1848 — Aug 12 , Steamer Edward Bates boiler explosion, Miss. River, near Hamburg, IL–53

— 53 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 166.
— 53 Childs. A History of the U.S. In Chronological Order…1492…to…1885. 1886, 128.
— 53 Debow. “Steamship Explosions in the West.” Debow’s Review, V2, Is.3, Sep 1866, 308.
— 53 Fisher/McCord. “Steamboat Explosions…Fifty-Five Years.” In Scharf 1883, p. 1108.
— 53 Gould. Fifty Years on the Mississippi. 1889, p. 437
— 53 Hunter. Steamboats on the Western Rivers. 1994, p. 287.
— 53 Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory and Disasters on the Western Waters. 1856, p. 175.
— 53 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 246.
— 53 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 681.
— 53 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 98.
— 50 The Patriot, Prairie Du Chien, WI. “Horrible Accident,” Aug 24, 1848.
— ~50 Rock River Pilot, Watertown, WI. Aug 23, 1848, p. 2.
–40-41 Davenport Gazette, IA. “Terrible Steamboat Calamity,” Aug 24, 1848.
— 30 Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Terrible Steamboat Accident,” Aug 23, 1848, p. 7.
— 28 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994… Steamboats…MS River System. 1994, p. 142.

Narrative Information

Lloyd: “A flue of the steamer Edward Bates collapsed on the Mississippi river, near Hamburg, Ill., on the 9th day of August, 1848, causing the death of fifty-three persons, and wounding forty others. The par¬ticulars are unknown, as few of those who witnessed the disaster sur¬vived to tell the melancholy story.” (Lloyd 1856, 175.)

Way: Packet steamer Edward Bates, built 1848 in St. Louis, at 299 tons. “Ran St. Louis-Keokuk… She was in the head of Westport Chute on the Upper Mississippi between Westport, Mo., and Hamburg, Ill., when two flues in the port boiler collapsed Aug. 9, 1848. Twenty-eight were killed, thirty scalded. Most of these were deck passengers and crew.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…MS River System. 1994, p. 142.)

Journal of the Franklin Institute: “The undersigned, members composing the Standing Committee of the St. Louis Association of Steamboat Engineers, respectfully report, that in the discharge of the duties assigned them by the provisions of the sixteenth article of the Constitution of said Association, they went on board of the steamboat Edward Bates, on the 15th instant, for the purpose of examining into the cause of the recent catastrophe on board of said boat, and unanimously report the following as the result of said examination:

“The Edward Bates has three double flue boilers, thirty feet in length, and forty-two inches in diameter; flues, sixteen inches in diameter, all made of iron one-fourth of an inch in thickness, and have been in use only since the first of March last. The iron is of a good quality, and the workmanship unquestionable. The diameter of the safety valve is found to be three and eleven-sixteenth inches; the weight of the valve and lever is one hundred and thirty-two pounds; the pea hanging on the lever weighs one hundred and nine pounds, and was found attached to the lever at the distance of thirteen spaces or leverages, from the safety valve; and that the extra lead weight and wrenches attached to the safety-valve line, at the time of the catastrophe, weighed forty-two pounds, and were sixteen spaces or leverages from the safety-valve. From the above data, it is ascertained that the weight on the safety valve was equal to a pressure of two hundred and six pounds to the square inch, without calculating the friction of the pulleys over which the line attached to the safety-valve was passed.

“The Committee have been politely furnished with the written statements of Capt. Johnson, Wm. S. Belt, Clerk, I. C. Sitton, Pilot, and George G. Ambrose, Assistant Engineer, and also with the written statements of James W. Booth and Wm. Myers, passengers, the latter an engineer—all of whom were on board of the boat at the time of the catastrophe—copies of which are appended to this report.

“From the above named statements it appears, that about 4 o’clock in the morning of Saturday, the 12th inst., when at the head of Westport Shute, a short distance below Hamburg, both flues of the larboard boiler collapsed immediately. James Donahoe, chief engineer, and George C. Ambrose, assistant, being on duty at the time. That at the time of the explosion the fires were full; the fire doors and flue caps closed; the doctor and pumps stopped, and a weight on the safety valve equal to a pressure of two hundred and six pounds to the square inch.

“It also appears that, for the last nine miles, the two engines had been worked slow and fast alternately; that steam had been blowing off occasionally while running slow; that the Engineer told the firemen to shove up the fires, and that the safety-valve was shut down twice within a few minutes previous to the explosion, and that “the last time he shut it down the accident happened,” to use the language of the assistant.

“From a particular examination of the flues, after the collapse, it appears that the rivets, where the sides have been forced together, in several places, have made indentations plainly discernible on the outsides of the flues, from which fact, as well as from the peculiar shapes into which the flues are warped and twisted, it is plainly indicated that a portion of the flues were red hot at the time of the explosion.

“From all these circumstances, the undersigned have come to the conclusion unanimously that the disaster was caused by the water being too low in the boiler, and by the unusual head of steam accumulated by overloading the safety valve, increasing the fires, and shutting off the supply of water from the pumps; and that these causes are to be attributed to the recklessness, or imprudent management of the Chief Engineer on duty, James Donahoe.

“While the committee consider it their sacred duty to shield from unjust censure any member of the Association, yet it is equally their duty to bestow censure where it properly belongs. This duty they owe to themselves individually, to the Association which has made them its agents, and to the community of which they form a part. This is the first occasion since the organization of this Association in 1842, that any serious disaster has occurred to any boilers in the charge of any of our members, and the circumstances are such as demand of the Association their most serious attention, and call for the adoption, in this case, of such measures as will effectually carry out the objects of the Association, and prevent the future occurrence of similar catastrophes.

“In concluding this report, it may be proper to state that the portion of the statement of George G. Ambrose, in relation to the fire doors or flue caps being open all the time while running through the Shute, was given as his belief or impression—but when questioned as to the means by which he obtained such belief or impression, it was ascertained that he had no means of knowing whether they were open or shut. The time that elapsed between the moment the doctor was stopped and the explosion, is stated by the only witness who was aware of the fact, to be about one minute. This may be true, and if so it only goes to prove that the best boilers cannot be trusted even that short period of time without a proper supply of water to keep the flues covered, and preserve them from the action of the fires beneath.

“If the boat was “in the habit of rolling very much,” as represented by the assistant engineer, then it would have been the duty of an engineer to have closely watched the water in the outer boilers, and if he found it scant, he should not have had such heavy fires as were evidently under these boilers at the time of the collapse.

“The pilot and assistant engineer express the opinion that the boat was trim at the time of the explosion, but the position of the flues as found by your committee does not corroborate this statement. The committee found the collapsed flues lying in an oblique position, with their tops leaning to the larboard side, and their bottoms to the starboard side of the boiler, thus clearly indicating by their position, in the minds of your committee, that the boat was careened to the starboard when the explosion took place.

“This Association has repeatedly asked of Congress the passage of a law restricting engineers to the amount of pressure that should be carried on boilers on board of steamboats, but have thus far failed to effect so desirable an object. Had a law of this kind been passed, with proper and adequate penalties, the design of the Association could have been fully carried out, and thereby have amply secured to those traveling on our western waters, their lives and property. The committee having discharged the duty assigned to them, by an investigation of the facts presented lo them, leave the matter to the final disposition of the Association, with the firm assurance that they will do all that the moral force of their action can effect in the premises.

“Very respectfully,
James H. McCokd,
Peter Vandervort,
Andrew Boswell,
A. S. Halstead,
Wm. W. Denson.

“St. Louis, Aug. 17, 1848.”

(Journal of the Franklin Institute. “Report on the Explosion of the Steamboat Edward Bates… Aug 12th, 1848…” Oct 1848, op. 268-272.)

Newspapers of the Time

Aug 14: “From the Mo. Republican of the 14th. The fine steamer Edward Bates was towed into port yesterday morning, by the Lucy Bertrum, having collapsed two flues of her larboard boiler at the head of West Porte chute, one mile below Hamburgh, Ill., at 4 o’clock on morning of the 12th. She was on her way to Keokuk. Capt. Johnson had not long retired before the accident occurred. She had been running under a pretty good press of steam, but as she was at the time in shoal water, the Engineer was letting off steam, and the boat was going at a slackened rate.

“This is the representation of passengers in the cabin, some of whom were awake at the time of the explosion. Two of the flues of the larboard boiler were collapsed, carrying everything fore and aft, and dealing death to every one within the influence of the steam, and of the missiles which were scattered on the lower deck. The destruction of life on the deck and among the crew was appalling — numbering over twenty persons, and the wounding of about thirty others. We have been furnished with a list of the killed and wounded, so far as the clerk of the boat, in the hurry and confusion on board at the time of her arrival, could make it out.

“List of Deck Passengers Dead and Missing [13 dead or “blown overboard” listed]….

“Missing and Dead of the Crew [16 listed]…. Total Killed 28…wounded 30.

“The Edward Bates is a new boat, and great care was taken in the construction of her boilers and engines. Both the first and second engineers were on watch at the time, and Mr. Donahoe, the first engineer is said to be an experienced and careful man in his profession…..

“Others died shortly after the boat landed at our wharf….

“Further Note.

“The Edward Bates — Of the thirteen wounded persons left at Hamburg after the explosion of the above boat, 12 have died. The cause of the explosion has been traced to the negligence of Mr. Donahoe, the engineer.” (Davenport Gazette, IA. “Terrible Steamboat Calamity,” 8-24-1848.)

Aug 17: “….The steamer Edward Bates burst one of her boilers on Saturday morning [Aug 12] below Hamburg, killing some 20 persons and scalding some 30 or more severely, 5 of whom had died before the Kate Kearney came up. The Lucy Bertram took the Bates in tow for St Louis….

“Since writing the above we learn from a passenger who came upon the Du Buque, and who was
on the Ed Bates at the time of the explosion, some of the particulars. The explosion took place at Hamburg, some seventy miles above St Louis, at a little after 4 o’clock, on Saturday morning last One of the watch on deck told him that immediately after the engineer, who had been on duty during the night, had retired, someone spoke to the engineer who took his place about the absence of water in the flue or ash-pans, indicating a want of it in the boilers, and the danger of a blow up. He, apparently angry with the other engineer, for his neglect of duty, exclaimed that he did not care if the boat did blow up and they all went to h—ll. The explosion took place immediately after. The larboard boiler collapsed and swept everything fore and aft. Forty-three of the deck passengers on the starboard side were scalded more or less, and all the deck passengers on the larboard side supposed to be as many, were swept out into the river, three of whom only were saved. Several of those scalded have since died. None of the Cabin passengers were injured. The catastrophe, if our informant is correct, was occasioned by the culpable negligence of the engineer who failed to keep a regular supply of water in the boilers. The engineer on duty was badly scalded.” (Burlington Hawk-Eye, IA. “Dreadful Explosion,” Aug 17, 1848, p. 2.)

Aug 21: “The St. Louis papers of Monday last [21st] bring us the dreadful particulars of the collapsing of two flues on the steamer Edward Bates… The explosion took place at 4 o’clock on the morning of the 12th; the boat being at the time near the head of Westport Chute, one mile below Hamburg, Illinois, bound for Keokuk, Iowa. The representation of cabin passengers who were awake at the time of the explosion is that she had been running under a pretty good head of steam, but as she was at the time in shoal water, the Engineer was letting off steam, and the boat was going at a slackened rate.

“The Bates was towed into St. Louis Sunday morning. Between decks she was untarnished – the cabin, as well as the passengers in it, entirely escaped the effects of the explosion. The flues of the collapsed boiler were brought together by the power of the explosion, as closely as if they had been welded together. Aft of the boilers, on the deck, everything in the range of the flues was swept away.” (Zanesville Courier, OH. “The Explosion on the Edward Bates,” Wed., 8-23-1848, p. 3.)

Aug 23: “On Saturday last, says the Galena Jeffersonian, the steamer Edward Bates collapsed her flues near Hamburg, Illinois, killing about 50 persons, and wounding several.” (Rock River Pilot (Watertown, WI). Aug 23, 1848, p. 2.)

Aug 23: “On Saturday last, says the Galena Jeffersonian, the steamer Edward Bates collapsed her flues near Hamburg, Illinois, killing about 30 persons, and wounding several. The killed were buried at Hamburg, and the wounded taken to St. Louis.” (Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Terrible Steamboat Accident,” Aug 23, 1848, p. 7.)

Aug 24: “The steamer Edward Bates collapsed her flue near Hamburg, Ill, on the 12th instant. Fifty persons were killed. All deck passengers, deck hands and crew….” (The Patriot, Prairie Du Chien, WI. “Horrible Accident,” Aug 24, 1848.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Burlington Hawk-Eye, IA. “Dreadful Explosion” [Steamboat Edward Bates], Aug 17, 1848, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=136908812

Childs, Emery E. A History of the United States In Chronological Order From the Discovery of America in 1492 to the Year 1885. NY: Baker & Taylor, 1886. Google digitized. Accessed 9-4-2017: http://books.google.com/books?id=XLYbAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Davenport Gazette, IA. “Terrible Steamboat Calamity.” 8-24-1848. Accessed at: http://www3.gendisasters.com/illinois/1434/hamburg,-il-steamboat-edward-bates-disaster,-aug-1848

De Bow, James Dunwoody Brownson (Ed.). Debow’s Review. “Steamboat Explosions in the West,” Vol. 2, Issue 3, Sep 1866. Accessed at: http://www.pddoc.com/skedaddle/049/steamboat_explosions_in_the_west.htm

Fisher, Captain S.L., and Captain James McCord. “Steamboat Explosions for Fifty-Five Years.” In Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Saint Louis City and County, From the Earliest Periods to the Present Day: Including Biographical Sketches of Representative Men. In Two Volumes, Illustrated. Volume II (Chapter XXVII. Navigation on the Mississippi River). Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts & Co., 1883. Digitized by Northern Illinois University, NU Libraries Digitization Projects at: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.4487:4.lincoln

Gould, E. W. Fifty Years on the Mississippi; or, Gould’s History of River Navigation. St. Louis: Nixon-Jones Printing Co., 1889, 750 pages. Digitized by Google. Accessed 2008 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=udyywXOVBvsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Hunter, Louis C. and Beatrice J. Steamboats on the Western Rivers: An Economic and Technological History. NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 994, 684 pages.

Journal of the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania. “Report on the Explosion of the Steamboat Edward Bates on the Mississippi River, August 12th, 1848, made to the St. Louis Association of Steamboat Engineers” Philadelphia, Franklin Institute, Third Series. Vol. XV. Whole No. Vol. XLV, 1848, pp. 268-272. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=26AEAAAAQAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory and Disasters on the Western Waters. Cincinnati, Ohio: James T. Lloyd & Co., 1856. Digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=JlYqAAAAYAAJ

Lytle, William M., compiler, from Official Merchant Marine Documents of the United States and Other Sources; Holdcamper, Forrest H. (Editor, and Introduction by). Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. “The Lytle List.” Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America (Publication No. 6), 1952. Accessed 8-16-2020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015018039084&view=1up&seq=9&size=125&q1=ceres

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

Rock River Pilot, Watertown, WI. [Edward Bates Steamboat Explosion.] 8-23-1848, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33334625

Simonds, W. E. (Editor). The American Date Book. Kama Publishing Co., 1902, 211 pages. Google digital preview accessed 9-8-2017 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=JuiSjvd5owAC

The Patriot, Prairie Du Chien, WI. “Horrible Accident” [Steamboat Edward Bates Explosion], Aug 24, 1848. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33443149

Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.

Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Terrible Steamboat Accident” [Edward Bates], Aug 23, 1848, p. 7. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=120024063

Zanesville Courier, OH. “The Explosion on the Edward Bates,” 8-23-1848, p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=13909170

Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Terrible Steamboat Accident” [Edward Bates], Aug 23, 1848, p. 7. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=120024063