“In 1888 the Plant Railroad and Steamship Co. of Florida endeavored to find summer work for its fine steel screw steamer “Olivette” (which in the winter plied between Port Tampa, Key West, Fla., and Havana) by sending her to Boston in June of that year to open a new and direct line from that place to Bar Harbor. The “Olivette,” built by William Cramp and Co. at Philadelphia, was launched on Feb. 16, 1887. She was in reality a small ocean steamer and a far better sea boat than anything then or since running to the coast of Maine. Richardson and Barnard, 20 Atlantic avenue, were the Boston agents, and Albert Bee acted in the same capacity in Bar Harbor.
Her schedule was as follows: From Boston every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 6 P.M., arriving at Bar Harbor the next morning at 7, with the regularity of clockwork. Returning, the “Olivette” left Bar Harbor on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, at 6 P.M., due in Boston at 7 the next morning. To keep up this timetable meant a speed of nearly 18 knots an hour,, fog or no fog but this she did, and with only one accident, when in 1888, in a fog, she ran into the schooner “Edward H. Blake,” loaded with ice and lumber, cut her in two and sank her, and with not the slightest injury to herself. Capt. James McKay (now superintendent of the U.S Transport service at Jacksonville, Fla.), who commanded the “Olivette” during all the years she ran to Bar Harbor, considers it one of the most wonderful accidents he ever heard of, for at the time of the collision the schooner was only 17 days old.” - “Some Account of Steam Navigation in New England” by Francis Boardman Crowninshield Bradlee, The Essex Institute, p. 110-111 – 1920.
"Steamer, Olivette, collides with the schooner, Edward H. Blake, launched two weeks before at Millbridge. Loaded with 1017 tons of ice and 102,000 feet of spruce lumber, the Blake was cut completely in two. The crew and passengers were saved. Captain was George E. Smith of Bangor...Collision happened off Matinicus. The Blake was struck between mizzen mast and cabin. The vessel was taken to Orrington to be repaired." - July 17, 1890 - The Bar Harbor Record or Times.
As the “Olivette” was luxuriously fitted up with modern convenience, she naturally enjoyed the cream the passenger and express traffic; she remained on line up to 1891 inclusive, and was fought off by the persistent hostility of the Maine Central Railroad. Then she was placed by her owners on the Boston-Halifax, N.S. route running (in the summer) for many years connection with other steamers. The “Olivette’ was totally lost on the north coast of Cuba in January, 1918.” - “Some Account of Steam Navigation in New England” by Francis Boardman Crowninshield Bradlee, The Essex Institute, p. 110-111 - 1920.
