Pacific (1850) facts for kids
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SS Pacific, from a drawing commissioned early in her career
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Pacific |
| Builder | William H. Brown, New York |
| Launched | September 24, 1850 |
| Identification |
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| Fate | Sunk after collision, November 4, 1875 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Steamship |
| Tonnage | 876 tons |
| Length | 223 ft (68 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m) |
| Decks | 2 |
| Installed power | 275 hp (205 kW) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Capacity | 546 passengers |
| Crew | 52 |
The Pacific was a large wooden sidewheel steamer built in 1850. It became famous for its tragic sinking in 1875. This happened after a crash southwest of Cape Flattery, Washington.
About 275 people, including passengers and crew, were on board when the Pacific sank. Only two people survived the disaster. Many important people were among those who died. This included the ship's captain, Jefferson Davis Howell. He was the brother-in-law of Jefferson Davis, a former leader during the American Civil War. The sinking of the Pacific caused more deaths than any other sea disaster on the West Coast at that time.
Contents
Building the Pacific
The Pacific was ordered by Major Albert Lowry and Captain Nathanial Jarvis. It was built by William H. Brown in New York City. The ship's body was made from strong oak wood. It was held together with iron and copper nails.
The Pacific had a powerful steam engine that produced 275 horsepower (205 kW). This engine used two coal-fired boilers. The ship could carry up to 546 passengers. There were different areas for passengers, depending on their ticket.
The ship was launched on September 24, 1850. The next day, it had a special test run. Captain Jarvis was in charge. Many important guests were on board, including the ship's builder. The Pacific easily reached a speed of over 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) during this test.
Early Voyages: Panama Service (1850–1851)
The Pacific began its first commercial trip on October 11, 1850. It sailed from New York to Havana and then to New Orleans. From there, it regularly traveled between New Orleans, Havana, and Chagres, Panama. This route connected with other ships going to San Francisco and New York.
This was during the California Gold Rush. The fastest way to travel to and from the goldfields was through Panama. So, the Pacific often carried valuable cargo. For example, on December 12, 1850, it left Chagres with 470 passengers and about $200,000 in gold dust.
News and mail from California also traveled through Panama. The Pacific often brought the first news from the Western United States to New Orleans. This news was then sent across the country by telegraph.
Nicaragua Service (1851–1855)
Cornelius Vanderbilt, a rich businessman, saw a chance to make travel faster. He believed a route through Nicaragua would be quicker and cheaper to reach California's goldfields. He used the San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua for this new route.
Vanderbilt hired the Pacific for the Nicaragua to San Francisco part of the journey. The ship left New York on March 18, 1851, for this new job. Its first trip on the Nicaragua route began on July 14, 1851.
However, this first trip had problems. Passengers were charged more than promised for transit fees and baggage. They also spent three weeks in difficult conditions in Nicaragua. Passengers were very upset, but they did say good things about Captain Bailey of the Pacific.
Captain Bailey sadly died later that year. Captain Jarvis then took command of the ship again. The travel problems in Nicaragua improved, and the Pacific continued its trips between San Francisco and San Juan del Sur for several years.
In 1853, a ticket from San Francisco to New York, crossing Nicaragua, cost $225 for a top cabin. The ship's cargo was even more valuable than before. In September 1853, it left San Francisco with 460 passengers and $1.5 million in gold.
Nicaragua faced a civil war in 1854. An American adventurer named William Walker took control of the country. He seized Vanderbilt's properties in Nicaragua in March 1855. The Pacific continued to sail into this confusing situation until at least August 1855.
Pacific Northwest Service (1858–1869)
The Pacific stopped its Nicaragua service in early 1856. It reappeared in 1858, sailing for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. It traveled between San Francisco, Portland, Puget Sound, and Victoria, British Columbia.
The ship helped carry miners from California to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. It also moved troops because of rising tensions with British forces in the San Juan Islands. In January 1858, it carried 260 soldiers from San Francisco to Fort Vancouver.
In 1859, the California Steam Navigation Company bought the Pacific. They continued its route between San Francisco, Portland, Puget Sound, and Victoria. The ship often carried farm goods. For example, on November 15, 1861, it sailed with flour, apples, butter, eggs, and chickens.
On July 17, 1861, the Pacific, led by Captain George W. Staples, hit Coffin Rock. The rock tore a hole in the front of the ship. Water quickly poured in. Captain Staples tried to reach Astoria, but the damage was too bad. The ship was beached about ten miles (16 km) downstream on the Washington side of the river.
All 70 passengers were safe, but much of the cargo was ruined. The Pacific was fixed and back in service by the end of the year.
Southern California Service (1869–1874)
Starting in 1869, the Pacific also began sailing south from San Francisco. It went to San Diego, stopping in Santa Barbara and San Pedro. In the winter of 1869-1870, it even took a two-month tourist trip to the Gulf of California and Honolulu.
In 1872, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company bought the Pacific for $50,000. In August 1873, the ship was updated in San Francisco. A new, more powerful steam engine was installed. This new engine produced 500 horsepower (370 kW).
The Pacific continued its regular trips. On March 11, 1873, it arrived in San Francisco with 90,000 oranges and 25,000 lemons from Los Angeles. By 1874, it was making two round-trips a month between San Francisco and San Pedro.
Final Voyages: Pacific Northwest Service (1875)
In January 1875, the Pacific finished its last Southern California trips. By May, it was back on its old route from San Francisco to Victoria. This was partly due to the Cassiar Gold Rush in northern British Columbia. On July 1, 1875, it arrived in San Francisco with $50,629 of Canadian gold.
Even with many company changes, ticket prices remained low. In 1875, a trip from San Francisco to Olympia, Washington cost $10 for a basic ticket and $20 for a cabin.
The Sinking of the Pacific
On November 4, 1875, the Pacific left Victoria for its regular trip to San Francisco. There were 52 crew members, led by Captain Jefferson Davis Howell. About 167 passengers had tickets, and an unknown number of others boarded without tickets. Children traveled for free, so they were likely not fully counted. The total number of people on board was estimated at 275, but it could have been more.
The ship's cargo included hops, oats, hides, furs, cranberries, horses, buggies, coal, and $79,220 in gold.
The Pacific left Victoria at 9:30 A.M. and sailed west. The journey was rough, and the ship had trouble staying balanced. The crew even filled lifeboats with water to try and steady the ship. Around 4 P.M., the steamer passed Tatoosh Island and turned south.
The 1,067-ton sailing ship Orpheus was sailing in the opposite direction. It was heading from San Francisco to pick up coal. The two ships met about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Cape Flattery around 10 P.M. on November 4, 1875.
Most of the Pacific's officers and crew died in the accident. Captain Sawyer of the Orpheus was below deck when it happened. So, we don't have all the details of the collision. However, reports from survivors and investigations give us a clear picture.
The Orpheus was sailing north in a light rain with a strong wind. It was dark, and Captain Sawyer was unsure how far his ship was from the coast. He told his second mate to turn west if he saw anything. The mate saw a light he thought was the Cape Flattery lighthouse. He turned west to avoid the shore. But the light was actually the Pacific, and by turning west, the Orpheus sailed right into the path of the approaching steamer.
The Pacific hit the Orpheus near its front, on the right side. The Pacific's bow scraped along the Orpheuss side. Captain Sawyer thought the collision was "light." He believed the Pacific had slowed down. The Orpheuss rigging was damaged, and it couldn't move. Captain Sawyer ordered the lifeboats ready, but soon found the hull was fine. He ordered repairs to the rigging. There was no sign of the Pacific. The crew of the Orpheus thought the steamer had just sailed away. They didn't know the Pacific was badly damaged or had sunk.
Meanwhile, a disaster was unfolding on the Pacific. Only two people survived the wreck: Neil Henley, the ship's quartermaster, and Henry F. Jelly, a passenger. Both were in their beds when the crash happened. So, we don't know what the Pacific's officers did to avoid the collision.
Both men felt and heard the crash. Jelly ran on deck and was told they had hit another ship but "it's all right." He went back to his cabin, but the ship began to tilt. He returned to the deck and found chaos. No one was steering the ship, but the engines were still running. Captain Howell fired five blue flares, a distress signal.
Passengers were rushing into lifeboats without order. Many boats had no oars, and some were still full of water from the earlier attempt to balance the ship. The crew couldn't launch most of them. Henley and the chief engineer launched one boat, but it immediately flipped over. Jelly was in the only other boat that was launched. This boat was put into the water without being lowered. As soon as it was cut free, it filled with water and flipped over.
About an hour after the collision, the Pacific broke in two. The ship's smokestack fell onto the capsized boat. The pieces of the ship quickly sank.
After the Pacific went under, Henley said the water was full of screaming people. Their cries soon stopped. Most people died from hypothermia (extreme cold) or drowning. A few, including Jelly and Henley, managed to climb onto broken parts of the ship. Women wearing long, heavy dresses were at a disadvantage because their wet clothes weighed them down.
Jelly survived by holding onto a piece of the wheelhouse with another man. Jelly was rescued by the American ship Messenger at 10 A.M. on November 6, 1875. He was brought ashore, weak from the cold. His rescue was the first news that the Pacific had sunk.
Henley's makeshift raft also carried Captain Howell and several others. Waves washed some off, and others died from the cold. Henley was finally rescued by the ship Wolcott at 3 A.M. on November 8, 1875.
The Orpheus continued its voyage north after the collision. It somehow missed the Cape Flattery lighthouse. Instead, the mate saw the Cape Beale Light, which was new. They thought it was Cape Flattery, turned east, and wrecked their ship in Barkley Sound. Its crew made it ashore and were also rescued by the Wolcott.
An investigation into the sinking took place in Victoria in November 1875. Henley, Jelly, Captain Sawyer, and some of the Orpheus's crew gave their testimonies.
Why Did the Disaster Happen?
Investigations agreed that the Orpheus crossing in front of the Pacific caused the sinking. But many questions remained.
Avoiding the Crash
The Orpheus clearly steered into the collision. However, many wondered if the Pacific could have avoided it. No one from the Pacific's bridge survived to explain what happened. But we know a few things:
- Both ships' crews saw the lights of the other ship.
- Jelly heard the engine bells go to "stop" after the collision, not before.
- Sawyer said he saw no lookouts on the Pacific's deck. Jelly also claimed the crew was asleep. This lack of lookouts might have delayed seeing the danger.
- Sawyer reported that the Pacific blew its whistle 30 seconds before the crash. This means they knew about the danger, but they didn't seem to try to steer away.
How Strong Was the Pacific?
Many people felt that a light bump that didn't damage the Orpheus's hull should not have sunk a strong ship. The New York Times said the Pacific was not "seaworthy." They said its front was crushed "like glass." There were calls for better ship safety rules and questions about why ships weren't maintained better.
Jelly reported that the crew filled lifeboats with water to balance the Pacific before the collision. This suggests the ship already had stability problems. If it had water in its hold, was overloaded, or its cargo was badly placed, it could have sunk faster after the crash.
Captain Howell's Experience
Captain Howell was only 34 years old when the ship sank. Some people questioned his skill. He had studied at the United States Naval Academy and commanded a gunboat during the American Civil War. He began his commercial shipping career in California in 1869. He had commanded several other steamers before the Pacific.
What Happened Next?
When Captain Sawyer returned to California, the world knew the Pacific had sunk with many lives lost. People were angry that the Orpheus had sailed away without trying to help. Some thought Captain Sawyer had wrecked his ship on purpose. He was arrested but later cleared of blame.
The wrecked Orpheus was sold for $385. Its anchors and chain were recovered in 1893.
Looking for Treasure
The Pacific's cargo included at least 200 pounds (91 kg) of gold. This has made it a target for treasure hunters. However, the ship's remains have never been found. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the wreck is about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Cape Flattery. But they say this location is not very accurate. If it is there, it would be about 900 feet (270 m) deep, too deep for human divers.
Captains of the Pacific
Here is a list of some of the captains who commanded the Pacific:
- Nathaniel Jarvis: 1850, 1851, 1852
- Captain David G. Bailey: 1851
- Captain Bodfish: 1851
- Captain Seabury: 1851, 1853, 1854
- Captain P. E. Lefevre: 1852, 1853
- Captain Edgar L. Wakeman: 1855
- Captain Robert Haley: 1858
- Captain C. P. Patterson: 1859 1860
- Captain George W. Staples: 1861
- Captain A. M. Burns: 1855 1862
- Captain Hewitt: 1869
- Captain Connor: 1869
- Captain F. C. Scholl: 1870, 1875
- Captain Peter Mackie: 1872
- Captain G. D. Korts: 1874
- Captain Thomas Stothard: 1874
- Captain Jefferson Davis Howell: 1875
