1868 — Apr 9, WI sidewheel Sea Bird burns/sinks, Lake Michigan, off Waukegan, IL–67-102

–67-102 Blanchard estimated death toll range.*

–102-250 Shelak, Benjamin J. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. Big Earth Publishing, 2003, p. 93.
— ~117 Statement of Albert C. Chamberlain in Chicago Tribune, transcribed in Gadbois.*
— 68-103 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 686.
— 102 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News, March 2009. “Today…”
— 100 Daily Journal, Ogdensburg NY. “Terrible Steamboat Disaster! 100 Lives Lost.” 4-10-1868, 6.
— 100 Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine 1888 (Vol. 43). April, 1889, p. 612.
— 100 The Freeman, Montpelier, VT. “The Loss of the Seabird.” 4-15-1868, p. 4.
— 72-100 Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 51.*
— 100 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 100.
— 100 Swayze. Great Lakes Shipwrecks S.
— 100 Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 213-214.
–35->100 Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2004, p. 111.
— ~98 Portland…Press, ME. “Terrible Marine Disaster–Burning of the Steamer Seabird.” 4-11-1868, p2.*
— 73 News-Palladium, Benton Harbor MI. “Seek Causes of Wisconsin Loss….” 10-30-1929.
— 72 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 262.
— 67-72 Guthrie, Supervising Inspector of 8th District of Steamboat Inspectors.*
— 72 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [US] 1807-1868. 1952, p.257.
— 72 Mansfield, History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1, Chapter 38, “1861-1970,” 1899, p.708.
— 72 McNeil. “Sea Bird (Steamboat), burnt, 9 Apr 1868.” Maritime History…Great Lakes.
— 70 US War Dept. Annual Report…Sec .of War for…1880 (Vol. 2, Pt. 3). 1880, p. 1,946.
— 67 Currey. Chicago: Its History and Its Builders. “The Burning of the Sea Bird.” 1918. 360.

*Blanchard: It is our opinion that the true death toll will never be known. It is not known how many were aboard, just that three survived. Given this unknowable we do not think it appropriate to estimate a single number, but resort to a range. For the low end of the death-toll range we choose to use the low-end of the 67-72 death-toll range utilized by Alfred Guthrie, the supervising inspector for the 8th District of Steamboat Inspectors, in his report.

For the high-end of our estimated death-toll range (102) we choose to use the low-end of the estimated death-toll range employed by Shelak (102-250), which is also the number used as the estimated death-toll by the Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News. In looking through newspaper reporting of the time as well as the sources noted herein we see no support for estimates of loss above 102.

*Chamberlain: Chamberlain was one of three survivors. He was quoted as saying that he thought “there were about 120 persons on board, including the crew. Of these, one hundred were passengers.”

*Guthrie: Gadbois transcribes the report of Alfred Guthrie in his document. In it Guthrie writes (p. 29 in Gadbois): “The first severe accident I have to record was the burning of the steamer Sea Bird, off Waukegan, on Lake Michigan, on the morning of the 9th of April last, by which out of 70 or 75 persons on board only two escaped…” There were actually three survivors, so we subtract three from 70 and from 75 to derive the range of 67-72 deaths.

*Portland Daily Press: Blanchard note — the number is ours based upon statement in the article that there were but two known survivors and one of those had stated that “about one hundred persons” were on board.

*Ratigan: Blanchard numbers based on Ratigan statement that there were 75-103 on board, and that only three survived.

Wisconsin (>45)

Narrative Information

Currey: “On the morning of the 9th of April, 1868, the steamer “Sea Bird,” while on her way from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, to Chicago, and while opposite Lake Forest, Illinois, caught fire and was totally consumed. There were seventy persons on board at the time, and of these but three escaped. The “Sea Bird” was a sidewheel steamer of about five hundred tons burthen, and was making the first trip of the season on her regular route along the west shore of the lake. “How the fire originated,” says Andreas, “was never known, but it was supposed to have been through the carelessness of one of the porters, who was observed by one of the survivors to throw a scuttle of coal and ashes overboard, and a very short time afterward the fire broke out in the aft part of the vessel, near the place where the porter had stood. It was a little before seven o’clock in the morning when the fire was discovered, as the passengers were rising from breakfast. “The steamer was immediately headed for shore, but the wind was blowing heavily from the northeast, and drove the flames forward, soon stopping the machinery. Rapidly the fire drove the passengers toward the bow, and then over into the lake. No boats seem to have been lowered nor any effort made by the officers to save life. If there were life-preservers on board, and there presumably were, none was used. Panic seems to have seized officers, crew and passengers alike. Before noon the vessel was burned to the water edge. The survivors were A. C. Chamberlain, Mr. Hennebury, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and James H. Leonard, of Manitowoc”.” (Currey. Chicago: Its History and Its Builders. “Burning of the Sea Bird.” 1918. p. 360.)

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On 09 April 1868, Seabird (wooden side-wheel steamer, 638 tons, built in 1859, at Newport [Marine City], Michigan) was sailing on her first trip of the season from Manitowoc to Chicago. At 6:00 a.m. off Waukegan, Illinois, the porter cleaned out the ashes in the cabin stove and threw the hot coals overboard into the wind. The coals were blown back aboard and a blaze quickly engulfed the vessel. Only two survived. They were picked up by the schooner Cornelia. 102 were lost. The vessel was uninsured and this was a severe financial blow to the new Goodrich Transportation Company.” (Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News, March 2009. “Today in Great Lakes History – April 9.”)

Mansfield: “1868. Increase of Mortality on the Lakes. – The mortality during this year (1868) was 331 lives, an increase over 1867 of 120. The greatest loss at any disaster [1868] was involved in the burning of the steamer Sea Bird, near Waukegan, Lake Michigan, early in April, and 72 men, women and children went to death. The vessel was a total loss. The Sea Bird was on the Goodrich line, and had left Milwaukee for Chicago April 8, with about 75 souls on board. When nearly opposite Waukegan fire was discovered in the hold. The steamer was at once headed for the shore, but the wind was blowing from the northeast and sent the flames forward. An explosion followed, destroying or cutting adrift the four lifeboats. In two hours the vessel had burned to the water’s edge and soon after took its final plunge. There were only two survivors.” (Mansfield. History of the Great Lakes, Vol. 1, 1899, p. 708.)

Ratigan: “An elegant side-wheel steamer named the Seabird had wintered at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and was making her first run of the season down the Lake. She had made calls at Sheboygan and Milwaukee, and her nose was pointed for Chicago in the proverbial darkest hour before dawn, on April 9, 1868.

“The passengers were all asleep, secure in their belief that they would be in the Big Town, the Windy City, within a few hours. Records of the number aboard, counting the crew, are as variable as those of most mid-nineteenth-century passenger sailings. There were at least seventy-five people on the Seabird, perhaps as many as 103, and of these only the odd three were destined to survive the careless act of a white-coated porter with a coal scuttle in his hand. The way he handled that coal scuttle, he might as well have sprayed the deck, the bridge, the engine room, the cabins, and the main salon with a Gatling gun….” (Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 51.)

Shelak: “….Either no passenger manifest existed, as was common in those days, or it went down with the vessel. As a result, the number of dead has never been determined. Estimates range at anywhere from 102 to 250, with the death toll most likely in the lower range.” (Shelak, Benjamin J. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. 2003, p. 93.)

Swayze, Great Lakes Shipwrecks S: The passenger & package freight steamer Seabird “…caught fire when a porter emptied a scuttle full of stove embers to windward. Sparks set the decks ablaze and the ship was consumed quickly. 100 passengers & crew burned, drowned, or perished from exposure in the icy lake. Two passengers were picked up by schooner CORDELIA, one other swam and drifted to shore after 12 hours in the frigid water.” Went down off Waukegan, IL.

Swayze: “Seabird. Sidewheel passenger and package freight steamer of 638 t. [tons] and 191 ft., launched in 1859 at Newport, MI.

“Lake Michigan: The tragic story of this steamer has come to be known as the ‘Seabird disaster.’ On the night of April 9, 1868, a landlubber porter on board the wooden ship threw a bucket of glowing stove ashes to windward. The sun-baked upperworks of ships of this era were usually tinder-dry, naked wood and caulked with flammable pine pitch or tar. When the porter’s embers blew back on the deck, the ship quickly turned from a peaceful evening cruiser to a flaming torch. Passengers – she was carrying a full manifest – could not be awakened fast enough to save them, nor were there enough boats or life jackets for all. All but two of the 102 passengers and crew burned to death on the ship, drowned jumping overboard, or perished from exposure in the icy Lake Michigan water of early spring. The tragedy occurred off Waukegan, Illinois.” (Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 213-214.)

Newspaper

April 10: “A Chicago telegram of yesterday [April 10] gives the particulars of the burning on Lake Michigan, Thursday morning, of the side-wheel steamer Seabird:

“The steamboat Seabird belonged to the Two Rivers, Maintown [unclear] and Chicago line of steamers. She had made four trips this season and was on her fifth when she met with the terrible disaster reported. When off Waukegan about half past six o’clock in the morning, fire was seen issuing from a pile of miscellaneous freight stored around the afterguards outside of the ladies’ cabin, and in ten minutes time the entire stern of the boat was wrapped in flames.

“From the statement of one of the persons rescued it appears that all on board became demoralized, even the officers, and no effort was made to lower the small boats. The only survivors as far as known are C. A. Chamberlain and Edward Hamebury, passengers from Sheboygan. The latter makes the following statement:

There were in all about one hundred persons on board, including eight or ten ladies and seven or eight children. I saw smoke arising from the main deck below the ladies’ cabin. There was a lot of tubs of straw lying near and the fire got among them. I cried ‘fire’ and the crew and passengers rushed from their rooms. There was great confusion. The fire spread so rapidly as to convince me that it had been burning a long time. Within five minutes the after part of the boat was in flames. I do not think all the ladies had time to get out of their state-rooms, and some of them and the children must have been burned. An effort was made by a portion of the crew to reach the small boats, but they failed.

“Mr. Chamberlain states that about half-past six he was looking over the side of the steamer and saw a porter come out of the ladies’ cabin with a scuttle of coals and ashes and going to the bulwark where a quantity of miscellaneous freight was stored he threw the contents overboard. In about a quarter of an hour he heard an alarm of fire and saw flames issuing from this pile of freight. It seemed to be not more than ten minutes before the whole after part of the steamer was in flames. In his opinion when the porter threw the coals overboard the wind blew some back into the freight. He heard no explosion and thinks if the fire had caught from the boiler it would have been discovered.

“Capt. Yates of the schooner Cordelia states that when off Waukegan he saw the burning steamer; was distant from her four or five miles; bore down to her where he succeeded in saving two passengers, one of whom was in the water, the other on the steamer. Thinks it not probable that any others were saved.

“We learn from one of the survivors that after the steamer took fire the helm was locked hard aport, causing her to whirl round as long as the engine worked. The Cordelia did not leave the wreck until she was burned to the water’s edge.” (Portland Daily Press, ME. “Terrible Marine Disaster–Burning of the Steamer Seabird.” 4-11-1868, p. 2.)

Named Persons Thought to be Onboard

1. Abbott, C. H., 40 Milwaukee WI Passenger
2. Barber, Charley ? Seabird crew
3. Brennan, John ? Seabird cabin boy
4. Burns, Billy ? Seabird assistant cook
5. Burns, Joe ? Seabird cook
6. Davidson, George B., 29 Milwaukee WI Passenger boarding at Milwaukee
7. Denahae, Patrick, 21 Chicago IL
8. Doucett, Joseph Manitowoc WI Passenger, resident of Manitowoc
9. Emery, George W. Manitowoc WI Passenger, resident of Manitowoc
10. Flosbach, Fred ? Seabird deckhand.
11. Foucks, John ? Seabird deckhand.
12. Glennan, John ? Seabird seaman
13. Goss, Mr. J. E. Milwaukee WI Passenger
14. Green, William ? Seabird crew
15. Hacklin, Richard ? Seabird 1st Officer
16. Hannahan, Thomas Milwaukee WI Seabird 1st Engineer
17. Havlichek, Wenzel Mishicott WI
18. Hodges, James A. Manitowoc WI Seabird Clerk
19. Hughes, Ulysses ? Seabird bartender
20. Kirkland, Thomas ? Seabird porter
21. Klemmer, Franz Chicago IL
22. Labrisky, Sol ? Seabird crewmember
23. Leander, Packard Sheboygan WI Seabird 2nd Officer
24. Leonard, Mrs. James H. Manitowoc WI Passenger; wife of 3rd survivor.
25. Leykom, James, 21 Manitowoc WI Passenger, resident of Manitowoc
26. Malone, Michael ? Seabird seaman
27. Morris, John Milwaukee WI Seabird Captain
28. Morrison, John ? Seabird steward
29. Morrissey, Michael ? Seabird seaman
30. Myer, Amos ? Seabird deckhand.
31. Neighbauer, Edwin, 35 ? Passenger bound to Chicago for work.
32. Nelson, N. T., 43 Manitowoc WI Passenger, resident of Manitowoc
33. Neumann, George Milwaukee WI Passenger
34. Nieman, Henry ? Seabird deckhand.
35. Oleson, Miss Terene Manitowoc WI
36. O’Rourke, James ? Seabird seaman
37. O’Rourke, John ? Seabird seaman
38. Pfeiffer, Henry Manitowoc WI
39. Ricker, Charlie “ Seabird carpenter
Riechan, Charles Manitowoc WI master carpenter in Goodrich yard
40. Scott, Robert A. Milwaukee WI Passenger; body recovered.
41. Simpson, Harry ? Seabird cabin boy
42. Sorenson, Capt. John. 40. Manitowoc WI Passenger, resident of Manitowoc
43. Walla, wife of John Manitowoc WI Husband missed return to boat at Milwaukee.
44. Walla, child one of four Manitowoc WI
45. Walla, child two of four Manitowoc WI
46. Walla, child three of four Manitowoc WI
47. Walla, child four of four Manitowoc WI
48. Wilde, August ? Seabird deckhand.
49. Unnamed; 1st of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI We only number 10 of the 10-20.
50. Unnamed; 2nd of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
51. Unnamed; 3rd of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
52. Unnamed; 4th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
53. Unnamed; 5th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
54. Unnamed; 6th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
55. Unnamed; 7th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
56. Unnamed; 8th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
57. Unnamed; 9th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI
58. Unnamed; 10th of 10-20 boarding at Sheboygan, WI

Sources

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

Currey, Josiah Seymour. Chicago: Its History and Its Builders (Vol. II). Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1918. Digitized by Google and accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=ghcVAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

Daily Journal, Ogdensburg, NY. “Terrible Steamboat Disaster! 100 Lives Lost.” 4-10-1868, p. 6. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ogdensburg-daily-journal-apr-10-1868-p-6/

Gadbois, Robert S. “The Seabird: An Historical Essay,” 1994. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: file:///C:/Users/Wayne/AppData/Local/Temp/Seabird.pdf

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (March 2009). “Today in Great Lakes History – April 9.” Accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/3-09.htm

Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine 1888. “Every Day’s Record,” Vol. XLIII (43), April 1989. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=nLURAAAAYAAJ

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

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. Google digitized. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

McNeil, William R. “Sea Bird (Steamboat), burnt, 9 Apr 1868.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/51661/data?n=3

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.

News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Launch Lake Wreck Probe. Seek Causes of Wisconsin Loss; 9 Dead,” 10-30-1929, p. 1. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=74053454

Portland Daily Press, ME. “Terrible Marine Disaster–Burning of the Steamer Seabird.” 4-11-1868, p. 2. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/portland-daily-press-apr-11-1868-p-2/

Semi-Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “The Disaster to the Steamer Seabird.” 4-15-1868, p. 3. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/semi-weekly-wisconsin-apr-15-1868-p-3/

Shelak, Benjamin J. Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan. Big Earth Publishing, 2003. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=4CBCcye0n6IC

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

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks S (webpage). Accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/swayze/shipwreck/s.htm

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

The Freeman, Montpelier, VT. “The Loss of the Seabird.” 4-15-1868, p. 4. Accessed 1-12-2021 at: Newspaperarchive.com.

United States War Department. Annual Report of the Secretary of War for the Year 1880 (Vol. II, Part 3.). Washington: GPO, 1880. Digitized by Google and accessed 1-12-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=EqAdAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false