1883 — May 25, Steamboat Pilot Boiler Explosion, Petaluma River near Lakeville, CA–9-10

— 18 NY Times. “A Steamer Blown Up. Eighteen Persons Killed or Missing.” 5-26-1883, p1, c6.
— 8 dead
–10 missing
— 10 Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “A Terrible Boiler Explosion.” May 26, 1883, p. 2.
— 10 McCarty, L.P. (Ed.). McCarty’s Annual Statistician 1885, Vol. 9. “Chronology,” p. 86.
— 9 Argus-Courier, Petaluma. “Early Steamboat Catastrophes…Rocked River Areas…” 8-17-1955, 2H.
— 9 Sommer. “Petaluma’s Past: The steamboat era of Petaluma Creek.” Argus Courier, 9-7-2018.
— 9 Supervising Inspector-Gen. of Steam-Vessels. An. Rpt.…Year Ended June 30, 1883, p. 12

Narrative Information

McCarty: “Steamboat Pilot blown up near Donahue, Cal., 10 killed, 4 wounded…May 25, 1883.” (p. 86)

Sommer: “….Our river was nearly impossible to navigate in fog or dark, and iron boilers (prior to steel) were known to suddenly blow themselves to smithereens without much warning.

“Several of those tragic events happened here on Petaluma Creek….

“…arguably, the most tragic of these events, for Petaluma, was the explosion of the Steamer Pilot in 1883. The Pilot was steaming full bore downriver, passing the ‘Cloudy Bend’ turn near Donahue Landing, when the boiler exploded, scattering debris … and bodies … as far as 1,000 feet away! The Petaluma Argus described it as a ‘horrible disaster, a sad scene of suffering.’ Five adults and four children were killed that day, and many others scalded by the blast. The children, ages 1 to 18, were all of the William Mather family and William himself had also drowned. He and his four children were buried at the Liberty School cemetery grounds. It was said that Mrs. Mather, who had survived, had gone ‘crazy with grief.’

“One of the other adults killed that day was Jennie Otis McNear, 26-year-old wife of Petaluma industrialist George P. McNear, and the mother of young Clara McNear. Jennie was found unconscious, a mile-and-a-half from the disaster, sitting upright in the tule mud, her arms firmly clutching a large piece of wood. It was presumed she had struggled through the weeds to try to save herself, but collapsed exhausted. Still alive when found, Mrs. McNear died shortly thereafter from a fractured skull….

“The explosion of the Pilot had been heard for miles away and word was quickly sent to Petaluma, requesting that a ‘relief train with physicians and nurses be immediately dispatched to the Lakeville area.’ However, by the time the train arrived, there was little that could be done, although a search was made in all directions through the tule weeds, and more bodies were recovered. It was determined that some of those, who had escaped instant death, had drowned, and in time were eventually found.” (Sommer. “Petaluma’s Past: The steamboat era of Petaluma Creek.” Argus Courier, 9-7-2018.)

Supervising Inspector-General of Steam-Vessels (U.S.): “First District….May 25. – The boilers of the steamer ‘Pilot’ exploded. Eight passengers and one fireman lost their lives.” (P. 12)

Newspaper

May 25: “San Francisco, May 25. — The steamer Pilot blew up this morning near Lakeville. It is estimated that 18 persons were killed. The first news of the disaster was conveyed in a dispatch saying: ‘A heavy report was heard this morning from the steamer Pilot and a large escape of steam was seen. I think she is blown up. It looks as though she sank.’ A second dispatch came stating that there were 20 passengers aboard, and as it was believed that several San Franciscans were among them the excitement throughout the city rapidly quickened in intensity. Notwithstanding every effort was made by telegraph, no details could be obtained until 8 P. M., when a dispatch was received saying: ‘All the forward part of the boat was blown away, and the after part floated 300 yards and then grounded on the west side of the creek.’ Officers of the steamer Donahue reported that when passing Donahue Landing they noticed the Pilot coming down the creek in mid-channel. A few minutes afterward they saw no sign of the incoming steamer. A rumor spread that a terrible disaster had occurred. The chief engineer of the Donahue is reported as having said that he saw the explosion or the cloud of steam and smoke immediately following. The Donahue drew too much water for navigation above her landing levee, and she did not go to the wreck.
A message was sent to Petaluma directing that a relief train with physicians and nurses be immediately dispatched to Lakeville. When the train arrived the surgeons on board found little to do, as of all those known and believed to be on board none but the Captain and two others, one the pilot, could be found. They were discovered in the fields, seriously injured, the Captain the least of the three. Search was made in every direction in the long tule-grass near the bank, and one after another four more were found, all more or less seriously injured, some with an arm or leg broken by the fall. One of these managed to scramble to higher and dryer ground. Had he been more severely injured he would have been drowned by the high tide. The last reports show that eight are killed, seven wounded, and ten missing. Most of the missing are probably dead, but their bodies have not yet been found. The names of the passengers cannot be definitely ascertained, as no names were recorded at the points of departure. It is known, however, that one family of 12 persons was on board bound for Arizona. The officers and crew of the vessel were:

“S. F. Graves, Master; Horace Bell, mate; Charles Farmer, pilot; A. Hawes, steward; N. Silva, cabin-boy; Thomas Crawford, engineer; firemen Gwinn and Shedder; deck-hands Peter McCable, _____ Richmond, John Laman, and an unknown man who shipped yesterday. It is thought that many of the passengers who escaped scalding and mangling were drowned, as the boat sank immediately after the explosion.

“The Pilot was owned by Capt. Gould, formerly master of the of the ship Conqueror. He purchased the vessel a year ago, together with her trade and certain other property, for $9,000. The explosion is attributed to defective boilers. Those who witnessed the explosion from the steamer Donahoe say that it was almost funny to see the way the smoke stack went up. It seemed, they say, to leave the vessel in advance of the explosion, and to shoot up in the air over 300 yards, coming down again within a few feet of the vessel.

Later dispatches state that Mr. Mathews, late of Sonoma Mountain who was on his way to Arizona, lost four children, and another will die. His wife is crazy. Mr. Hegler, who had just purchased property here, was killed. A most extraordinary incident in connection with the disaster was the finding of Mrs. George P. McNear, a passenger, about a mile and a half from the scene of the explosion. She was standing in the mud, still alive, but unconscious. It is presumed that she struggled through the mud and weeds for that distance in search of relief. She was immediately removed to Lakeville, but died a few minutes after her arrival. She was a niece of G. W. McNear, a grain merchant of this city.

“The Pilot was a stern-wheel steamer. She had been running some years past in opposition to the steamers of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad Company.” (New York Times. “A Steamer Blown Up. Eighteen Persons Killed or Missing.” 5-26-1883, p. 1, col. 6.)

May 26: “San Francisco, Cal., May 26. – A terrible boiler explosion occurred yesterday morning on the river steamboat Pilot, on the trip from Petaluma to this city, by which ten persons were killed and as many more injured. The accident occurred near Lakeville, Sonoma county. The pilot, who was in the wheel house, saw a terrible upheaval forward, followed a few seconds later by a loud explosion. The smoke-stack was hurled to a great distance, the boat careened to starboard, and then drifted toward the bank of the river, within a short distance of which she sank. The accident was seen from Donahue’s Landing, and small boats were at once dispatched to the scene with surgeons lint and bandages. Low fares on this line had led to extensive patronage, and it is estimated that at least thirty persons were on board, although the usual number is not over ten. The scene at the disaster is said to be heartrending, as several fainted with children on board, and the screams of the injured were pitiful to hear. Although the boat was blown to pieces the stern of the boat was uninjured, and those who were not killed were transferred to the shore in small boats and taken on a special engine to Petaluma.” (Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “A Terrible Boiler Explosion.” May 26, 1883, p. 2.)

May 26: “San Francisco, May 26. – The Captain of the steamer Pilot, which blew up near Lakeville yesterday morning says that the explosion was due to want of sufficient water in the boilers. No more bodies have been discovered.” (NYT. “Why The Pilot Blew Up.” 5-27-1883, p. 1, col. 2.)

Sources

Argus-Courier, Petaluma, CA. “Early Steamboat Catastrophes Often Rocked River Areas, Killed Many.” 8-17-1955, 2H. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=12846782&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjI2NDc4NzA3MywiaWF0IjoxNjExNDI1NDc5LCJleHAiOjE2MTE1MTE4Nzl9.ZABRGSfsGRMAAIPUyp_whaSeefpgsPgwkAKqaohGIdw

Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “A Terrible Boiler Explosion” [Steamboat Pilot]. 5-26-1883, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=7636687

McCarty, L.P. (Ed.). McCarty’s Annual Statistician 1885, Vol. 9. “Chronology,” pp. 51-94. San Francisco and New York City, 1885. Digitized by Google. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=DXsZAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

New York Times. “A Steamer Blown Up. Eighteen Persons Killed or Missing.” 5-26-1883, p. 1, col. 6. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1883/05/26/issue.html

New York Times. “Why The Pilot Blew Up.” 5-27-1883, p. 1, col. 2. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1883/05/27/issue.html

Sommer, Skip. “Petaluma’s Past: The steamboat era of Petaluma Creek.” Argus Courier, Petaluma, CA. 9-7-2018. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: https://www.petaluma360.com/article/entertainment/petalumas-past-the-steamboat-era-of-petaluma-creek/?sba=AAS

Supervising Inspector-General of Steam-Vessels. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector-General of Steam-Vessels (U.S.) to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1883 (dated 10-9-1883). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1883. Accessed 1-23-2021 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu09189980&view=1up&seq=169&q1=vernon