S.S. CITY OF LOS ANGELES, ex- GROSSER KURFURST, AEOLUS
Grosser Kurfurst postcard mailed in 1903 (Martin Cox collection)
CITY OF LOS ANGELES built as GROSSER KURFURST, 1900
North German Lloyd Lines at Schichau, Danzig, Germany
Yard No: 643.
13,182 GRT
581 x 62.3 feet
Triple expansion engine, Schichau
Twin screw, 15 knots, max 16
Passengers: 299 First class, 317 Second class, 172 Third class, 2,201 Steerage; Crew 273
Named after Frederich William, the "great Elector" (Grosser Kurfurst) who ruled Brandenberg from 1640-1688. Launched Dec 2, 1899 GROSSER KURFURST was completed April 26 1900. Maiden voyage Bremerhaven - New York May 5, 1900 and First voyage Bremerhaven - Australia Nov 7, 1900. Engaged in alternate service from Bremen to New York and Central America and from Bremen to Southampton, Suez Canal, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The Australia voyages ended in Jan 1912.
On October 9, 1913 the British steamship VOLTURNO of Royal Line, caught fire in mid-Atlantic with 600 emigrants on board and sent out a distress call. The GROSSER KURFURST and eight other ships steamed to the rescue. The other vessels included the SEYDLITZ of NGL, the CARMANIA of Cunard Line, KROONLAND of the Red Star Line, MINNEAPOLIS Atlantic Transport line, LA TOURAINE of CGT, the Russian CZAR and the British tanker NARRAGANSETT. The following morning, after the tanker NARRAGANSETT had calmed the sea by pumping out oil, 521 survivors were rescued. 105 taken aboard GROSSER KURFURST.
Interned in New York August 1914, then on April 6, 1917 she was seized by United States and sent to the New York Navy Yard to repair sabotage from the German crew. Renamed AEOLUS Sept 1 1917, under Comdr. Clarence S. Kempff.
U.S.S. AEOLUS
As AEOLUS, she made eight round trip voyage as US Navy transport to ferry troops to France. Handed over to US Shipping Board September 1919. Chartered to Munson Line, New York in Feb 1920 refitted for passenger accommodation in Baltimore and converted to oil-firing. On September 10, four killed in an explosion in the engine room. Renamed S.S. AEOLUS, first voyage on New York - La Plata service Dec 1, 1920.
AEOLUS rammed and sank the British freighter ZERO in South Atlantic, March 1922 and took her crew aboard. United States Shipping Board chartered her to Los Angeles Steamship Company, LASSCO, June 1922, she was renamed S.S. CITY OF LOS ANGELES. September 11th, 1922 first voyage Los Angeles - Honolulu.
S.S. CITY OF LOS ANGELES
In September 1923 the Los Angeles Steamship Company purchsed the ship from the US Shipping Board, and despite her age she was fitted-out by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, as a luxury liner for 446 First class passengers. New turbines produced 11,000 SHP; 17 knots, remeasured at 12,642 GRT. By June 1924 she was back on te Los Angeles - Hawaii service, where she proved to be a popular ship, carrying Hollywood Stars and Business leaders. Along with her fleet mate CALAWAII she sailed her regular service to and from the hawaiian islands. LASSCO laid her up in 1932 due to world economic conditions. In 1933 Matson Line of San Francisco bought LASSCO and after a few voyages for her new owners, the CITY OF LOS ANGELES was laid up in San Diego. In February 1937 sailed loaded with scrap metal to Japan for breaking up.
Copyright 1995 - Martin Cox
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