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., 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.
Creator
Heiss, George G.
Date
[1856]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department W82 [P.2026]
Dramatic view of the steamboat, its nameplate visible, engulfed in flames and smoke, as the passengers escape into the icy river. Panicked passengers huddle, jump and dive into the water already teeming with disaster victims. The river-bound men and women bob; swim; and lie on, attempt to stay upon, and assist others onto cakes of ice and debris. In the lower right of the image, a rowboat containing a rower and a man holding a baby as well as a victim hanging on to the rear of the vessel arrives at the nearby wharf. The rescuer hands the limp baby to its mother, next to whom a man stands with a look of concern. In the left background, signage for "Baths" adorns the riverbank. 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 a result of defective boilers, a fireplace, and brick work. 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., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 745, Wainwright retrospective conversion project, edited., Free Library of Philadelphia: Castner 19:33
Date
1856
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *W366 [P.2202]