User:Gatoclass/SB/Roosevelt Line

RL

The Roosevelt Steamship Company, also known as the Roosevelt Line, was an American company that operated a number of shipping lines from 1920 to 1940. The company began as a manager of a small number of freighters sailing between the United States and Great Britain. It later switched to servicing routes from the U.S. to the Pacific and Far East, including Australia, India, China and Japan. By the late 1920s it was operating 24 diesel and diesel electric freighters to the Pacific, one of the first U.S. freighter companies to widely adopt these technologies. In 1930, the company added a Baltimore to Bremen transatlantic passenger-and-freight mail service.

In 1931, the company took over International Mercantile Marine which became Roosevelt-IMM. The Roosevelt Steamship Company was wound up as a separate entity in 1940, and in 1943 Roosevelt-IMM was merged into United States Lines.

History

The Roosevelt Steamship Company was founded in 1920 by Teddy Roosevelt's second son Kermit and two partners, Russell Geldman, a lawyer, and Max Zaliels, a businessman with experience in the maritime industry. The company was incorporated in Delaware on 13 November 1920 for the sum of $1,000,000, with the stated aim to "build, own and operate steamships".

References

• Kermit Roosevelt obit, nyt

• end of Roosevelt-IMM 1940s

• pedraja on IMM

1920

• incorporation 1920

• "The Diesel Engine Ship", New York Times, 18 December 1920, p. 11.

• London service, de la Pedraja.

1924

• "New World Tour Lines Come Here", Los Angeles Times, 8 February 1924. Los Angeles Harbor will be the Pacific terminal for the new American-Japanese around-the-world service in which the Roosevelt Steamship Company and the Kokusal Kisen Kaisha, of Kobe, will operate eight 10,000-ton express freighters, according to word re-...

• "New Globe Circling Line", Los Angeles Times, 10 March 1924 (subscription required). steamer silverash, 4 ships to Japan.

• "Ashes of Navy Officer Given to Ocean Today", Los Angeles Times, 28 May 1924 (subscription required). The SlIverelm, first of five now built In Great Britain for the Roosevelt Steamship Com- pany s around-the-world freight e, has arrived In Baltimore to lend ...

1926

• "Kermity the Navigator", Time, 12 July 1926. start of oz-india service?

1927

• "Increasing Trade: Australia and the United States", The Argus, 11 January 1927. kermit quote re economy savings etc.

• "Melbourne to New York Direct Passenger Service", The Argus, 11 March 1927. west cussetta, west honaker, crown city, tampa, unacoi.

1928

• "Improved Cargo Service", The Argus, 30 January 1928, page 17. west loqu from n.o. to inaugurate new regular us-oz service, tho roosevelt line steamers were previously frequent visitors.

• "Slash Rates To Get Australian Trade", New York Times, 6 April 1928 (subscription required). $1 a ton off car freight.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 12 June 1928, page 19. steamer egrement, breakdown of mv tampa, company policy to replace w. diesel, route of regular sailings oz-india-n.o. galveston etc.

• "Business & Finance: Cargoes from India", Time, 9 January 1928. jute war.

• "Diesel Freighter Leaves", New York Times, 8 December 1928 (subscription required). The newly converted Diesel electric freighter Courageous, which hau been assigned by the Shipping Board to the Roosevelt Line, left for Baltimore to take on ...

• "Motor Ship Is Called Success In India Trip: Sawokla Proved Economy and Trade Openings in First Run, Says Skipper", New York Times, 4 May 1928 (subscription required).

• "Saw Sandstorm at Sea: Crew of the Jadden Tell of Rare Phenomenon Near Suez", New York Times, 26 July 1928 (subscription required). jadden steamer.

• "Seized On Ship Here In Berger Killings", New York Times, 21 September 1928. steamer stanley

1929

• American Pioneer Line advertisement, The Argus, 23 November 1929, page 1.

• "Offers Motor Ships For Line To Europe", New York Times, 12 April 1929 (subscription required). The seven ships to be allocated to the Roosevelt line will probably lie used as replacements. That line now has twenty-one motor shins in service and those ...

• "Success Reported In Defiance Test: Ship Board Finds Trial of Vessel Converted to Diesel Electric Drive Satisfactory", New York Times, 25 March 1929 (subscription required). The Galreston, which teas turned oi er to the Roosevelt line by' the Shipping Soard after her conversion from steam to electric drive, arrived IJIaryland ...

• "Shipping News and Activities at Los Angeles Harbor", Los Angeles Times, 6 March 1929 (subscription required). Assignment of the United States Shipping Board's new Diesel-electric freighters, Courageous. Triumph and Defiance, to the Roosevelt Line for its New York-Los Angeles-Orient service was announced yesterday by Edward A. Kelly. vice-president in charge of operations of the Shipping... Three Dieselized Freighters Allocated to Run Will Ply Between Near West and New York City Los Angeles Only Point of Call on This Coast

• "Electric Liner Sails", New York Times, 26 Arpil 1929 (subscription required). galveston.

• "Freighter Ready With Diesel Diesel Drive", New York Times, 12 June 1929 (subscription required). freighter city of elwood, 17th USSB conversion, cost $1,074,084.

• "Trip Today To Test Converted Liner", New York Times, 26 June 1929 (subscription required). new orleans, converted freighter

• "Motorship's Speed 14.3 Knots In Test", New York Times, 27 June 1929 (subscription required). n.o. "3rd conversion" (??)

• Cave, Wayne B. (1929-06-20): "Shipping News and Activities at Los Angeles Harbor", Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Since con- version, they have been operated in North Atlantic-Orient service by the Roosevelt Line. Los Angeles Harbor will be the outbound terminus of the ...

• Drake, Waldo (1929-03-18): "Shipping News and Activities at Los Angeles Harbor", Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Selection of these eight vessels follows allocation, to the Roosevelt Line last week for North Atlantic- Gulf-trans-Paciflc service, of eight converted ...

• "Trip Today To Test Converted Liner", New York Times, 26 June 1929 (subscription required). west alsek, to diesel. The ship is a freighter and has been assigned by .the board to the Roosevelt Line, as was the West Alsek, which was tested last Wednesday with complete ...

• "Vessel's Maiden Voyage Eight Years After Launching", The Argus, 21 September 1929, page 21. info about diesel Oldham, also N.O. Galveston, City of Ellwood, Wichita, Potter, Ward, Jeff. Davis - all old shipping board steamers. run for "Atlantic Pioneer" line. 2nd officer Kummell hero of Kroonland rescue.

• "Oldham Sails July 30: Leaves for Australia on First Trip as an Electric Ship", New York Times, 16 July 1929 (subscription required). diesel electric.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 26 November 1929, page 19. mv city of dalhart.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 30 October 1929, page 19. oldham for us and canada w/ general cargo.

1930

• "Vincent Astor Buys into Roosevelt Line", New York Times, 31 January 1930 (subscription required).

• "Business and Finance: Astor, Shipping, Youth", Time, 10 February 1930. founding of RL in 1920; 1926 IMM execs; baltimore contract; astor money.

• "Roosevelt Group Gets Ships For Line", New York Times, 23 April 1930 (subscription required). five ships sold to line for Bremen run.

• "Signs Roosevelt Line Mail Contract", New York Times, 18 May 1930 (subscription required). Postmaster General Brown today signed the contract with the Roosevelt Steamship Company of New York for carrying Baltimore to Hamburg ...

• "Two Lines Get Ship Loans", New York Times, 12 July 1930 (subscription required). ... for operation between Baltimore and Hamburg under the terms of an ocean mail contract recently awarded the Roosevelt Steamship Company of New York, ...

• "American Shipping: New Organization Formed", Sydney Morning Herald, 4 August 1930. Numbers of ships etc.

• "Kermit Roosevelt in Lumber Business", New York Times, 24 August 1930 (subscription required). panama mahogany to baltimore.

• "Speeds Rebuilding Five Ships At Kearny", New York Times, 26 December 1930 (subscription required). The work of reconstructing the five United States Shipping Board vessels, Eclipse, Steadfast, Archer, Independence and Victorious, which were turned over to the Baltimore Mail Steamship Company last April, is reported progressing steadily in the yards of the Federal Shipbuilding Company, Kearny, N.J., at a total ...

• "Unicoi Towed Into Balboa: Shipping Board Steamer With Wool From Australia Has Engine Trouble", New York Times, 28 March 1930. export wool.

1931

• "$100 Overseas Rate Fixed By New Line", New York Times, 3 February 1931 (subscription required). single class 100 passengers for Bremen line.

• "Business: New Gangplank", Time, 13 July 1931. start service baltimore line

• "Business: Biggest Pool", Time, 2 November 1931. big merger of roosevelt-dollar etc, half sale of roosevelt, list of ship lines controlled.

• "New Owners Get U.S. Lines Today: Roosevelt Steamship Company to Be Operating Organization", New York Times, 9 December 1931.

1933

• "Freighter Put In Dry Dock", New York Times, 18 June 1934 (subscription required). She is on of the American Pioneer fleet owned by the Roosevelt Line, which make voyages to Australia, China, Japan and India, and back to New York via the ...

• "Transport: Saturnalia", Time, 1 July 1935. corruption of USSB and ship lines.

1937

• "Dislocation Australasian Trade", The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 January 1937. "only principal American group" operating from Atlantic Coast of U.S. to Australia.

• "The Presidency: Week at Washington", Time, 27 September 1937. neutrality act, applies to Am. Pioneer Line shipping arms to China.

1939

• "Brave Raging Seas To Rescue 12 From Vessel", Chicago Daily Tribune, 9 January 1939 (subscription required). Eleven passengers aboard the grounded steamer Hoegh Silvercrest were rescued today by men from her sister ship, Silveryew, who dared towering seas in lifeboats. Officials of the Roosevelt Steamship company, Manila agent for the Silver- crest, said the vessel s exact condition probably would not be known until the ...

• "Bernstein Line Sells More Ships", New York Times, 24 July 1939 (subscription required). The Maritime Commission and the Roosevelt Steamship Company also announced yesterday that ships of the American Pioneer Line, owned by the government and ...

• Freighter Lightning

also, sale of American Pioneer to American Export Lines in December.

ships

• "Stowaway's Return: From Melbourne to Boston and Back", The Argus, 20 October 1930. two ships seminole and arcturus.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 20 October 1930, page 15. seminole, from ny via p. canal.

• "Graveyard Vessel Arrives", The Argus, 2 June 1930, page 19. article on motorship Potter.

• "Two New Motor Ships", The Argus, 5 August 1930, page 13. mv ward.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 19 June 1930, page 15. west loqu.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 20 June 1930, page 15. west loqu to ny.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 11 July 1930, page 13. mv new orleans, general cargo.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 26 June 1930, page 15. city of rayville.

• "Shipping Notes", The Argus, 11 February 1930, page 17. first oz voyage new ship mv wichita, 14 knots passage.

• "American Ships Sold: Bought by Roosevelt Company", The Argus, 4 August 1930, page 9. another article on merger.

• Saved From the Junkyard" milwaukee journal 1941