SS Cristobal

Antique advertising postcard
Artwork by Frederick J Hoertz
Circa 1939-1940

Panama Line twin screw steamships, Ancon and Cristobal
Length 493 ft. Width 64 ft.
Displacement 14,206 tons

To Panama and Canal Zone via Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

                    

"World of Tomorrow" ships
 The firms of George G. Sharp and Raymond Loewy in New York City designed SS Ancon, SS Panama and SS Cristobal, "World of Tomorrow" ships for the Panama Railroad Steamship line in 1939. The three first-class, cargo/passenger sister ships were constructed by the Shipbuilding Division of Bethlehem Steel at Quincy, Mass, at an approximate cost of $4 million each, paid for out of the earnings of the Panama Railroad.

 The Cristobal, the third and last of the ships to be constructed, slipped into the water on March 4, 1939, after Mrs. Clarence S. Ridley, wife of the Canal Zone Governor, shattered a bottle of champagne on her bow. The Cristobal sailed from New York in late August, her arrival eagerly awaited by many an Isthmian ready to make the return trip to attend the 1939 World's Fair in New York.
 
 The new ships were the first to be built in an American shipyard under the stringent safety regulations outlined by the United States Maritime Commission. Widely acclaimed as the safest and most modern of their time, the vessels were, in the words of the Panama Railroad Steamship Line's Vice President T. H. Ross bottom, "a fleet of ships as beautiful and modern and advanced in New World comforts as American skill and ingenuity could make them."

 Completely fireproof from stem to stern, they marked the beginning of a new era in shipbuilding in world standards of safety, efficiency, and attractiveness and were unique in the spaciousness and comfort of passenger accommodations. Differing only in their interior decor, they featured air-conditioned public rooms, a bathroom for each stateroom, and furnishings of fireproof materials. They had eight veranda suites overlooking the sea, with a cluster of four large staterooms around each veranda; unusually wide, glass-enclosed promenades; spacious sun decks; a tiled swimming pool; a children's playroom, and many other innovations seen only on the transatlantic luxury liners of the day.

 When the new ships were put into service, the Panama Railroad Steamship Line shortened its name to the Panama Line and for the first time advertised its steamship service to lure the tourist trade. The New York to Panama cruises featuring sightseeing tours of Port-au-Prince became very popular. In addition to passengers, the ships carried tons of bananas from Central America and raw cotton, coffee, sugar, plantains and lumber that were loaded on at Port-au-Prince. The vessels were earning their keep.

 

World War 2 and Post-war career
 When the war came, the Cristobal were taken over by the U.S. Army Transport Service and converted to a troop carrier.
The vessel's first war duty was to bring troops to Australia, where she reloaded and carried field artillery to New Caledonia. She transported troops to Suez and took part in the invasion of Casablanca and operated in the Mediterranean area, landing troops at Utah Beach after the Normandy Invasion. When the war ended, the Cristobal transported the wounded and war brides and children of 17 different nationalities to the United States.

 On July 1, 1951, following 102 years of service, the Panama Railroad Company was abolished by executive order of President Truman. As the result of an administrative reorganization, the railroad and the steamship line became separate divisions of the Panama Canal Company. The Panama Line was affected by a general decline in world shipping and began to lose money. Cristobal's sister SS Panama was withdrawn in the interest of economy and sold in 1956 to American President Lines to become the President Hoover.

 Ten days later, SS Ancon sailed out of New York for the last time. The Panama Line's terminus was moved from NYC to New Orleans. A new and shorter run between the Isthmus and New Orleans was inaugurated by the Ancon, renewing old ties that had been established before the Gold Rush days.

In June 1961, Ancon was retired and Cristobal took up the service between Cristobal and New Orleans that was begun by the Ancon, and was finally retired in 1981.

 About the artist -  Frederick J. Hoertz
Frederick J. Hoertz was well known for his marine paintings and lithography. He was a lithographic artist with Fred Pansing, c.1910 and worked for shipbuilding and aircraft companies throughout his life.


Historical info courtesy of www.angelfire.com/cantina/que_…


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