1870 — July 31, Steamer Silver Spray boiler explosion/fire, MS Riv., Pacific Place, TN– 9-13

–9-13 Blanchard estimated death toll.*

–36 Gould. Fifty Years on the Mississippi. 1889, p. 437.
–26 New Albany…Ledger, IN. “Memphis…Explosion of the Boilers of the Silver Spray.” 8-1-1870, p3.
–19 Dearborn Independent, Aurora, IN. “News of the Week.” 8-4-1870, p. 2, col. 1.
–13 Blanchard listing of fatalities compiled from sources cited herein.
— 9 New York Times. “The Silver Spray Disaster.” 8-6-1870, p. 5, col. 5.
— 9 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p427.

*Blanchard estimated death toll. While our attempt to compile a listing of fatalities noted in various sources cited herein totals to 13, we recognize there are problems with lists put together from newspaper accounts. Nonetheless, given accounts noting 19, 26, and 36 deaths, we are of the opinion that there could well have been thirteen deaths. In that Way gives the death toll as 9, as does the New York Times of Aug 6, we will employ a range of deaths, from nine to thirteen.

Narrative Information

Way: Silver Spray. Sternwheel wood-hull packet, built in West Brownsville, PA in 1864, at 352 tons. “….While en route from New Orleans to Cincinnati with a barge in tow she exploded her boilers Apr. 10, 1870, 30 miles above Memphis at Pacific Place, Tenn., with loss of nine lives.” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]… 1999, p. 427.)

Newspapers

Aug 1: “Memphis, Aug. 1….Another terrible steamboat disaster occurred at Pacific Place, thirty miles above here, at 12 o’clock last night. The stern-wheeler Silver Spray, from New Orleans for Cincinnati, with a barge in tow, exploded her boilers, killing and wounding a number of the crew and passengers, and then took fire. Mr. Singleton, second clerk, states that just as the watch was called the explosion took place. In a moment the boat was wrapped in flames. Nothing was left for the survivors but to plunge into the river and swim some three hundred yards to the nearest shore. Owing the darkness of the night it was impossible to render assistance to the wounded. As the books of the officers were lost, it is impossible to obtain a full list of the lost. The following, however, are known to be lost: [We break paragraph into separate lines and number.]

1. Capt. A. N. Jordan, Cincinnati;
2. Thaddeus Wirthling, first clerk, Newport, Ky.;
3. Ash Taylor, second mate, Long Reach, O.;
4. Wm. Baltic (or Botie ), second steward, Cincinnati;
5. Boyd Smith, colored, berth maker, New Richmond, O.;
6. Alf. Comes (or Carnes ), second cook, Pittsburg, and
7. A colored chambermaid, name unknown.
8. Charlie Jordon, steersman, son of the captain, died soon after being rescued.

“Fatally injured – [We break paragraph into separate lines and number.

1. Edward Long, barkeeper, Cincinnati;
2. Richard Cage, colored, cook, New Richmond;
3. Colored porter, name unknown;
4. George Williams, colored, deck hand, St. Louis, severely wounded;
5. A. R. Singleton, second clerk, Newport, Ky., scalded in body and limbs;
6. Jas Corcoran, mate;
7. Richard Nichols and
8. Eph Marshal, colored deck hands, Cincinnati, slightly scalded;
9. N. S. Haynes and
10. T. W. Gill, deck hands, Louisville, and
11. E. S. Patterson, pilot, Newport, Ky.

“….Some two hours after the explosion the steamer City of Cairo hove in sight, and went to the relief of the sufferers. All who were dead were taken on board and brought here….The City of Cairo was bound for St. Louis, but turned back after using every effort to recover the bodies lost. The Spray floated down about two miles, and lodged on a bar, where she and the barge burned to the waters edge. She was seven years old; belonged to Capt. N. S. Patterson, Newport, Ky., who had stopped off for a trip, leaving Capt. Jordan in charge. The boat had near three hundred crates queensware; three and a half [?] cabin, and seven deck passengers; nineteen deck hands and roustabouts. It is believed by Mr. Singleton that twenty-six lives were lost.” (New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. “Memphis…Explosion of the Boilers of the Silver Spray.” 8-1-1870, p. 3, col. 5.)

Aug 5, NYT: “Memphis, Tenn., Aug. 5. – Another body, which is supposed to be that of Capt. Jourdan, of the steamer Silver Spray, has been found near the scene of the disaster.” (New York Times. “The South.” 8-6-1870, p. 1, col. 5.)

Aug 6, NYT: Specifically mentioned as among the fatalities were:

1. Bardey, William 2nd steward; blown into the river and lost.
2. Holmes, Jas. Deckhand.
3. Jordan, Capt. Blown out of sight.
4. Long, Edward Nephew of steward Joseph Legler; badly scalded; died in Memphis
5. Miss Alice Black woman, burned to death on the boat.
6. Nizette, Mary. Chambermaid, burned to death on the boat.
7. Taylor 2nd mate; blown out of sight.
8. Wirthlin of Newport 1st clerk; blown out of sight.
9. Cook, badly scalded. Burned to death on the boat.

(New York Times. “The Silver Spray Disaster.” 8-6-1870, p. 5, col. 5.)

Aug 11: “….A. R. Singleton, clerk of the ill-fated Silver Spray, is now with his parents at their home in the Highlands, back of Newport, Ky. Although painfully scalded, Mr. Singleton is pronounced out of danger. Among the incidents related by Mr. Singleton was the application made by two young men, at Memphis, to work their passage to Cincinnati, as their friends resided in Ohio, and they were without means. They were among the lost, and as their names were not given their fate will ever remain a mystery to those they were connected with….” (Cincinnati Commercial, OH. “River and Steamboat News.” 8-11-1870, p. 7, col. 1.)

Fatalities Identified in Sources Cited Herein

1. Baltic (or Botie), William 2nd steward Cincinnati, OH
2. Carnes (or Comes), Alfred 2nd cook Pittsburgh, PA
3. Holmes, Jas. Deckhand
4. Jordan, A. N. Captain. Cincinnati, OH
5. Jordan, Charlie Steersman Son of Capt., died soon after rescue.
6. Long, Edward Nephew of steward Legler; scalded; died in Memphis.
7. Miss Alice Black woman burned to death on the boat.
8. Nizette, Mary Chambermaid
9. Smith, Boyd Berth maker New Richmond, OH
10. Taylor, Ash 2nd mate Long Reach, OH
11. Wirthling, Thaddeus 1st clerk Newport, KY (buried in Memphis).
12. Unnamed deck passenger 1 of 2, working on boat for passage to Cincinnati.
13. Unnamed deck passenger 1 of 2, working on boat for passage to Cincinnati.

Sources

Cincinnati Commercial, OH. “River and Steamboat News.” 8-6-1870, p. 7, col. 1. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-aug-06-1870-p-7/

Cincinnati Commercial, OH. “River and Steamboat News.” 8-11-1870, p. 7, col. 1. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-aug-11-1870-p-7/

Dearborn Independent, Aurora, IN. “News of the Week.” 8-4-1870, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 10-19-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/aurora-dearborn-independent-aug-04-1870-p-2/

Gould, E. W. Fifty Years on the Mississippi; or, Gould’s History of River Navigation. St. Louis: Nixon-Jones Printing Co., 1889, 750 pages. Digitized by Google. Accessed 2008 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=udyywXOVBvsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Memphis Daily Appeal, TN. “Steamboat Explosion. The Loss of the Silver Spray.” 8-2-1870, p. 13, col. 4. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/memphis-daily-appeal-aug-02-1870-p-13/

New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. “Memphis…Explosion of the Boilers of the Silver Spray.” 8-1-1870, p. 3, col. 5. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-albany-daily-ledger-aug-01-1870-p-3/

New York Times. “The Silver Spray Disaster.” 8-6-1870, p. 5, col. 5. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1870/08/06/issue.html

New York Times. “The South.” 8-6-1870, p. 1, col. 5. Accessed 10-29-2020 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1870/08/06/issue.html

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.