In 1949 the town of Lappeenranta, Finland, celebrated its tercentenary and a single stamp was issued commemorating the occasion. This 5mk. stamp shows a view of the modern town, standing on Lake Saimaa. At the quay on the left-hand side of the stamp is the steamer Salmetar. She was built in 1911 by A. Ahlstrom and Co., Ltd., at Varkaus, Finland, for Mr. Antti Kurenniemi, of Taipalsaari, near Lappeenranta (Willmanstrand). Built of iron, the vessel's dimensions were 20.40 x 4.98 x 2.46 metres, giving her a gross tonnage of 65.82 metric tons. Her engine of 125 i.h.p. gave her a speed of about 11 knots. The Salmetar which could carry 130 passengers took six months to build, her hull being specially strengthened for navigation in ice.She was equipped with electric light and searchlight, unusual in a small Finnish vessel in 1911, and cost 43,000 marks. It was intended to place her in service between Levanen (in Taipalsaari) and Lappeenranta on Lake Saimaa. However, there was already a steamer on this service, the Saimaa H, owned by the Taipalsaaren Hoyryvenhe Osuuskunta, (a co-operative company) established in 1908, and to avoid competition it was decided to place the Salmetar on a new service between Lavikanlahti and Lappeenranta. She was on this run until 1916, when, owing to severe illness, and debts occurring as a result, her owner was compelled to sell the vessel, to the Hansa Company Ltd., of Wiborg (Viipuri), for 115,000 marks. She was converted for use as a tug at Wiborg and Trangsund but in 1922 was sold to the Kunsiston Salmen Hoyroylaiva Qy (Kuusisto Strait Steamer Co., Ltd.), of Abo (Turku), and was again used as a passenger steamer, running between Aba and Karuna.
Returning to Lake Saimaa in November 1928, after being purchased for 200,000 marks, she was placed on the service for which she had originally been built. Her new owners were the Taipalsaaren Hoyryvenhe Osuuskunta, her former competitors. The Salmetar was in service until about 10 years ago. By this time, new highways had been built around Lake Saimaa and bus services gradually drew the passengers from the shorter steamer runs, until the latter no longer paid their way.
In 1948 the directors of the steamship company decided to sell the Salmetar to the Annalan Sara Oy (Annala Sawmill Co., Lt–.). Several alterations were then carded out aboard the Salmetar by her new owners to enable her to be used for both towing and passenger-carrying duties. Only occasionally, however, is she used nowadays for passengers, as her main task is towing on Lake Saimaa for the Carelia Timber Product Company of Lappeenranta, a sister-company of the Annala Sawmills concern. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Arthur Mellberg, of Lappeenranta, for the information on the Lappeenranta, and other Finnish stamps.
SG483 Sea Breezes 11/53