1860 — Nov 8, Steamer Globe boiler explosion at dock, Chicago River, Chicago, IL — 15

— 16 Hall. Marine Disasters on the Western Lakes… 1872, p. 16.
— 15 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 245.
— 15 Dubuque Herald, IA. “Explosion of the Steamer Globe!” Nov 10, 1860, p. 2.
–12-15 Janesville Daily Gazette, WI. “A Terrible Calamity.” Nov 9, 1860, p. 7.
— 15 Lytle/Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. 1952, p233.

Narrative Information

Lytle and Holdcamper: “Globe…1,223 [tons]…exploded…11 8 1860…Chicago, Ill…15 [lives lost].” (Table: “Losses of United States Merchant Steam Vessels, 1807-1867.”)

Newspapers

Nov 9, Janesville Gazette: “From the Chicago Journal of Thursday. The citizens and tradesmen in the vicinity of Clark and Well street bridges were startled at a terrific report, this morning about nine o’clock, upon the north side of the river. The same instant, the air was choked with beams, timbers, splinters, cord wood and coal, which descended in a perfect shower. The report was found to have been caused by the explosion of the propeller Globe, Capt. Amos Pratt, lying at Hale’s dock, between Clark and Wells street bridges.

“The Globe left Buffalo one week ago this morning, with eight or nine passengers and a cargo of 3000 barrels of apples and a large quantity of stoves and other hardware. She arrived at this port this morning at half-past four. At the time of the accident, all of the passengers had left the boat. The engineers and firemen were in the engine room taking off a cylinder head. The steam had been blown off from one of the boilers and the fire put out. The other boiler had but little steam on, as they had just commenced getting it up to hoist freight. The second mate informs us that there were not more than ten pounds on at the time.

“While thus engaged, the boiler exploded with terrific force, tearing the propeller into atoms, and strewing the housetops, streets, and the river with the splintered debris. – As soon as possible, a large gang of firemen under the supervision of Chief Engineer Harris, aided by citizens, commenced clearing away the wreck. The steamer Atlantic took her station on the dock to be in readiness in case of fire breaking out in the hulk, but her services were not required.

“The following were taken out dead from the ruins: Mary Ann Golden, a girl about fifteen years of age, who was on the dock picking up apples; James Hobbie, twenty-one years of age, and formerly a conductor on the State street horse railway. He was on board at the time looking for some apples which had been consigned to him. – Another body was taken out, but so terribly disfigured, that up to the time of going to press, it had not been identified.

“Patrick Donohoe, who was waiting along the west end of Wells street, near the bridge, was struck by a portion of the arch and instantly killed, his head being dashed to pieces. He lived on West Harrison street, and leaves a large family.

“Another body was found upon the top of Hale’s warehouse, but we have not ascertained his name. He was one of the deck hands.

“The crew of the Globe numbered twenty-five in all, and it is supposed that the most of them were on board. Benjamin Wilson, First Engineer; Richard Forsythe, Second Engineer; and the four firemen are known to have been killed. How many of the balance of the crew are buried in the ruins it is impossible at present to estimate.

“Peter Barnhard, of Erie, Pa., was taken out of the ruins alive and removed to the Marine Hospital, but, we are informed, died this noon….

“The force of the shock was terrible. The long block of buildings adjoining on the north side of the river was shaken as by an earthquake. The windows were all broken and ceilings destroyed. Several buildings on the west side of Wells street were cracked and otherwise damaged. The windows on the river side of the Board of Trade building were all broken and many also in Gilbert, Hubbard & Co’s building on South Water street. The telegraph wires on Water street were snapped in several places, and roofs of buildings a considerable distance from the wreck, were broken by falling beams. The long shed or warehouse on the north side of the river, reaching from Wells and Clark street bridge, was broken through in many places.

“One of the fenders of the boat, weighing about two hundred pounds, was blown through the air, and hurled into the rear of Larrabee & North’s dry good store, over a block from the dock, in its course taking out a circular piece, a foot in diameter, from the centre of an iron shutter. The Globe was an old boat, owned by Dr. Helmer, of Lockport, N.Y. She was valued at $15,000 and insured for $10,000.
Later.

“There are many conflicting rumors upon the street relative to the cause of this terrible disaster, but the true one, as near as we can ascertain from conversations with the captain and mate, is this: The engineer had received orders to get up steam on the donkey engine, to hoist out freight. The boiler was exceedingly hot, and but a trifling amount of steam on. The pumps were set at work, and the cold water pumping in at once caused the explosion.

“The total number of the victims to this new calamity will probably reach fifteen. – The captain informs us that the two engineers, four firemen and three deck hands are missing, and undoubtedly lost. This would give a total loss of fifteen.” (Janesville Daily Gazette, WI. “A Terrible Calamity.” Nov 9, 1860, p. 7.)

Sources

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

Dubuque Herald, IA. “Explosion of the Steamer Globe!” 11-10-1860, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=36098135

Hall, John W. Marine Disasters on the Western Lakes During the Navigation of 1871… Detroit: Free Press Book and Job Printing Establishment, 1872. Accessed 10-24-2021 at:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Marine_Disasters_on_the_Western_Lakes_Du/7rc5AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=hall+marine+disasters+of+the+western+lake&pg=PP9&printsec=frontcover

Janesville Daily Gazette, WI. “A Terrible Calamity” [Steamer Globe boiler explosion]. 11-9-1860, p. 7. At: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=38227400

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=7