The Magnet

The side wheeler, the Magnet, was built in 1853 at Mosquito Cove, just above Indiantown, on the opposite (western side) of the river in a yard just to the west of King's Mill. She was 104 feet long with a gross tonnage of 109. The hull was taken to Courtenay Bay where the machinery was installed. Some of the machinery came from the steamboat the Fredericton and before that had been in the St. George. Her owners were David Tapley and Hugh Morris. It was the intention of the owners that she be a tugboat, but on different occasions she was used as a passenger and freight carrier.

The Magnet began the season of 1855 as a tugboat, but later in the summer was taken out of service and refitted for regular passenger and freight service. In October, she was advertised to run as a night boat leaving Indiantown at 6 pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for Fredericton, and would go below the Falls each trip to load freight.

In the spring of 1856, she returned to the river as an excursion boat and was making frequent trips to different parts of the river as a freight and passenger carrier. In addition, she also did towing, and in August she returned to the night boat schedule to Fredericton. She remained in this service for four years after which she was sold to the Glasier Company.

She ended her service in 1867.