1886 — Feb 26, snowstorm, steamer Idlewild strands, lifeboat lost, off Stamford, CT — 8-11

–8-11 Blanchard estimated death-toll range.*

–7-11 Daily Evening News, Lincoln, NE. “The Cruel Waves.” 3-2-1886, p. 2, col. 4.*
— 11 Statement of Mr. Fred Somers of Bridgeport, passenger on the Idlewild.
— 10 Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats (U.S.). Annual Report…1886. 1887, p. 11.
–3 crew
–7 passengers.
— 9 Boston Daily Globe. “Swallowed By The Sea.” 3-1-1886, p. 4, col. 7.
— 9 Statement of Mrs. L. H. Norton, passenger, that she counted nine persons in the boat.
— 8 Evening Gazette, Monmouth, IL. “Found the Life Boat Bottom Up.” 3-3-1886, p. 2, col. 1.
— >8 Wheeling Register, WV. “Lost At Sea.” 3-2-1886, p. 1.
— 7 Philadelphia Inquirer. “The Wrecked Steamer.” 3-1-1886, p. 1, col. 6.

* Blanchard estimated death-toll range. Unfortunately, it does not appear to us that, absent a listing of all the lost, there is a definitive estimate of fatalities. The Idlewild kept no register of passengers, and thus there would be no way to definitely know the names of the passengers who boarded the missing lifeboat unless someone onboard knew them, or someone onshore were to report that they knew of someone who boarded the Idlewild, but had not been seen since. The notation of three missing crewmembers is more substantial in that we have three names, the Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats reported three missing crewmen, and the Idlewild crew would presumably know how many crew were aboard.

While we believe that the best single number (10) and source is the Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats annual report for the year, nonetheless, we choose to adopt a range of deaths given competing eyewitness reports of eight, nine, or eleven men boarding the missing lifeboat.

*Daily Evening News report out of New York: While the first sentence of this article notes that there was no longer any doubt that the boat containing eleven of the passengers and crew was lost, the article ends with the note that “The reports variously place the number of passengers in this boat at from seven to eleven, all men.”

Narrative Information

Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats (U.S.): “February 26, 1886. – The steamer Idlewild, while on her passage from New York to Bridgeport, Conn., on the night of February 25, stranded on the rocks known as Wescott [Westcott? ] Rocks, near Stamford, Conn., during a thick snow storm; about fifteen minutes after striking the port life-boat left with ten occupants, contrary to orders, as was claimed by her officers, all of whom are supposed to have been lost, namely, three of the crew and seven passengers.” (Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats. Annual Report…Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats…Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1886, p. 11.)

Newspapers

Feb 27: “The Wrecked Steamer. Fears That One Boat Was Lost With all on Board.

“Bridgeport, Conn., Feb. 27. – The passengers of the steamer Idlewild, which went ashore off Stamford, Conn., in the gale on Thursday night [Feb 25] arrived here this morning and proceeded to their respective destinations. They said that the steamer had begun to break up at the stem, and that she would probably prove a total loss. Soon after the boat grounded the life boats were launched, and into them all the women on the steamer were placed. The attempt to reach shore was unsuccessful, and the boats returned to the steamer. One boat, containing seven men, cut loose from the steamer during the excitement and drifted away. There was no oars in the boat, and it is thought it drifted our into the sound and was swamped and the occupants drowned. Among those on the boat were Ernest Judson, assistant clerk of the steamer, and Judson Abbott, a fish dealer of this city. The others were passengers, but their names are not known.” (Philadelphia Inquirer. “The Wrecked Steamer.” 3-1-1886, p. 1, col. 6.)

Feb 28: “Swallowed By The Sea. A Boat’s Crew from the Idlewild Missing. They Numbered Nine Persons, and They Are Given Up for Lost. Last Seen Going Towards the Long Island Shore.”

“New Haven, February 28. – Thursday afternoon the steamer Idlewild of the Bridgeport line left New York for Bridgeport with a cargo valued at $50,000 and with twenty-five passengers. Her trip to Fort Schuyler was exceedingly rough, and when the Sound [Long Island] was entered the waves ran so high that she was obliged to put into Cold Spring harbor, L.I. [Long Island, NY] At 2 Friday a.m. she again put to sea. Heavy fog also settled down so that the pilot lost his bearings and ran the vessel on Smith’s ledge, opposite Stamford. The force of the blow cut a ragged hole five feet in diameter in the vessel’s hull, and her hold speedily filled. Several vain attempts were made to launch boats, but after short trips the occupants of the boats concluded to return. The life boat was finally launched, containing nine persons, and has not since been heard of. The occupants of the boat have undoubtedly perished from exposure or the wrecking of their boat on the rocks near Smith’s ledge. They may have been rescued by passing vessels, but have not as yet been heard from. The occupants of the boat were: Henry Long, a retired merchant; Ernest Judson, baggage-master of the Idlewild; Judson Abbot, fishmonger; John Riordon, deck hand of the Idlewild, and five others.

“One of the passengers of the Idlewild says that Captain Clark tried to persuade the parties who went on the raft from doing so, but they would not listen to him. The raft, on being cut away from the steamer, swung around the bow toward the sound. At this time the wind was blowing from the shore towards Huntington, L.I. and it is possible that the raft might have been safely landed with its occupants on some out-of-the-way point of that coast. There were only two oars on the raft, and one of these was broken shortly after the raft was cut away from the steamer.” (Boston Daily Globe. “Swallowed By The Sea.” 3-1-1886, p. 4, col. 7.)

March 1: “The Cruel Waves. A Number of Passengers and Crew of the Steamer Idlewild Lost Trying to Reach Shore….All Thought To Have Been Lost.”

“New York, March 1. – There is no longer any doubt that the boat containing eleven of the passengers and crew of the steamer Idlewild, which went on the rocks off Stamford on Friday morning, has gone to the bottom of the sound. After the Idlewild struck and the people on her had been got into the life-boats they were warned by Captain Clark that they were not to leave the vessel’s side until ordered to do so. One of the boats heeded this warning, but the other did not. When Van Wart and the mate went to look after the second boat they found that it was gone. The sound of voices in the darkness showed that the boat was not far off, and Captain Van Wart called out to the men in it to return to the steamer. A confused answer came back from the boat. The words could not be distinguished above the roar and shrieking of the gale. The sounds became more and more indistinct, and presently were lost altogether. The reports variously place the number of passengers in this boat at from seven to eleven, all men. Nothing has been seen or heard of this boat or its load of passengers since it left the vessel’s side. The sound at this point is ten miles wide. There is no doubt that every one in the boat has perished.” (Daily Evening News, Lincoln, NE. “The Cruel Waves.” 3-2-1886, p. 2, col. 4.)

March 2: “Lost At Sea. What is the Fate of the Missing Boats Crew. Probability That They Perished In the Terrible Storm on the Atlantic – Statements of the Rescued Passengers.”

“Bridgeport, Conn., March 1. – Nothing else has been talked about here except the probable fate of the missing boat of the steamboat Idlewild, which went adrift early Friday morning and was driven into the angry waters of the Middle Sound, while the steamboat herself was hard and fast upon the rocks off Shippan Point. From latest developments it is certain that the boat carried eight men and one of the rescued passengers, Mrs. L. H. Norton, stated very positively yesterday that as the boat swept out into the darkness, she counted nine persons in the boat.

“Clerk Anning J. Smith is sure there were only eight men in the boat, and takes a somewhat different view of the disaster. He think that, with the wind blowing as it did, the boat drifted very fast to leeward, and if driven across the Sound, would have been carried by the quartering blasts to the vicinity of Oldfield Light, and think, if the boat is ever discovered, it will be somewhere near that point. Like Captain Clark, and, in fact, all the boatmen and fishermen, he is forced to the conclusion that the missing men all succumbed to the cold and exposure during the bitter weather of Friday morning, unless they were picked up by some outbound vessel.

“The steamboat has sent orders all along the shore to keep watch for the boat or bodies, and has chartered the little steamer Nonowantuc, which plies between this city and Port Jefferson, Long Island, to cruise along the Long Island shore and seek for traces of the missing men. From reports received here last night it is evident that if the boat did reach Long Island shore, and the men were alive, they would have had but little difficulty in landing, as the shore ice had been driven off and the beach all along the shore was clear.

“Much indignation is expressed here because the Idlewild carried no register. Had there been one kept the identity of all the missing men would have been easily determined.

Partial List of the Missing Men.

“The names of six of the men in the boat are as follows:

Henry Long, an old resident of Bridgeport.
Judson Abbot, of Bridgeport.
Edward Judson, the assistant clerk of the boat.
Frederick Warner, of Jersey City, the fireman.
John Riordan, a deck hand.
Ernest Ladd, a resident of East Bridgeport.

A Passenger’s Statement.

“Mr. Fred Somers, of this city, was a passenger on the Idlewild. He says: ‘We left New York at six minutes past three Thursday afternoon. We reached Cold Spring at half past five and remained
there till two o’clock Friday morning, when we started for Bridgeport. Heaving in sight of Eaton’s Neck light the wind hauled from northeast to northwest, increasing to a gale and accompanied by blinding snow, which rendered it impossible to maintain their vessel’s course. She was accordingly put in the nose of the wind, and crossing the sound at about three o’clock, we struck and ran high and dry on a ledge of rocks below Coves Mills, off Shippan Point, and about two miles from Stamford. The engines were reversed and an effort made to free the craft, but she did not respond and the engines were stopped. I saw two lights near each other and one man said he thought they were in the Stamford Mills. Another light on our port side, very indistinct, was believed to be the Stamford Light. Every object on deck was covered with ice, and it was difficult to lower a boat.’

“Mr. Somers described the embarking of eleven men on the life raft and the efforts made to prevail on them to remain on the steamer, and believes they are all lost.

“Mr. Somers said that the passengers found some fresh meat aboard, from which they cut steaks and broiled them on the cabin stoves. The ladies were made comfortable in the cabin chairs and sofas, while the men shifted as best they could. Ineffectual efforts were made to reach the shore Friday night, but on Saturday morning their efforts were more successful. The passengers and crew landed on an island, from which they reached the mainland. Many had their ears frost-bitten.

No Tidings Up To Noon.

“Nothing has been heard from the Idlewild’s missing boat and occupants up to noon to-day, and it is generally believed that the men have been drowned. Agent Bartram has telegraphed to all points on both shores of the Sound, ordering a strict search for the missing people.” (Wheeling Register, WV. “Lost At Sea.” 3-2-1886, p. 1.)

March 3: “Found the Life Boat Bottom Up.”

“New York, March 3. – The life boat of the wrecked Bridgeport steamer Idlewild has been found floating bottom up near Port Jefferson, L.I. No trace of the eight missing men was found.” (Evening Gazette, Monmouth, IL. “Found the Life Boat Bottom Up.” 3-3-1886, p. 2, col. 1.)

Identified men boarding missing Idlewild life-boat

Crew
1. Judson, Ernest Assistant Clerk and or baggage-master
2. Riordan, John Deckhand
3. Warner, Frederick Fireman, of Jersey City

Passengers
1. Abbott, Judson Bridgeport fish dealer
2. Ladd, Ernest East Bridgeport resident
3. Long, Henry Bridgeport retired merchant

Sources

Boston Daily Globe. “Swallowed By The Sea.” 3-1-1886, p. 4, col. 7. Accessed 1-27-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-daily-globe-mar-01-1886-p-4/

Daily Evening News, Lincoln, NE. “The Cruel Waves.” 3-2-1886, p. 2, col. 4. Accessed 1-27-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lincoln-daily-news-mar-02-1886-p-2/

Evening Gazette, Monmouth, IL. “Found the Life Boat Bottom Up.” 3-3-1886, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 3-3-1886: https://newspaperarchive.com/monmouth-evening-gazette-mar-03-1886-p-2/

Philadelphia Inquirer. “The Wrecked Steamer. Fears that…Boat…Lost.” 3-1-1886, p. 1, col. 6. Accessed 1-27-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-inquirer-mar-01-1886-p-1/

Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector-General of Steamboats (U.S.) to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1886 (Treasury Department Document No. 900, Steamboat Inspection, dated 10-18-1886). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1886. Accessed 1-27-2021 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu09189980&view=1up&seq=169&q1=vernon

Wheeling Register, WV. “Lost At Sea.” 3-2-1886, p. 1. Accessed 1-28-2021 at: https://virginiachronicle.com/cgi-bin/virginia?a=d&d=WR18860302.1.1&e=——-en-20–1–txt-txIN——–