Los Angeles Steamship Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping |
| Founded | May 27, 1920 |
| Founder | Fred L. Baker |
| Fate | Acquired by Matson Navigation Company |
| Successor | Matson Navigation Company |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California , United States |
Area served | Pacific coast of the United States, Hawaii |
Key people | Fred L. Baker (president) |
| Products | Passenger and cargo shipping services |
The Los Angeles Steamship Company (commonly known as LASSCO) operated as a passenger and cargo shipping enterprise based in Los Angeles, California.
History
Founded on May 27, 1920, with an initial capital of $5 million, LASSCO was headed by president Fred L. Baker, a notable figure associated with the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. The company’s early operations focused on establishing a route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
By 1921, LASSCO had ventured into the Hawaiian market, entering into competition with the San Francisco-based Matson Navigation Company. The fleet included two former North German Lloyd liners that had served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. Despite challenges such as the loss of one vessel on its inaugural voyage, LASSCO leveraged the economic boom of the 1920s to expand both its fleet and service offerings. A milestone was reached in 1922 with the introduction of the City of Los Angeles, which became one of the largest American vessels operating in the Pacific.
Nevertheless, worsening economic conditions and another ship loss in Hawaii negatively impacted profitability. Following negotiations initiated in 1930, Matson Navigation purchased LASSCO on January 1, 1931, operating it as a subsidiary while keeping its operations distinct. This merger resulted in a combined fleet of 31 Pacific vessels, strengthening Matson’s market presence and competitive position.
In August 1933, LASSCO created the California Steamship Company subsidiary to manage coastal routes connecting San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego with ships such as the , , and . This initiative was short-lived, concluding in April 1935 with only the Corrales remaining operational.
To improve financial efficiency after the merger, Matson called for redemption of $4.9 million in mortgage bonds issued during the LASSCO acquisition in July 1935 to lower interest burdens.
After nearly twenty years of influencing maritime transportation across the Pacific through strategic growth and acquisitions, LASSCO terminated operations in 1937.
Los Angeles - San Francisco overnight (1921-)
| Ship | First journey | Last journey | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale | 2 May 1921 | ||
| Harvard | 5 August 1921 | 30 May 1931 | |
| Waimea | 24 May 1923 | ??? | |
| Iroquois | 30 June 1931 | 9 December 1931 | chartered |
The sister ships Yale and Harvard, both triple-screw steamers launched in late 1906, comprised the principal fleet following their arrival from the Atlantic coast in 1920. These vessels underwent extensive renovations costing $1 million each at the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, contributing to a total investment of $8 million before commencing service. While retaining their original size and engines, they provided overnight transit between San Pedro and San Francisco within approximately 18 hours.
Following a merger with Los Angeles Pacific Navigation Company in August 1920, the fleet expanded to six vessels. To support daily sailings, a new terminal valued at $100,000 was constructed at Pier A, conveniently connected to downtown Los Angeles via Pacific Electric rail.
Acquired in 1923 after refurbishment at Hanlon Dry Dock, Waimea operated weekly coastal passenger and cargo services that linked to the Los Angeles-Hawaii route. It offered accommodations for 80 first-class passengers at competitive prices. Originally built as City of Topeka in 1884, Waimea was decommissioned and scrapped by 1932.
San Diego was incorporated into the itinerary in June 1922. By summer 1923, four weekly sailings ran between Los Angeles and San Francisco while two served between Los Angeles and San Diego. Oakland was added as a port of call starting September 1924. In October 1925, the company introduced a rapid store-to-store delivery service operating within 24 hours between San Francisco and Los Angeles; this service extended to San Diego by 1931 through collaborations with regional trucking companies.
The Harvard was lost after running aground near Point Arguello in May 1931. To fill this gap temporarily, LASSCO chartered the Iroquois from Clyde-Mallory Line; it entered service in June but returned to its owners by December that year.
This era represented a period of considerable expansion driven by fleet growth, route enhancement, and improved logistics solutions that solidified LASSCO’s position as a key player in West Coast maritime transportation.
Los Angeles - Hawaii Route (Since 1922)
On December 1, 1921, the United States Shipping Board assigned two former German vessels, seized during World War I and later renamed City of Honolulu and City of Los Angeles, to establish a direct steamship connection between Los Angeles and Honolulu.
The first ship experienced a fire on October 12, 1922, during its inaugural journey and ultimately sank on October 17. The second vessel, which was launched on June 4, 1927, also caught fire in Honolulu on May 25, 1930, and was dismantled in Japan by 1933.
Fleet
The principal passenger ships operated by the Los Angeles Steamship Company comprised:
- The sister vessels (operational from 1920 to 1931) and (in service since 1920)
- (1923–1932), acquired from Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company in March 1923; measuring 210 feet in length, capable of 12 knots, with a cargo capacity of 900 tons; subsequently replaced by for inter-island routes
- SS Calawaii (formerly USAT Sherman, active from 1899 to 1922; scrapped in 1933)
- SS City of Honolulu (I), lost in 1922 due to sinking
- SS City of Honolulu (II), destroyed by fire in 1930
These ships were central to the company’s operations, underpinning its role in passenger and freight services across the Pacific.