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Built in 1854 at Belle Ewart for the Ontario, Simcoe end Huron
Railway Company by Capt. Hugh Chisolm of Oakville, the launching
took place in August of 1855. Among the two thousand attending
the launch was Joseph Curran Morrison, M.P.P. and President of
the Railway, William Lyon Mackenzie M.P.P. and Capt. McBride. The
launching delayed by rain, finally got underway, but the steamer
eventually had to be pulled into the water by the Steamer Moring,
which was also owned by the railway. The J. C. Morrison was the
largest and the most luxurious steamer ever built for Lake Simcoe,
at a cost of about 18,000 pounds or $60,000 - sidewheeler of 150
foot keel, 24 foot beam, number of cabins unknown, and a
Chickering piano in the salon. The idea of the railway making a
fortune from their two steamers and near monopoly of the trade
could not be realized in these recession times, in fact they were
probably having very large losses as an ad in the Barrie Northern
Advance in January of 1857 invites proposals for the purchase of
the J. C. Morrison and Moring, no one purchased. The first
captain was Capt. Fellows and Hunters History of Simcoe County
mentions a Capt. Fraser. For the season of 1857 Capt. C. T. Bell
was appointed and the other officers remained the same. (Barrie
Northern advance April 16, 1857).
On August 4th 1857 at about half past twelve fire was discovered
just above the boiler and spread so rapidly that those sleeping
on board had just time to escape. Cut loose and left to drift
into the bay, the dream of profits had gone up in flames and so
had the reality of heavy financial losses. Captain Bell had been
burned out on three previous occasions, but known as a steady and
careful man, there was no blame attached to him. He had just been
burned out in January of 1857 when fire destroyed Hodges Landing
(now Hoakestone) which was caused from empting ashes on a very
cold and windy night.
According to the Barrie Northern Advance the insurance on the J.
C. Morrison was 10,000 pounds. From the Quebec Morning Chronicle
of October 8, 1860 - salvage of the machinery by Capt. Charles
Fortin with the intent to build a new hull for the engine and
place her on the old route, however the Barrie Northern Advance
of October 3 states that the boiler was corroded with a thick
coating of rust and doubtful it could ever be used again. This
was the end of the railway investment in the steamer business on
Lake Simcoe, it was now left to other investors to operate, but
never on such a grand scale and it appears to be the end of
steamers with sleeping cabins operating on the local lakes.
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