Heritage \ Writings \

Captain Richard Armstrong (1839-1903)
Born in Canada, owned successful boating business in Bay City.

1883: Biography. - (Added April 2008.)

History of Bay County, Michigan - H.R. Page, 1883 (Page 140)

CAPTAIN RICHARD ARMSTRONG.
-------

Capt. Richard Armstrong was born in Canada, in 1839, and moved to St. Clair, Mich., in 1850. He engaged in sailing on the lakes in 1855, and on salt water in 1857. Visited Japan and China on the United States frigate "Powhatten," with old Com. Tatnal. He was in California and Peru in 1859. Was twice around Cape Horn, and fourteen times across the Atlantic, visiting England, France, Italy, and other places. He returned to the lakes in 1862, and enlisted in the One Hundred and Third Ohio Regiment, which command helped to stop Kirby Smith from burning Cincinnati, by stopping him at Covington Heights, and also drove the rebel legislature from the capital of Kentucky. After being honorably discharged from the United States army, he returned to the lakes, where he has been master and owner of lake vessels since 1870. In 1881 he got up the first fire tug ever on the lakes. Is now manager and owner of the Saginaw River fire boats. Mr. Armstrong was married in 1865 to Harriet E. Scott, of St. Clair, Mich., and has three children, named William N., Cholula, and Paul, who are now attending the Bay City High School.

1885: Fire boats commissioned. (From Bay County Historical Society Library. - April 2008)

Bay City Daily Tribune -- Sunday Morning, May 3, 1885 (Page 5)

Saginaw River Fire Boats.
-------

The Saginaw river fire boats went into commission yesterday, and are located on the river as follows:

Fire boat C. M. Farrar, Capt.Wm. Armstrong, master, East Saginaw fire boat office, just above free bridge. East Saginaw, Accessible by telephone.

Fire boat David Sutton, Capt George J. Little, master, Hamiton, McClure & Co., five miles below Farrar, accessible by telephone.

Fire boat Handy Boy, Capt. John Dawson, master, S. G. Rice & Son's, six miles below Sutton, accessible by telephone No. 208-3.

Fire boat Charles Lee, Capt. James Wilson, master; Saginaw river fire boat office foot of Fifth street, Bay City, three miles below Handy Boy. Accessible by telephone, No. 177.

Each of the above mentioned boats will be in charge of watchmen every night for the next six months. Any want of vigilence on the part of the watchmen, or thoroughness on the part of any one connected with the fire boats should be reported to the managers at once, as he is doign his best to make them efficient, and all who are interested should help to that end.

1889: Lost in the river. (contributed by Alan Flood - Apr. 2009)

Bay City Daily Tribune - Thursday, May 9, 1889 (Page 6)

LOST IN THE RIVER.
--------

Alexander Bennett Falls Overboard
From the Steamer Newsboy and Drowns.
------
Heroic Efforts Made to Save the Life of
the Unfortunate Man, But to no Avail.
------

"Man overboard Man overboard ! !" was the cry that startled the officers and passengers of the steamer Newsboy yesterday morning. Going to the side of the steamer the form of Alexander Bennett, chief engineer of the Boy Line of steamers, was seen swimming on the surface.

The Newsboy was on her way to Bay City and had just passed through the Flint & Pere Marquette railroad bridge.

No sooner had the word been shouted than Paul Armstrong, the clerk, jumped for the engine room and reversed the throttle. In the meantime a boat had been lowered to the water and the ropes cut, setting it adrift. As soon as this had been accomplished Wm. Armstrong, who was on the upper deck, jumped into the river, and with a few strokes was in the yawl. Oars were fixed, and with the assistance of two other men, speed was made for the spot where the unfortunate man had disappeared. Arriving there Mr. Armstrong dove to the bottom of the river several times, but could not see the drowning man, and his efforts in this direction were necessarily given up. Raftsmen with pike poles were immediately employed, and after considerable time the body was recovered.

An East Saginaw coroner empanneled a jury, and a verdict was rendered in accordance with the above facts. The remains were placed in a temporary coffin and brought to this city on the Newsboy, arriving about noon. They were taken charge of by Undertaker Pearsall.

Immediately after the sad accident Capt. Armstrong received a tele-gram acquainting him with the facts, and the sad and delicate duty devolved upon him of informing the unfortunate man's wife, at her home, corner of Eleventh and Adams streets. When the sorrowful news was broken to her she became frantic with grief.

No one saw Mr. Bennett fall from the boat, and how the accident happened can simply be conjectured. He was seen sitting at the bow of the boat before the happening, an unusual thing for him to be so far away from his engine.

One of the stanchions which secured a chain across the gangway was discovered broken after the accident, but as the timber was of the strongest and firmest oak, it seems impossible that the engineer's weight on the chain could have broken it. This, however, seems to be the most reasonable theory.

Deceased was chief engineer of the Boy line of steamers, and has been in the employ of the line for the past three years. He was a fine man, and had the implicit confidence of his employers.

He leaves a widow, but no children. He was about 35 years old.

The funeral will be announced hereafter.

The officials of the boat are entirely free from all blame, and their conduct in endeavoring to save the drowning man is highly spoken of. The distance of the boat from him when the discovery of the accident was made was so great that it was impossible to rescue him before he was buried by the waters of the Saginaw.

1890: Wants to Sell. (Contributed by Alan Flood. - Apr. 2008)

Bay City Daily Tribune -- Saturday, February 22, 1890 (Page 5)

HE WANTS TO SELL OUT.
Some Facts
--------

There is not longer a decent livelihood to be made in river trame." says Capt. Richard Armstrong, " will either run a saloon, pander to low elements or run my boats on Sunday and because of this I see no profit to river service. You may say, then, that my whole outfit, steamboats and all, is for sale. I cannot see a livelihood in the business and want to sell out. If anyone else can he may get my boats cheap. I have not bought the burt nor am I about to send any of my boats to Port Austin. I will sell out, if I can, failing I shall do the next best thing. Place my boats as advantageously as possible and keep some of them on the river so long as they will pay expenses. That is exactly the pistion I am in today."

1890: Sold New Boy. (Contributed by Alan Flood. - Apr. 2008)

Bay City Daily Tribune - Saturday, May 3, 1890

SOLD THE NEWSBOY.
------

The Staunch Steamer was Sold to
E. W. Voight, of Detroit
-------

Capt. Richard Armstrong, of this city, has sold the steamer Newsboy, of the river line, to E. W. Voight, of Detroit, the consideration being $13,500. The Newsboy has been in Detroit for some time, and it was announced that she would be put on the route between that city and Walkerville, Canada, but the negotiations fell through and the boat was finally transferred to Mr. Voight. It is not known what disposition Mr. Voight will make of the Newsboy, although the Detroit News of last evening stated that the boat would be put on the route to Port Huron in command of Capt. George King.

1892: Worlds Fair. (Contributed by Alan Flood. - Apr. 2008)
Note: This in only an excerpt from the full article.

Bay City Daily Tribune -- Wednesday, September 28, 1892 (Page 3)

THE BOY LINE CINCH.
-------

That Line of Steamers has a Monopoly
in Chicago, and Carries Crowds
of Passengers.
--------
Many Sheckels Made by the Manager
Whose Line is the Only One
Running to the World's Fair.
--------

Visitors can be conveyed around the grounds, either by boat or carriage, each style of conveyance being divided into three classes, busses, carriages and regular stages. The boats and carriageswill be divided in this manner and the fair charged to be regulated by the World's Fair commission, so that the visitors need have no fear of being cheated.

The Boy line steamers built in this city and which were operated between Bay City and Saginaw and Reservation beach for a number of years have a "lead pipe cinch" on the lake traffic to the World's Fair grounds. It is the only line which can land passengers at the grounds and if the operators of the line are fortunate enough to hold the advantage which clear foresight gained, they will make a mint of money during the fair.

Chicago people have already dropped into line and the visitor to the Windy City will be told to take the Boy line steamships. The managers of the other lines feel very sore over the fact of an outside management coming in and getting the best of them and on the roadway leading to the dock signs have been placed, saying: "There is no monopoly on the traffic to the World's Fair grounds," or, "Monopoly on the traffic to the World's Fair grounds don't go."

The different railroads that center in Chicago are also very busy preparing for the rush and for miles around the fair grounds extra tracks are be laid.

1903: First fire tug. (Contributed by Jim Petrimoulx - Feb. 2007.)

Saginaw Courier Herald - September 9, 1903 (Page 1)

BUILT FIRST FIRE TUG.
----------

Capt. Richard Armstrong, Well Known Vessel Owner, Dead.
--------------

Captain Richard Armstrong, at one time well known tug captain and boat owner, died in Detroit yesterday morning.

Captain Armstrong was born in Canada in 1839, and moved to St. Clair in 1850. He engaged in sailing on the lakes in 1855 and on salt water in 1857. He visited Japan and China on the United States figate Powhattan with old Commander Tatnal. He was in California and Peru in 1859. He was twice around Cape Horn and fourteen times across the Atlantic, visiting England, France, Italy and other countries. He returned to the lakes in 1862 and enlisted in the 103rd Ohio regiment, which command helped to stop Kirby Smith from burning Cincinnati by stopping him at Covington Heights, and also drove the rebel legislature from the capital of Kentucky. After being honorably dischared from the army he returned to the lakes. In 1881 he built the first fire tug on the lakes at Bay City. He built and owned the steamers Handy Boy, Sailor Boy, Plow Boy, News Boy and Post Boy, and the tug Geyser. He also owned the tugs Charles Lee, James Hay, C. McFarrar, David Sutton and Chas. B. Hull.

At the time of the world's fair in Chicago Captain Armstrong went there with two of his boats, and since that time had made his home in Chicago or Detroit. He is survived by a widow and three children -- William, now interested in gold mines in Alaska, Cholula, now Mrs. John Streng, of Minnesota, and Paul Armstrong of New York.