San Francisco: 1800s

Sea Captains Index

Charles Goodall

Charles Goodall was founder of The Pacific Coast Steamship Company, which was operated with George Perkins.

Different dates are cited as the beginnings of the company: An article indicates they were going in and out of Monterey beginning in 1870; another indicates the company started in 1875; a third indicates September 1882 under the name Pacific Steamship Company).

This passenger and freight company was based on Beale Street in San Francisco. They shipped a variety of cargo such as vegetables, grain, lumber, coal and iron, and boasted modern, luxurious facilities for their passengers.

In 1870, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company constructed the wharf at Monterey for regular passenger and freight service.

In the early 1890s, the name Pacific Coast Steamship Company gained permanent resonance, until the demise of the company in 1936. The company travelled routes from Alaska to San Diego, and included stops in many ports along the west coast of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This was a large company that employed over two dozen ships.

This passenger and freight company was based on Beale Street in San Francisco. They shipped a variety of cargo such as vegetables, grain, lumber, coal and iron, and boasted modern, luxurious facilities for their passengers.

In 1870, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company constructed the wharf at Monterey for regular passenger and freight service.

In the early 1890s, the name Pacific Coast Steamship Company gained importance until the demise of the company in 1936. The Pacific Coast Steamship Company (PCSC) was founded in 1875 (a second listing indicates September 1882; another article indicates they were going in and out of Monterey in 1870) under the name Pacific Steamship Company).

This passenger and freight company was based on Beale Street in San Francisco. They shipped a variety of cargo such as vegetables, grain, lumber, coal and iron, and boasted modern, luxurious facilities for their passengers.

In 1870, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company constructed the wharf at Monterey for regular passenger and freight service.

In the early 1890s, the name Pacific Coast Steamship Company gained permanent resonance, until the demise of the company in 1936. The company travelled routes from Alaska to San Diego, and included stops in many ports along the west coast of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This was a large company that employed over two dozen ships.

Oakland Tribune, August 2, 1889, Oakland, California

OCEAN TRAVEL
PACIFIC COAST STEAMSHIP CO.

Dispatch steamers from San Francisco from San Francisco for ports in Alaska, 9 A.M., March 11, 26; April and May 10, 25; June and July 9, 14, 24, 29.

For British Columbia and Puget Sound ports 9 A.M., March 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 31; April and May 5, 10, 25, 20, 25, 30.

For Eureka, Humboldt Bay, Wednesdays, 9 A.M.

For Mendocino, Fort Bragg, etc. - Mondays and Thursdays 4 P.M.

For Santa Ana, Los Angeles, and all way ports - Every fourth day 8 A.M.

For San Diego, stopping only at Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo - Every fourth day at 2 P.M.

For ports in Mexico - 25th of each month.

Ticket Office, 214 Montgomery St.
GOODALL, PERKINS & CO., Gen. Agents
No. 10 Market Street, San Francisco

San Francisco Call, October 16, 1893

THE NEWBERN WRECK
She Is Slowly Settling Into the Ocean.
Divers Will Endeavor to Bring Up the Submerged Silver Bullion.

Redondo, Oct. 15. The Newbern's position remains unchanged. She is slowly going to pieces. The Coos Bay arrived on the scene this morning and has succeeded in saving considerable of the furnishings. Passengers with their baggage were transferred to the Corona and proceeded on their trip at noon. Divers will arrive to-morrow and endeavor to recover the $25,000 of bullion still in the hold.

Conveyances and excursion craft from Redondo visited the wreck. Many souvenirs were obtained, and everybody is smoking genuine imported Mexican cigars. The weather is clear and the sea is very calm. Had the whistling buoy, which was petitioned for by the Redondo Beach Company a year ago been received, this wreck would not have occurred. Such a buoy is absolutely necessary at this point.
NOT YET DECIDED.
No steps Taken Toward Putting on Another Steamer.

Captain Charles Minor Goodall was seen by a Call reporter at his residence, in Oakland, last evening. He stated that his company had not yet determined what will be done in regard to putting on another boat in place of the Newbern. The company will hold a meeting today or tomorrow, when the matter will be discussed. Captain Goodall stated further that he did not know anything about the report that the North American Navigation Company intends to place the St. Paul on the route over which the Newbern sailed, but any action that her owners or charterers may take will affect his company, should it be decided to put on another boat to take the place of the lost steamer.

November 25, 1893, San Francisco Call, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

COOS BAY COAL.
A Big Mine Struck by Goodall & Perkins.
Large Quantities of the Fuel Being Brought Already to San Francisco by Steamer.

Goodall, Perkins & Co. have developed a coal mine which promises to add a million or more to their wealth. When they bought the mining and steamship property of the Oregon Coal and Navigation Company a few months since they also secured the Coffin Tract, a new coalfield on Coos Bay, for which they paid $30,000. Within four w eks from the date of the purchase an English syndicate, which had been prospecting on the land, offered Goodall, Perkins & Co. $300,000 cash and $200,000 stock in a $1,000,000 company for the tract, which sums were declined, and the firm opened the mine on its own account.

The first coal for export was taken out about three weeks ago. It turned cut to be the best coal ever uncovered at Coos Bay and sells here as fast as it is discharged. The steamers Arcata and Arago bring down 700 tons each trip and there is a twenty years' supply. "in sight."

The new coal development is important for the reason that it gives this city a fuel supply very much closer than any other source. A steam vessel from this port loading cargoes there saves about 1200 miles in distance over any of the coal loading ports on the Pacific Coast. Lower cost of transportation cannot help but lower the cost of coal to the consumer.

Nor is this coal find the only piece of good fortune for Goodall, Perkins & Co. They have again renewed their contract with the Oregon Improvement Company to manage the business of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. Under this contract they receive a handsome commission on the gross earnings of the steamers.

January 14, 1897, San Francisco Call, San Francisco, California

Assembly and Senate Declare the Election of Perkins
Appreciation of the Senator

At noon today the two houses of the Legislature met in joint convention in the Assembly chamber to declare the result of yesterday's balloting for United States Senator. Senator Thomas Flint, President pro tem, presided on the part of the Senate and Speaker Coombs on the part of the Assembly. The journal of each house was read as the law directs. Then the official declaration of George C. Perkins' election for Senator in Congress for the term beginning March 4, 1897, was made in due form. Senator Dickinson introduced a resolution directing that a record of the proceedings be transmitted to the Governor in accordance with the act of Congress.

December 14, 1899, San Francisco Call

OF INTEREST TO THE COAST.
Perkins Presents Protests Against Jamaican and French Treaties.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 13.-Senator Perkins to-day introduced a bill providing for the entry and purchase of coal and oil lands in Alaska by the Government; also bills for the relief of R. W. Dunbar and Arthur L,. Fish of San Francisco.

Senator Perkins to-day presented to the Senate the protest of the Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade of San Francisco, Los Angeles. Oakland and Sacramento, the Wine Producers Association of California and various citizens against the option of both the Jamaican and Ftrench treaties. He has had printed copies sent to the various industries of California affected and asked them to return any criticisms they have to make.

Senator Perkins will on Friday night give a dinner to the California delegation in honor of Hon. John D. Spreckels Republican National Committeeman. The dinner will take place at the Metropolitan Cuob.

Senator Perkins and Representative De Vries were to-day appointed members of the special committee to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the death of George Washington.

March 20, 1901, San Francisco Call

SENATOR PERKINS IS MUCH DEBILITATED

OAKLAND, March ID. United States Senator George C. Perkins' condition is such that he will go to a health resort as soon as his physician decides that he is able to be moved. The Senator suffered severely from an attack of grip and overwork while at Washington. He returned home in a very debilitated condition. There is nothing alarming in Senator Perkins condition, but he will take a rest at some sanitarium in the interior as soon as he is strong enough to travel. It was announced today at the Perkins residence that the patient was slightly improved, but was still very weak.

November 21, 1901, Los Angeles Herald

TRIED TO KILL SISTER
Insane Woman Attempts Murder at Home of Senator Perkins

OAKLAND, Cal., Nov. 20. Miss Maggie King of Fort Bragg last night tried to kill her sister, who is a domestic at the house of Senator George C. Perkins. Miss King, who was a guest of her sister, went violently insane last night and took her sister by the hair of the head and tried to beat out her brains. Then she tried choking, and had her nearly killed when other servants came to the rescue. This morning the insane woman was bound hand and foot and taken to the receiving hospital.

January 15, 1902, San Francisco Call

PERKINS WANTS ARMY CONTRACT
Pacific Coast Steamship Company Officials Go East.
Local Merchants Striving to Keep Transport Business Here.

San Francisco business men are bestirring themselves in the matter of perpetuating this city as the headquarters of the government transport service with the Philippines.

What action Congress will take is a momentous question. Influence will have to be brought to bear at once by all commercial men of this city. Energetic steps ure being taken by the business men of Puget Sound cities to secure the War Department contract for transporting troops. Should the Government award this contract to a private company the Pacific Coast Steamship Company would in all probability secure it. James J. Hill is assisting this company toward this end and in event of its success he would carry all soldiers over the Great Northern road to end from the East and ship them from Seattle.

Today Charles M. Goodall of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company and President James D. Farrell of the Pacific Coast Company of Seattle will leave for the East with the express purpose of using every influence toward getting Secretary of War Root to grant them the contract of transporting troops to and from the Philippines.

Telegrams Sent to Washington.

A number of the members of the Chamber of Commerce met yesterday in executive session with George A. Newhall as chairman. Telegrams were sent to Washington, asking the California representatives to use all means to induce the United States Government to continue transporting troops under the direction of the War Department and not by public contract. Little help is expected from Senator George C. Perkins in this direction, as he is a prominent officer in the Pacific Coast Steamship Company and this corporation is not leaving a stone unturned in its effort to secure the contract. Charles M. Goodall in an interview yesterday said:

"Yes, I leave lor New York tomorrow. President Farrell of the Pacific Coast Company and myself have been asked to go East at once. I am not going East especially in reference to the transport contract, but I expect that I will attend to the matter while I am there. The Pacific Coast Steamehip Company is not composed of stockholders that are sentimental, and of course if we could secure a big contract we would accept it."

Root Favors San Francisco.

Secretary of War Root was interviewed yesterday at Washington in reference to the matter, his remarks are certainly assuring and it at present looks as if San Francisco will retain the military traffic, yet a number of the commercial men of San Francisco claim that the moment the transportation of troops is let by contract this city will lose the soldier trade. Secretary Root said:

"I have asked Congress for authority to give up the transport and make a contract with a private company or companies for doing this business . . . When the Government comes to make this new contract we shall be very cold-blooded about it and we shall make a contract that will be to the Government's advantage. I cannot see how any company operating, or proposing to operate, from Seattle can possibly make a proposition to us that would even partly offset the abandonment of the Government's plant in San Francisco at the Presidio . . . It is safe enough, whatever we do about the transport, to go upon the assumption that the Government will always ship its men from San Francisco, and as a natural course of events most of the Government's freight will follow the route over which its men go.

New Company Formed.

Articles of incorporation were filed yesterday by the Western Repair and Supply Company. Those who are named as stockholders and directors of the new company are intimately connected with the shipping interests of this port. At the head of the board of directors is H. W. Goodall of the firm of Goodall, Perkins & Co., the owners of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. It is said the new company intends making a bid for a Government transportation contract in case the army transports are taken off the Philippine run. According to a statement made last night by Captain H. P. Wilson, who is named as one of the directors, the company is formed by the consolidation of two firms the Lewis E. Spear Company, composed of Lewis Spear, president, and H. P. Wilson, secretary, and Madison, Bruce & Sellers, of which B. H. Madison is the president and H. B. Madison the secretary and treasurer.

The subscribers named in the articles of Incorporation are as follows: H. P. Wilson, $24,800; J. H. Bennett, $8310; E: T. Cooper, $8180; B. H. Madison, $15,380; J. H. Bruce, $11,530; J. H. Sellers, $23,060; M. J. Madison, $7,690; H. B. Madison, $19,220; H. W.Goodall, $198,000 -- Total $316,200

The directors named are H. W. Goodall, J. W. Bennett, H. P. Wilson, J. H. Sellers and Edwin T. Cooper.

Captain Wilson says the new company has no intention at present of doing any business outside of the port of San Francisco, but may in time extend its lines into other fields.

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San Francisco Almanac: 1854-1856

Anyone who loves San Francisco and its history will treasure this book. It is an exceptional compilation of information by Gladys Hansen, who was curator of the Museum of San Francisco. It reads as though she wrote down answers to the questions history buffs will have through the years. No matter what you're looking for, odds are it's in the San Francisco Almanac Topics include transportation (including maritime matters and cable cars), bridges, churches, cemeteries, the fire department, the rich and famous, and, of course, the 1906 earthquake, etc. You can be sure that the information here is accurate and informative. It's a great research tool for casual visitors to the city, for historians, teachers, etc.

Gold Rush Port

The Maritime Archaeology of San Francisco's Waterfront
James P. Delgado
Described as a "forest of masts," San Francisco's Gold Rush waterfront was a floating economy of ships and wharves, where a dazzling array of global goods was traded and transported. Drawing on excavations in buried ships and collapsed buildings from this period, James P. Delgado re-creates San Francisco's unique maritime landscape, shedding new light on the city's remarkable rise from a small village to a boomtown of thousands in the three short years from 1848 to 1851. Gleaning history from artifacts--preserves and liquors in bottles, leather boots and jackets, hulls of ships, even crocks of butter lying alongside discarded guns--Gold Rush Port paints a fascinating picture of how ships and global connections created the port and the city of San Francisco.