1855 – April 20, Steamer Oregon boiler explosion, sinks, Detroit River, ~Belle Isle, MI– 12

— 12 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 258.
— 12 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 228.
— 12 McNeil. “Oregon (Propeller), exploded boiler, 20 Apr 1855.” Maritime History…Great Lakes.
— 12 U.S. Steamboat Inspect. Svc. Report… Supervising Inspectors… Oct 14, 1855. 1856, 439.
–7 passengers
–5 crew
— 10 Mansfield, John Brandts (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, pp. 673-674.
— 10 NYT. “Terrible Accident; Boiler Explos….Oregon; Loss of Ten Lives.” Apr 24, 1855, 8.

Narrative Information

Mansfield: “1855….Wreck of the Oregon. – The most lamentable accident of the season occurred at or near Belle Isle, opposite the upper end of Detroit. The propeller Oregon left Detroit early in April for the St. Clair river, carrying in addition to her own crew the crews of the brig U. M. Standard and schooner Flying Cloud, which vessels wintered above.

“When near the head of Belle Isle, and close to the Canada shore, her boiler exploded, scattering death and destruction all around. The after part of the propeller was blown completely off, and sank almost immediately. Nine men were killed instantly, and several others were badly wounded. Those who were saved clung to the bow of the boat, and were taken off by small boats. The Oregon was in command of Capt. John Steward, who at the time of the explosion, was leaning against the pilot house. He was thrown high in the air, and as he came down fell through the deck, breaking one of his legs. The captain of the brig U. M. Standard was also leaning against the pilot house at the time, and was thrown some distance, but escaped with a sprained ankle. In all there was a loss of ten lives. The propeller was owned by G. W. Jones, and was valued at $8,000, with no insurance on her, and being in such a shattered condition nothing of value was saved. The engine was blown completely out of the boat. The Oregon was built at Cleveland in 1846, and was 346 tons burden.”
(Mansfield, John Brandts (Editor). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, pp. 673-674.)

Swayze: “Oregon. Steamer. Detroit River: The disastrous loss of this steamer came on April 20, 1865 [sic, 1855]. Twelve persons died with the Oregon exploded and sank abeam of Detroit.” (Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 178.)

Supervising Inspectors of Steamboats: “The boiler of the steamer Oregon exploded on Detroit river, just above the city of Detroit, on the 20th April last, causing loss of life to seven of the passengers and five of the crew. An investigation was had into the cause of this disaster; but as both the first and second engineers were killed, no very satisfactory information could be obtained. From such information as could be elicited, the board came to the conclusion that it was caused by a failure of the supply-pumps, and consequent want of water in the boiler.” (Supervising Inspectors of Steamboats, Eighth Supervising District. Report of Supervising Inspectors of Steamboats. St. Louis, Oct 14, 1855. Washington: Secretary of Treasury Report. 1856, p. 439.)

Newspaper

April 24: “From the Detroit Free Press. The propeller Oregon left this city early yesterday morning for the St. Clair River, carrying, in addition to her own crew, the crews of the brig N.M. Standard and schooner Flying Cloud, which vessels wintered above. The total number of persons on board was twenty-five. At about 6 ¾ o’clock, when near the head of Belle Isle, and close to the Canada shore, her boiler exploded with a tremendous noise, scattering death and destruction all around. The after part of the vessel was blown completely off, and sank almost instantaneously. Nine men were killed immediately, and several others were wounded – some quite seriously. Those of the crew saved clung to the bow of the vessel, and were taken off by small boats.

“The Oregon was commanded by Capt. John Stewart, who was leaning against the pilot-house when the explosion occurred. He was hurled high up in the air, and, as he descended, fell through the deck, breaking one of his legs and bruising his body considerably….

“The engine was blown completely out of the boat….The cause of the accident is supposed to have been a defect in the boiler….” (NYT, Apr 24, 1855, 8)

Sources

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

Lytle, William M., compiler, from Official Merchant Marine Documents of the United States and Other Sources; Holdcamper, Forrest H. (Editor, and Introduction by). Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. “The Lytle List.” Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America (Publication No. 6), 1952. Accessed 8-16-2020 at:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015018039084&view=1up&seq=8&size=125

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. Google digitized. Accessed 1-2-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=iHXhAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

McNeil, William R.. “Oregon (Propeller), exploded boiler, 20 Apr 1855.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Accessed 1-2-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/38558/data?n=1

New York Times. “Terrible Accident; Boiler Explosion on the Propeller Oregon; Loss of Ten Lives.” April 24, 1855, p. 8. Accessed 1-2-2021 at: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F04E4DB113CE13BBC4C51DFB266838E649FDE

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Supervising Inspectors of Steamboats (U.S.). Report of Supervising Inspectors of Steamboats (St. Louis, October 14, 1855). In: Treasury Department. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the Finances for the Year Ending June 30, 1855. Washington: Beverly Tucker, 1856. Digitized by Google and accessed 1-2-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=OCYSAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 
–12 Swayze, David D. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 178.