Telegraph was a sternwheel steamboat that was operated on the Coquille River on the southern Oregon coast from 1914 to 1927. Telegraph is perhaps best known for having been in involved in collisions with rival steamboats, apparently as a result of fierce competition for business on the Coquille River. Design, construction, and launch Telegraph was built at Prosper, Oregon in 1914 for the Myrtle Point Transportation Company. Telegraph cost $9,500 to build, and was launched at the Herman ranch. The designing naval architect was Dudley Collard. Telegraph was long, with a beam of and depth of hold of . At 96 gross tons, Telegraph was the largest vessel ever built for service on the Coquille River. Maximum passenger capacity was variously reported as 100, 150 to 200, or 200 Telegraph sternwheel was driven by twin horizontally-mounted steam engines, generating a total of . Each engine comprised a single cylinder with a 9-inch bore and a 42-inch stroke. Steam was generated by burning slab wood as fuel, as it was in all other steamers on the river. Passengers would be accommodated with street car-type chairs, and the vessel would have "all the equipment of a modern passenger boat." Telegraph was launched on February 22, 1914 at the Herman Brothers yard near Prosper, Oregon. As launched, Telegraph was long, and had engines generating . It was expected to take about a month after the launch to complete the vessel. Once complete, Telegraph was intended to be placed into regular service between Bandon and Myrtle Point. Owners Telegraph original owner was the Myrtle Point Transportation Company. However, on August 21, 1915, it was reported that Telegraph was owned by a competing concern, the Farmer's Transportation Company. Entry into service On May 5, 1914 it was announced that Telegraph was complete and would enter into service the following morning, May 6, 1914, on the run between Bandon and Myrtle Point. On October 16, 1914, Telegraph was reported to be going off the water for a few days at the Prosper boatyard. Telegraph schedule would be taken over by Dora. Rivalry on the river The initial owners of the company were the Myrtle Point Transportation Company, which mostly consisted of the large Panter family. When Telegraph was launched, there was a fierce and ongoing rivalry between the Panters, who owned other boats on the river, and the other operators, in particular (but not limited to)