Tourist No. 3

Model of the Tourist No. 3 at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

This is a model of Tourist No. 3, one of the ferries used in service between Astoria and Megler before the Astoria-Megler Bridge was built, at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. Tourist No. 3 was built in 1931 for Captain Fritz Elfving's Astoria - North Beach Ferry Company (where it would join Elfving's other ferries, Tourist No. 1 and Tourist No. 2) by Joe Dyer's Astoria Marine Construction Company. Joe Dyer was 33 years old at the time, and at 120 feet in length, Tourist No. 3 was by far the largest boat Dyer had designed up to that point. The Tourist No. 3 was built in just 90 days.  It was powered by a 425 horsepower engine, and had a capacity of 28 cars and 280 passengers. 

Captain Elfving had started his ferry service in 1921. His ferry slip on the Oregon side was at the foot of 14th Street in Astoria. In 1927, Captain Elfving had competition from the Union Pacific ferry North Beach. After the Tourist No. 3 entered service, the rivalry really turned fierce. One night in 1932, Captain Elfving's competitors drove pilings in front of the 14th Street landing, to keep the Tourist No. 3 from being able to leave. The next morning, Captain Elfving responded, and undeniably proved Joe Dyer's shipbuilding prowess, by repeatedly ramming the pilings with the Tourist No. 3 until they broke apart, allowing the ferry to leave for the morning run. Ironically, the drifting pieces of timber would later disable the North Beach for several days. In 1934, Captain Elfving bought out his competition.

Captain Elfving sold his ferry operation to the State of Oregon in 1946, and the Tourist No. 3 remained in service, with Tourist No. 2, the state's new 1947 steel ferry M. R. Chessman, and later the Kitsap from Washington's Puget Sound until the Astoria-Megler Bridge opened in 1966, at which time the ferry was retired and sold to become a floating crab-processing facility called the Princess Roxane in Kodiak, Alaska. The remains of the ferry slip can still be seen at the end of 14th Street in Astoria.

See Columbia River One Design for more about Joe Dyer and the Astoria Marine Construction Co.

Historical Photos:
The Ferries of Oregon at Evergreenfleet.com
Tourist No. 2 (Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - Astoria-Megler Bridge)
M. R. Chessman (Volcanoes of Lewis & Clark)
M. R. Chessman (Oregon State Library)
M. R. Chessman leaving Astoria, 1951 (Salem Public Library)
M. R. Chessman near Astoria, Oct. 4, 1962 (Salem Library)
M. R. Chessman at Astoria, Oct. 4, 1962 (Salem Library)
Kitsap & Tourist No. 3 in Astoria, Oct. 4, 1962 (Salem Library)
Kitsap & Tourists No. 3 & 2, Oct. 4, 1962 (Salem Library)
Kitsap & Tourist No. 2, June 2, 1965 (Salem Library)
Tourist No. 3 at Astoria, June 2, 1965 (Salem Library)
Princess Roxane in Tacoma, May 31, 1967, Tacoma Library

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