Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-22
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF
THAMES RIVER DISASTER

older residents of the city will recall the |
terrible disaster in which several well |
known residents of the city a half CEN |
fury ago lost their lives.
The Bulletin in its edition of Thurs |
day, Nov %. 1871, stated that there
were but seven passengers on board the
steamer and that four of the seven were
saved. Those reported as lost were Will
liam 7. Norton of the firm of Norton
Bros, Caleb B. Rogers of the firm of c.
3. Rogers & Co. and Harrison B. Aldrich.
a salesman for Ansel Clark. The four
passengers saved were H K. Hammond.
j. c.. Palmer, Mrs. William P. Adams,
Chauncey johnson (son of c. W. John
son, then proprietor of the Wauregan
house,. All seven passengers were Nor
wich people.
The City of New London was on her
way up the river from New York when
the fire broke out. having just completed
a trip through the so~nd in a snowstorm.
With reference to the disaster, The Bull
letin of Nov. %, 1871, says:
The steamer City of New London, one
of the freight boats of the Norwich and
| New York transportation company's line
between this city and New York, left the
! latter place on a regular trip at the usual
| time Tuesday night Notwithstanding
| the storm, she reached New London on
time and ran up the river to Comstock' S
wharf near Montville. Here, the weather
being too thick to come farther. She at
tempted to make the Gock, but owing to
the darkness arI unfinished condition
of the slip, it was impossible, and at
about o'clock she anchored in the
stream off Montvile The cook was call
ed to prepare breakfast. The kitchen
was situated on the port side forward of
amidships and communicated by dumb
waiter with the pantry on the saloon deck
| above. On the other side of the parti-
ton and around the kitchen was the
gangway, where nearly all the freight
was stored, among it 300 bales of cotton
a number of which We're in close proX-
unity to the galley walls.
The cook in raking the fires. which
were banked" for the night, heated a
poker to a red heat. and, it is said, laid
it where it touched some part of the par.
tition The dry wood took fire like tin
der and in moment was in a blaze
running through the waiter to the pantry
above. In terror the man shouted Fire =
the cry more horrible than any on ship.
board. and brought the night watch t.
. the lower deck.
William James, saloon Waterman, call
ed the officers of the boat who were no
, already awake. and in moment tire,
lengths of a were coupled and til,
steam pump as at work. The captain
had come in from the pilot house ant
the mates from the engine room. and to
gether they directed the disposition of tn
steamer The hose was taken on to TIL
deck and led into the window that til
T fire might be stihed and after a deius
j of water had been poured into the kitcnei
and pantry It was supposed that this wa
accomplished. A thorough search wa
! made and no lingering traces being dis
covered, the debris WIS gathered into tn
a pantry for inspection by the insuranc
a agent, and the boat got under way.
At O'clock, when the steamer was
| quarter of a mile above Pouuetanuc
| cove, tie fire broke out again in som
bales OF cotton near the port gangwa,
where i had probably been smolderin,
A declhand saw It and shouted Fire
i but before the words We're cold upon HI
. lips the flames had leaped beyond limit
and spread fore and aft through tn
9 gangway. Captain Brown, who was ;
the wheel. instantly rang the bell to ste
the engines but the motion which II
boat retained created a strong dra
Y through the gangway and in another m,
V ment the fire had become beyond contrc
lie Fifteen minutes after the fire ha
p broken out Mr.. Baker, the first enginee
% was driven from the engine room by Il
% smoke. Before he left he ooened II
l. stopped. The boat was now driftir
re he.plessly in the stream off Poquetanut
IF cove, the fire sweeping the port side 70
in and aft. Captain Brown attempted
n run the vessel ashore but she had !
,e Roadway and would not answer the he'll
IN 1t was evident then that the on
70 chance of escaping one element was
trusting to the mercies Of the other. al
one after another lowered Intensely
over the side or plunged headlong fro
the rail.
ID Regarding the LOGS of life, The Bullet
ed said:
n Fortunately there We're only sew
ch passengers on board, four of whom we
st saved. They were all from Norwich,
n follows: William 7. Norton, H X Han
mond, c. B. Rogers, ]. G. Palmer, Har
" Aldrioh, Mrs. Niliam P. Adams, Chau
as sey Johnson.
a. William T. Norton of the firm of NJ
cd ton Bros, Caleb B. Rogers of the firm
c. B. Rogers & Co. and Harrison B. Al
rich, salesman for Ansel Clark, have I
been heard from since the fire and a
undoubtedly lost.
nd The saved so far as known at presc
oc are:
he Passengers-H X Hammond, j.
sy Palmer, Mrs. William P. Adams, Chal
tai cey Johnson.
af- The officers of the boat saved are
no follows:
M Capt William R. Brown Edwin 1w
ay pilot; Cleveland Geer, Jr.. second pill
lat Chauncey Hull. wheelsman; Charles H
tha vey, clerk; John B. Durfey. second
nd gineer; Rufus Parks, oiler John Nor
ce- fireman; Frank McGatt fireman; Char
M Johnson, fireman; William Dodge, fl
mate John Sheridan bow watchm;
George Norton donkey engineer; B
Purdy, cook; William James, C. Antho
VT John Duggan, George Cuff, Walter Wi
w. walters Charles Mitchell, fireman.
On There were IS deckhands, of VIII
VI only eight have reported at the &C
ei pany's office.
.en The lost, so far as can be ascertain
W. are: W. T. Norton, c. B. Rogers. H
'Je Aldricll, Norwich, passengers Will
a. P. Ely, Hamburg. Conn. second ma
g. o. NJ. W. Baker, y orwich. first engine
ne ne Henry Duggan, New London stewa
anH Webster Cooper, New York. second CO..
ay' Frank Flowers. residence unknown, WI
ofe er; Warren Mitchell oiler; D
llis coll, Sullivan. Patrick Mahol
s vas and Thomas Rourke, deckhands, and 2
oe' sibly others of the crew.
The City of New London was cons
cred one of the safest and staunch
boats on the sound. Her first trip '
on made in May, 1853. She was built TO
nd freight boat. but within a few weeks
1ah been withdrawn Temporarily from the
Odd and fitted for carrying passengers. o
ay- day or two before her last trip she
fol- cetved her license as a passenger
un- and We believe it was her first or sec
ird trip in that capacity. She was valued