand Islands in direct connection with the Vanderbilt [New York Central Railroad] system."

Syracuse Post.
May 90, 1895

The Folgers and the Steamboat War