following her launch,"rossland" was towed to a nearby wharf by the vessel "nakusp" for completion. before passenger accommodations were installed, "rossland" was worked towing barges while the "lytton" was being overhauled. passenger service for "rossland" began in early 1898. at her maximum speed, 22 miles per hour, "rossland" was easily the fast vessel on the lakes. however, she burned too much coal at this pace, and normally did not run so fast. steamboats were prone to damage and even destruction by fire, as "nakusp" had been in 1897. in 1899 "rossland" caught fire below the down of nakusp. captain forslund was able to beach the vessel and extinguish the flames. steamboat operation on the arrow lakes was seasonal, as they were generally frozen over during winter. the boats were moored in as safe a place as could be found during the freeze up, and sometimes work would be done on them to prepare them for the next season. often work would be done on the boats to prepare them for the next season, and this occurred in "rossland"'s case.