1852 — Apr 3, Steamer Redstone boiler explosion, sinks, Ohio River ~Carrolton, KY –26-40

–26-40 Blanchard estimated death toll.*

–60-75 Kentucky Tribune, Danville, KY. “Steamboat Explosion.” 4-9-1852, p. 2, col. 3.
–60-70 Dixon Telegraph. “Terrible Steamboat Accident,” April 24, 1852, p. 3.
— ~50 Hocking Sentinel, Logan, OH. “Steamboat Explosion – Law of Prevention.” 4-22-1852, p.2.
–45-50 New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. [Chronology of steamboat accidents.] 4-21-1852, p. 3.
–30-40 Mississippi Palladium, Holly Springs. “Terrible Steamboat Accident.” 4-15-1852, p. 2.
— 40 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 682.
— 40 Debow’s Review. “Steamboat Explosions in the West,” V. 2, Is. 3, Sept 1866, 308-309.
— 35 Muscatine Journal, IA. “Steamer Red Stone.” 4-17-1852, p. 2, col. 5.
— 35 Sailor’s Magazine/Naval Journal, V25, N1, Sep, 1852, “Steamboat Disasters…,” p. 20.
— 30 Warrick Democrat, Newburgh, IN. “Terrible Calamity…Redstone…” 4-13-1852, p. 3.
— 26 Blanchard tally of deaths in list compiled from sources herein (after Narrative section).
— 21 Elyria Courier, OH. “Steamboat Accidents in the U. States in 1852,” Aug 17, 1852, p2.
— 21 Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory and Disasters on the Western Waters. 1856, pp. 223, 293.
— 21 The Friend. “Steamboat Accidents in the United States in 1852.” V25, N. 49, 1852, 391.
— 20 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 99
— >18 New York Daily-Times, “More on the Redstone Explosion From…” April 13, 1852.
— 15 Ohio Repository, Canton, OH. “Loss of the Steamer Redstone,” Apr 7, 1852, p. 2.
— 14 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 288.
— 14 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 240.
— 14 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]…1999, p.390.

* Blanchard estimated death toll. In that we can find no consensus on a definitive death toll, we choose to employ our own estimated range. For the low-end of our range we use the number of deaths (26) derived from our attempt to create a listing of fatalities identified in sources below. Though we are a bit skeptical that the death-toll was much above this number, in that Nash and Debow’s Review note forty deaths, we will utilize that number, as the high-end of our estimated death toll. We see no evidence to support what appear to us to be speculative accounts noting 45-75 deaths.

Narrative Information

Lloyd: “The disaster we are about to record, took place on the Ohio river, a short distance above Carrollton, April 2, 1852. The Redstone was a small boat, about three years old, and was built at Pittsburgh for the Brownsville Slackwater Navigation. At the time to which we now refer, she was plying in the Madison and Cincinnati trade, in opposi¬tion to the regular line of Madison packets. She left Madison about noon on the day aforesaid, with thirty or forty passengers on board, and had stopped above Carrollton to take in a Mr. Scott. His parents accompanied him to the shore, and were looking at him when the boat began to move off; a moment after, they were horrified by seeing him blown high in the air, and then fall into the river.

“Two boilers exploded — one of them was blown on shore, and, in its course, prostrated a sycamore tree two feet in diameter. The trees and the shore, for hundreds of yards, were lined with shreds of clothing, sheets, blankets, and other testifies of the wreck. A man’s boot, ripped and torn, was picked up more than six hundred yards from the wreck, whither it had been blown, no doubt, from the foot of some unhappy victim. A pas¬senger who had got on the boat at Milton, was taking a drink at the bar, and, after paying for it, was returning his purse to his pocket, when he was blown into the river and drowned. A lad from Madison was on board with his two little sisters ; he was drowned, but the girls were saved. A Mr. Claxon, of Carrollton, was on the boat, and was blown ashore, but, strange to tell, he did not receive the slightest injury.

“The following are the names of some of the persons killed: — E. G. Crossman, printer; E. N. Durbson, of New Philadelphia, Ind; Mr. Coons; Rev. Henry A. Scott, (the young man whose parents stood on the shore and witnessed his death); Lewis Berry, of Brownsville, Pa., first engineer; Joseph W. Berry, of same place, second engineer; E. P. Durbin, Lawrenceburg, Ind; M. Smith, Petersburg, Va.; seven cabin boys, names not known.” (Lloyd 1856, p. 223.)

Way: Redstone. Sidewheel wood-hull packet, built in 1851 in Brownsville, PA. “….She had been racing with Hoosier State and was backing out from a landing just above Carrollton, Ky., when the boilers exploded, Apr. 2, 1852 [sic., 3rd], with loss of 14 lives. Among the victims was Rev. Henry Scott who had just come aboard. Chief engineer Lewis Berry and Second engineer Joe W. Berry, both of Brownsville, lost their lives.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]…1999, p. 390.)

Newspapers

April 3: “Carrolton, Ky., April 3…About half-past two o’clock, the Madison and Cincinnati packet, Redstone, passed this place. When about three miles above, it seems that she landed at the Kentucky side, and, as she was backing out, her boilers exploded with a tremendous noise, tearing the boat to atoms, and causing her to sink in less than three minutes in twenty feet water. Several gentlemen here whose attention had been attracted to the boat’s racing, and the great quantity of steam she was working, saw the explosion. Her chimneys were blown half way across the river. It is said that all on board have perished….There were from 80 to 100 passengers, 60-70 of whom must be lost. The force of the explosion may be judged from the fact that two bodies and a part of the boiler were blown more than 1,000 yards from the wreck…” (Dixon Telegraph. “Terrible Steamboat Accident,” April 24, 1852, p. 3.)

April 3: “April 3 – Steamer Redstone’s boilers exploded near Carrollton, Ia. [sic]. 21 lives lost; 25 persons injured.” (Elyria Courier, OH. “Steamboat Accidents in the United States in 1852,” Aug 17, 1852, p. 2.)

April 3: “Madison, Ind. April 3. The steamer Redstone, Capt. Tate, hence for Cincinnati, with about seventy persons on board, including the boat’s crew, blew up as she was backing out from Scott’s landing about three miles above Carrollton, at half past two o’clock this afternoon. The force of the explosion was terrific, completely shattering the boat, which immediately sank in 20 feet of water. Of the passengers, a large proportion are lost, and of the crew, only the captain together with the clerk are saved – the former severely if not fatally injured. Up to six o’clock, fifteen dead bodies had been recovered, horribly mutilated….” (Ohio Repository, Canton, OH. “Loss of the Steamer Redstone,” Apr 7, 1852, p. 2.)

April 13, NYT: “When the Forest Queen passed the wreck of the ill-fated Redstone yesterday afternoon, the hull and wheel-house was under water, the river having risen from eight to ten feet since the accident.

“We are informed that the head engineer…was asleep in his berth, and not on watch at the time of the explosion. Several experienced steamboatmen who saw the Redstone at Carrollton when she passed up, prophesized that she would explode her boilers from an over-charge of steam, and two of the party remained on the wharf for the express purpose and witnessed the explosion.

“Eight of the unfortunate victims were buried at Carrolton on Sunday….It has been ascertained to a certainty that sixteen of the crew were lost. In addition to the list of killed we add the names of James E. Goble, and Mr. Crissman, of Lawrenceburg, Ind….We have conversed with several persons who were on board when the accident occurred, all whom are of the opinion that ten or twelve of the passengers and crew went down with the wreck when it sank.

“The noise of the explosion was heard a distance of forty miles, and the heat was so intense that spoons blown from the pantry were so suddenly heated that they were fastened together.” (New York Daily-Times. “More on…Redstone Explosion From…Cincinnati Nonpareil,” 4-13-1852.)

April 17: “The explosion of the steamer Red Stone, the Madison and Cincinnati packet, took place at two o’clock, p.m., Saturday, April 3d. At half-past seven the same afternoon, the Glencoe blew up at this city. The two catastrophes are not dissimilar in the manner of explosion or the number of lives lost.

“The Cincinnati Gazette of Monday [12th] has the following in relation to the terrible accident, which happened about three miles above Carrolton, and as the boat was backing out from the Kentucky shore:

“The Red Stone had lately commenced running between this city and Madison and as an independent boat. She left Madison on Saturday at 12 p.m., and the only landing she made before the explosion was at Carrolton. She passed on to Scott’s landing or Craig’s bar three miles above Carrolton, on the Kentucky side – to take on a passenger Rev. Perry A. Scott, formerly of Covington. While the steamer was backing out from this landing, she had some difficulty in turning as the wind was blowing her shoreward, and about one hundred feet from the landing the fearful explosion occurred at the second revolution of the engines – three boilers exploded at the same instant. All the upper work of the boat forward of the ladies’ cabin was blown to atoms – the hull swung round with the current and immediately sunk at the bow, in twenty feet water, while the stern rested on the shore. There were on board at the time about sixty-five passengers, of whom it is thought thirty-five must have been killed.

“There were but two lady passengers on board, both of whom, and the cabin maid, were saved, and but slightly injured….The first and second engineers, and all the firemen, were killed instantly….

“The awful force of the explosion can be conceived from the fact that a large piece of one of the boilers was blown half a mile lacking five or six yards, from the wreck. Eleven bodies were blown into a cornfield at some distance from the water. Among them, those of the first and third engineers.

“The people of Carrolton and the vicinity, hurried to the scene, and 25 dead bodies were immediately borne to a small farm house which was converted into a hospital. The inmates of this house gave up their rooms, bedding and every thing in their possession to the suffering….

“The river for some distance below Carrolton, was strewn with the fragments of the boat, machinery, furniture, and clothing. Small pieces of bedding and clothing were found at the distance of very nearly half a mile back from the river, while the trees along the shore were littered with the fragments of the same and of the wreck.

“The Redstone was not racing at the time with any other boat, but she was hurrying in order to make as good time as possible between this and Madison….” (Muscatine Journal, IA. “Steamer Red Stone.” 4-17-1852, p. 2, col. 5.)

April 28: “The body of a man was found floating in the river yesterday afternoon, about four miles below this city; supposed to be one of the sufferers by the terrible disaster of the steamer Redstone.” (Madison Dollar Weekly Courier, IN. 4-28-1852, p. 1, col. 7.)

List of Fatalities Identified in Sources Herein

1. Berry, Joseph W. Second engineer; from Brownsville, PA.
2. Berry, Lewis Chief engineer; from Brownsville, PA.
3. Chamberlin, David Of Indiana.
4. Coons, Mr.
5. Crossman, E. G. Printer. (NYT of April 13 notes a Mr. Crissman of Lawrenceburg.)
6. Durbin, E. N. (Dearborn?). Of New Philadelphia, IN. (or E.P. Durbin, Lawrenceburg, IN).
7. Goble, James E. Noted by NYT of 4-13-1852. Editor of Lawrenceburg Register.
8. Kirby, Samuel First cook.
9. Scott, Rev. Henry A. Had just boarded at Carrollton landing.
10. Smith, M. Petersburg, VA. (From Lloyd.)
11. Snyder, E. Petersburg.
12. Unidentified (by Lloyd) lad from Madison.
13. Unidentified cabin boy, 1 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
14. Unidentified cabin boy, 2 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
15. Unidentified cabin boy, 3 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
16. Unidentified cabin boy, 4 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
17. Unidentified cabin boy, 5 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
18. Unidentified cabin boy, 6 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
19. Unidentified cabin boy, 7 of 7, said by Lloyd to have been lost.
20. Unidentified 2nd clerk.
21. Unidentified 3rd engineer.
22. Unidentified fireman 1 of three noted as lost by New Albany Daily Tribune, 4-8-1852, p. 2.
23. Unidentified fireman 2 of three noted as lost by New Albany Daily Tribune, 4-8-1852, p. 2.
24. Unidentified fireman 3 of three noted as lost by New Albany Daily Tribune, 4-8-1852, p. 2.
25. Unidentified pilot (there were two).
26. Unidentified watchman, body not found. (New Albany Daily Tribune, 4-8-1852, p. 2, col. 3.)

Sources

De Bow, James Dunwoody Brownson (Ed.). Debow’s Review. “Steamboat Explosions in the West,” Vol. 2, Is. 3, Sep 1866. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: http://www.pddoc.com/skedaddle/049/steamboat_explosions_in_the_west.htm

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

Dixon Telegraph, IL. “Terrible Steamboat Accident,” April 24, 1852. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=4289405&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=0

Elyria Courier, OH. “Steamboat Accidents in the U. States in 1852,” Aug 17, 1852, 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=29967442

Hocking Sentinel, Logan, OH. “Steamboat Explosion – Law of Prevention.” 4-22-1852, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 10-22-2020: https://newspaperarchive.com/logan-hocking-county-sentinel-apr-22-1852-p-2/

Kentucky Tribune, Danville, KY. “Steamboat Explosion.” 4-9-1852, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/danville-kentucky-tribune-apr-09-1852-p-2/

Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory and Disasters on the Western Waters. Cincinnati, Ohio: James T. Lloyd & Co., 1856. Digitized by Google. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=JlYqAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

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

Madison Daily Banner, IN. 4-23-1852, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-daily-banner-apr-23-1852-p-2/

Madison Dollar Weekly Courier, IN. 4-28-1852, p. 1, col. 7. Accessed10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-dollar-weekly-courier-apr-28-1852-p-1/

Mississippi Palladium, Holly Springs. “Terrible Steamboat Accident.” 4-15-1852, p. 2. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mississippi-palladium-apr-15-1852-p-2/

Muscatine Journal, IA. “Steamer Red Stone.” 4-17-1852, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/muscatine-journal-apr-17-1852-p-2/

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.

New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. “Awful Steamboat Explosion.” 4-5-1852, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-albany-daily-ledger-apr-05-1852-p-2/

New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. [Chronology of steamboat accidents.] 4-21-1852, p. 3, col. 2. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-albany-daily-ledger-apr-21-1852-p-3/

New Albany Daily Tribune, IN. “The Redstone Disaster.” 4-8-1852, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-albany-daily-tribune-apr-08-1852-p-2/

New York Daily-Times. “More on the Redstone Explosion From the Cincinnati Nonpareil,” April 13, 1852.” At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=2785405&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=3

Ohio Repository, Canton, OH. “Loss of the Steamer Redstone,” Apr 7, 1852, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=3969916

Sailor’s Magazine and Naval Journal (American Seamen’s Friend Society). Vol. XXV, No. 1, Sep, 1852. NY: The Society, 1853. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Sailor_s_Magazine/rdcZAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Sailor%E2%80%99s+Magazine+%26+Naval+Journal+vol.+XXV&pg=PP7&printsec=frontcover

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 Friend (Religious and Literary Journal). “Steamboat Accidents in the United States in 1852.” Vol. 25, no. 49, 1852, 391. Digitized by Google. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=JkQrAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Warrick Democrat, Newburgh, IN. “Terrible Calamity. The Steamboat Redstone Exploded and Entirely Burned Up! Thirty Lives Lost!” 4-13-1852, p. 3, col. 1. Accessed 10-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/newburgh-warrick-democrat-apr-13-1852-p-3/

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.