The Puget Sound Navigation Company (PSNC) was founded by Charles E. Peabody in 1898. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia. Known colloquially as the Black Ball Line, the PSNC achieved a "virtual monopoly" on cross-sound traffic in the 1930s but began to struggle following World War II, as operating costs increased. In 1951 PSNC sold its domestic operations assets to the state of Washington's Department of Transportation for the sum of $4.9 million, creating Washington State Ferries.

The brochure pictured here features an essay by noted journalist, author, and publisher Lucy Byrd Mock (1876–1966), who lived in Seattle from about 1909-1915. "The Beauties and Wonders of Puget Sound" touts the area’s scenic locations, history, and Native American culture, and is illustrated with photographs of the region. The brochure also features a map, "Birdseye view of Puget Sound country and vicinity," that highlights PSNC routes, and includes pictures of their steamer ships in use at the time.

Caption information source: Wikipedia.
Caption information source: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=13916