Reiss Steamship Company

The Reiss Steamship Company was incorporated in 1916 by Peter Reiss and was operated by various kin of the Reiss family. The officers of the company were Peter Reiss, president; William A. Reiss, vice president; and Clemens A. Reiss, secretary, treasurer and manager. The company primarily focused on the shipment of coal but was known to haul grain as well. The Reiss Steamship company prospered for eighty years, owning and operating over forty vessels from tugs to bulk carriers. The Reiss family was proud of its name and had several ships within its fleet named after members of the family. Besides noticing the name of the vessels, the Reiss Steamship company ships were easily recognizable by the large company logo of a red and black diamond with a large white “R” at the center. Similar to the emblem on the hulls, the company logo followed the same pattern on their flags, like this eight-foot rectangular flag, with the only difference being the “REISS” name being spelled out. This style of their house flag was used later in the company’s history, be sure to check in later to compare the Reiss Steamship Company’s earlier version.

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