William Klein

William Klein, second engineer of the passenger steamer Spokane, was born at Detroit, Mich., October 20, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native city, and subsequently, when about seventeen years of age, started the first practical work of his life as catcher for six months in a rolling mill.

In 1889 Mr. Klein commenced steamboating as oiler on the Fayette Brown, remaining on her two seasons, and for two months of the next season went into the Nyack, finishing same on the Japan. During the season of 1892 he was on the India, and in 1893 he was promoted to the berth of second engineer on the same vessel, remaining until 1894, and in 1895 held that berth on the Northern Queen, of the Northern Steamship Company. The succeeding season he went back to the Anchor line as second of the India, one of the three passenger boats of that line, where he remained during the season of 1897. In 1898 he transferred to the Spokane. Mr. Klein is a quiet, conscientious workman, and believes that in order to attain a position among the leaders of his profession a thoroughly practical and theoretical experience is essential, and it is safe to say that he has attained, by close study and attention, an unusual degree of proficiency. He has six issues of license, and is a member of Local Harbor No. 1, Marine Engineers Beneficiary Association. Mr. Klein is a single man, and resides with his mother at No. 171 Austin Street, Buffalo, New York.

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Volume I

This version of Volume II is based, with permission, on the work of the great volunteers at the Marine Captains Biographies site. To them goes the credit for reorganizing the content into some coherent order. The biographies in the original volume are in essentially random order.

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.