Loading dock Gammalkroppa

The loading dock at Gammalkroppa was a hub for transport in both directions. Several ”shipping companies” operated on Lake Yngen via the Gammalkroppa Loading Dock: Kroppa Railway and Maritime Transport Company, and Carl Yngström’s Steamboat Company. In 1852, Manager Uhr had a cargo boat with rowers operating on Yngen, primarily serving the northern parts of the lake.

Kroppa Railway and Maritime Transport Company

Kroppa Railway and Maritime Transport Company was founded in 1852 by the ironworks owners at Storfors, Gammelkroppa, Saxå, and Hällefors ironworks, and there were likely also stakeholders from the mines and ironworks further to the north.

The cargo boats the company used downstream of Nykroppa had the following dimensions: length 24 m, width 6 m, and they carried a full 50 tons.

In 1859, a steamboat of a full 5 horsepower was purchased from Nyköping Mechanical Workshop, which was given the name Carl Yngström. It was used as a tugboat on Yngen.

Co-owners of the boat were:

Kroppa Railway Company………………………..8/16 Storfors Company…………………………………….2/16 Hellefors Company…………………………………..4/16 Sälboda ironworks owner (Gammalkroppa)…1/16 P. Wikland, Svartsången………………………….1/16

The company’s barges operating on Yngen were: Persberg, Klapka, Omer, Thor, Albert, Björn Jernsida (Björn Ironside), Nachbar, Amalia, and Medborgaren (The Citizen).

Under images 1–4, a list is shown of Kroppa Railway and Maritime Transport Company’s assets at the time of the sale of the company to Östra Wermlands Jernvägs Aktie Bolag (Eastern Värmland Railway Joint Stock Company) in 1874.

Carl Yngström’s Steamboat Company

Here follows a transcript of an employment contract for the workers on the company’s cargo boats on Yngen. The boats were chartered by Carl Yngström’s Steamboat Company in 1860.

Employment Contract

For the workers on the cargo boats Storfors, Neptun, Omer, Pascha, Klapka, Nordmankar(?), and Björn Jernsida, which during the present summer have been chartered on behalf of Carl Yngström’s Steamboat Company from their respective owners, the following benefits and obligations are stipulated:

1. For unloading and loading of ore, pig iron, etc., payment of four öre Riksmynt per ship-pound shall be received, as well as for upstream freight on the return from Gammalkroppa of various miscellaneous goods, an extra compensation to be reasonably determined by the undersigned Manager. Furthermore, reasonable payment shall be made for the transport of pig and bar iron, for the additional work that the weighing thereof at loading and unloading may cause.

1. The helmsmen shall receive a special fee of fifteen (?) Riksmynt for the summer, for undertaking the duties associated with the helmsman’s position.

1. The cargo boat is towed by the steamboat, and as it is calculated that it shall make at least 3 trips across the lake daily, each boat must consequently be loaded and unloaded by the workers during the day, under penalty that they shall otherwise be liable to compensate for the loss caused by irregularities in the traffic arising through their negligence.

1. Should the steamboat, due to some damage sustained, be put out of service for a longer period, the workers shall, until such damage has been repaired, load, unload, and row the boats as before, and shall then also receive the former customary remuneration for this, i.e., 83 öre per lighter.

1. As a condition for regularity and speed in the traffic, it should be mentioned, among other things, that every third Sunday boats shall remain at Persberg or other stations on the northern side of Yngen, so that the steamboat at the beginning of the week, as hitherto, need not make the trip across Yngen without cargo boats accompanying it, both going and returning; furthermore, that when wind occurs, sails shall be used to increase the steamboat’s effectiveness during towing; and finally, that if at any time it should be required, the workers must assist with the oars, for which they shall, however, receive reasonable gratuities.

Gammalkroppa, May 26, 1860

With the foregoing conditions we declare ourselves satisfied and commit to fulfilling the obligations prescribed above, under the penalty stipulated for failure to do so.

Gammalkroppa, as above.