In 1889 Cibola and Chicora, continued their usual services with satisfaction and regularity.
The Observation Train service of the New York Central Railway increased much in importance as also the transfer between Lewiston and Queenston. A smart little steamer was purchased to specially fill these services.
Following our habit we searched for some name which would be appropriate to the conditions.
The "Relations des Jesuits" are the reports sent back to France between 1616 and 1672 by the devoted Jesuit priests who had come over in the early French Regime and worked among the Indians for their Christianization. Much information is given in these conditions among the tribes, and concerning the geography of the country.
One of these, Pere Lallement, reports that in 1642 an "Onguiaara" tribe of Indians were living between the two lower lakes on a river bearing the same name as the tribe. Later on the Great Falls on this river are mentioned as the "Ongiara Cataractes." This name of Ongiara, which was the earliest by which the river was known among the Indians, has since been transmuted by the whites into its present name Niagara.
We therefore named the little steamer Ongiara as being appropriate to the history of her surroundings, and to her duties between the original portage routes of Indian and historic periods at the landings at Lewiston and Queenston.