on april 10, 1918, the "gatzert" was purchased by a shipping line known as the navy yard route, an affiliate of the dominant puget sound navigation company, and placed on the run between seattle and bremerton, washington. well-known seattle businessman joshua green (1869-1975) acted as the navy yard's representative in the sale. there was a heavy demand for passenger ferry service due to wartime activity at the navy yards at bremerton.