to operate on a reduced scale for several years longer. An interesting development during these declining years was the construction of steam- ships at Mount Stewart. On June 14, 1883, “profusely decked with bunt- ing,” the paddle-wheel steamer, “Heather Belle,” stood moored at the Island Steam Navigation Co. wharf, having been brought up the river to Char— lottetown from Mount Stewart that morning. Built by Mr. James White, this craft was 120 feet in length and had seating accommodation for 500 people, a worthy successor to the old “Heather Belle” which had been a familiar denizen of Island waters for so many years. The steamer “Fred M. Batt” was launched at the yard of David Egan on September 22, 1888. Built for Messrs. William, George and Frank Batt of Charlottetown, she was sold to the Island Tug Co. Ltd. in 1904. A large number of people and a brass band journeyed from Charlottetown to Mount Stewart on July 21, 1894 to witness the launching of the “Hillsborough,” a side- wheeler, built for the local Government by Mr. Angus MacDonald of Pis- quid. The Examiner, grimly partisan, acidly observed that “her ‘ways’ having been well ‘greased’ the new ferry steamer glided into the water on Saturday ‘like a duck’.” In the same article the editor went on to deplore the fact that the paper’s suggestion that the steamer be called the “Bood- ler” had not been taken up. After plying the waters between Charlotte- town and Rocky Point for over 40 years, the “Hillsborough” was sold to the Pictou Foundry and Machine Co. where she was broken up for scrap. The glory had indeed departed.

The Guardian for June 11, 1925 recorded the death of Mr. Kimble Coffin at the advanced age of 84 years. His death marked the end of an era, for, although vessels were not built at Mount Stewart after the mid- nineties, Mr. Coffin had continued to put his skills to good use elsewhere: on the Pacific coast building river boats and in the yards of New York City, Noank, Connecticut and Bath, Maine. A man of massive build and robust constitution, he practised the craft he knew so well until a few years before his death.

A link with the shipbuilding days of the past is maintained by Mr. George Clark who, in 1956, began building fishing boats in partnership with his father, Edwin. The Clarks have been boatbuilders in the Mount Stewart area since 1866 when Samuel Clark, George’s great-grandfather, and one of seven brothers who took up land at Clarktown, undertook the management of one of the local yards. Following the decline of the indus- try in the 1880’s, it was necessary for Samuel’s son, George, to move to eastern United States in order to continue his trade; however, he returned to the Island in 1906 and began boat-building as a sideline. His son, Edwin, Joined him in 1918 and built boats for over 50 years. In 1959 he estimated that 100 of his craft were at that time operating out of fishing ports scattered from Covehead to Borden.

Transportation

During a great part of the 19th century and for much of the 20th, Mount Stewart occupied a position of major importance with regard to transportation in the eastern section of the Province. In addition to being the focal point of a network of roads stretching out to various parts of the countryside, the village, as a railway junction, was the centre where branch lines from Souris and, later, Lake Verde, joined the main trunk extending from Charlottetown to Georgetown. Standing at the head of the naviga- tion of the Hillsborough River, Mount Stewart was also the Eastern ter-

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