Steamboat Inspector William Evans

Capt. William Evans, Dominion Inspector of Hulls, who is a son of the late John Evans of Kingston, was born in Kingston in 1849. and was educated in the Public Schools of that city. Starting out in life young Evans served an apprenticeship to the shipbuilding trade with Mr. Edward Berry, of Portsmouth, being the first year in the firm's office. While he was with Mr. Berry, and while yet but seventeen years of age, he served in the Fenian Raid campaign as a private in the 14th P.W.O.R. of Kingston. He was six months on service.

After putting in several years with Mr. Berry's firm, Capt. Evans went to Prince Edward County, and assisted there at the building of several ships, including the schooners Bermuda and New Dominion. The latter vessel was launched on the first Dominion Day, at the inauguration of Confederation, hence the vessel's name. Subsequently Capt. Evans sailed for four years on the great lakes, then he went to the Erie Canal and took part in the building of boats for navigating that waterway.

In a short time he returned to Canada and went into the employ of the Rathbun Company of Deseronto. The captain remembers well the year when he began work for the Rathbun Company, for it was the same one during which the late D'Arcy McGee was assassinated at Ottawa, and Capt. Evans was an admirer of that statesman. Several new vessels were constructed at the Rathbun yards while the captain was there, and some of these he sailed on their initial trips and at different times. Gradually he worked his way up until the year 1880, when he was appointed Superintendent of the Rathbun shipyard, and took full charge of the marine constructing interests of the firm at Deseronto. Among those vessels that were built under his superintendence and instruction were the well-known passenger and freight steamers Resolute, Reliance, Rescue, and Ida, and numerous other steam vessels and schooners which are today sailing the great lakes.

One of his reconstructions is the noted schooner Queen of the Lakes, which this season traded on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and arrived back on the lakes a few weeks ago. Other work which Capt. Evans superintended satisfactorily for the firm was the making of repairs to vessels. Some of his cleverest achievements were the fitting up of the sailing yacht Norah for Mr. John Bell,Grand Trunk Railway solicitor, of Belleville and the fitting of the yacht White Wings built by Cuthbert, which made so famous a record in racing circles a few seasons ago. At that time she beat everything that entered against her. Also under his superintendence the extensive railroad-car building business which the Rathbun Company carries on was established and built up successfully. He superintended the construction of the cars for all the railways of Canada and some for United States lines. Almost all the cars for the Kingston Electric Railway were built by the Rathbun firm while Capt. Evans had charge.

Not only was the captain successful thus in business, but he became one of the most popular men in Deseronto. Several times he was elected to the Town Council there, and was also for a long time Secretary of the Public School Board. His society affiliations are with the Oddfellows, the Royal Arcanum, the United Workmen and the Freemasons.

When Capt. Evans was appointed to the position of steamboat inspector in 1895 and had to leave Deseronto for Toronto there was an enthusiastic time at the saying of farewell. After his twenty years as Superintendent for the Rathbun Company they were sorry to part with him, and many were the valuable presents that he got as parting tokens. His employers made a gift to him of a magnificent gold watch.

Capt. Evans was married early in life, and his family consists of two sons and one daughter. The eldest son of Capt. Evans is attending the School of Practical Science in Toronto and the other son is learning to become a practical engineer.

During his career Capt. Evans has had to do a good deal of dangerous work and has had many "hairbreadth" escapes from death, but fortunately he has never been scratched, nor has he ever had a man under him injured. Whenever there occurred a duty so especially dangerous that a volunteer was necessary. Capt. Evans invariably did the duty himself.

Inspector William Evans continued:

There is one fact that cannot be controverted, and that is that in him the people of Canada have one of the most efficient steamboat inspectors that ever filled that onerous post. His work is well done: he has saved hundreds of lives by refusing certificates to boats until they were made seaworthy, whereas had he been at all slipshod in his duty to the public some unscrupulous owners would have taken advantage of him. As a thoroughly practical man he knows exactly to which parts of a hull to look for defects. A great credit to the captain is the manner in which he secured his present appointment from the Dominion Government. There were 32 applicants for the position, and to test their merit a written examination was held at Toronto by order of the Minister of Marine. Capt. Evans was so far ahead of all the other competitors in the percentage of marks which he gained that the Government had not the least difficulty in deciding, and since the captain accepted the appointment he has given the eminent satisfaction that might have been expected. Since his advent into office he superintended the reconstruction of the steamer Bayfield for the Dominion Government. She was launched in the spring of 1896. and is now cruising Lake Erie.Capt. Evans has his office in the customs house, at the corner of Yonge and Front streets.

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