Tugboats like the Hosmer plied the waters of Kootenay Lake in the early 20th century, using a screw like this to propel through the water. Examine this century old simple machine to find the cache. Use care when accessing the cache. Note: not near any of the wood parts.
The SS (Steam Ship) Hosmer was constructed in Nelson in 1909 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The hull and superstructure were of heavy wood beams and planking. The steam engine, boiler and drive cylinders, came by way of a firm in Ontario and were brought in by rail. It was the largest tug for the CPR barge service on Kootenay Lake. It worked from Procter to Kootenay Landing from 1909 to 1930, when the rail line was completed between Procter and Kootenay Landing.
This item was salvaged from the submerged wreckage of the Hosmer and donated to the Nelson Museum in 1984. It was recently moved to it's new home, close to the original site of the Nelson shipyards.
