1850 — Mar 23, steamer Troy boiler explosion, Niagara River ~Lake Erie, Buffalo NY–18-22

–18-22 Blanchard estimated death-toll.*

— 29 Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2004, p. 105.
— 22 Case Western Reserve Univ. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. “Maritime Disasters.”
— 22 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (March 2009).
— 22 Mansfield, John Brandts. History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). 1899, pp. 660, 894.
— 22 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 681.
— 22 Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (2nd Ed.), 1969, p. 194.
— 22 Swayze, David D. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks…Great Lakes. 1992, p. 234.
–18-19 Daily Sanduskian, OH. “Further Particulars from the Steamer Troy.” 3-25-1850, p2, c5.
— 7 named fatalities
— 1 named missing
— ~3 “several” unknown/unnamed drowned (we convert “several” into “about three.”)
— 1 named “fatally scalded.” (six others noted as scalded or “badly scalded.”)
— 3 unnamed cabin boys “killed.”
–3-4 unnamed men working as deckhands to pay for their passage. “killed.”
— 15 Lloyd. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory. 1856, p. 292.
— 14 McNeil. “Troy (Steamboat), burst boiler, 25 Mar 1850.” Maritime History…Great Lakes.
— 12 Brooklyn Daily Eagle, NY. “Explosion of the Troy…Loss of Life.” 3-27-1850, p. 3, c.3.
–7 passengers
–5 crew

* Blanchard estimated death-toll. We employed a word search in a newspaper archive with a result of dozens of papers noting this loss starting with coverage shortly after the explosion and running through the end of the year. We cite and use some of these which are not repetitive or provide new detail. The highest death-toll we see in any of these dozens of papers is the 18-19 we cite in the Daily Sanduskian of March 25, 1850.

We have no idea how the number of twenty-two fatalities came about. The oldest source we have located is Mansfield in his 1899 book. It is not unusual for such a source to be picked up and repeated time after time in other published works down the years. While we are skeptical of the reporting of twenty-two deaths, it is possible that several of the injured people onboard reported as badly scalded died later, though we have not found notices of such deaths.

Thus, for the low-end of our estimated fatality range we choose to use the low end (18) of the 18-19 deaths reported by the Daily Sanduskian of March 25, 1850. And, for the high-end of our estimated death toll range, we will use the number of 22 deaths reported by the six sources noted above. We are not comfortable including in our range the estimate of 29 deaths reported by Thompson. His treatment of this loss is within a caption of a drawing of the Troy exploding. There is no source citation, and from numerous accounts we have followed in the press of the time, the Troy did not immediately sink, which brings into question his statement that many died when the “mortally wounded ship quickly plunged to the bottom.”

Narrative Information

Case Western Reserve University: “The year 1850 proved to be particularly horrendous. On 23 Mar., off Cleveland, and 18 Apr., off Vermilion, the boilers of the Troy and the Anthony Wayne burst, killing 22 and 40.” (CWRU. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. “Maritime Disasters.”)

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News: “On 23 March 1850, TROY (wooden side-wheel passenger/package freighter, 182 foot, 546 tons, built in 1845, at Maumee, Ohio) exploded and burned at Black Rock, New York. Up to 22 lives were lost. She was recovered and rebuilt the next year and lasted until 1860.” (Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. “Today in Great Lakes History – March 23.” Report News (March 2009).)

Lloyd: “Troy. – The steamer Troy exploded on Lake Erie, at the mouth of Niagara river, March 19th, 1850. Fifteen persons were killed. The only names given are, John Buckley, Thomas Gant, William Allen, William Worthington, Nicholas Leland and Peter Leland.”

Mansfield: “1850….Many Lives Lost on the Troy. – The steamer Troy, commanded by Capt. Thomas Wilkins, exploded her boiler on her way to Black Rock and opposite Bird island pier, near that place, on March 23. A number were killed outright, with others jumped overboard and were drowned, besides several who died from injuries. Twenty-two perished.” (Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899, p. 660.)

Ratigan: “The season of navigation on Lake Erie for the year 1850 opened at Cleveland on March 2. On March 23 the steamer Troy, en route to Black Rock near Buffalo, exploded her boiler. A number were killed outright, others jumped overboard and were drowned, several died of injuries. A total of twenty-two perished.” (Ratigan 1969 (2nd ed.), p. 194.)

Swayze: “Troy. Passenger and package freight steamer of 546 t. [tons] and 182 ft., launched in 1845 at Buffalo. Lake Erie: Black Rock, near the eastern end of the lake was the site of the demise of this steamer on March 23, 1850. On that date she was carrying a cargo of general freight and a number of passengers when her boiler exploded, catching the vessel afire. Most sources say 22 persons died in the blaze. The vessel was later recovered.” (Swayze, David D. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 234.)

Thompson: “…the boilers on the steamer…exploded near Buffalo. Twenty-nine aboard the Troy were either killed by the explosion or died when the mortally wounded ship quickly plunged to the bottom.” (Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2004, p. 105.)

Newspapers

March 23: “Buffalo, March 23. The steamer Troy blew up while entering the mouth of the river, on her way to Black Rock, about two or three o’clock to-day. She was opposite Black Rock at Bird Island. Several persons are supposed to be killed. Her smoke pipes were blown off and one was otherwise badly damaged. She is now moored at Black Rock…

Later.

“The clerk of the steamer Troy says there are certainly 6 or 10 killed and many burned.

Further Particulars.

“Dr. Lewis has kindly furnished us with the following list of persons injured and killed by the explosion of the Steamer Troy:

Nicholas Zand, a small boy, was killed instantly.

“The following is a list of those so badly injured that they cannot recover:

L. L. Post, engineer.
John Buckly.
Lyman Harris, colored, very doubtful.
William Worthington, Kirtland, O., slightly injured.
Thomas Evans, seaman, Toledo.
Nelson Converse, Maumee.
Eli Freeling, Manhattan, O.
Patrick O’Haran, Maumee.
T. B. Bailey, Genesee Valley.
Several small children badly scalded.”

(Daily Sanduskian, OH. “Steamer Troy Blown up!” 3-23-1850, p. 2, col. 2.)

March 24: “An extra from the office of the Daily Republic, at Buffalo, dated on Sunday [24th], at 3 o’clock, gives full particulars of a dreadful accident in Buffalo. It says:

“The steamer Troy, from Sandusky and other ports on Lake Erie, attempted, at half-past two o’clock this afternoon, to put into our harbor, but being obliged to desist by the strength of the ice, steered for Black Rock, to land her passengers.

“When just entering Niagara River off the head of Black Rock pier, her boiler exploded with a terrible report, which must have been heard for miles, blowing a part of her upper machinery and sundry of her passengers, the most of whom were gathered upon her upper deck, overboard.

“It is not possible to know how many are scalded of the passengers, as all who could help themselves left the boat as soon as she was moored along side the dock. Some came up to the city, and others sought the nearest shelter they could find, where they could get aid and assistance.

“Of the number lost overboard, nothing certain can be ascertained. Gentlemen who witnessed the explosion from the shore say that they saw a number in the water. The deck immediately over the boilers, was filled with passengers, and many must have fallen in the water. Only five, that we can learn, were rescued.

“The whole number of dead as ascertained, is.
Passengers…7
Crew……….5
Total………12

“Some of the names of the dead are Dr. Rial Wright of Syracuse; L. L. Post, first engineer; Andrew Martin; Thomas Gant, fireman; Wm. Warthington, deck hand; J. Buckley, co. [ditto] Three ladies were seen from the shore to drown, names not known.

“The badly scalded were Zuman Harris, Daniel Bouckly, George Leland, Daniel Kennedy, Patrick O’Herinn [unclear], Thomas Evans, Michael Luman.

“There are six at the Rock, lying in houses under the charge of Dr. Stephenson, all of whom are badly scalded, and one or two of them fatally so.

“A German from Syracuse, by the name of Sieland, had three sons with him on board the Troy. – One of them was scalded to death, one killed, and the other is now lying in great pain, having been badly scalded on the face and hands.

“How many others shared the fate of Dr. Wright will never be known, as there is no probability of recovering the bodies, the current being swift and filled with floating ice from the Lake. – The bodies with the ice will find their way over the falls.” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, NY. “Explosion of the Troy – Deplorable Loss of Life.” 3-27-1850, p. 3, col. 3.)

March 25: “The following is a list of the killed and injured.

Killed.

Levi Post, engineer. [died at about 9 o’clock from scalding injuries]
Nicholas Leland. [12 years-old, instantaneous death]
Peter Leland [eight years-old; died hours later from scalding]
William Worthington, Kirtland, O. [passenger from Chicago; died 7:00]
Daniel Buckley. [Irish passenger, scalded face and throat]
Thomas Gant. [fireman from Toledo; scalded face and neck]
Andrew Martin. [fireman from Maumee, scalded face and neck]

Missing.

Rial Wright, of Syracuse, N.Y. [Another article lists the name as Andrew Martin Ryol. ]
Several are drowned – cannot tell how many.

Injured.

Benjamin Bailey, Genesee Valley, badly scalded, but will recover.
Lyman Harris, colored cook, fatally scalded. [Or Reuben Harris; died later.]
Michael Forman, waiter, badly scalded.
Thomas Evans; Toledo, fireman, badly scalded.
Patrick O’Haran [or O’Herron ], Maumee, fireman, scalded.
Daniel Kennedy, deck hand, scalded.
Nelson Converse, Maumee, bar-keeper [on the Troy], scalded.
Three boys in the cabin and 3 or 4 men, whose names are unknown, and who were employed about the deck working their passage, were killed….”

(Daily Sanduskian, OH. “Further Particulars from the Steamer Troy.” 3-25-1850, p. 2, col. 5.)

March 25: “John M. Miller, of Toledo, was on the Troy at the time of her late explosion. In the following letter to the editor of the Buffalo Courier, he gives an account of the catastrophe, as well as of his own wonderful escape from death:

“Black Rock, March 25th.

“That my acquaintance may know all that I know in regard to the late disaster on the Steamer Troy, I state: — I am one of the firm of Miller & Hathaway, forwarding merchants at Toledo, Ohio. I took passage on Thursday last at Toledo, on the steamer Troy, Capt. Wilkins, for Buffalo. There were about 35 passengers after the boat left the port of Erie, that being the last port she made. The steamer was in the current of the Niagara River on Saturday last P.M., and about two miles above the ferry at Upper Black Rock, when her machinery was stopped for a few minutes. I was then standing on the upper deck a little forward of the wheelhouse with four or five others standing within a few feet of me and ten or fifteen others standing on different parts of the same deck, when I heard a loud noise and felt a jar which seemed to me as if the boat had gone on something like rocks and was crushed. I was raised in the air perhaps eight or ten feet or more and pitched head foremost into the current and went down, striking my head either against ice or some other hard substance. I rose and saw a floating door about five or six feet long and two or three feet in width, and saw also the wheel of the steamer approaching me, and fearing the motion and the force of the wheel and desirous of reaching the door, but being no swimmer I kicked and struggled to avoid the danger of the wheel and to obtain the safety of the door which I seized and tried to place under me, but the current carried the door away from my grasp and I sank again and rose a second time, and again seeing the same door which was whirling in the eddy towards me, I seized it and held it from five to ten minutes floating on it, when a large cake of ice struck me and my door and deprived me of it, and I went down again strangling and taking in much water, but rose a third time when I saw the same floating about two feet from me then nearly exhausted. I seized it a third time and so I floated among splinters and masses of ice, frequently struck by the latter, and whirled around several times in the eddy together with the ice. In this way I floated about a mile and a half or two miles, when a yawl boat came to my relief… I saw several other persons floating about me. The steamer also floated past me and when it had floated some distance below, enveloped in steam I saw the pipes and the condition thereof and for the first time I knew that the boiler had exploded…. John W. Miller.” (Fort Wayne Times, IN. “Narrow Escape.” 4-11-1850, p. 3, col. 7.)

March 28: “We learn from the Buffalo Courier the following in relation to…. The cause of the accident…

“The boiler was nearly full of water when it exploded, and the head of steam was not high. The fracture happened in the bottom plate, which is rather thin. It is a boiler said to have been taken from the steamer Fulton, several years since, rather old but said to be perfectly safe….” (Daily Sanduskian, OH. “More of the Troy Explosion.” 3-28-1850, p. 2, col. 1.)

March 30: “On Saturday afternoon last [23rd], out city [Buffalo] was thrown into the greatest consternation by the report of the explosion of the steamer Troy, in the Niagara river, opposite the head of Bird Island Pier, about two miles from this city and the probable loss of ten or twelve lives.

“The Troy was on her first trip this spring from Toledo to this city, and had on board some twenty or twenty-five cabin, and perhaps forty deck passengers from Toledo, Cleveland and Erie. She was sailed by Capt. Thomas Wilkins, a veteran Master on the Lakes. The engineer in charge was Lens L. Post, an experienced engineer who was temporally employed on the Troy while on his way to this city with the majority of the hands on board, to join the steamer Griffith; neither engineer or men belonging to the regular season crew of the Troy.

“The Troy had been in sight of our city several hours, trying to work a passage through the ice to the mouth of the creek; but being unable to do so, was on her way to Black Rock. Immediately before the accident, she had been backing, and Capt. Wilkins had just rung the bell for her to go ahead, when after making one revolution the boiler burst with a tremendous explosion, the report of which was distinctly heard at the distance of several miles. Her main and upper decks were completely demolished, from the wheel house as far forward as the mast, some four feet abaft the pilot house; and many of the passengers and crew in that part of the boat were terribly scalded by the escape of steam or frightfully bruised by the flying fragments of engine and timbers; while several were thrown by the explosion into the cold and swift current of the river, among pieces of the boat and the floating ice. It is impossible as yet to ascertain the number of those thrown overboard. Several were picked up by small boats which were soon at the scene of the disaster, but is morally certain that some must have found a watery grave, though the number is not so great as was at first supposed. From the most reliable information we could get we think that two men were certainly drowned – one a very old man thought by a gentleman who saw him in the water and recognized him, to be about eighty years of age and said to be from Cleveland. Another was seen to sink a short distance from the bow of the steamer Union – no description given.

“The current and the wind brought the steamer to the dock outside Black Rock pier, and as she came alongside she presented a most melancholy spectacle of suffering and confusion. The maimed and scalded uttered the most hear-rendering groans and shrieks of pain and anguish; while scarcely less affecting was the grief of the relatives and friends of the dead and dying. Among the deck passengers were a German family named Seland, from Louisville going to Syracuse, and consisting of father, mother, three boys, and two girls. One of the sons was killed, the others dreadfully scalded, and parents and sisters were almost frantic with sorrow.

“Nicholos Seland aged twelve years was standing at the arches warming himself at the moment of the accident and was instantly killed – his body blown in pieces and crushed by the ruins. George Seland aged about eighteen or twenty, was supposed to have been drowned, but about seven o’clock in the evening he was discovered to be one of those who were most severely scalded in his face, lying nearly insensible at Lyon’s tavern. His life is despaired of. – Peter Seland, eight years old, badly scalded on the face, hands and feet. This little fellow behaved like a perfect stoic, maintaining the utmost composure while in intense pain and surrounded by his grief-stricken friends. Levi L. Post, the Engineer, was a sight most pitiful, scalded as he was from head to feet, lying some part of the time insensible and at other times in most excruciating pain. He was carried to Lyon’s where he had every attention which his case admitted till his death, which took place about nine o’clock. Wm. Worthington, a passenger from Chicago, was carried to Fox’s Canal Boat in the agonies of death and expired at 7 o’clock. Dan Buckley, an Irish passenger, scalded about the face and throat died at Lyon’s about eleven o’clock. Andrew Martin, fireman from Maumee, scalded in the face, and neck, life despaired of. Holmer Hutchinson, of Utica, known to many of our citizens as an engineer upon the canals of this State, was severely scalded upon the right shoulder, and hip, but is doing well and will probably recover. Thomas Gant, Fireman, from Toledo, was badly scalded in the face and neck – Life despaired of. Nelson Converse, Maumee City, kept a saloon on the Steamer is severely scalded about the head and hands – getting well. Wm. Allen, of St. Clair, badly scalded in the face but not thought dangerous. Michael Fernan, 2d Steward, face and hands scalded – Recovering….Reuben Harris, colored cook, terribly scalded in the face and neck – since died….It is said some went to the Poor House but who or how many is unknown….

“….Yesterday (Sunday) a Coroner’s Jury was called to investigate the cause of the accident….

“The following is a list of those ascertained to be killed: Levi Post, Nicholas Seland, Peter Seland, Wm. Worthington, Dan Buckley, Thomas Gant, Andrew Martin. Peter Seland died about 3 o’clock Sunday morning; Andrew Martin Sunday morning; Thos. Gant on Saturday evening, and Dan Buckley on Saturday evening. ….We do not include in the killed the name of Dr. Ryal Wright, of Syracuse, who has not been found. He was probably thrown into the river and drowned. – A persons answering to his description was seen clinging to a cake of ice, and soon after went down. – Buffalo Daily Courier.” (Erie Observer, NY. “Explosion of the Steamer Troy.” 3-30-1850, p. 2, col. 2.)

April 1: “The coroner’s jury on the bodies of those who were killed by the explosion of the steamboat Troy, near Buffalo, have found that the explosion was occasioned by a lack of water in the boilers, owing to the omission of Levi L Post, the deceased engineer, to employ competent and attentive assistants; and that Thomas Wilkins, master, and his officers, are not responsible.” (Boston Post. “Steamboat Explosions.” 4-1-1850, p. 2, col. 1.)

April 1: “We learn from the Buffalo Express, of the 25th, ult., that the steamer Troy burst her boiler the day before, on Lake Erie, killing and wounding about twenty persons.” (Daily Banner, Madison, IN. “Explosion,” 4-1-1850, p. 2, col. 2.)

April 25: “At half-past 2 o’clock P.M., on Saturday week, the steamer Troy, Captain Wilkins, from Sandusky, attempted to enter Buffalo harbor, but ice preventing, steered for Black Rock. When just entering Niagara River, off the head of Black Rock pier, the boiler exploded, with a terrible report, blowing a part of her upper machinery and sundry of her passengers overboard. The whole forward part of the boat above the boiler was made a mass of ruins. There was about forty passengers on board; those in the cabin at the moment were not injured, but none of those above or near the boiler escaped. The wreck floated down to Black Rock pier, and was secured near the ferry landing. Small boats at once went to the succor of passengers blown overboard, some of whom sat upon cakes of ice and floated down the river till they were taken off. Physicians immediately went on board to relieve the sufferers. Among those seriously injured was Holmes Hutchinson, Esq., President of the Syracuse and Oswego Railroad.” (Minnesota Pioneer, Saint Paul, MN. “Dreadful steamboat disaster at Buffalo.” 4-25-1850, p. 2, col. 6.)

Sources

Boston Post. “Steamboat Explosions.” 4-1-1850, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-apr-01-1850-p-2/

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, NY. “Explosion of the Troy – Deplorable Loss of Life.” 3-27-1850, p. 3, col. 3. Accessed 1-20-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brooklyn-daily-eagle-mar-27-1850-p-3/

Case Western Reserve University. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. “Maritime Disasters.” Accessed 7-2-2009 at: http://ech.case.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=MD

Daily Banner, Madison, IN. “Explosion,” 4-1-1850, p. 2, col. 2. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/madison-daily-banner-apr-01-1850-p-2/

Daily Sanduskian, OH. “Further Particulars from the Steamer Troy.” 3-25-1850, p. 2, col. 5. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-daily-sanduskian-mar-25-1850-p-2/

Daily Sanduskian, OH. “More of the Troy Explosion.” 3-28-1850, p. 2, col. 1. Accessed 1-20-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-daily-sanduskian-mar-28-1850-p-2/

Daily Sanduskian, OH. “Steamer Troy Blown up!” 3-23-1850, p. 2, col. 2. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sandusky-daily-sanduskian-mar-23-1850-p-2/

Erie Observer, NY. “Explosion of the Steamer Troy.” 3-30-1850, p. 2, col. 2. Accessed 1-20-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/erie-observer-mar-30-1850-p-2/

Fort Wayne Sentinel, IN. “Dreadful Steamboat Explosion at Buffalo.” 4-6-1850, p. 2, col. 4. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-sentinel-apr-06-1850-p-2/

Fort Wayne Times, IN. “Narrow Escape.” 4-11-1850, p. 3, col. 7. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fort-wayne-times-apr-11-1850-p-3/

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (March 2009). Accessed at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/3-09.htm

Lloyd, James T. Lloyd’s Steamboat Directory and Disasters on the Western Waters. Cincinnati, Ohio: James T. Lloyd & Co., 1856. Digitized by Google. Accessed 1-19-2021 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=JlYqAAAAYAAJ

Mansfield, John Brandts (Ed. and Compiler). History of the Great Lakes (Vol. 1). Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1899. Google digitized. Accessed 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. “Troy (Steamboat), burst boiler, 25 Mar 1850.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/47100/data?n=4

Minnesota Pioneer, Saint Paul, MN. “Dreadful steamboat disaster at Buffalo.” 4-25-1850, p.2, c. 6. Accessed 1-21-2021 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/saint-paul-minnesota-pioneer-apr-25-1850-p-2/

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.

Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (New Revised and Enlarged Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969.

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

Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004.