1870 — Oct 20, Steamer Varuna founders, hurricane, 35 miles NE Jupiter Inlet, FL — 52

— 52 Blanchard.*

— 72 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 149.
— 72 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 686.
— 72 US Congress, House. Hearings… “Safety of Life and Property at Sea.” 1935, p. 247.
— 52 Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessel. Proceedings…[19th An. Mtng.]… 1871, p. 45.
–36 passengers
–16 crew (Blanchard number based on 52 deaths, 36 of whom were passengers.)
— 52 DuBois, Bessie Wilson. Shipwrecks in the Vicinity of Jupiter Inlet. 1975, p. 7.
— 52 McCarthy, Kevin M. Thirty Florida Shipwrecks. 2016.
— 52 Rappaport and Fernandez-Partagas. 1995. (Oct 20. Offshore central FL, VA.)
— 52 Singer, S. D. Shipwrecks of Florida: A Comprehensive Listing (2nd Ed.), 1998, p. 145.
— 48 NY Herald. “Perils of the Deep…Wreck…Varuna. Forty-Eight Lives Lost.” 11-6-1870, p3.
— 36 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 100.

*Blanchard: We choose to accept the estimate of the U.S. Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels as well as other sources noting fifty-two fatalities. We have no explanation of how it is that Berman, Nash, and Springer (in the 1935 House Hearings) came up with seventy-two fatalities. It may have started with a typographical error (72 as opposed to 52) in one source, and then repeated in other sources.

Narrative Information

Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels 1871: “….On the night of the 20th of October, 1870, the steamship Varuna, while on her passage from New York to Galveston, Texas, foundered at sea, when about east by north from Jupiter Inlet, Florida, and about 35 miles distant from land; by which disaster fifty-two persons lost their lives, viz: thirty-six passengers, and all of the officers and crew, with the exception of the second mate and four sailors. The calamity was occasioned by a severe hurricane, and a sudden change of wind from south by east to west, causing the lee sea to stave in the engine-room and fire-room hatches. She was a first-class wooden propeller, only one year old, of 670 tons burden; and the vessel, engines, and boilers were all in excellent condition, and she was thoroughly equipped with all the necessary apparatus, &c., when she left this port. The estimated value of vessel was $85,000, and cargo $300,000 – making loss of $385,000.” (Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels, January, 1871. Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels. 1871, p. 45.)

DuBois: In the DuBois account, quoting from U.S. Steamboat Inspector’s Annual Report, the following is found after the end of the paragraph in the Board of Supervising Inspectors report we quote from: “The vessel was 200 overall length, 27 x 17. It was build by Mr. Chas. H. Mallory at Mystic, Conn., launched June 23, 1869.”

Singer: “Varuna – Steamer, 670 tons, 200’ x 27.6’ x 17’, built in 1869 by Charles Mallory, Mystic, Conn., Captain Joseph T. Sencer, from New York bound for Galveston. Foundered at sea during a hurricane, the night of Oct. 20, 1870, approximately 35 miles east by north of Jupiter Inlet. Loss of 52 lives, 36 of which were passengers. Only the second mate and four seamen survived….” (Singer 1998, p. 145.)

Newspapers

Oct 30: “…Galveston, Texas, Oct 30….Great fears are entertained here of the loss of the steamship Varuna, from New York, now seven days overdue. When last heard from the missing steamer was off Key West on the 19th inst. She has a number of prominent Texans on board.” (Evening Courier and Republic, Buffalo, NY. “From the South….A Missing Steamer.” 10-31-1870, p. 3.)

Nov 2: “New York, Nov. 2….Grave fears are entertained that the steamship Varuna, belonging to Messrs. C. H. Mallory & Co.’s line, hence to Galveston, has been lost with all on board. This vessel left New York on her regular trip for that port, on Saturday, Oct. 15th, and had no accident of a disastrous nature happened to her she would have been at Galveston over a week ago. The latest intelligence received by her owners of her whereabouts, is that contained in the meagre report from New Orleans. The steamship DeSoto, which advises that on the evening of the 19th, when off Jupiter inlet, Florida, the missing steamship was seen by them, but since which time she has not been heard from. The gravest apprehension is felt by those who have relations on board. Arrivals of steamships from New Orleans, for the past few days, report that the Florida coast is covered with portions of wrecks, and parts of once valuable cargoes, but little information is given to point to their recognition. Too many of the vessels have been caught in and torn to pieces by the terrible hurricanes that ran riot in the Gulf of Mexico during the month just passed.

“The Varuna left this port with thirty-six cabin passengers, many of whom were members of the first families in Texas, being influential persons, who had spent the summer North, and were returning to their homes for the winter. Among them was a member of the British Parliament who was journeying through the States on a tour of observation. The names of these passengers are as follows: [We breakout the following original paragraph into individual lines and alphabetize.]

Chas. Ames,
Mr. Bernard,
Wallace Blake,
J. F. Bleary,
C. Blum,
H. Blum,
J. Blum, [Joseph Blum. (Galveston News, TX. 11-8-1870, p. 3, column 1.)]
I. L. Briggs, [Mr. J. L. Briggs.]
Mr. and Mrs. Burley, [of Lavaca. (Galveston News, TX. 11-9-1870, p. 1, col. 1.)]
A. Cohen, [Alexander Cohn. (Galveston News, TX. 11-8-1870, p. 3, column 1.)]
Alex. Hamilton,
James Hand.
Mr. and Mrs. F. [Frank] Hitchcock,
Mr. Jerkins, [or P.M. Jenkins. (Galveston News, TX. 11-8-1870, p. 3, column 3.)] Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Johnson, [Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Johnson.]
George Leddy,
A. Lewis, [Allen Lewis. (New Orleans Republican. “The Lost on the Varuna.” 11-9-1870, p. 2.)]
Mr. Luivras,
Mrs. Lyons and family, five in all,
Mr. Moulton,
Mr. Oppenheimer,
Mr. Ray,
Jas. Quinn,
Mr. Rownk, [Mr. A. G. Rowand, Mrs. Mary F. Rowand and infant of Rhode Island]
G. Ruttlay, [or Ruttkey (New Orleans Republican. “The Lost on the Varuna.” 11-9-1870, p. 2.)]
S. Southwick, [Stephen Southwick.]
Mrs. Von Hartin, [and three-year-old daughter, Rose.]
Mrs. George W. Zaor,
M. P. of England, [Member of Parliament?; not sure a member of Parliament really died.]

“The officers of the missing vessel were experienced and able men. Capt. Joseph Spencer had always been regarded as one of the most competent masters out of this port. The engineer’s department was well manned by skillful gentlemen, and of Benjamin Austin, chief engineer, his reputation was excellent. The cargo of the Varuna consisted chiefly of dry goods, and was worth, at the lowest estimate, $400.000.” (New Albany Daily Ledger, IN. “Fears of the Loss of the Steamer Varuna with all on Board – Names of the Passengers.” 11-2-1970, p. 3.)

Nov 3: “Lake City, Fa., Nov. 3. The steamer Varuna, Capt. Joseph Spencer, which sailed from New York Oct. 15, for Galveston, Texas, foundered on the night of the 25th, off Jupiter Inlet, Florida. All on board except the second mate and four men were lost.” (Wisconsin State Journal, Madison. “Foundered.” 11-4-1870, p. 1.)

Nov 4: “Galveston, November 4. – Galveston to-day was draped in mourning in respect to the citizens who were lost with the steamship Varuna. Business was suspended, flags were at half-mast, and bells tolling throughout the city.” (Cincinnati Commercial. “Galveston Draped in Mourning.” 11-5-1870, p. 10.)

Nov 5: “Savannah, Nov. 5, 1870. On the 20th of October, at ten P.M., the steamship Varuna foundered in the Gulf Stream, thirty miles from Jupiter Inlet, on the Florida coast, during one of the most terrible hurricanes witnessed in that latitude. The steamer was thrown on her beam ends and went down, only allowing time for two lifeboats to put off. One of these, containing Captain Spencer, the engineers and firemen, ten in all, was carried down with the vessel, while the other one, containing seven of the crew, was finally beached on Jupiter Inlet, two of the men, Samuel McCormack, fireman, and James Flynn, seaman, losing their lives in the breakers. The remaining five, W. Kirtland, second mate; Wm. Wallace, quartermaster; Thomas Glennon, James Burns and George Watson, seamen, arrived here to-day on the Nick King, from Florida, and left for New York on the Magnolia. Wallace’s account says: —

We left New York on Saturday night at seven o’clock, and had fine weather up to the morning of October 20, when a wind sprung up from the south. At noon there was a moderate gale. As the sun went down it was blowing a perfect hurricane. All went well until eight o’clock, when the wind shifted suddenly to the southwest, when the ship became unmanageable, and, having a list to port, the seam commenced rushing on board on the lee side of the ship, staving in bulwarks and the cabin door. We tried to get her off before the wind and put on all the steam we could, but it was no use. I was at the wheel and we brought her up to the wind again and tried to fix the cabin door, but the sea was rushing on board to such a degree that the men could not work. We then twisted her jib to pay her head off, but it was blown into ribbons, as though it had been snugly furled. By this time the sea had stove in the engine house and was rushing down into the fire and engine room at a rate of many tons per minute and, the ship listing over more, she was fast filling. I lashed the wheel after I felt the engines stop and went aft to get some water – I was very thirsty – and then managed to get on the hurricane deck, when I found the two lee boats were gone from the ship and the men were getting the other boats ready. I was still so thirsty that I came back to the Captain’s room and got a drink there, and opened the weather cabin door to see how the passengers were behaving, but did not see a soul, as they were all in their staterooms, unable to come out on account of the ship’s lying on her beam ends. I then came on the hurricane deck and got into the after boat, with six others then in. It was lying on the deck, waiting for the ship to go down, she then being nearly on her beam ends.

The captain, mate and engineers, ten in all, were in the boat, and in less than five minutes the boats were afloat, but in such a heavy sea as that I was afraid we would get foul of the ship’s rigging. While the vessel was sinking the other boat hailed and asked us if we were all right, and after this the steamer got foul of their boat and took her down with the ship. The boats were Ingersoll’s metallic lifeboats, and I think the captain’s boat got clear and came up again, as a boat bottom up was seen two hours after, but no persons was in it. After the ship’s masthead was out of sight we thought ourselves all right, as the ship was clear of us; but we counted without a host [?], for a heavy sea capsized the boat, but all managed after great exertions to right her and get in again.

The ship went down at two P.M., and at midnight the weather moderated and was still. We bailed the boat out, after remaining in her full of water throughout the night, using for that purpose the rudder and shoes on board, our hats and everything else having been lost. We then went with the sea, which was heavy to the northeast. At ten o’clock we got on the Bahama banks, and so intended to steer south for Abacos. About three o’clock we saw a ship and pulled for her, but darkness setting in we did not catch her. We began to feel pretty thirsty by this time, but still had hopes for the morrow; so we let the boat drift and went to sleep. Next morning the wind was springing up from northeast when we saw a brig at anchor on the banks and pulled for her, but the wind increased so that we could not reach her. We then squared away for the Florida coast, with an oar and a mast and two shirts and a pillowcase for a sail. We made Jupiter lighthouse about eight. At half-past en on the 20th were near the beach, and took down sail and put our shirts on our backs and then prepared to beach her. The first breaker was passed, which did no harm. The next breaker which struck us was a most dreadful one, and swept McCormick and Flinn off the boat. The poor fellows count not reach it again, being so much exhausted. The remaining five clambered into the boat again, and the breakers landed us safe. We slept under the boat that night on the beach and got to the light-house next morning, after being sixty hours without food or water.

“The hardships encountered by the five men were terrible, and tongue fails to express the suffering endured by them while braving the fury of the elements for sixty hours in an open boat, without food or water except a small onion served to moisten parched, aching lips. After being cast on the beach by the breakers in view of the lighthouse at Jupiter inly only the second mate and a seaman were strong enough to feebly drag themselves to the building for assistance. The rest lay exhausted, until the keeper sent a boat to take them away. The party remained at the lighthouse until Tuesday, when they were carried up to Indian river and landed at Sands’ Point. From Sands’ Point the party was kindly sent on by mail by the agent to Enterprise, and then transported to Jacksonville. Here their condition is generously looked after by the Collector of Customs. After leaving Jacksonville the party landed at Savannah yesterday.

“The passengers, thirty-six in number, without doubt, all perished in their state rooms. When the steamer suddenly lurched over on her beam ends the water poured into the cabin, where they were securely fastened to die a horrible death without even battling for existence.

“It would have been madness, the survivors state, to have attempted to rescue them, as the cabin was a trap into which it was certain death to venture. Horrible as the thought is, nothing could be done by the officers and crew but same themselves. A feeling of apprehension and uneasiness seems to have existed among the passengers, according to the statement of the survivors; for one or two days previous to the disaster, while during the tumult of the hurricane, when it was at its fiercest, their demeanor was the extreme of fear and terror, and many were painfully apprehensive of their coming fate.

“This is one of the most terrible disasters that has occurred on the Atlantic coast since the loss of the Evening Star, though the fury of the hurricane in this instance is said never to have been surpassed by any ever witnessed in this latitude of the Gulf Stream. Captain Spencer was injured while standing on the deck just before the steamer went down.” (New York Herald. “Perils of the Deep. The Wreck of the Steamer Varuna. Forty-Eight Lives Lost.” 11-6-1870, p. 3.)

Sources

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

Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels, Held at Washington, D.C., January, 1871. Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1871. Accessed 8-25-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=sLhTAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Cincinnati Commercial. “Galveston Draped in Mourning.” 11-5-1870, p. 10. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-nov-05-1870-p-10/

DuBois, Bessie Wilson. Shipwrecks in the Vicinity of Jupiter Inlet. Self-published, 1975. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A20528#page/2/mode/2up

Evening Courier and Republic, Buffalo, NY. “From the South….A Missing Steamer.” 10-31-1870, p. 3. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/buffalo-evening-courier-and-republic-oct-31-1870-p-3/

Galveston News, TX. 11-8-1870, p. 3, column 3. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-nov-08-1870-p-3/

Galveston News, TX. 11-9-1870, p. 1, column. 1. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-nov-09-1870-p-1/

McCarthy, Kevin M. Thirty Florida Shipwrecks. Rowman & Littlefield, 2016. Google preview accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=N5ZxDwAAQBAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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 Albany Daily Ledger, IN. “Fears of the Loss of the Steamer Varuna with all on Board – Names of the Passengers.” 11-2-1970, p. 3. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-albany-daily-ledger-nov-02-1870-p-3/

New Orleans Republican. “The Lost on the Varuna.” 11-9-1870, p. 2. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-orleans-republican-nov-09-1870-p-2/

New York Herald. “Perils of the Deep. The Wreck of the Steamer Varuna. Forty-Eight Lives Lost.” 11-6-1870, p. 3. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-herald-nov-06-1870-p-3/

Rappaport, Edward N. and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994 (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). Coral Gables, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1995, 42 pages. Accessed 8-20-2017 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-NHC-1995-47.pdf

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

Singer, Steven D. Shipwrecks of Florida: A Comprehensive Listing (2nd Ed.). Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press, Inc., 1998. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=6j6kjZQReqkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false

United States Congress, House of Representatives. Hearings Before the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, United States Congress (74th Congress, 1st Session). “Safety of Life and Property at Sea.” Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1935. Accessed 8-9-2020 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Safety_of_Life_and_Property_at_Sea/l9xH_9sUuVAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=belle%20zane

Wisconsin State Journal, Madison. “Foundered.” 11-4-1870, p. 1. Accessed 8-26-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-wisconsin-state-journal-nov-04-1870-p-1/