Part IV – Pacific Coast Shipbuilding Company

Between 1904 and the start of WWI in 1914, Robert Noble Burgess created and expanded his RN Burgess Company holdings, particularly acquiring large real estate tracts in Contra Costa County. The war led to a drastic reduction in land investment and speculation, leaving Burgess overextended and in need of a way to create value from his vast land holdings.

L145-05-Courtesy David Mackesey and Diablo Country Club, (Image 1 of 26)

Thinking outside the box, Burgess helped create the Pacific Coast Shipbuilding Co., herein to be referred to as PCSB. Northeast view, ca. 1918.

L145-10-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96347cv, (Image 2 of 26)

And what better place to locate this company than the 230 acres Burgess owned and could not sell along the north coast near Bay Point. After all, it was this deep shipping channel that attracted his neighbor CA Smith and his lumber operation on land to the east a decade earlier. Southeast view of Sea Islands, PCSB and Bay Point, circa 1929. Ref: API 622_BOX 95108

L145-15-George Russell Photo, Courtesy California State Lands Commission, Detail, (Image 3 of 26)

What were the circumstances that propelled this venture into becoming reality? Using this PCSB company promotional panel, several details will be recounted. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-20-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 4 of 26)

The central part of this panel spells it out very clearly that the shipyard was created and operational in only four months. What drove this swift timeline? Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-25-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 5 of 26)

The US Navy had lost a considerable number of cargo vessels in WWI, and there was a desperate need to maintain the naval supply chain across the Atlantic. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-30-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 6 of 26)

The folklore has Burgess rushing off to Washington and convincing the United States Shipping Board, the USSB, to provide funding to replace these ships. The latter agency was created in 1916 and given absolute control to formulate and implement a strategy to combat EU domination of shipping trade. Often misunderstood, it was created prior to the US entry into WWI and its initial charter did not mention war. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-35-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 7 of 26)

The war did, however, change the USSB’s focus, and some articles concerning Burgess’ visit refer to its unofficial name, the War Shipping Board. The Board created the Emergency Fleet Corporation after the US entry into the war, and with seemingly limitless capital to fund the production of ships. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-40-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail, (Image 8 of 26)

Even with ample opportunity and funds available to build cargo ships, it is often overlooked why a governmental agency would provide Burgess the funds given his lack of experience in this industry. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-45-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 9 of 26)

The answer may be found in a Sunday, June 30th 1918 Oakland Tribune, but more exacting in extensive records provided at the San Francisco Maritime National Park, http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c88g8pws/entire_text/. In short, Burgess partnered with Bay Area shipbuilders Henry Tiffany Scott and John Thomas Scott. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-50-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail, (Image 10 of 26)

John Thomas Scott was superintendent of Union Iron Works in San Francisco from 1895-1905 and co-owner of Moore & Scott Iron Works in Oakland from 1905-1916, leaving the latter firm when he was bought out by his partners, brothers Joseph and Robert Moore. He was a marine engineer by training, and lived to be 95 years old, passing away in 1960. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-55-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 11 of 26)

The other PCSB founder was John T. Scott's uncle, Henry Tiffany Scott, who along with John’s father, brother Irving Murray Scott, were owners of the Union Iron Works in San Francisco in the second half of the 19th century. Records at the SF Maritime Museum also revealed an “I.M. Scott”, but this was the brother and not the father of John T. Scott, Irving Murray Scott, Sr. having passed away in 1903. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-60-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 12 of 26)

PCSB was contracted by USSB’s Emergency Fleet Corporation of the United States Shipping Board to build ten 6000 ton cargo ships. An complete list of the companies productivity which match information obtained at the SF Maritime Museum can be found at http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/pacificcoast.htm. This link also provides the disposition of each vessel. Now on to the ships. Ref: cubanc00003245_pm_a

L145-65-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail, (Image 13 of 26)

The SS Diablo was the first ship produced, rolled out one year later, May 1919, 6 months after the end of the war. Ref: hdc127 bx1 fold15 ss diablo001

L145-70-Courtesy San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service, (Image 14 of 26)

Here presented is a sketch of the internal workings of the SS Diablo. An image of this ship being built may be found at http://www.cocohistory.org/frm-photos.html in the Bay Point Industry section. Ref: hdc127 bx1 fold15 ss diablo001

L145-75-Courtesy San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service, (Image 15 of 26)

And for those interested in the details of this vessel ... Ref: hdc127 bx1 fold15 ss diablo001

L145-80-Courtesy San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service, (Image 16 of 26)

A panoramic view of the PCSB operation, north view, circa 1918. Ref: cubanc00003248_pm_a

L145-85-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley , (Image 17 of 26)

A detail from L145-85 of the water tower and main shop, north view, circa 1918. Ref: cubanc00003248_pm_a

L145-90-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 18 of 26)

After SS Diablo, the next two ships to be produced later in 1919 were the Cansumset and Cockaponset, shown here completed from later that year. A detail follows ... Ref: cubanc00003246_pm_a

L145-95-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 19 of 26)

A detail from L145-95 from 1919 showing the completed Cansumset and Cockaponset in a north view. Ref: cubanc00003246_pm_a

L145-100-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail, (Image 20 of 26)

Next ahead to 1920, when four more ships were produced. This north view from that year shows the Sinasta, the fifth ship built, to the left, and an unlabeled, less completed ship, possibly the Lavada, to the right. Ref: cubanc00003247_pm_a

L145-105-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 21 of 26)

A detail from L145-95 from 1920 showing the Sinasta and an unidentified ship being built in a north view. Ref: cubanc00003247_pm_a

L145-110-Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, Detail , (Image 22 of 26)

PCSB completed the ten cargo ships for the USSB by mid-1921, with an additional two tankers produced within that timespan for Associated Oil. The records don’t show any additional new ship construction after this point through the companies closing in 1931. Undated image, northeast view.

L145-115-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96348cv, (Image 23 of 26)

Many mysteries remain. For instance, there is no photographic record to establish how raw materials were delivered to the shipyard.

L145-120-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96349cv, (Image 24 of 26)

You will find the PCSB listing as a business in San Francisco until 1931. By the early 1920s, the government’s investment in ship building created a glut, and many other companies such Oakland’s Moore Shipbuilding were renamed, Moore Dry Dock as an example, to reflect a focus on ship repair. This circa 1929 view shows two ships in the vicinity of PCSB, but no other information has been uncovered. Ref: API 563_11_BOX 59116

L145-125-George Russell Photo, Courtesy California State Lands Commission, (Image 25 of 26)

One final undated northeast view showing many workers at PCSB. The next subject of the Burgess era on the north coast will present the efforts made for housing and transportation of workers of PCSB. Appreciation to Gina Bardi of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park for her assistance and contributions to this update.

L145-130-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 96350cv, (Image 26 of 26)