1860 — June 25, Steamer Ben. W. Lewis boiler explosion and fire, MS Riv., Cairo, IL–23-50

— 50 American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1861, p. 411.
— >50 Kenosha Telegraph, WI. “Terrible Steamboat Explosion,” 6-28-1860, p. 2.
–40-50 Osborne. “Scores die when a Mississippi steamboat explodes and burns near Cairo, Illinois.”
— 50 Simonds. The American Date Book. 1902, p. 100.
— 50 Willsey (Compiler) and Lewis (Editor). Harper’s Book of Facts… 1895, p. 945.
— 40 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 235.
— 40 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 684.
— 40 Vincent. Vincent’s Semi-Annual [US] Register….1st of Jan and 1st of July, 1860. P. 578.
— 40 Way. Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…, 1994, p. 37.
— 23 Chappell. “Missouri River Steamboats.” Trans…KS Historical Society, 1905-1906. P299.
— 23 Gould. Fifty Years on the Mississippi; or Gould’s History of River Navigation. 1889, 437.
— 23 Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Saint Louis City and County… (Vol. II). 1883, p. 1108.
— 23 U. S. Treasury Dept. Report…Secretary…Finances…Year Ending June 30, 1860. p.348.

Narrative Information

American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1861: “June 24. — The steamer Ben. W. Lewis, plying between Memphis and St. Louis, bursts her boiler at Cairo. Fifty lives are lost.” (American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1861. “Chronicle of Events for 1860,” p. 411.)

Chappell: “Ben W, Lewis. A splendid lower-river passenger boat….She was driven out of the river by the railroads and…blew up on the lower Mississippi…and killed twenty-three people, among whom were her commander, Captain Nanson, and clerk, Jack Robinson.” (Chappell 1906, 299.)

US Dept. of the Treasury: “On the 25th June the steamer “Ben Lewis” burst her boiler and burned to the water’s edge, near Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio river. Twelve of the passengers and eleven of the crew lost their lives by the explosion or by drowning.” (U.S. Treasury Dept. Report… Secretary… Finances… Year Ending June 30, 1860. 1860, p. 348.)

US Dept. of the Treasury: “By far the most serious accident by explosion of inspected passenger steamers during the past year is that of the explosion of the boiler or boilers (for the boilers having sunk, and not yet been raised, it is not known whether one or more exploded) of the steamer ” Ben Lewis,” about one o’clock on the morning of the 25th of June last, at the mouth of the Ohio river, and but a few moments after leaving the landing at Cairo. The steamer also took fire from the explosion, and was burned to the water’s edge.

“This explosion caused much excitement and indignation, not only by the loss of life directly resulting from the explosion, but from the greatly increased loss of life by the drowning of those who, after the explosion, were compelled by the fire to leap in the river and endeavor to reach the shore.

“At the Cairo landing, which was but a short distance from the exploded steamer, were steamboats having steam up, small boats, and other conveniences for rendering assistance to the injured and saving the lives of those driven into the water; but so little were they availed of, or so great was the delay in proceeding to the rescue, that many of them were drowned, before assistance reached them, who were comparatively uninjured by the explosion. Indeed, in one case of a steamboat just arrived at the landing, and with steam up, relief was positively refused by the captain. The officers and crew, after urging the captain by every consideration that could be presented to start out his steamboat to the aid of the injured and drowning, and his refusal, took possession of the small boats and proceeded to the scene of the explosion, and were successful in saving many lives.

“It is supposed that not more than one-fourth of the total loss of life was the direct result of the explosion; the remainder were driven overboard and drowned.

“The conduct of the captain alluded to has been condemned in the severest terms, as not only the most common dictates of humanity should have led him to render all possible assistance to the sufferers, but he was, in addition, urged and implored by those surrounding him, and by every consideration that should influence a human being, even appealing to his cupidity by offers of compensation, guarantee, &c, to the fullest extent; but all was of no avail. Since the accident, this man has been publicly censured and repudiated by the whole community, and especially by those more immediately connected with steam navigation; so that, as the result, he has been compelled to give up his steamboat and abandon the river.

“The investigation of this explosion has been commenced by the Board of Inspectors at St. Louis, but is not yet completed, as they desire to examine the remains of the boilers before making their report.

“The circumstances attending this disaster, as set forth in the testimony already given, were as follows:

The boat was on her trip from Memphis to St. Louis, and had made a landing at Cairo of fifteen to thirty minutes; they had started out again on her route, (whilst at the landing at Cairo the second engineer, then on watch, blew off a large quantity of water from the boilers,) and as the boat struck the current of the Mississippi river, when passing out of the Ohio, she was careened down very much. As soon as she was fairly headed to the current, she again righted, and the explosion immediately occurred.

It appears further, from the evidence, that the second engineer, then on watch, had been frequently noticed to run with water lower and carry a higher pressure of steam than was done when the chief engineer was on watch; in fact, an engineer, who was a passenger on hoard, had noticed this state of things, and had warned a friend of his (also on board) to be on his guard when the second engineer was on watch.

Without wishing to anticipate the report of the local board engaged in investigating this matter, we may say that, from the evidence already received, there can be but little doubt that the water in the boilers was blown down to so low a point that when the boat struck the current of the Mississippi and careened, a portion of the flues was laid bare, and when the boat again righted, and the water returned over the bare and heated flues, the generation of steam was too rapid to be relieved by the safety valves, and the explosion followed.

By this explosion and the fire resulting therefrom twenty-three persons lost their lives by the explosion and drowning; among the former was the second engineer, on watch, who paid for his temerity the forfeit of his life.”

(US Treasury Dept. Report…Secretary…Finances…Year Ending June 30, 1860. 1860, 358-359.)

Vincent: “Monday, June 25. Explosion and Burning of the Steamer Ben Lewis, and Loss of Forty Lives. – About one o’clock the morning of this day, the steamer Ben Lewis, a Memphis & St. Louis packet, exploded her boilers, and caught fire and burned, on the Mississippi near Cairo, losing, it is supposed, nearly forty of her passengers and crew.

“The circumstances were as follows. The boat had just left Cairo, and was proceeding to St. Louis, when it is supposed she listed at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to such an extent as to empty one boiler for possibly one minute. The Ohio River was very low, and the Mississippi quite high. This emptying of the boiler, it is supposed, caused the explosion. Immediately after this, she caught fire, and in a few minutes was enveloped in flames. Assistance immediately put off from the shore. The Storm coal-boat got up steam but grounded before getting near. The Lake Erie and Sunny Side also got up steam, and proceeded out to the assistance of the unfortunate steamer, with the hope of saving her passengers.

“Yawl-boats also put out from the shore to the rescue of the drowning and burning people; but, horrible to relate, Capt. Andrew Miller, of the steamer Bay City, stern-wheeler, notwithstanding he saw the lurid light of the flames, and knew that numbers were perishing by fire and water, whom it was in his power to save, absolutely refused to render any assistance, although again and again importuned by a father whose wife and children were on board the burning boat, and although guaranteed against any loss that might possibly ensue.

“No sooner had the boiler exploded and the boat caught fire, than the officers, who appear to have acted nobly, set about preparing means for the safety of the passengers. The captain, J. Mason Holmes, appeared to have been killed or blown overboard by the explosion; and the whole duty of saving the passengers then devolved on the two mates, Mr. Coffin and Mr. Samuel H. Reed, who, assisted by a Mr. Thompson, a Mr. Phillips, and others whose names are not known, commenced throwing overboard buckets, planks, stage-boards, and other matters that would float, and placing the ladies on them so that they could support themselves until picked up by the skiffs. Mr. Reed, the second mate, acted with especial gallantry, having saved no less than ten lives, but notwithstanding the exertions made, it is supposed not less than forty lives were lost.

“The following are those known to have perished. Captain Mason Holmes, Mrs. S. H. Williams, Charles Williams, (who acted like a hero in trying to save his mother and sister,) and Nannie and Jimmy Williams, wife and children of Mr. Geo. W. Williams, of Memphis, (Tenn.,) Mr. Dubre, (known as Barnum’s India-Rubber Man,) Mr. Henry Mason, and Mr. Samuel Martin, Mr. Timothy Flanighan, of Dubuque. Also Mr. Harris, second clerk; Frank Devlin, first steward;…., second steward; Arthur Sherer, second engineer; Charles Sheppard, second bar-keeper; Wm. Deeny, mail-agent;….., cabin-boy.

“Five firemen, one of the chambermaids, eight roust-abouts, and one deck-hand, also a man and two children, a deck-sweeper, a child six or eight weeks old, and a river-pilot, passenger on the boat, who was in the pilot-house at the time, were lost. The pilot on watch, Mr. Penny, of Louisville, was saved.

“Several others afterward died from their injuries. Among those injured were Mrs. MacFarland. George MacFarland, her husband, was badly injured in the spine. G. W. Harrison, of Rock Island, two ribs broken; John Butler, of Lexington, Minn., head and side badly hurt; and John Harver, of England, badly bruised.

“The body of Mrs. S. H. Williams was recovered. It was found by two boys in a skiff, floating in the current, clinging to an oar, about two miles below Cairo, and, when taken into the skiff, yet warm and almost throbbing with the lingering sparks of life. The body was taken on board the steamer J. H. Doane, and conveyed to Cairo, where it was received by the almost frantic husband. It was there discovered that the body had been robbed of a considerable amount of jewelry, and one of the fingers had been much lacerated by the fruitless efforts of the murderous pirates to get off a plain gold ring which fitted very closely. Had proper means been taken to recover her when first taken from the water, she would undoubtedly have come to life. But the wretches consigned her to the river again, leaving her to drown….” (Vincent, Francis. Vincent’s Semi-Annual United States Register: A Work in Which the Principal Events of Every Half-Year Occurring in the United States are Recorded, Each Arranged Under the Day Of Its Date. This Volume Contains The Events Transpiring Between The 1st of January and 1st of July, 1860. 1860, pp. 568-579.)

Way: Ben Lewis. Built in 1858. “Exploded her boilers and burned at Cairo, Ill., June 24, 1860. Capt. Nanson, in charge, was killed and his body later recovered at New Madrid by the crew of the Platte Valley. Fire broke out in the ladies’ cabin moments after the blast. Life loss was set at 40 persons. The crew of the Bay City was bitterly censured for not rendering aid.” (Way 1994, 36-37.)
Newspaper

June 28: Kenosha Telegraph: “The Steamer Ben. W. Lewis, a packet plying between Memphis and St. Louis, burst her boiler near Cairo, on Saturday night last, by which event it is reported over 50 lives were lost….

“The Steamer Bay City had just arrived at Cairo as the Ben Lewis left, and of course had plenty of steam up, but the captain utterly refused to go to the assistance of the burning steamer. He would not trust his boat anywhere near the flames. The citizens of Cairo promptly offered to insure her, and a frantic father who had a wife, son, and three daughters on board the burning vessel, offered any price, but the hard-hearted wretch refused to stir. He was, however, soon glad to leave, for he heard significant threats of hanging him to the first post that could be found…

“Some of the passengers of the Ben Lewis, who were picked out of the river after the explosion, took passage on the Bay City for St. Louis, but were put off by the Captain on the Missouri side, because they had no money to pay their passage.” (Kenosha Telegraph. “Terrible Steamboat Explosion,” June 28, 1860.”)

Sources

American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1861. Boston: Crosby, Nichols, Lee and Company. Accessed 8-8-2020 at:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ZpYYAAAAIAAJ?gbpv=1

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

Chappell, Phil E. “Missouri River Steamboats.” Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society, 1905-1906 (Vol. IX). Topeka: State Printing Office, 1906. Accessed at: http://books.google.com/books?id=2dw7AAAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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

Kenosha Telegraph, WI. “Terrible Steamboat Explosion,” June 28, 1860, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=53892479&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=9&currentPage=0&fpo=False

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.

Osborne, John. “Scores die when a Mississippi steamboat explodes and burns near Cairo, Illinois.” House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College. Accessed 8-8-2020 at: http://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/32324

Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Saint Louis City and County, From The Earliest Periods To The Present Day… (Vol. II of Two). Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts & Co., 1883. Google digitized; accessed 8-9-2020 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=lIk6AQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

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

United States Department of the Treasury. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the Finances for the Year Ending June 30, 1860. Washington: Thomas H. Ford, Printer, 1860. (In Executive Documents of the Senate, 36th Congress, 2d Session). Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=wSYSAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Vincent, Francis. Vincent’s Semi-Annual United States Register: A Work in Which the Principal Events of Every Half-Year Occurring in the United States are Recorded, Each Arranged Under the Day Of Its Date. This Volume Contains The Events Transpiring Between The 1st of January and 1st of July, 1860. Philadelphia: Francis Vincent, 1860. Accessed 8-8-2020 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Vincent_s_Semi_annual_United_States_Regi/2vNjAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=lewis

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 Edition). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1994-1999.

Willsey, Joseph H. (Compiler), Charlton T. Lewis (Editor). Harper’s Book of Facts: A Classified History of the World. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1895. Accessed 9-4-2017 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=UcwGAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false