1858 — April 22, Steamboat Ocean Spray fire (racing), Miss. River, near St. Louis, MO– 23

–20-30 New York Times. “Another Steamboat Slaughter,” April 28, 1858, p. 4.
— 23 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 287.
— 23 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 254.
— 23 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 684.
— 23 US SIS. Appendix 12, US Treasury Dept. Report on the Finances, Oct 25, 1858, 271.
— 23 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994… Steamboats…MS River System. 1994, p. 351.
— ~20 Sheboygan Journal, WI. “The Ocean Spray Tragedy,” May 22, 1858, p. 3.
— 10 Daily Argus and Democrat, Madison, WI. “Conviction of the Engineer…,” 5-4-1859.

Narrative Information

US Steamboat Inspection Service: “The steamer Ocean Spray, on the 29th of April last, when on her passage up the Mississippi river, and about seven miles above St. Louis, was destroyed by fire, resulting in the loss of twenty-three lives—fifteen of the passengers and eight of the crew.

“Upon an examination by the inspectors it was ascertained that there was a contest of speed, at the time of the accident, with the steamer Hannibal City, and in order to increase the pressure of steam above that which could be maintained with the ordinary fuel the engineer resorted to the use of spirits of turpentine, which was sprinkled over the wood and coal; sparks from the furnace communicated fire to the turpentine, and in an instant the coal and wood and the barrel containing the turpentine were in a blaze, and the fire raging beyond all control.

“The use of turpentine in this manner and for this purpose has never before come to the knowledge of this board, and is only less reprehensible than would be a similar reckless and foolhardy use of gunpowder. In our opinion, this was the most wanton, reckless, and criminal disregard of human life and property that has occurred in the history of steam navigation since the passage of the steamboat law.

“The inspectors condemned the conduct of the engineer on watch and revoked his license, and the engineer being the only officer over which the inspectors have control, the whole case was reported by the inspectors to the grand jury, and an indictment for manslaughter was found against the captain, mate, and engineer, and their trial, as we understand, is to take place at the present session of the United States district court at St. Louis.

“On the same day of the burning of the Ocean Spray, the steamers Keokuk and Star of the West were destroyed by fire while lying up at a point above the city of St. Louis; the fire was caused by sparks from the Ocean Spray; there was no loss of life nor of property other than the boats.” (US SIS. Appendix 12, US Treasury Dept. Report on the Finances, Oct 25, 1858, p. 271.)

Way: “Ocean Spray. Sidewheel Packet, wooden hull; built in Elizabeth, PA in 1857; 371 tons. “Ran St. Louis-Peoria. On her second trip she left St. Louis with Hannibal City in hot pursuit. A barrel of turpentine was appropriated from the freight to prod the steam pressure, the contents took fire, attempt was made to jettison it, and it overturned on deck. The boat burned within the city limits of St. Louis at Sawyer’s Bend with loss of 23 lives and also burned the Keokuk and Star of the West, this on April 22, 1858.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats… MS River System. 1994, p. 351.)

Newspapers

April 22, NYT: “St. Louis, Thursday, April 22. About 5 o’clock this evening the steamboat Ocean Spray was totally destroyed by fire, about five miles above this city. Eight or ten lives are supposed to be lost. The burning boat floated against the steamer Keokuk, lying in shore, and she, too, was entirely destroyed. The Ocean Spray was valued at $35,000, and was insured for $25,000 in Pittsburg offices. The Keokuk was valued at $35,000, and insured for $15,000.” (NYT. “Another Disaster on The Mississippi,” April 23, 1858, p. 1.)

April 28, NYT: “One of those shocking calamities to which we become accustomed by continual repetition, and in which guilt enters no less than misfortune, occurred on Thursday, the 22d inst., on the Mississippi River, about five miles above the city of St. Louis. Two steamers – the Ocean Spray, bound for the Illinois River, and the Hannibal City, a Keokuk packet – left the St. Louis Levee nearly at the same moment. As ‘crack’ boats, it was understood by passengers and spectators, as well as by officers and hands, that a race to Alton—seventeen miles—was to take place. Nor were these anticipations unfulfilled. On board the Ocean Spray, according to the statement of Mr. J. H. Denniston, a passenger, rosin was first thrown into the fires, and next turpentine, until through haste and carelessness a barrel of the latter ignited, was spilled, and the burning fluid ran over the deck and into the hold. Instantly the boat was in flames. She was headed for the shore, on reaching which she set fire to another steamer laid up at that point. While this was transpiring the horror and despair of the passengers cannot be described. Suffice it to say that twenty or thirty lives were lost. Men, women, children, and tender infants perished indiscriminately in the horrible confusion. It was a scene from which the sickened mind turns sadly away. But let it not be characterized as simply calamity.

“It was still more a crime. We do not hesitate to pronounce the conduct of the officers of that ill-fated boat murder. True, they did not intend the destruction of life which ensued. The merit of not wishing to kill innocent babes and helpless women may be conceded. But theirs was that recklessness which is no less guilty than murderous design. Not only morally, but legally, should they be convicted of murder. He who performs acts likely to take human life, in a spirit of careless mischief, or reckless disregard, is justly placed in the same category with the willful murderer. In what, respect was the conduct of the Captain and mate of the Ocean Spray better than that of him who fires a gun at random and thus destroys his fellow man? Public safety demands, as public justice has long demanded, an exemplary punishment of such criminals. No half-way penalty will answer. Is not the instant sacrifice of scores of unsuspecting passengers to a whim of rivalry between competing steamers, a capital offence? Should it not be adequately punished? Blood for blood—life for life—is the dictate, not of revenge, not of hate, but of justice, and of mercy. Until those reckless men to whom we commit our own lives and the lives of our families are made to know that they shall answer the trust with their own, there can be no security.” (New York Times. “Another Steamboat Slaughter,” April 28, 1858, p. 4.)

April 29: “From the St. Louis Republican, April 29. We have already announced the conviction of Daniel Davis, engineer of the steamer Ocean Spray, on an indictment for manslaughter, growing out of the destruction that vessel by fire whereby some ten lives were lost. The case came on for trial this week before the U. S. Circuit Court, and was patiently heard, and the accused ably defended. The jury found him guilty, leaving the court to fix the punishment.

“This is the first conviction ever had under the law of Congress providing for the protection of life and property on board of steam-boats, and the example, it is hoped, will not be lost on those who have charge of our steam vessels. It has now been shown that the law is not a dead letter, and that it can be enforced against those who violate its provisions.—A few verdicts of this kind, whether applied to steamboats or railroads, will have a wonderful effect in inducing more care on the part of those who have charge of them and the number of disasters will be greatly lessened.

“The case of the engineer on board the Col. Crossman, under a similar indictment for manslaughter, is now on trial in same court.” (Daily Argus & Democrat, Madison, WI. “Conviction …Engineer…Manslaughter,” 4 May 1859.)

May 1: “St. Louis, May 1.–Capt. March, the mate, and second engineer of the steamboat Ocean Spray have been arrested here, on a charge of manslaughter, in having caused the loss of life, which took place at the late burning of that boat and the Keokuk, by their criminal recklessness.” (Galveston Civilian & Gazette Weekly, TX. “Ocean Spray Officers Arrested,” 11 May 1858, p1.)

May 6: “We have before stated that the Captain, Mate, and Second Engineer of the Ocean Spray, had been arrested on a charge of manslaughter, and are now undergoing an examination before United States Commissioner, B. F. Hickman, in St. Louis. The following is the testimony of Mr. John Warren the Second Mate:

I reside in St. Louis, when off the river; my last occupation was second mate on the Steamer Ocean Spray; on the 22d of April last, at the time we passed the Hannibal City, I saw no preparation for a race between the latter and the Ocean Spray; after we got underway there appeared to some excitement amongst the crew when the Hannibal City got out after us; I don’t recollect about seeing how the fires were made up; it was no part of my business to look after the fires; I saw a barrel of turpentine standing near the forward hatch; it was brought out of the hold, by order of Mr. Davis, first mate; he ordered me to bring it out of the hold; I did not see the head knocked in; I saw it afterwards; I saw Mr. Davis pour the turpentine on the coal in the box; he poured it out of a bucket; some parts of it was within five or six feet of the fire; the coal is usually shoveled from the coal box into the fire; I did not see him shovel any of that coal in; I saw him throw no turpentine on the wood, but I saw sticks of wood dipped into the barrel; they were then thrown down by the side of the coal box, but outside it on the starboard side towards the guards, not quite so far from the furnaces as the coal….

“The following is the written statements which was sworn to by Daniel R. Davis, first mate of the Ocean Spray in the examination before the Board of Local Inspectors, a few days since and was introduced in the examination before the Commissioner on Monday last:

Daniel R. Davis, says: ‘that they left this port on 22d inst., between 4 and 5 o’clock, bound for Illinois river – Waldo Marsh, master; and that he was on watch at the time of starting, and when they were opposite the Keokuk packet landing, the steamer Hannibal City was lying outside at the stern of the boats, and evidently waiting for us, and immediately started out after them; and when she had gotten under way they were come too lengths astern of the Ocean Spray, which position was maintained until they had arrived nearly to ‘Bissell’s Point,’ about which time we began to accumulate steam and began to run away from the Hannibal City. About this time I discovered the fire, and I remained on deck all the time. For the purpose of facilitating the generating of steam, we used stone-coal, rosin, wood and spirits of turpentine. The coal bin was immediately in front of the fire doors, and I ordered the men down in the hole to bring up a barrel of turpentine. Knocked in the head, and took a cup and saturated the coal with the turpentine; the wood was dipped into the barrel, and then thrown on the deck in a pile, and from there put into the furnaces, all of which had the effect to increase the steam, as well as speed, making us run away from the Hannibal City. The wood that had the turpentine on, was laid on the starboard side, between the ash-pan and coal-bin, and this was the place where the fire first took place; I did not see it at the time it first started, but when I did see it, the whole wood and coal pile was on fire. I immediately threw some buckets of water on it, and done no good. I then ordered the men to throw the wood overboard, and there had been so much turpentine on it, thus making the flames so hot, that the men could not take hold of it.

I also ordered the barrel thrown overboard, and the flames around it were so hot we could not succeed in than, and almost in an instant the whole was in a blaze, and together with the strong wind blowing, rendered it impossible to arrest the flames, when I immediately gave the alarm to the pilot, and he landed against the bank, where she was made fast. By the time I got her made fast it was impossible for a man to stand on the forecastle, from the extent of the flames. The amount of the whole matter is, that the fire proceeded from the wood that had the turpentine on it. The master was down on the deck part of the time, and was cognizant of all that was going on. I was so excited that I can hardly tell how long it was from the time the fire was first started until she burned up. We were well supplied with ample water arrangements – bucket, hose and pumps, and one which could be worked by steam, but with all, I am satisfied from the sudden conflagration, together with the wind prevailing at the time, that there could have been no means employed to have subdued the flames. This is the first time that turpentine was used on that steamboat to my knowledge.”

(Alton Weekly Courier, IL. “Burning of the Ocean Spray,” May 6, 1858, p. 2.)

May 13: “The circumstances of the burning of the Ocean Spray on the Mississippi are still fresh in the memory. The United States Commissioner at St. Louis is engaged in an investigation, and this is the testimony of one Mississippi steamboat Captain — Geo. A. Hawley, examined for the defense—

…Captain of the steamboat Baltimore; I have used turpentine to raise steam between this and Alton; I have known it to be frequently used; if it be used with proper precaution it is not dangerous ; we use it by sprinkling it on the wood with a broom, and then throw the wood into the fire; I never used it on the Baltimore, but used it on a boat that ran to Alton in 1849, for the purpose of raising steam; we always had a barrel of turpentine on board; I don’t now regard the use of it in that way as dangerous; we usually placed the vessel in which the turpentine was, on the guard, about twenty feet from the fire; we were very cautious about it, knowing it to be combustible in its nature, but it is perfectly safe if used with precaution.

Cross-examined—We never used turpentine as a common article of fuel; it was only when there was some boat that started at the same hour, and ran in opposition to us, that we used it; the opposition was so warm at the time that we carried passengers for ten cents apiece, and afterwards for nothing; I occasionally used to knock the head of the barrel out, dip the stick into if, carry it to the furnace and throw it into the fire…

The Commissioner referred to the statute prohibiting the use of inflammable materials on board of steamboats, and said he thought it was unnecessary to proceed with the examination in that way, as he did not see how because one man violated the law at one time, that another was authorized to do the same at a future time.

Re-cross-examined—We never dipped the wood, into the barrel and then threw it down on the deck, we merely sprinkled it as I said before.

(New York Times. “They Always Carry Turpentine on Mississippi Boats,” May 13, 1858, p. 6.)

May 22: “The Captain of the ill-fated Mississippi steam-boat Ocean Spray, by whose loss by burning, some twenty persons perished, has been bound over in the sum of $4,000 for his appearance at the U.S. Circuit Court for Missouri District, at its fall term 1858; and the Engineer and Mate, in the sum of $2,000 each.” (Sheboygan Journal, WI. “The Ocean Spray Tragedy,” May 22, 1858, p. 3.)

May 12, 1859: “Daniel R. Davis, mate of the Steamer Ocean Spray at the time she was burned between this city and St. Louis, and who was recently tried and convicted of Manslaughter for his share in that infamous transaction, has been sentenced to the State Penitentiary for one year. We believe this is the first case on record where a steamboat officer has been thus found guilty and punished for causing the death of passengers by criminal carelessness.” (Alton Weekly Courier, IL. “St. Louis Items,” May 12, 1859, p. 1.)

Sources

Alton Weekly Courier, Alton, IL. “Burning of the Ocean Spray,” May 6, 1858, p. 2. Accessed 10-11-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alton-weekly-courier-may-06-1858-p-2/
Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Daily Argus and Democrat, Madison, WI. “Conviction of the Engineer of a Destroyed Steamboat, of Manslaughter,” May 4, 1859, p. 2. Accessed 10-11-2020 at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=36946142

Galveston Civilian & Gazette Weekly, TX. “Ocean Spray Officers Arrested,” 5-11-1858, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/cache/152440323.pdf#page=1&zoom=75

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

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 York Times. “Another Disaster on The Mississippi,” 4-23-1858, p. 1. Accessed 10-11-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1858/04/23/78534360.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “Another Steamboat Slaughter.” April 28, 1858, p. 4. Accessed 10-11-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1858/04/28/78534659.html?pageNumber=4

New York Times. “They Always Carry Turpentine on Mississippi Boats,” May 13, 1858, p. 6. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5810175

Sheboygan Journal, WI. “The Ocean Spray Tragedy,” 5-22-1858, p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=37225841

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. “Appendix 12,” in United States Treasury Department. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the Finances for the Year Ending June 30, 1858. Washington: William A. Harris, Printer, 1858. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=XCUSAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#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.