1850 — Oct 29, steamboat Sagamore boiler explosion, Central wharf, San Francisco, CA –30-50

–30-50 Blanchard estimated death toll range.*

— 80 Harper’s Book of Facts. San Francisco.” 1895. p. 712.
— 50 Bowen. “Disaster strikes the Sophie McLane at Suisun.” 5-15-2000. Historical Articles…
–30-50 Sacramento Transcript. “Terrific Disaster at San Francisco!” 10-31-1850, p. 2.
— ~50 Secrest. California Disasters, 1812-1899. 2005.
— 50 MacMullen. Paddle-Wheel Days in California. 1944, p. 24. Accessed at: Snugharbor.net.
— 50 Twaintimes. “1846-1856.
— 45 Sacramento Transcript, CA. “Steamer Sagamore Blown Up.” 11-2-1850, p. 2..
— <40 Museum of the City of San Francisco. “[S.F.] Gold Ruch Chronology 1850-1851.” -- 30 Putnam, G. P. (Ed.). The World’s Progress: A Dictionary of Dates. 1851, p. 706. --25-30 Weekly National Intelligencer, Washington. “Late from California.” 12-14-1850, p. 2. -- 28 Blanchard compilation of fatalities noted in sources below (illustrative utility). -- 26 Filion, Ron and Pamela Storm. San Francisco Genealogy. Newspaper Vital Index: 1850. -- 20 Alta California, Nov 1; in Boston Post. “Shocking Steamboat Disaster.” 12-9-1850, p.2. -- 20 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 238. -- 20 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 681. * Blanchard estimated death toll range. A reading of most of the sources cited persuades us that something close to thirty deaths occurred due to the Sagamore boiler explosion. Our own attempt to compile a listing of fatalities persuades us that the number was greater than the twenty deaths noted in Lytle and Holdcamper, or by Nash (who we speculate had Lytle and Holdcamper as his source). Perhaps Lytle and Holdcamper used the Alta California of Nov 1 for their estimate. Given the number of sources noting fifty deaths, or about fifty, or 30-50, we are not comfortable dismissing those accounts. While we think that the number of eventual deaths was probably closer to thirty than fifty, given the destructiveness of the explosion, the large number of people onboard, the large number of people noted in the papers with serious, if not fatal (or so thought), injuries, as well as those missing, something like fifty deaths is conceivable. Our experience in researching a large number of boiler explosions resulting in the escape of boiling water and steam, is that many initial survivors succumb either to their external scald-burn injuries, or to internal injury from breathing in scalding steam. Narrative Information Secrest and Secrest: “…The steamboat Sagamore was built or assembled in San Francisco by early 1850 was serving the Bay Area by June. It operated for a number of months without any problems of note….Then it happened, as reported in the October 31, 1850 San Francisco Daily Alta California: At five o’clock, just as the steamer Sagamore was casting off from Central wharf, with a large number of passengers, bound for Stockton, her boiler burst with a terrible explosion. Masses of timber and human bodies were scattered in every direction. Many bodies were blown into the water, from which they were recovered by the numerous boats which thronged about the scene of the disaster. The boat was a complete wreck, and from among the fragments were taken the dead and the dying, mutilated in a manner shocking to behold. The number of persons on board at the time of the accident cannot be accurately ascertained as the passenger list has not been found. We have heard it variously estimated at from seventy-five to a hundred. Many bodies were so mutilated that it was found impossible to identify them. Limbs and fragments were gathered up in baskets… Secrest and Secrest (2005) quote from the account of one of the survivors that “I should think there were as many as 130 persons on the upper deck when the explosion took place.” (p. 19) These authors also note that “To compound the tragedy, a hospital tending to the injured caught fire during the night, and some of the Sagamore victims were burned in the conflagration.” “At the inquest it was decided that the explosion was the result of carelessness on the part of the engineer.” (Secrest and Secrest 2005, pp. 17-20) Filion and Storm: Oct 29 Sagamore: two unknown unknown female six unknown men John Oxhall, Richmond, VA Lucien Demis Ratineau, New Orleans Two unknown John Pender Pierre Dupenong, Bordeaux, France Jerome Berrere Joshua A. Stone, London, England George Beatty James Teller Garrison Warner Mr. E. H. Austin David Johnson, IL F. F. Berry George Roberts, Oswego, IL Stephen Heustis, Yorkville, IL (Filion, Ron and Pamela Storm. San Francisco Genealogy. Newspaper Vital Index: 1850.) Narrative Information Nov 1: “At five o’clock, just as the steamer Sagamore was casting off from Central wharf, with a large number of passengers, bound for Stockton, her boiler burst with a terrible explosion. Masses of timber and human bodies were scattered in every direction. Capt. Cole, the master of the boat, was blown a distance of fifty feet into the water, but his wounds are not of such a nature as to preclude a speedy recovery. The number of persons on board was from 75 to 100. Many bodies were so much mutilated that it was found impossible to identify them. Limbs and fragments were gathered up in baskets – a shocking sight. “Killed – John Oxhall, an Englishman, formerly resided in Richmond, Ba., where he has a wife and six children. Lucien Denis, a Frenchman, of Stockton. Ratineau, a baker. Two others, not been recognized. John Pender, died while being conveyed to the marine hospital. Pierre Dupenong, of Bordeaux; Jerome Berrere, a Frenchman; Joshua A. Stone, of London; George Beatty; James Teller, clerk of the boat; G. Warner, colored; Mr. E. H. Austin, passenger; a female unknown; five men unknown; David Johnson, of Illinois. “Wounded – Capt. Cole; Mr. Sherman, assistant clerk, severely; George White, bar keeper, the engineers, severely; Franco, a Spaniard, cannot survive; Stephen Smallfield, fireman, in a critical condition; Edward Coleman, badly; F. F. Berry, colored, in a very dangerous condition; James Floyd, the cook of the boat, severely scalded and leg fractured, cannot survive; John Sowers, fireman; James Dewey, fireman, condition critical; Wm. Hathaway, very critical. Leonard Hinckley, Leonard, badly scalded and leg broken; J. Livingston, scalded and thigh fractured; Wm. Cades, bruised, scalded and ribs fractured, likely to recover; Pedro Pinto, a Peruvian. “Missing – John Driscoll, of Boston, Mass….” (Alta California, Nov 1; reprinted in Boston Post. “Shocking Steamboat Disaster.” 12-9-1850, p. 2, col. 3.) Nov 2: “We gave, day before yesterday, the news of the blowing-up of the steamer Sagamore at San Francisco. The last San Francisco papers contain additional intelligence. "On Tuesday afternoon, at a moment when our citizens were rejoicing in a general jubilee, the festivities were marred by the announcement of a disaster, the most destructive to life which has ever befallen our city. At 5 o'clock, just as the steamer Sagamore was casting off from Central wharf, with a large number of passengers, bound for Stockton, her boiler burst with a terrible explosion. Masses of timber and human bodies were scattered in every direction. Many bodies were blown into the water, from which they were recovered by the numerous boats which thronged about the scene of the disaster. The boat was a complete wreck, and from among the fragments were taken the dead and the dying, mutilated in a manner shocking to behold. Capt. Cole, the master of the boat, was blown a distance of fifty-feet into the water. He is considerably injured, though his wounds are not of such a nature as to preclude a speedy recovery. The wreck has been towed to the beach beyond Bush street, where she now remains. A large crowd was gathered in the vicinity all day yesterday." “The Courier says the accident is supposed to have been caused in consequence of a want of sufficient water in the boilers. The Journal of Commerce says: "The fragments of the wreck were scarcely done falling before she was beset on all sides by boats from the shipping and from Whitehall, rendering aid to the distressed and wounded. The Watermen deserve especial credit for the prompt assistance they rendered, each one seeming to strive which could outdo the other in their noble work, whilst many, we noticed, before the wreck had stopped settling in the water, had thrown off their boots and coats, mid plunged into the rescue of those who were struggling in the last agonies for life; and even when the vessel had sunk as low as she could, many dived into the remnants of the cabin, feeling around among the shattered berths and state-rooms, for whoever or whatever of value might still remain below." “The Herald says: "It is supposed that there were eighty-five persons on the steamer at this time, and of all this number, not one escaped without injury. Spectators on the wharf state that they saw many ascend to a great distance in the air, and falling to the water, sink immediately. The number recovered alive is about forty, leaving the remaining forty-five to be accounted for but by one sad way." The Sagamore was owned principally by G. M. Burnham, Esq. She was built about two months since, at an expense of $60,000. Her boilers were from a foundry in South Boston." “The Pacific News gives a full report of the testimony before the Coroner. It has the following paragraph: The Wreck. — The jury thence went by a boat from Whitehall to visit the wreck. — On the first inspection of the arch of the furnace the views of Mr. Coffee were fully confirmed. And a bright stripe of red, as plainly marked as the high water of a freshet m one of our rivers, showed but too plainly that the explosion was caused by the want of water in the bailers, through the oversight of the engineer. And such was the verdict of the Coroner's jury. “The following is the verdict of the jury, taken from the Alta. "The jury, after a careful examination of the facts connected with the sad calamity of the explosion of the boiler of the steamboat Sagamore, by which so great a sacrifice of life had been made, have come to the conclusion that the explosion of the boiler was the result of carelessness on the part of the engineer — and that the following named persons came to their death by said explosion: Lucien Dennis, Garrison Warner, James L. Leller, David Johnson, Joshua Stone, Pierre Daperoy, Jerome Barere, John Oxhall, and E. B. Austin, and the others who could not be identified." “Limbs and fragments were gathered up in baskets — a shocking sight.” (Sacramento Transcript, CA. “Steamer Sagamore Blown Up.” No. 8, Nov 2, 1850.) Nov 23: “On the 31st ult. [sic], the steamer Sagamore burst her boiler, just after leaving Central wharf for Sacramento City, and five persons were instantly killed, and a large number more or less seriously injured. The accident is attributed to an insufficient quantity of water in the boiler. As there were over a hundred passengers on board, and the boat was blown all to pieces, the wond43r is that more were not killed. A large number of the wounded were taken to the City Hospital, which was burnt the same night, but all the inmates were fortunately rescued. The names of those killed were John Pinard, London; Joshua Stone; Geo. Bently; Romaine Dupignon, France; John Austin, Engineer.” (The Polynesian, Honolulu. “Steamboat Explosion.” 11-23-1850, p. 2.) Dec 14: “….The cause of this sad affair is pronounced by the Coroner’s Inquest to have been carelessness on the part of the engineer. Twenty-five or thirty dead bodies were recovered, some of which could not be recognized. Many others were missing….” (Weekly National Intelligencer, Washington, DC. “Late from California.” 12-14-1850, p. 2.) Named Fatalities 1. Austin, E. B. (or E. H. ) Passenger 2. Augustin, John Sagamore engineer 3. Barere (or Berrere ), Jerome Frenchman 4. Bently (or Beatty ), George 5. Berry, F. F. 6. Dennis (Denis ), Lucien Stockton (Frenchman) 7. Dupignon/Daperoy/Dupenong , Pierre. Bordeaux, France 8. Heustis, Stephen Yorkville, IL 9. Leller, James L. 10. Johnson, David Illinois 11. Oxhall (or Exall ), John Richmond, VA 12. Pinard (or Pender ), John London 13. Ratineau (a baker) Previously from New Orleans 14. Roberts, George Oswego, IL 15. Stone, Joshua A. London 16. Teller, James Sagamore clerk 17. Warner, Garrison Sagamore head steward. 18. Unknown female. 19. Unknown man, one of five. 20. Unknown man, two of five. 21. Unknown man, three of five. 22. Unknown man, four of five. 23. Unknown man, five of five. 24. Unknown man, six of ten. 25. Unknown man, seven of ten. 26. Unknown man, eight of ten. 27. Unknown man, nine of ten. 28. Unknown man, ten of ten. Sources Alexandria Gazette, VA. “News of the Day.” 12-12-1850, p. 2, col. 2. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-gazette-dec-12-1850-p-2/ Boston Post. “Shocking Steamboat Disaster.” 12-9-1850, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-dec-09-1850-p-2/ Bowen, Jerry. “Disaster strikes the Sophie McLane at Suisun.” 5-15-2000. Historical Articles of Solano County Online Database. Accessed 12-22-2020 at: http://www.solanoarticles.com/history/index.php/weblog/more/disaster_strikes_the_sophie_mclane_at_suisun/ Daily Alta California. “Terrible Disaster – Great Loss of Life.” 10-31-1850, p. 2. Accessed 12-23-2020: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18501031.2.6&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 Filion, Ron and Pamela Storm. San Francisco Genealogy. Newspaper Vital Index: 1850. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: http://184.12.255.121/wiki/1850/1/1/San-Francisco-Genealogy.-Newspaper-Vitals-Index:-1850,-1851,-and-1853-51501 Harper’s Book of Facts. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1895. Digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=UcwGAAAAYAAJ 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=8&size=125 MacMullen, Jerry. Paddle-Wheel Days in California. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1944, p. 24. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: http://snugharbor.net/images-historic/paddle_wheels2-c.pdf Museum of the City of San Francisco. “San Francisco Gold Ruch Chronology 1850-1851.” Accessed 12-23-2020 at: http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist/chron2.html 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. Putnam, G. P. (Ed.). The World’s Progress: A Dictionary of Dates. NY: G. P. Putnam, 1851. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=qz9HAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Sacramento Transcript, CA. “Steamer Sagamore Blown Up.” No. 8, 11-2-1850. Accessed at: http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=ST18501102.2.8&cl=&srpos=0&dliv=none&st=1&e=-------en-logical-20--1-----all--- Sacramento Transcript. “Terrific Disaster at San Francisco! 30 to 50 Lives Lost. Steamer Sagamore Destroyed!” 10-31-1850, p. 2. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=ST18501031.2.6.1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 Secrest, William B. Jr. and William B. Secrest Sr. California Disasters, 1812-1899: Firsthand Accounts of Fires, Shipwrecks, Floods, Epidemics, Earthquakes and Other California Tragedies. Quill Driver Books, 2005, 368 pages. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=FiOrJ47gno8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false The Polynesian, Honolulu. “Steamboat Explosion.” 11-23-1850, p. 2. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-polynesian-nov-23-1850-p-2/ Twaintimes. 1846-1856. Accessed at: http://twaintimes.net/page3.html [Broken link.] Weekly National Intelligencer, Washington, DC. “Late from California.” 12-14-1850, p. 2. Accessed 12-23-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/weekly-national-intelligencer-dec-14-1850-p-2/ Other Sources (not used) Rego, Nilda. “Days Gone By: 1859 party for California’s admission to Union turns tragic when steamer Sagamore explodes.” Mercury News, San Jose, CA. 2-20-2014. Accessed 12-23-2020: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:USk0qxDEOncJ:https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/02/20/days-gone-by-1850-party-for-californias-admission-to-union-turns-tragic-when-steamer-sagamore-explodes/+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-b-1-d