The Oscar Wilde

The stern wheeler, the Oscar Wilde, was launched in 1883 at Woodstock for the Shaw Bros., a firm that produced extracts. She was 87 feet long and began operating between Woodstock and Grand Falls, but her chief work over the next 4 years was carrying bark from Shogomoc and transporting the firms products to Hartland and other points on the upper river.

Then she was purchased by David Coy of Upper Gagetown who planned to run her from Indiantown to Grand Lake, Maquapit Lake, and French Lake. At the time she was considerably altered, the hull being lengthened to 111 feet and new machinery installed. She had a capacity of 45 tons. When she was ready, Coy elected to place her on the Saint John -Fredericton run instead.

In 1890, she was renamed the Brittain and started on the Belleisle market boat run. The following year, in 1891, she reappeared on the run as the Springfield.