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Editor's note: The following text is from an article printed in the Harpers Weekly magazine issue of August 12, 1871. Thank you to Contributing Scholar Carl Mayer for finding, cataloging and transcribing this article. The language, spelling and grammar of the article reflects the time period when it was written. About half past one Sunday afternoon, July 30, the Staten Island ferry boat Westfield was lying quietly in her slip at the foot of Whitehall Street, New York. Over four hundred souls were on board, lured by the delightful weather from their crowded homes to breathe the pure sea air and enjoy the grass and shade of the uncontaminated country. Everything was in readiness for the start. The captain was at his post, the engineer was on his way to the engine room, men were standing ready to unhook the chains, when suddenly there came a terrible crash, and in an instant the steamer was a wreck. Those who witnessed the disaster say that first there was a dull crunching sound, somewhat like that made by the fall of a large building, followed immediately by the sharp hiss of escaping steam. The main deck was forced upward for a considerable distance; the beams and planks were torn into fragments. Many of them were thrown high into the air, and fell back in a confused mass into the hold. The pilot house, which was directly over the boiler, was hurled into the air to a great height, and falling back upon the hurricane deck was shattered to pieces. The pilot was in the house, and yet, strange to say, aside from a few severe scratches and contusions and a severe shock, escaped unhurt. He could scarcely believe that he was not mortally injured, as he crawled from the ruins and saw the havoc and desolation that had been made. The heavy smoke stack was also blown high in the air and fell into the general wreck. The escaping steam filled the boat, and many were scaled who would have otherwise escaped unhurt. The part of the boiler which gave way was opposite the fire box, and toward the bow of the boat. Such was the force of the explosion that a piece of the upper half of the shell of the boiler, twenty feet in length and weighing two tons, was hurled forward a distance of twenty-five fee, and lodged in the bow. The fracture apparently started at a place where the boiler was patched to cover a defect. A majority of the passengers were collected on the main deck, directly over the boiler. These were blown into the air to the height of thirty or forty feet, falling back into the wreck, or into the water. Happy were those who died instantly! Scores of men, women, and children who escaped the full force of the explosion were immediately enveloped in a scalding cloud of steam. The scene of the boat was harrowing. Groans and loud screams of agony came from the scalded, wounded, and dying. Parents were eagerly seeking their children, children for parents, friends for friends. Many in their panic leaped overboard, some were rescued by boats that surrounded the wreck, while others sank at once and were drowned. The Police and Fire departments called upon for assistance, and at once furnished men and means to convey to the hospitals such sufferers who could be moved. A pitiable sight they presented when brought upon the docks. Many had the skin almost entirely scalded from the face, neck, and breasts. Others had lost portions of their hair, from the scalp literally being parboiled and peeled off. Others were covered with ghastly wounds, and all were begrimed with soot and dust. As fast as possible the sufferers were removed to the hospitals, where the utmost that surgical skill could do was done to relieve them. In spite of every attention, many died after their removal. The number of the victims has not been fully ascertained. It is thought that between forty and fifty were killed outright, and that the list of fatalities may be swelled to a hundred by deaths in the hospital. The cause of the explosion has not been ascertained. Various surmises are afloat in regards to it. Only two months ago, the United States inspector of boilers inspected the Westfield and pronounced it safe. The engineer, a colored man, is said to be capable and trustworthy. He states that just before the explosion took place, he found the water in the boiler all right, and the steam gauge indicating a pressure of twenty-seven pounds. A fragment of the boiler picked upon the dock was pronounced by good judges to be unsound iron. It was taken to police headquarters to be produced before the coroner’s jury, when the questions of cause and responsibility will be fully inquired into. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
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Editor's note: The following articles were originally published in the 1790s in the newspapers listed below. Thanks to volunteer researcher George A. Thompson for finding, cataloging and transcribing this article. The language, spelling and grammar of each article reflects the time period when it was written. Daily Advertiser, October 20, 1795 :Stolen or drifted away last night, from Mr. Ludlow's wharf, near the Fly-market, a small PLEASURE BOAT, built and rigged sloop fashion, about 25 or 30 feet keel, and about 3-4th decked, a mainmast and jib almost new, with the sail-maker's name, Gerardus Smith, on them; her bottom painted white, her sides yellow and black, her stern white with a black edge; she had a small skiff upon her deck, lately painted; built Clinker fashion, with an iron chain fastened to her bow. Whoever will bring her to the owner at No. 143 Front-street, shall be handsomely rewarded, and doubly so, if stolen, and the thief discovered. N. B. It is supposed she has been carried up the East River. Argus, or Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser, September 24, 1795 On Sunday afternoon last, a pleasure boat was overset in a heavy gust of wind, in the East River, near Blackwell's Island, by which unfortunate circumstance four men were drowned. Herald, September 26, 1795 -A serious warning to those who are fond of amusing themselves on the water on Sabbath days. N-Y Gazette & General Advertiser, April 3, 1797 For Sale; Cheap for Cash or short Credit, An excellent SLOOP, two years old, will carry about 2000 bushels of wheat . . . , an exceedingly faithful built vessel, and is remarkable tight and staunch, having been built within a few miles of the city, in a very careful manner, and of seasoned timber. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer, April 4, 1798 Wednesday [April] 4th[, 1798]. This Day a Sloop arrived from Albany in 18 Hours; The first this Spring, and the Weather very cold and rainey. The Travel Journals of Henrietta Marchant Liston, June 18, 1799 On [June 18, 1799] we took our passage in an Albany Sloop & sailed at six in the Evening; our accommodation was extremely good, the weather fine, & we were happy to get free from great Towns during the heats. This voyage is sometimes made in 48 hours, the distance being a hundred & sixty five miles, it is pretty much the same as by Land. A southerly Wind very soon removed from our view the Town of Newyork, & we were much gratified by the appearance of the beautiful Villas ranged along the Hudson, to the distance of seven or eight miles. The opposite (or Jersy side) producing a fine contrast of Wood & Rock mixed with a gloomy grandeur. The vast number of Sloops and Brigs scattered in the River added to the variety, the setting Sun enlivening or saddening the Scene. About nine o'clock at night all was changed, a sudden Gust arose, (I have said that these Storms of Thunder Lightening & rain always cool & refresh the air, indeed, I have observed that when they were frequent there existed no yellow fever.) We remained on Deck viewing the effects of the lightening; its vivid flashes every moment displaying the romantic scene around us, while the roaring of the Thunder was echoed by the Hills & Rocks. Though the Moon was little past the full the night was dark, & at ten we were forced down to the Cabin by a heavy shower of rain. The violence of the storm obliged us to Anchor for the night. Next morning proved fine, but the wind being against us we did not get underway till after breakfast. On rising I found that the Vessel was lying very near the land on the Jersy side; we sent the Boat on shore & got fresh Milk from a Fishermans Hut. We passed Fort Washington &, at the distance of 15 miles, came to the termination of York Island. No wind all day, after the tide left us we were obliged to Anchor & wait till its return again enabled us to set sail. We Anchored opposite to a pretty building, called Phillips Manor; near it a gilded Spire oertopped the Trees, & on the shore was a Mill near to an adjoining Creek, from whence we procured excellent water. We were likewise supplied with strawberries and milk. We sailed slowly through the night with light winds, & at six on Thursday morning found ourselves passing rapidly through the Highlands, being then about forty miles from Newyork. At the entrance to these, the River is about seven miles broad, & one of the first objects that presented itself was Stony point; the Highlands are twenty miles in extent, on both sides of the River, very beautiful, often very majestic objects. Stupendous Rocks & high Hills, wooded to their Summit, all bold & romantic. Here and there the scenery softened by a pretty House & small Garden ground. The Fort of Mongtomery is on the Newyork side, those of Putney & Westpoint on the Jersey side, the last well fortified with a handsome House & Barracks. Westpoint offers one of the most magnificent objects to be conceived. The River, which had gradually been reduced to two miles, seems to press itself into still smaller bounds in order to pass through the Mountain, in a compass not exceeding half a mile. This was the Pass which General Arnold meant to have delivered to General Clinton, & a House about a mile from Westpoint was that in which Arnold & the unfortunate Major Andrée held their meetings. We now approached the termination of the High Lands, & the objects rather encreased in beauty. The River wearing sometimes the appearance of a fine Lake, compleatly surrounded with Hills & Rocks, out of which there seemed to be no passage, when after a sharp, though beautiful winding, the objects changed, the Rocks & lofty wooded Hills & romantic Cliffs sunk from our view, & there appeared an expanse of Water & level Banks, crowded with Houses, & frequently populous Villages. The Rocks being Lime the Inhabitants are almost supported by Limekilns, from which it is transported in Boats to the adjacent Ports. The wind continuing fair we made great way in the afternoon, & anchored at Albany by ten at night. We had passed during the second Day, the small Town near which poor Major Andrée was taken, the very Tree (a Tulip Tree) beneath which he was seized & searched is plainly to be seen. Within fifty miles of Albany, on the Newyork side, the Manor of Livingston is visible, some of the Houses very showy, others are beautifully embosomed in Wood. We landed at Albany to breakfast on friday morning, our passage having lasted two days & three nights. *** The convenient position of Albany renders it a rising place. The Seat of Assembly is now removed to it, & it is, of course, the residence of the Governor of the State. We rode five or six miles up the River, saw on the other side a small Town called Troy, & on this side the beginning of one called Washington [now Watervliet (editor's note). If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
In the early part of this century Kingston Point was the only park in the city. As Columbus Point it had been historically important from very early times. Whether Hendrick Hudson stopped there when in 1609 he sailed up the great river which now bears his name is a moot question, but it certainly became a trading post early in the seventeenth century and tradition has it that the British landed there when they burned Kingston in 1777. Important in Colonial days, it gradually sank into obscurity, to be revived by its purchase in 1893 by the late S.D. Coykendall. In the same year the old horse-drawn cars were replaced by electric trolleys, and in 1896 the Ulster and Delaware Railroad made it a terminal, meeting the Day Boats there and conveying their passengers to their destinations in the Catskills. In 1902 the rival line, the Colonial, was bought by Mr. Coykendall, and, the two lines combined, covered the greater part of the city, making Kingston Point delightfully accessible to the whole population. In a day when the automobile was practically non-existant and comparatively few families had horses and carriages, the only way for the average citizen to get around was on foot or by trolley. On a hot night in summer it was pleasant for the whole family, perhaps with guests, to board one of the "open trolleys," with seats running across the car, breeze down to the Point at an outlay of ten cents per person, round trip, and amuse themselves, according to age and inclination, with what the park had to offer. There was a merry-go-round for the children (the two largest and best horses were named for the Spanish War heroes, Gen. Shafter and Gen. Miles) and various and sundry games. For the lover and his lass, there were canoes for rent in which to paddle idly round the lagoons, or more rashly on the river, and there were secluded seats in the shadowy parts of the wooded area for what was then called "spooning." For adults there were still pictures shown on a screen, the forerunner of the cinema, and there was "Morphy the man who sings to beat the band" and did he sing to beat the band! A large man, clad in white suit and cap, with a nautical air, his vocal effects were fortissimo to the nth degree! There were picnic tables at which to eat lunch or supper, there was Bath Beach where bathing in the river could be enjoyed, and there was the arrival of the Day Boats, north and south bound. The river played an important role in travel to New York and Albany. If time were no object, it was a delightful way to go to town, though for the very young the night boats, the Baldwin and the Romer, were more exciting. To go to bed in Kingston, and wake up in the great metropolis with a whole day to spend before the Mary Powell brought one home was a rare treat in those days. My own recollections of Kingston Point, assisted by the diary which all young girls kept in my time, are especially connected with two dates, 1908 and 1909. On May 29, 1908 the Point was the scene of an impressive ceremony. I was a student at Vassar College then and a number of my classmates were visiting me. We went down to Kingston Point to see the flotilla come in, the escort of the ship bearing Gov. George Clinton's remains from Washington where he died in 1812, while serving as vice-president of the United States, to Kingston, the scene of his inauguration as governor of New York. The unusual sight of the U.S. Navy ships in the river, five destroyers and two sub-marines, the salutes exchanged, the crowds massed there was an interesting experience. The next day, alas, a heavy rain set in and the funeral parade up Broadway to the First Dutch Churchyard where Gov. Clinton's body was interred with pomp and circumstance was marred by the weather. The gloom was considerably lightened for us, however, by the fact that my father's friend Capt. W.H. Webb U.S.N.RET. brought a suitable number of young naval officers to call on us. Among them were acting captains Bingham, Marquart and Daniel and we had a delightful time with these young men. During the weekend, Mrs. Thomas J. Hickey took some of us out to the torpedo boat DeLong. As soon as the officers heard my and my sister's name they looked at us with more attention and brought out from what looked like lockers in the wall of the officers mess-room where they were entertaining us where ship's papers and the log of George W. DeLong who commanded the Jeannette in the ill-fated Arctic expedition in which my father's cousin Lt. Charles Winans Chipp U.S.N. perished, in 1881. In 1909 there occurred the Hudson-Fulton Celebration and again the river was full of ships , including the replicas of the Half Moon and the Clermont which were anchored off the Point. Some of the ships bore men that day who have since become famous. On the Worden was Lt. Harold R. Stark, later chief of operations at the time of Pearl Harbor. On the Dupont was Lt. William F. Halsey, later an admiral and one of the outstanding figures of World War II. In those days before we had bridges across the Hudson I had some other less agreeable experiences at Kingston Point, for while I was at Vassar we had winters of extremely low temperatures. For two different years, the ferry stopped running for long periods and one was obliged to cross the river in a horse-drawn sleigh or on foot, both of which I did no two or three occasions. It was an eerie experience at any time, but in the late winter just before the break-up of the ice it was a nerve-racking one. For many years now Kingston Point has suffered an eclipse, the change from trolleys to busses, the withdrawal of the great river boats, the fact that people now go to the Catskills by car instead of by train, the establishment of parks in other parts of the city has changed the situation. On the other hand, boating, water-skiing and allied sports are at a peak in this country and many more people now enjoy cruising on the lovely river at our doors. With that fact in mind a number of citizens interested in the welfare of Ulster County, have obtained promise of support from the Federal, the State and the city governments with the view of purchasing and maintaining Kingston Point as a park, so perhaps in the future a new and better Kingston Point may rise, like a phoenix, from the ashes of the old one, and our grandchildren may disport themselves, as we did, in that charming old playground, finding delight in the beauty of the Hudson and relaxation in new and more exciting water sports. AuthorDorothy Chipp King's recollections were published in the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman, August 23, 1962. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
Editor's Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article written by George W. Murdock, for the Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman newspaper in the 1930s. Murdock, a veteran marine engineer, wrote a regular column. Articles transcribed by HRMM volunteer Adam Kaplan. The steamboat “General McDonald” is another one of those vessels that were originally built for passenger service and ended its career as a towboat on the Hudson river. The wooden hull of the General McDonald was built at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1851. It measured 222 feet long, breadth of beam 29 feet 7 inches, depth of hold 9 feet, 7 inches, gross tonnage 541, and net tonnage 421. She was powered with a vertical beam engine with a cylinder diameter of 68 inches and an 11 foot stroke. Built for service in southern waters, the “General McDonald” sailed on Chesapeake Bay between Baltimore and Frenchtown as a freight and passenger boat, and in May, 1852, she arrived in Philadelphia from Baltimore to enter into regular service between Philadelphia and Cape May in line with the famous steamboat, “Thomas Powell.” The next four years saw these two steamboats running in line to Cape May; and then they were both brought to New York. Following a brief period in service to the east of New York, the General McDonald” was returned to the metropolitan area. During this period in her life, the steamboat carried two boilers on her guards and she was not known as a vessel capable of any great speed. The month of April 1855 found the “General McDonald” on the market, and she was finally purchased by Jerry Austin of Albany, owner of a fleet of towboats. This marked the end of the “General McDonald” as a passenger carrier, as her new owner converted her into a towboat and placed her in service between New York and Albany, towing in line with the other towboat of the line, the “Austin.” Later, the “General McDonald” was in service with the towboat “Syracuse,” built in 1857, and the “Ohio.” After some years of service in the Austin line, the “General McDonald” was rebuilt and her boilers were removed from her guards and one large boiler was placed in her hold. The removal of the boilers from the guards and the installation of one smokestack, changed the appearance of the steamboat quite a bit. The General McDonald continued in service on this Albany towing route with the rest of the fleet until the fall of 1876 when the Austin line was abandoned. The towboat “Ohio” was broken up at Castleton on the Hudson, the “Syracuse” was purchased by Samuel Schuyler of Albany, and the “General McDonald,” “Austin,” and “Silas O. Pierce” were purchased by Thomas Cornell of Rondout in the winter of 1877. This marked the appearance of the “General McDonald” in local steamboat history as she came to the Rondout creek in 1877 and ended her days of usefulness out of the same port. The former Austin line vessel was placed in regular towing service between Rondout and New York with the rest of the Cornell fleet, hauling scows and barges up and down the Hudson river for many years. During the latter part of the 19th century, the “General McDonald” had new boilers placed in her hold and two smokestacks took the place of the former lone stack- again changing her appearance considerably. For a span of 50 years the “General McDonald” was a familiar figure on the Hudson river, and finally at the turn of the century, she was found to be rather worn out and of no further use. She was sold to J.H. Gregory of Perth Amboy, N.J., and on September 5, 1905, she sailed from Rondout on her last trip down the Hudson- to the graveyard of many a river steamer, Perth Amboy. AuthorGeorge W. Murdock, (b. 1853-d. 1940) was a veteran marine engineer who served on the steamboats "Utica", "Sunnyside", "City of Troy", and "Mary Powell". He also helped dismantle engines in scrapped steamboats in the winter months and later in his career worked as an engineer at the brickyards in Port Ewen. In 1883 he moved to Brooklyn, NY and operated several private yachts. He ended his career working in power houses in the outer boroughs of New York City. His mother Catherine Murdock was the keeper of the Rondout Lighthouse for 50 years. If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
Editor's note: The excerpts are from the newspaper articles listed, Thank you to Contributing Scholar George A. Thompson for finding, cataloging and transcribing these articles. The language, spelling and grammar of the article reflects the time period when it was written. September 10, 1832, Boston Courier (Boston, Massachusetts) The Poughkeepsie Whaling Company have purchased the ship Vermont, 3000 tons burthen, which they will proceed immediately to fit out for a voyage to the Pacific Ocean. November 1, 1832, Newburgh (NY) Telegraph The Whale ship Vermont, owned by the Poughkeepsie Whaling Company, left this place yesterday morning for her voyage. She was saluted by the firing of cannon on her departure. We hope her voyage will be short and prosperous, and her master and crew return in health. — Poughkeepsie Tel. November 10, 1832, Charleston Courier (South Carolina) Whale Ship - The Vermont, a fine ship, and the first fitted out by the Poughkeepsie Whaling Company, took her departure for a three years voyage in the Pacific, under a National Salute from an eminence adjacent to the village of Poughkeepsie, (NY) June 13, 1833, Newburgh (NY) Telegraph The Poughkeepsie Whaling Company have purchased the ship Elbe, and intend to fit her out immediately for the South Atlantic. August 10, 1833, Columbian Register (New Haven, Connecticut) The ship Elbe, owned by the Poughkeepsie Whaling Company, came down from that place on Monday, and will sail in a day or two on a three years cruise in the Pacific. She was provisioned and manned at Poughkeepsie, and we hope the company may be remunerated for their enterprize by a profitable voyage. – N.Y. Gazette Can you feel the sea breeze? Can you see the great tail? This ship has been roaming in search of the whale. And though we've returned to this arm of the sea The smell of the ocean's still clinging to me. Well then, I'm bound for Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm headed for home Well then, I'm bound for Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm headed for home Well hello, Father Hudson, it's good to be home I'm headed up river to seek out my own And with luck by tomorrow my loved ones I'll see Where the reach of the ocean is too far from me Well then, I'm bound for Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm headed for home Well then, I'm bound for Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm headed for home Oh the water is fresh here, the gulls are all crows It's time I gave though to a set of new clothes And it's good to be where I've been wanting to be Where the sight of the ocean is too far to see Well then, I'm here in Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm back in my home Well then, I'm here in Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm back in my home I can sleep in a bed that won't shift 'neath my back And I won't care tomorrow should the clouds turn to black I can walk anywhere that I'm wanting to be To be quit of the ocean is alright with me Well then, I'm here in Poughkeepsie Well then, I'm back in my home Well then, I'm here in Poughkeepsie Well then I'm back in my home All my friends and relations are gathered around Each day I thank God for my feet on the ground But the whales are still sportin' where the waves can run free And the song of the ocean is singing to me Well then, I'll be leaving Poughkeepsie Well then, farewell to my home Well then, I'll be leaving Poughkeepsie Well then, farewell to my home Oh the talk is all turning to bushels and bales But my heart is yearning for the wind in the sails Let the farmer sow here, I can reap from the sea Where the swell of the ocean is pulling at me Well then, I'll be leaving Poughkeepsie Well then, farewell to my home Well then, I'll be leaving Poughkeepsie Well then, farewell to my home credits from Where the Heron Waits, released January 1, 2009 If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
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