1866 — April 12, Steamer Financier fire, Ohio River, Crow Island near Baden, PA — 10

— 12 Cincinnati Commercial. “Terrible Disaster. Steamboat Financier Destroyed.” 4-15-1866, p.2.
–10-12 Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “Burning of a Steamer on the Ohio…” 4-16-1866, p. 8.
— 10 Cincinnati Commercial. “Gleanings from our Exchanges.” 4-19-1866, p. 7.
— 10 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 268.
— 10 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv.] Sys. 1999, 166.

Narrative Information

Lytle and Holdcamper: “Financier…309 [tons] burnt…4 12 1866…Economy, Pa., 10 [lives lost].”

Way: Financier. Sternwheel wood-hull packet, built in McKeesport, PA in 1864, measuring 156.3 x 35 x 6.4, with three boilers. “Ran Pittsburgh-St. Louis-New Orleans. Master and part owner was Capt. John Darrah and first clerk James Russell. Downbound at Crows Island, Ohio River, near Baden, Pa., caught fire when a passenger, Mrs. E. Rothchild, lit a camphene light and it exploded. The boat was landed at the island. Mr. and Mrs. Rothchild and two children, en route to Texas, lost their lives, plus six other passengers, this on April 12, 1866. The Bayard, upbound, arrived too late to save lives….”

Newspapers

April 15, Cincinnati Commercial: “(From the Pittsburgh Commercial, of yesterday [Saturday].)…The steamer Financier, Captain John Darragh, which left the Monongahela wharf Thursday afternoon for New Orleans, with a full complement of passengers and a large freight list, was totally consumed by fire, at Crow’s Island, twenty miles below the city. The cause of the catastrophe was ascertained to be as follows: Mrs. Rothschilds, who, with her husband and two children, had been visiting Mr. Kaufman, of this city, and were on their return to Texas, their place of residence, asked the chambermaid of the boat for a light, when she was informed that it was against the rules to allow a light in the staterooms. On receiving this answer, Mrs. Rothschilds went to her trunk and produced a small camphene lamp, which she proceeded to light. The moment the match was applied to the lamp it exploded with a loud report, setting Mrs. Rothschilds on fire, who rushed out into the cabin, crying ‘murder.’ A gentleman from Vicksburg, Miss., Mr. Holloway, rushed to her assistance, and seizing a woolen table cover, enveloped her in it, extinguishing the flames, but not until she was severely burned.

“All on board were anxious for the safety of the woman, and no attention was paid to the stateroom, which was set on fire by the explosion of the lamp, until the flames were discovered issuing therefrom. By this time the fire had gained too much headway to attempt to extinguish it, and it spread with fearful rapidity. Captain Darragh ordered the boat to be run ashore, and the pilot on duty, Mr. Charles Hughes attempted to do so, but the tiller-ropes were burned, and he was compelled to abandon the wheel, which was now useless. The boat, which was heavily laden, grounded, and the efforts of the officers were now directed towards saving the lives of the passengers. The gangway staging was launched into the water, and all the lady passengers placed upon it. Just as they were about letting loose from the boat, two men jumped from the boat upon the staging, causing it to capsize, and drowning Mrs. Darragh and daughter, wife and child of the Captain, and Mrs. Rothschilds, who caused the disaster, together with the two children of the latter.

“The capsizing of the staging added to the horror of all, and the passengers became almost frantic, many in their despair jumping overboard, some to find death by drowning. The steam tug Coal Bluff happening in sight, landed her tow, and immediately proceeded to the scene of disaster, rendering valuable assistance in picking up those in the water, and rescuing those who were fortunate enough to reach the island. The Coal Bluff carried the rescued to Rochester [PA], where they were placed on board the Leni Leoti and brought to the city [Pittsburgh].

“The names of those known to be lost are as follows:

“Emmanuel Rothschilds, wife and two children, of Texas. The husband and wife were observed to go down together, about ninety or one hundred yards from the shore.

“Mrs. Captain John Darragh and daughter, the latter only eleven years old, drowned by the capsizing of the staging. This was the first time Mrs. Darragh had ever ventured on a trip with her husband.

“Thomas Bolden, colored, pantry-man drowned.

“Man sick with consumption, name unknown.

“An Irishman, name unknown, and three deck hands are missing – two of he latter believed to have perished in the flames….

“Captain John Darragh saved his life by swimming ashore….

“Search was made early yesterday morning for the bodies of the drowned. During the day the body of Mrs. Captain Darragh was recovered, as was also that of Emanuel Rothschilds.” (Cincinnati Commercial, OH. “Terrible Disaster. Steamboat Financier Destroyed. Twelve Lives Lost.” 4-15-1866, p. 2.)

April 16: “(From the Pittsburgh Post of Saturday [14th].) On Thursday afternoon, the steamboat Financier, commanded by Capt. Jno. Darragh, left the Monongahela wharf of this city, for New Orleans. She had proceeded down the river as far as Remington, near Rochester, in Beaver county, when a fire broke out in one of the state rooms, and defying all efforts to quench it, resulting in the death of ten persons and the destruction of the boat. As near as we can learn the particulars they are as follows: Among the passengers, was a Mrs. Rothschild, who, with her husband and two children, was starting for her home in Texas. When the boat was about eighteen miles below the city [Pittsburgh], near Crow’s Island, Mrs. Rothschild approached her state room door with a lighted lamp. The chambermaid requested her not to go into the state room with the lamp as it was against the rules. Mrs. R. said there was not the slightest danger, and to show her confidence, commenced shaking the lamp. In a moment the lamp exploded, scattering the burning oil all over Mrs. Rothschild, and enveloping her in a sheet of flame. Several persons ran to her to help extinguish the fire, but before they reached her she had rushed into the state room. After a short time they succeeded in extinguishing the burning clothing on the unfortunate woman, but not before she had been frightfully burned about the face and neck.

“In the meantime the fire from her clothing had caught among the bed clothes in the state-room, and by the time that the attention of the passengers was somewhat relieved from the suffering woman, the flames in the room had gained such headway that all efforts to check them ere in vain. Seeing this the officers of the boat took immediate measures to save the passengers from the fiery death that impended.

“As we have said, the boat was about opposite Crow’s Island. There is about ten feet of water there, and the captain gave immediate orders to have the boat run ashore. While still some distance from the shore the boat grounded, being so heavily laden that she could not get any nearer, and even had it been otherwise, the heat had become so intense that the pilots were forced from their positions, and the boat would have had to take care of herself. Despite the efforts of the officers and the cooler passengers, many among the passengers, in their frantic terror, leaped from the boat to the water. An attempt was made to launch a staging, and at last the effort succeeded and a number of passengers were placed upon it. At it floated away, however, others attempted to jump upon it, and it was capsized, throwing all who were upon it into the water. The wife and daughter of the captain were upon the staging, and were lost, but Mr. Russell, the clerk, Mr. Joseph Darragh, the engineer, and some others who were also upon it succeeded in swimming ashore.

“There were but thirteen passengers, among whom were Mr. Emanuel Rothschild, his wife and two children, who had been visiting Mr. Kauffman, of this city, and were on their way home to Texas. Besides the regular passengers there were the wife and daughter of Captain Darragh, and the wife of Mr. Joseph Darragh, the engineer. The two-boat Coal Bluff and the Lenti Leoti, rendered most valuable aid to the sufferers from the catastrophe. The latter brought the survivors to this city.

“So far as we could learn eleven lives were lost by drowning. The following is a list of the lost:

“Mr. Emanuel Rothschild, his wife and two children. They were seen to jump into the water, and before they could be rescued were all drowned, Mrs. Capt. Darragh and her daughter, aged about fourteen. This was the first trip ever made by Mrs. Darragh. A colored man named Thomas Bolder, employed as pantryman; also two deck hands and a fireman whose names we have not learned.

“In addition to these, we are informed that there was on board a gentleman who was so sick as to be unable to leave his berth. His brother-in-law succeeded in placing him on the staging, and when he fell from that he got him on a plank. The sick man, however, was too much exhausted to keep his position, and fell off and was probably drowned.

“The boat and cargo were entirely consumed. The cargo consisted of agricultural implements, wagons, iron, nails, glass, etc., on board, for the Southern market, and principally owned by manufacturers in this city….

“The Financier was built in April, 1864, and was owned by Captain John Darragh, who was in command, Captain James Russell, chief clerk, and Joseph Darragh, first engineer. She was a side-wheeler, one hundred and fifty-three feet in length, thirty-five feet in breadth, and had six feet depth of hold. She was valued at about $32,000, and was insured for $25,000, all in Pittsburgh offices…

“Mr. Russell, the clerk, was in the office at the time of the explosion, and had sufficient presence of mind to lock the safe, so that the money and valuables will probably be recovered. The books and papers of the boat, and the clothing of the officers, however, are all lost. The cargo was insured to the amount of $43,200.

“Search for the bodies commenced yesterday morning at an early hour, and at about ten o’clock the bodies of Mr. Rothschild and Mrs. Darragh were found near the scene of the accident. Neither was much disfigured. Mr. R. had his arms open, as if he had died clasping his infant children. His remains were brought to the residence of Mr. Hauffman, Robinson street, Allegheny. Coroner Clawson was summoned to hold an inquest, but having no jurisdiction in the case he declined. The Coroner of Beaver county has been sent for.” (Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “Burning of a Steamer on the Ohio River. Loss of Twelve Lives.” 4-16-1866, p.8.)

April 19: “Pittsburgh. – The Gazette, of Tuesday [17th] says: The Emma Graham, from Zanesville, got in on Sunday night. She brought up the remains of the daughter of Captain Darragh, of the ill-fated Financier. The body, we learn, was recovered on Sunday, about one hundred yards below where the disaster occurred.

The Gazette of yesterday [Wednesday], says: Of the ten lives lost by the burning of the ill-fated Financier, but four bodies have thus far been recovered. The funeral of Captain Darragh’s wife and daughter, which took place on Monday, was largely attended.” (Cincinnati Commercial. “Gleanings from our Exchanges.” 4-19-1866, p. 7.)

Sources

American Oil & Gas Historical Society. “Two-Wick Camphene Lamp.” Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://aoghs.org/products/two-wick-camphene-lamp/

Cincinnati Commercial. “Died.” 4-17-1866, p. 5. Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-apr-17-1866-p-9/

Cincinnati Commercial. “Gleanings from our Exchanges.” 4-19-1866, p. 7. Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-apr-19-1866-p-14/

Cincinnati Commercial. “Terrible Disaster. Steamboat Financier Destroyed. Twelve Lives Lost. Fearful Result of Carelessness.” 4-15-1866, p. 2. Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cincinnati-commercial-apr-14-1866-p-18/

Daily Evening Bulletin, Philadelphia. “Burning of a Steamer on the Ohio River.” 4-16-1866, p8. Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-daily-evening-bulletin-apr-16-1866-p-8/

Jackson-Township historical preservation on Facebook. Accessed 8-29-2020 at: https://www.facebook.com/jacksontownship.historicalpreservation/posts/the-former-crow-island-located-in-the-ohio-river-near-aliquippa-beaver-county-in/1992370644128805/

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=9&size=125&q1=ceres

Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.