1852 — Jan 14, George Washington boiler explosion/fire, Miss. Riv., Grand Gulf, MS –16-20

–16-20 Blanchard estimated range.*

–20-30 Bragg. Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. 1977, 105.
— 20 De Bow’s Review, Vol. XIV, New Series, Vol. I, 1853, p. 294.
— 18 Lloyd. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory. 1856, 215.
— 17 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 170.
— 17 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 227.
— 17 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1952, 186.
— 16 Elyria Courier, OH. “Steamboat Accidents in the U. States in 1852,” Aug 17, 1852, 2.
— 16 The Friend. “Steamboat Accidents in the United States in 1852.” V25, N49, 1852, 391.
— 15 Daily American Telegraph, DC. “Steamboat Explosions.” 4-17-1852, p. 1.

*Blanchard on death toll: In that we are not confident of any single source statement on the death toll, we choose to employ a range. For the low-end of our range we rely on The Friend magazine report of August 1852, noting sixteen deaths (as did the Elyria Courier of Aug. 17). For the high end of our range (20) we use De Bow’s Review and the low-end of the Bragg range of 20-30. We do not use the high-end of Bragg’s range because we have not seen anything in any of the other sources cited (as well as others not cited), to support such a claim. If the compilation of named or identified by position deaths and missing/presumed dead we have placed below is accurate, the number would be eighteen deaths. Given the nature of that reporting, however, such as “six deck hands,” we are not confident in reporting eighteen deaths as an exact number.

Narrative Information

Lloyd: “The George Washington was on her way from Cincinnati to New Orleans, and at one o’clock, A. M., on January 14th, 1852, when she was a short distance above Grand Gulf, Miss., the boilers exploded, and the boat was burnt to the water’s edge. She had in tow, at the time, two barges, heavily laden, both of which, with their cargoes, were to¬tally consumed. But these losses are insignificant, when compared with the destruction of human life which was one of the effects of this accident. William Carroll, the first clerk of the George Washington, a Mr. James Treat, P. Supner, the cook, a fireman, six deck hands and six deck passengers were all killed at the moment of the explosion. several passengers, names not known, are believed to have been burned with the boat. Mr. Chiswell, the carpenter, was badly scalded, and died within a few hours. Mr. Kuykendale, a passenger, was mortally wounded. Capt. Irwin, C. D. Clemone, passenger, and several others, were more or less injured.” (Lloyd 1856, p. 215.)

Way: George Washington, sidewheel wood-hull packet, built in Cincinnati in 1845, at 303 tons. “Exploded boilers near Grand Gulf, Miss., Jan. 14, 1852, with loss of 17 lives and 10 hurt. By coincident the Martha Washington burned at Island 65 the same day.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). 1999, p. 186.)

Newspapers

Jan 14: “A telegraphic dispatch from Louisville, dated the 14th inst., says that the steamer George Washington exploded her boiler when near Grand Gulf, on the Mississippi, and several persons were killed. The boat took fire and was totally consumed. The boat and cargo are a total loss.” (Daily Chronicle & Sentinel, Augusta, GA. [George Washington explosion.] 1-20-1852, p.2, c.6.)

Jan 14: “Grand Gulf, Miss., Jan. 14th. About 1 o’clock this morning the steamer George Washington, on her way from Cincinnati to New Orleans, when a short distance above this place exploded after which she took fire and was entirely consumer. Captain Irvine was badly scalded and the 1st Clerk, Mr. Carroll, was killed. Many that were not killed by the explosion were burned. Among the missing are Mr. Carroll, 1st Clerk, James Treat, Philip Supiner, the head cook, a fireman, 6 deck hands and 6 deck passengers names not known, supposed to have been burnt with the boat. The carpenter and a Mr. Kendall, passenger from Kentucky, were so badly scalded that they died immediately after they reached the shore. Those saved and scalded are Capt. Irvine, badly; Mr. Pierce, 2d clerk, badly; Daniel Clements, engineer, badly; Mr. Dunn, 2d mate, will recover. James Moore 1st mate is uninjured, C. D. Clemens uninjured, Carter Wheeler, 2d cook, slightly hurt. The books and papers of the boat were lost. She had two barges in tow loaded with live stock and freight both of which were burned.” (Burlington Weekly Telegraph, IA. “Dreadful Steamboat Disasters.” 1-24-1852, p. 1.)

Fatalities (Dead and Missing) Named or Identified by Position
(18, if accurate)

Carroll, William. First clerk
Chiswell, Mr. Ship carpenter
Kendall/Kuykendale Passenger
Supner/Supiner, P. Head cook
Trent, Mr. James
Unidentified fireman
Six unidentified deck hands
Six unidentified deck passengers.

Sources

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

Bragg, Marion. Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. Vicksburg, MS: Mississippi River Commission, 1977. Accessed at: [Both links broken]
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/pao/history/MRnames/MissRiverNames.htm > Also at:
http://www.mvd.usace.army.mil/Portals/52/docs/MRC/MRnames%28Intro-end_final2%29.pdf

Burlington Weekly Telegraph, IA. “Dreadful Steamboat Disasters.” 1-24-1852, p. 1. Accessed 9-3-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/burlington-weekly-telegraph-jan-24-1852-p-1/

Daily American Telegraph, DC. “Steamboat Explosions.” 4-17-1852, p. 1. Accessed 9-3-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-american-telegraph-apr-17-1852-p-1/

Daily Chronicle & Sentinel, Augusta, GA. [George Washington explosion.] 1-20-1852, p. 2, col. 6. Accessed 9-3-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/augusta-daily-chronicle-and-sentinel-jan-20-1852-p-2/

De Bow, James Dunwoody Brownson (Ed.). De Bow’s Review, Vol. XIV, New Series, Vol. I, New Orleans and Washington City, 1853. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=FCQoAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false

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

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

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

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.