The Wreck of the John Jay Steamer
The steamer John Jay took fire when near Friends Point on July 29, 1856 and was burnt to the water’s edge near Calamity Rock in Hague. This article was written for the Lake George Mirror and started with an Editor’s Note praising the author, who was the captain of the John Jay,
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Editor’s Note: The article which follows was written by Captain E. S. Harris of the steamer Ticonderoga. Captain Harris, although he does not say so in his account, was the captain of the craft and pilot as well. It was Captain Harris who save the lives of three women by the aid of a plank, as mentioned in this article. Captain Harris stipulated that his name should not be mentioned, but it is due to him as a man that an explanation of his connection with the saving of so many lives should receive recognition (Editor of the Lake George Mirror).
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I am requested by James Buchanan Henry, a visitor like George for many years, to give an account of the disaster while I am in health and able to do so, in order that visitors may keep a copy of the Lake George Mirror, in whose column this article will appear. Mr. Henry asked me to furnish the account from the fact that I was one of the crew of the ill-fated John Jay and, I trust, capable of giving a correct statement, which follows.
In those days, the two lakes [Lake George and Lake Champlain] were connected by stages, which were frequently obliged to make two trips a day in order to transfer passengers from Fort Ticonderoga to the Lake George steamer, which then ran down the lake to Cook’s Landing. On July 29th, the stage made two trips, having over 80 passengers to transfer. It was a very warm day. Before we reached Friend's Point, a severe thunderstorm came up. The wind struck the steamer as we were passing the point, coming over the mountain with terrible force. The gale struck the top of the smokestack and stopped the draught. The pressure was so heavy that it first opened both doors of the furnace. Wood was used as fuel. The fireman had just placed a pile of wood near the furnace doors so he could throw it into the furnace quickly. When the first doors flew open, the hold was filled with red hot embers. The fireman dropped the ladder and came on deck, followed by the flames. The dry wood had taken fire instantly. The alarm went through the boat from deck to deck. A party of nine ladies were in the pilot house at the time period. The gentleman in charge of the party sent them to the main deck. The pilot was left alone. No one gave him notice of the extent of the fire. He had just passed the only chance of beaching the steamer in a safe place when a passenger rushed up and said it was impossible to put out the fire, saying “Pilot, for God's sake, run the boat ashore!”
While making the turn around Waltonian Island, the wheel ropes gave way, having been burnt under the main deck. In those days, steamers used tiller ropes instead of chains and iron rods, as at present. When the ropes parted, the pilot jumped from the pilot house and ran to the afterpart of the promenade deck, where he shipped a long oak tiller which was ready for use in case it was required. Surrounded by smoke and unable to see to see ahead, he steered the burning craft for the shore as near as he could judge by looking at Waltonian Island. When he got the vessel as far around as he thought it should go, he left the tiller, climbed the hurricane deck, and then saw that he had got around a little too far to pass the rocky point and go upon the sandy beach where he wished to run the vessel ashore.
It was too late to change the course of the vessel as she was about to strike the rocks near where her remains are to be seen at the present day. To get forward to where the crew and passengers where was the pilot's first thought, when he had done all that any man could have done unaided and entirely alone. A change in the wind showed him a narrow strip of the promenade deck along the wheelhouse, on the port side. With his hand on the side of the wheelhouse, with closed eyes and breathless, he passed through the flames coming out forward of the fire, with eyebrows and hair singed but not otherwise injured. He jumped to the main deck where stood the excited people. The scenes passed through in a very short time are too heart rending to be even published at this late date. To keep the people from going overboard were his first orders to the crew and well they did their duty. It was impossible to keep all on board. Jumping over the rail forward of the moving wheels was the cause of most of the drowning. (As the vessel was aground, the continued revolutions of the paddle wheels must have induced a powerful current in the small bay (now known as Calamity Bay), tending to draw those who jumped from the bow out into deep water or under the still-turning side wheels.)
A man living in Ticonderoga accompanied by his little daughter threw the child overboard and remained on deck until he could jump into the shallow water and wade ashore. The child grasped the wooden box in which Red Cap Dick, a deck hand, kept live rattlesnakes for exhibition. The glass cover was broken as the box had been thrown overboard by some person. The snakes were crawling out while the child was holding onto the cage and swam ashore, leaving the little one in safe possession of her life preserver.
Six persons were drowned, five ladies and one gentleman, all passengers. The bodies of five were found before dark. The sixth, of a lady, was never recovered. Her husband said she jumped overboard soon after the alarm was given. The body went to the bottom in deep water. No person or animal that has gone to the bottom of Lake George in deep water was ever known to come to the surface. Decomposition cannot take place in the temperature as it is at the bottom of 100 feet of water. The lake was thoroughly dragged for days without success.
Many that jumped overboard were saved by expert and fearless swimmers. One young man saved the lives of three young ladies with a plank. He was deprived of the use of his arms by two of the ladies grasping them and the three were going down when a desperate move he cleared himself, leaving the sleeves of his linen coat in their hands. He came to the surface and regained the plank to which the third lady was holding fast. As the others came up, he secured them and saved their lives.
Many small boats were soon at hand from the hotel and through their efforts many lives were saved. Had all remained on board, they would have reached shore safety. After all left the boat. Old Dick went below and got his clothes and took them ashore. I mention this fact to show that there was no necessity for leaving the boat until it could be done in safety.
[I have] been the witness of thousands of pleasing scenes as well as a few of the most sorrowful events that have ever taken place on the waters of the queen of American lakes.