Steam Tow Passage Boats
The expediency and humanity of separating passengers from the danger of steam-boat explosions may now again be urged upon the attention of this community. To become habituated to danger, is not to remove it from the path so many must travel. Time wears upon the steamboats in use, and constantly increases their liability to accident. None now-a-days take passage without a consciousness of hazard. Formerly, the deck was a scene of remarkable cheerfulness – it has become a place of anxiety. The occurrence of the least noise alarms – the awful hissing of the steam from the safety valve, no longer gives assurance of safety, but rather bears testimony to the existence of a tremendous force, which even that precaution cannot always guard against. So many have now been the explosions fatal to not a few, and dangerous to great numbers, that friends part at a steam-boat never without a feeling of the possibility of a catastrophe, from past example, too horrible for description.

Nor has the occurrence of accident been peculiar to our own country and navigation. We know that they have happened at manufactories as well as on board vessels, in various places in England, at Pittsburg and Philadelphia, on the Ohio, the Mississippi the Santee and the Hudson.

The explosion of boilers depends on several causes; and some of them are scarcely known to that class of men to whom the management of the engine is committed. It is a poor consolation to the bereaved, and the scalded, that the testimony of the captain and crew, on oath proves that they have not been careless – that the water, and the steam, was in due order and degree – that a "vacuum in a flue" (if this were possible) might have been the cause, or else some defect of workmanship. The persons employed about a steam-boat may not be aware that the force of steam accumulates in a geometrical ratio to the arithmetical increase of the fire – that the sheets of metal of which the boiler is made, are undergoing an external oxidation from the action of heat, and this with rapidity, if the boiler gets foul within. The same effect takes place on the flues; and a little negligence of the supply, allows the water to leave them uncovered, when they soon become red hot – and if they do not give way at once, their heated surface may, on the sudden accession of the water, generate the steam too fast for the safety-valve to vent: or if the valves of the supply-pump get choaked (sic), or out of order, and the constant entrance of water fails, in a short time the flues, and even the bottom of the boiler, becomes red hot – and some portion of the water and steam within, is probably decomposed into its constituents, oxygen and hydrogen gas, which, igniting, from the heated iron, produces those tremendous effects, which, igniting, from the heated iron, produces those tremendous effects, which have been witnessed in a few instances out of the many less violent, but not less fatal to life, in England – in the ferryboat at Powles Hook, and at Pittsburg: and these were engines of low pressure. Experience has shewn, that no kind of steam-engine is exempt from danger. But the danger is increased on our waters by flued-boilers. The flues pass through the water: the pressure is on their convexity: their strength is not within any rule of computation. On the contrary, those boilers which are single cylinders, have the pressure on the concave side, and are within certain established rules of strength. But this kind of boiler must necessarily be so set, as unavoidably to heat the boat too much to be tolerable to passengers.

There is not therefore a steam-boat on the waters of New-York which has not a flued-boiler. That inconvenience is nothing to the crew of the boat, as she may be well ventilated; and, if necessary, the lodgings be on deck. The single boiler is safer for them, too, as one only of the number used, can give way at once. The power that may be thus put on board a steam-tow-boat may be so great, as to produce a speed heretofore unknown, and may be expected to accomplish the passage between New-York and Albany, between sun-rise and sun-set.

The deck for the light passage boat in tow will be free from all incumbrance and inconvenience – heat, smoke, effluvia, noise and danger; uniting convenience and elegance with safety and speed. Those whose interest is averse to that of the public, may say this is no improvement in steam navigation. I am willing to have this point decided by the public. Test the opinion by opportunity of choice, and we shall see no ladies on board of any other than the towed passage boat – no parent – no man of reflection – that will not be willing to pay a little more for a pleasant, secure, and not inelegant mode of conveyance.

It required no peculiar discernment to foresee the increase of the danger in steam-boats, especially when competition should reduce the fare so low as to induce the employment of the cheapest means of operation. The remedy is alone the separation of the load from the power. It was under a strong impression that this separation has utility, and would become an acknowledged improvement, that my experiments were made, (with an engine of twenty horse power) which led to the grant of my patent, founded on one of the principles of the Patent law, the application of a known power to a new and useful purpose. And I consider it a fair and convincing testimonial of its utility, to mention, on all proper occasions, that it had not escaped the discernment of Mr. Fulton. He is well known to have opposed my claim, with a claim of his own per the same improvement: yet the arbitrators, between us unanimously awarded the priority to me. He had not become by experiment, as I had, aware of the little loss of speed in towing, nor of the diminished resistance to a boat following in the wake of the power boat: the former applicable to freight boats along-side, the latter to the passage boat.

As to the points of expense and speed, there are circumstances favorable to the new system. The single, or old form of steam navigation, requires the whole weight of the machinery to be at or near the centre of a long hull, which, to be sufficiently strong, must be heavy timbered. She, therefore, draws and displaces more water, and meets with more resistance. But on the new system, we may have a comparatively light power boat, and a very light passage boat. The power may be greater than usual, the resistance less.
My patent bears date the 4th of December, 1816, of which I annex a copy; and of course there remains but a few years of the term. But it may be renewed. Every proper step was taken to obtain admission into the waters of New-York, closed and exclusively occupied by the State's grant to Messrs. Livingston and Fulton, lately decided to be unconstitutional. Congress may therefore renew my patent for such term of time as may appear to that honorable body, under all circumstances, to be just and consistent with the public good; not only because those of Evans and of Whittemore were renewed, but because the intention of the provisions of law were frustrated in my case; and because it is good policy in a government to induce capitalists, by the temporary privilege of a patent, to establish in use any costly improvement that may thereafter, by example and experience, become of great and lasting public benefit.

Nor are patentees without protection. They have been put by a law of Congress (Feb. 1819) expressly under the protection of the Circuit Court of the United States, and may file a bill, and by injunction of court obtained, prevent the infringement of a right from proceeding a second step. Nor is he precluded by the process from the recovery of treble damages given by the previous provisions of law.

The recent explosions on board the "Legislator" and the "Constitution", ought, perhaps to revive the recollection of others, and to convince the community that there can be no assurance of safety but by the separation of the accommodation from the power. This city – or those of the inhabitants who feel the force of those considerations, which speak loudly to the heart, the friends – the philanthropic and the wealthy should not, perhaps, wait till some crowded steam-boat, shall be destroyed with all on board.

If it were not my right and interest to invite to this branch of enterprize, I should do so from a sense of duty, knowing so well the causes of the explosion of boilers, I therefore take this method to invite the formation of a powerful but not numerous company, to carry on this branch of steam navigation upon the waters of New-York.

Should this proposition be acceptable, I shall hope it may be communicated before my professional employments shall make it less convenient than at this moment, to make the proper arrangements. JNO. L. SULLIVAN, Civil Engineer, State-street, No. 1, June 22, 1825.
​
Words of the Patent referred to in the preceding publication:
"I claim, as my invention, the application of steam-engine power, placed in one vessel, to the towing or drawing after her another vessel, for the purpose of conveying thereon passengers of merchanidize, or either of them, being a new application of a known power. The manner in which this application may be made varies with the circumstances in some measure, but essentially consists in attaching the packet to the steam-boat, with ropes, chains or spars, so as to communicate the power of the engine, from the towing vessel to the other vessel, thus kept always at a convenient distance apart, & c." The advantages & c. are then described.

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. ​

Winter Travelling in America. The Steamboat. [from our own correspondent.]
I propose, in my next few letters, to give the readers of the Echo a few sketches of the various modes of travelling during the winter season in America, but I shall preface my remarks by a slight allusion to the kind of weather we are now experiencing. Although the cold is much more intense in this country than it is in England, the winter taken altogether is much more pleasant than it is “at home.” The air is keen but dry, and there is not that atmospheric dampness noticeable here that characterizes an English winter, and we escape that depressing heavy feeling which so frequently steals over us in England when the weather sometimes get a little out of sorts. This has been one of the coldest winters known in America for many years. Here, in New York, the thermometer has sometimes stood at 3 deg. Below zero, but within a half-day’s journey of us the cold has been much more severely felt, 16 deg. Below having been reported on more than one occasion; while in the “cold districts” the thermometer has stood at 40 deg. Below for days together. Of course, there have been a large number of casualties, and great loss of life in some parts. Steamships have been caught in the ice and kept there for days. Trains have been snowed up, and many a poor creature has been frozen to death. Hopes are now entertained that the worst has passed. There are many people here, as in England, live long distances from their places of business, and to watch the influx into New York every morning is a sight to be remembered. Some come by rail or steam-cars, others make their trips by tramway or horse car, and again vast numbers patronize the river boats and steam ferries. 
​
It is with these latter that I shall deal now, leaving over the “tramways” – a subject by the way that old Stockton is considerably interested in – until a future occasion. The river steamers which several times a day make trips from Harlem to Fulton-street, New York, a distance of eight miles, are marvels of comfort and cleanliness. They are large enough to accommodate about 500 persons, and as they stop to take up and set down passengers at various places along the route, large numbers of persons avail themselves of the accommodations they afford. The fare is ten cents (5d) and when the river is clear of ice the trip is made in about thirty-five minutes, or nearly as fast as the steamers travel from Stockton to Middlesbrough. The saloons are fitted up in a style far superior to anything I have ever seen in English steamers; and, although the trip from point to point of travel is not a long one, the steamboat companies here, unlike their English brethren, minister to the comfort of their patrons. Notwithstanding that the river is blocked with miniature icebergs, I have this day made a trip in the “Harlem”, doing the eight miles in fifty minutes. When the captain of any of the boats sees a chunk of ice in his path, he does not ring his bell for the engineer to shut off steam, but directs the bow of the boat at the offending object, splitting the ice into pieces, and often smashing the steamer’s paddle wheels into splinters, while the passengers who have been watching the exploit suddenly find themselves so mixed up “in a heap” that it takes several seconds for each man to pick himself out of the pile of humanity, and make sure of his personal identity.

Winter Travelling in America. The Steamboat. [from our own correspondent.]
I propose, in my next few letters, to give the readers of the Echo a few sketches of the various modes of travelling during the winter season in America, but I shall preface my remarks by a slight allusion to the kind of weather we are now experiencing. Although the cold is much more intense in this country than it is in England, the winter taken altogether is much more pleasant than it is “at home.” The air is keen but dry, and there is not that atmospheric dampness noticeable here that characterizes an English winter, and we escape that depressing heavy feeling which so frequently steals over us in England when the weather sometimes get a little out of sorts. This has been one of the coldest winters known in America for many years. Here, in New York, the thermometer has sometimes stood at 3 deg. Below zero, but within a half-day’s journey of us the cold has been much more severely felt, 16 deg. Below having been reported on more than one occasion; while in the “cold districts” the thermometer has stood at 40 deg. Below for days together. Of course, there have been a large number of casualties, and great loss of life in some parts. Steamships have been caught in the ice and kept there for days. Trains have been snowed up, and many a poor creature has been frozen to death. Hopes are now entertained that the worst has passed. There are many people here, as in England, live long distances from their places of business, and to watch the influx into New York every morning is a sight to be remembered. Some come by rail or steam-cars, others make their trips by tramway or horse car, and again vast numbers patronize the river boats and steam ferries. 
​
It is with these latter that I shall deal now, leaving over the “tramways” – a subject by the way that old Stockton is considerably interested in – until a future occasion. The river steamers which several times a day make trips from Harlem to Fulton-street, New York, a distance of eight miles, are marvels of comfort and cleanliness. They are large enough to accommodate about 500 persons, and as they stop to take up and set down passengers at various places along the route, large numbers of persons avail themselves of the accommodations they afford. The fare is ten cents (5d) and when the river is clear of ice the trip is made in about thirty-five minutes, or nearly as fast as the steamers travel from Stockton to Middlesbrough. The saloons are fitted up in a style far superior to anything I have ever seen in English steamers; and, although the trip from point to point of travel is not a long one, the steamboat companies here, unlike their English brethren, minister to the comfort of their patrons. Notwithstanding that the river is blocked with miniature icebergs, I have this day made a trip in the “Harlem”, doing the eight miles in fifty minutes. When the captain of any of the boats sees a chunk of ice in his path, he does not ring his bell for the engineer to shut off steam, but directs the bow of the boat at the offending object, splitting the ice into pieces, and often smashing the steamer’s paddle wheels into splinters, while the passengers who have been watching the exploit suddenly find themselves so mixed up “in a heap” that it takes several seconds for each man to pick himself out of the pile of humanity, and make sure of his personal identity.

To a stranger is is rather hard work to appear perfectly composed and unconcerned at the sudden shocks he experiences from these collisions; but I do really believe that if a captain were to try and dodge one of these obstacles instead of smashing it, the whole crowd, ladies as well, would turn out on to the promenade decks and mob him. Each steamer is fitted up with refreshment bars, ladies’ saloons, smoking compartments for the gentlemen, wash-rooms, where soap and clean towels are always on hand, store-rooms for parcels and, above everything, in the winter time every part of the boat is comfortably heated, either with stoves or warm water pipes. In the day time, the numerous windows in both decks – there are two decks – make the compartments very cheery and lightsome; and in the evening the saloons are brilliantly lighted with lamps. There are large polished glass mirrors fixed up in different parts of the saloons, and when the boats are lighted up, they certainly do present the appearance of floating palaces; and for speed, comfort, economy, and the civility which the traveller meets with from the officials, this river travelling beats anything of its kind that it has been my fortune to have every witnessed in the Old Country. 

The huge ferries which daily carry thousands of passengers, and horses, and wagons of all kinds, to and from New York and Brooklyn on the one side, and Jersey City on the other, are also well worthy of notice; but as the trip, when the river is clear, only takes a few minutes, there has not been that attention paid to the comforts of the passengers that is to be met with in the boats making the longer trips. The fare on these ferries is two cents per passenger, and this winter there have been several instances in which the unfortunate passengers have received considerably more than their money’s worth. The distance across the river to Brooklyn is only about 200 yards, but the ice has come up the river in such tremendous quantities that in some instances persons have been four hours crossing. There is no bridge, and the only way to get across is by the ferries, unless one likes to chance jumping from piece to piece of detached ice to gain the New York side – a foolhardy feat that has been accomplished by numbers of people this year. The steamboats have in many instances become wedged in by fields of ice, and have either been compelled to remain stationary in the middle of the river, or have drifted far down the water away from their proper destination. Only about a week ago, one steamer had to remain with a full cargo embedded in the ice all night, in sight of both shores, without the passengers being able to get to land or help being afforded by those on terra firma. Under these circumstances, steamboat travelling is not altogether an unalloyed pleasure, and if “the novelty of the situation” is somewhat romantic, it is not very charming. G.S.B. New York, February 19th, 1875

Back in 1938, the tugboats “Winthrop” and “Brimstone’’ of the Hedger Transportation Company were coming down the Hudson River with a tow of canal boats.  Off Evesport, north of Saugerties, they ran into heavy fog.

Feeling their way along in the fog, the tow started to pull to the eastward towards Tivoli.  But, the tow didn’t get very far before it fetched up on the mud flats on the east side of the channel.  Before long, some of the barges started to leak and two of them sank.

When the barges were pumped out and raised, it was discovered that their bottoms were cut by deep gashes.  The gashes looked as though they had been made by heavy steel obstructions and not by rocks on the river bottom.  At low tide, an inspection, made by divers for the insurance company in the area just north of where the tow had run aground, disclosed the remains of a boiler and engine bed of an old steamboat wreck.  The wreck was about nine feet under water and close to the flats.

Was it the ‘Reindeer’?

Because of the location of the old steamboat wreck, it was generally thought the wreck on the river bottom was that of the old steamboat “Reindeer” which had burned and gone under at that location way back in 1852.

The ‘‘Reindeer” had originally been built in 1846 for service between New York City and New Brunswick, N.J. on the Raritan River.  She later ran between New York and New Haven, Conn. — and on this run her ability to travel at high speed was soon noted.  Because of her speed, in 1851 she was placed in service on the Hudson River in the then highly competitive service between New York and Albany.
On September 4, 1852, the “Reindeer’’ was proceeding up river for Albany with between 300 and 400 passengers aboard.  She had just made her landing at Bristol, now called Malden-On-Hudson, when her boiler blew up.  The smoke stack fell, demolishing the pilot house and upper deck.  Steam from the bursted boiler flooded the lower cabin where many passengers sat eating dinner.  Some 31 persons lost their lives in the accident.  She caught fire as a result, but the flames were apparently extinguished.

Three days after the accident, fire broke out again and got out of control.  The ‘‘Reindeer’’ was cut loose from the Bristol dock where she had been secured, and the remains of the steamboat drifted aflame to the east side of the channel where the fire burned itself out.  What was left of the “Reindeer” sank on Green’s Flats, just north of where the red flashing Beacon No. 38 is now standing.

So in 1938 — 86 years after her fatal accident — the “Reindeer” came back to plague boatmen of another era in another century.  At that time, stories were again told of her feats of speed and races she had engaged in against other steamboats — an age when the first steamboat to reach a landing got the waiting passengers.