1847 — Jan 21, stmr. Phoenix boiler explos.; Phoenix & Manchester deaths; Head of Passes, LA–18

–18 New Orleans Weekly Delta. “Loss of the Towboat Phoenix.” 1-25-1847, p. 8.
— 8 Phoenix
–10 Manchester (six passengers killed, four missing).
–18 Times-Picayune, New Orleans. “The Late Dreadful Explosion.” 1-24-1847, p. 2.
— 8 Phoenix
— 2 Manchester (crew)
— 8 Leontine
–18 US Patent Office. Report of the Commissioner…on…steam boiler explosions. 1848, p. 62.
— 8 Phoenix
–10 Manchester (six passengers killed, four missing).
–18 Swiggum, S. and M. Kohli. TheShipsList. “Ships K-Y.” Accessed 2-28-2021.
— 8 Phoenix
— 8 Leontine
— 2 Manchester
–17 The Sun, Baltimore. “Dreadful Steamboat Explosion.” 2-2-1847, p. 1.

Narrative Information

U.S. Patent Commissioner: “The Phoenix burst a boiler on the 21st of January, 1847; she had alongside of her the Leontine and the ship Manchester, and astern the ship Ironsides. On the Manchester six passengers were killed, six wounded, and for missing. Two of the crew of the Leontine were wounded, and the vessel sustained considerable damage by the explosion. The Phoenix getting too near land, had stopper her engine and was about swinging round, when she exploded; the pilot, second engineer, mate, steersman, two deck hands and two firemen were killed. The hear engineer was badly wounded.” (Report of the Commissioner of Patents, to the Senate of the United States, on the subject of steam boiler explosions. 1848, p. 62.)

Newspaper

Jan 24: “The Late Dreadful Explosion.”

“We had hardly time to announce yesterday morning the dreadful accident which occurred on the towboat Phoenix. We now proceed to give further particulars.

“The accident occurred at 7 o’clock the evening of Thursday, the 21st inst., at the head of the Southwest Pass. The Phoenix had in tow at the time the British ships Manchester and Ironsides, and the Bremen bark Leontine. All six of her boilers exploded with a terrific shock.

“The following is a list of the sufferers by this calamity on board the towboat: Mr. James Lathrop, pilot, body not found; Samuel Dill, 2d engineer; James Lancaster, mate; Henry Hawk, steersman; Charles Smith and John Reckarleff, deck hands; Owen Jones and Martin Boyle, firemen. All the above were killed, and the body of Mr. Lathrop only is missing. John Campbell was severely wounded and brought up and placed in the Hospital. Mr. Stephen C. Fisk was slightly wounded. Capt. Crowell, the commander of the boat, was entirely uninjured.

“On board the bark Leontine the destruction was yet greater. The following were killed on the spot or blown overboard: Caspar Unterbrinck, mason; H. H. Koltbecke, sailmaker; Bernhard Lange, shoemaker; Joseph Dallemagne, engineer; Joseph Meyer, blacksmith; C. W. Pottker, joiner; and Ferdinand Schulze and Anton Knack, farmers.

“The following were severely wounded: H.A. Knepper, farmer; Wm. Loren, sailor, of St. Michaels; and Agnes Kollbecke, wife of H. H. Kollbecke, killed. The following were slightly wounded: Anton Stever, weaver; August Ockel, blacksmith; Frederick Holke, brickmaker; J. Subberstedt, joiner, and Joseph Wernkampel, farmer. Capt. Thormann, the master of the Leontine, and two of his crew, were slightly wounded.

“Two of the crew of the ship Manchester were killed.

“These are all the details of loss of life and of personal injuries which we have been able to obtain. The Leontine has come up to town with 126 German emigrants on board. The explosion made a perfect wreck of the Leontine, and the Manchester is much injured. We do not learn that the Ironsides sustained any damage.

“Of the causes of this accident we have not learned a word which is satisfactory. The boat was considered one of the best on the river; her boilers are less than three years old; and Capt. Crowell enjoys the reputation of being a cautious, prudent officer. Surely the welcome of the poor German emigrants to our shores has been most inhospitable. We cannot imagine a position more forlorn than that in which they are now placed.” (Times-Picayune, New Orleans. “The Late Dreadful Explosion.” 1-24-1847, p. 2.)

Jan 25: “Loss of the Towboat Phoenix.”

“The officers of the Galveston, arrived this morning, report that the towboat Phoenix burst her boilers near the head of the Passes, killing and wounding about 25 persons – 7 belonging to the boat; the balance to the barque she had in tow. The foremast of the barque was carried away at the deck, the mainmast at the cross-trees, and all her forward rigging and bulwarks – injuring her hull very much. The ship Manchester, which was also in tow, received some injury. The wounded were dispatched to the city, and will probably arrive this morning. We could not learn the names.
____

“The following is a list of the killed and wounded, by the blowing up of the towboat Phoenix, at about 7 o’clock, P.M., on the 21st inst. –

“Mr. James Lathrop, pilot; Samuel Dill, 2d engineer; James Lancaster, mate, Henry Hawk, steersman; Charles Smith and John Rickardliff, deck hands; Owen Jones and Martin Boyle, firemen – all killed.

“At the time of the accident, the Phoenix had along side the bark Leontine and ship Manchester, and astern the ship Ironsides. On board the Manchester four passengers were killed, eight wounded, and four missing. Two of the wounded have since died. Two of the crew of the Leontine were wounded, and the vessel sustained serious damage by the explosion. The accident occurred at the head of the S.W. Pass. The Phoenix getting too near land, had stopped her engine, and was about swinging around, when the deplorable catastrophe took place. Mr. Fisk, the head engineer, was slightly wounded.” (New Orleans Weekly Delta. “Loss of the Towboat Phoenix.” 1-25-1847, p. 8.)

Sources

New Orleans Weekly Delta. “Loss of the Towboat Phoenix.” 1-25-1847, p. 8. Accessed 2-28-2021 at: https://img6.newspapers.com/clip/68113278/phoenix-disaster/

Swiggum, S. and M. Kohli. TheShipsList. “Ships K-Y.” Accessed 2-28-2021 at: https://www.theshipslist.com/1847/NewOrleansShips1847b.shtml

The Sun, Baltimore. “Dreadful Steamboat Explosion.” 2-2-1847, p. 1. Accessed 2-28-2021 at: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/269105/the-sun-baltimore-md-2-feb-1847-pg-1/

Times-Picayune, New Orleans. “The Late Dreadful Explosion.” 1-24-1847, p. 2. Accessed 2-28-2021 at: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/269113/the-times-picayune/

United States Patent Office. Report of the Commissioner of Patents, to the Senate of the United States, on the subject of steam boiler explosions. (30th Congress, 2d Session Executive Document No. 18). 12-30-1848. Accessed 2-21-2021 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=chpLAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Wikipedia. “Head of Passes.” 9-3-2020 edit. Accessed 2-28-2021 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_Passes