Details
Creator Heiss, George G.
Contributor Wagner & M'Guigan, printer
Title Conflagration of the steam boat New Jersey on the Delaware River opposite Philada. March 15 1856 in which 50 persons lost their lives. [graphic] / Lithographed from a drawing made on the wharf above Vine St. by Geo. G. Heiss; printed by Wagner & McGuigan.
Publisher Philadelphia: Published by the artist at 213 N. 2nd St. above Vine 3rd Story
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1856
Date [1856]
Physical Description 1 print: lithograph, tinted with one stone and hand-colored; 14 x 21 cm. (5.38 x 8 in.)
Description Shows, under the winter night sky, in the distance, clouds of smoke rising from the Philadelphia and Camden Ferry Co. steamboat as rowboats race to the wreck. In the right of the image, a partial view of the ferry "Dido" traveling to the rescue is visible. Captained by Ebenezer Corson, the "New Jersey," on mid-voyage to Camden from Philadelphia via an alternate elongated route due to heavy ice, caught fire as the result of defective boilers. With the fire spreading rapidly, Corson retreated to Arch Street Wharf in Philadelphia, and came within thirty feet of the pier when the pilot house collapsed leaving the boat unmanned and out of control. Corson survived by leaping ashore before the uncontrolled ship drifted back out on the river.
Is referenced by Wainwright 82
Notes Reduced variant of print issued by the same artist and publisher [Wainwright 81]. Title altered from "60 persons" to "50 persons."
POS 155
Philadelphia on Stone
Wainwright retrospective conversion project, edited.
Subject Steamboat accidents -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Fires -- Pensylvania -- Philadelphia.
Rescues -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Geographic subject Delaware River (N.Y.-Del. and N.J.)
Genre Lithographs -- Tinted -- Hand-colored -- 1850-1860.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| W82 [P.2026]
Accession number P.2026