The Esmeralda (also spelled Esmerelda) was a stern-wheel paddle steamer that operated on the Colorado River from 1864 to 1868. It was notable as the first opposition steamboat to challenge the monopoly of George A. Johnson & Company, the first to regularly tow large cargo barges on the river, and the first steamboat to reach Callville, Nevada (near modern Lake Mead), in 1866.
Construction and Early Service
Built in 1862 at the 3rd Street shipyard of Patrick Henry Tiernan at Steamboat Point in San Francisco for Captain Washington Pitts, the Esmeralda was originally intended for the Sacramento River and upper San Joaquin River trade.
Specifications
(figures vary slightly by source; those for Colorado River service are most consistent):
- Type: Stern-wheel paddle steamer
- Length: Approximately 93 feet (some early accounts list ~100 feet)
- Beam: About 20 feet (early accounts sometimes cite 24 feet)
- Hold depth / draft: Hold ~3.5 feet deep; draft about 33 inches
- Cargo capacity: Roughly 50 tons on the steamer itself; capable of towing a barge with up to 100 tons
- Other: One deck and a square stern in original configuration
It was smaller than many of Johnson’s boats but relatively powerful for its size, making it well-suited for towing.
Role on the Colorado River
In early 1864, amid complaints about high freight rates and slow service from Johnson & Company’s monopoly (especially after mining booms increased demand), San Francisco merchants backed an opposition line. Captain Thomas E. Trueworthy’s Union Line acquired the Esmeralda. It was sent south under Captain Charles C. Overman, accompanied by the Victoria (a four-masted schooner converted from a barge, intended as a store ship at the river mouth). The Victoria was soon destroyed by the tidal bore.
At the mouth of the Colorado, Overman built the Black Crook, the first large tow barge used on the river (about 128 × 28 feet, ~100-ton capacity). Barges were towed on a ~100-foot cable attached amidships to avoid fouling the stern wheel, with a helmsman steering the barge in the steamer’s wake.
In early May 1864, Trueworthy took the Esmeralda (towing the Black Crook) upriver to Fort Yuma in just 3 days and 8 hours—demonstrating competitive speed even while towing. This challenged Johnson’s dominance and helped clear freight backlogs. Another rival, the Nina Tilden, soon joined the opposition. Competition intensified (Johnson responded with the powerful Mohave), rates fell, and excess capacity appeared by late 1864.
In summer 1865 the opposition boats consolidated into the Pacific and Colorado Steam Navigation Company (still under Trueworthy, with San Francisco backing). The key ambition was reaching Callville (established by Mormons under Anson Call as a potential “back door” port for Utah settlements, which could cut overland freight costs dramatically). An 1865 attempt failed at Roaring Rapids in Black Canyon.
In summer 1866, during high water, the Esmeralda (under Captain Robert T. Rogers, Trueworthy’s former first mate, and accompanied by promoter “Steamboat Sam” Adams) tried again with a barge and about 90 tons of freight. The three-month voyage was difficult due to scarce firewood (limiting power) and low water in places. At what became known as Ringbolt Rapids, the engine lacked sufficient power; a ringbolt was set in the canyon wall and the boat was winched through using its capstan. On October 8, 1866, it reached Callville—the farthest steamboat navigation point achieved on the lower Colorado at that time. The Arizona Legislature later formally thanked Rogers (and Captain William Gilmore) for the accomplishment. Goods from the trip remained in storage into early 1867 before being sold and hauled overland to Salt Lake City.
Ultimate Fate
Despite the Callville triumph, the company was deeply in debt. Upon returning downriver, the Esmeralda was seized by the Yuma County sheriff for unpaid debts. It passed briefly through the hands of the Arizona Navigation Company (an attempt by creditors to continue operations). In fall 1867 both the Esmeralda and Nina Tilden were sold to George A. Johnson & Company. The Esmeralda was dismantled in 1868.
Its short but eventful career helped break the early monopoly on Colorado River shipping, pioneered barge towing that became standard practice, and demonstrated the practical (if seasonal and difficult) upper limit of steamboat navigation toward the Mormon settlements—though the hoped-for major Utah trade route never fully materialized due to water conditions, costs, and later railroad competition.