Washington Irving (sidewheeler)

The "Washington Irving" was a 4,000 ton sidewheeler dayliner and flagship of the Hudson River Day Line which was struck in the fog a bit after 9:00am on June 1 1926 on the North River by an oil barge. Helped by tug boats, it reached shore at the then under construction Pier 12, Jersey City and sank five minutes later. Out of 200 passengers and 105 crew, three died as a result of the accident: Wylma Wood Hoag (wife to Lynne Arthur Hoag and mother to Arthur Allen Hoag), their three year old daughter Mary, and a Brooklyn resident B. Woods, a steward, who was trapped asleep in a cabin far down in the boat.citation
title = Day Liner Is Sunk in Hudson by Barge; Two Are Missing
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 2 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series = Display Ad
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 1
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0913FE355E1B7A93C0A9178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1558598
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17] citation
last1 = McDowell
first1 = Michael P.
title = Passenger Liners of New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden
url = http://yorkship.home.comcast.net/~yorkship/liners.htm] citation
last1 = Colton
first1 = Tim
place = Delray Beach, FL
url = http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/1major/inactive/newyorkship.htm
title = New York Shipbuilding, Camden NJ] citation
title = Two Still Missing from Sunken Ship
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publication-date =
date = June 3 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place =
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 20
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0E14FF355E1B7A93C1A9178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1558599
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-24] citation
title = Think Mrs. Hoag Sank Hunting for Children
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 4 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place =
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 23
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70B17FE34541A7A93C6A9178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1569014
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-24] citation
title = Divers Get $60,000 from Washington Irving; To Speed Removal of Liner, Now Over Tunnel
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 5 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place =
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 1
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0915FE34541A7A93C4A9178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1569015
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-24]

Characteristics

[
citation
title = Up the Hudson Columbus Day October 12th
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = October 11 1916
year = 1916
periodical = The New York Times
series = Display Ad
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 13
url =
issn = 1672099
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-18] ] The quadruple-decker "Washington Irving" was built in 1912 by the New York Shipbuilding Company for contract number 126 and measured 414 feet long and 86 feet at its widest point. Together, Frank E. Kirby collaborated with J. W. Millard of New York City to design the Washington Irving.citation
url = http://boblosteamers.com/kirby.html
accessdate = 2008-04-18
title = Bob-Lo Boats / Frank E. Kirby
year = 1990
publisher = boblosteamers.com
date = May 28 1990
periodical = Passenger leaflet provided on a Port Huron cruise] At a capacity of 6,000 passengers,citation
year = 1990
first1 = Donald C.
last1 = Ringwald
title = Hudson River Day Line: The Story of a Great American Steamboat Company
publisher = Fordham University Press
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=_4JPAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Hudson+River+Day+Line%3A+The+Story+of+a+Great+American+Steamboat+Company%22&q=6000&pgis=1#search
page = 161] it was the biggest passenger-carrying riverboat ever built. Its beam engine was 6,200 horsepower with cylinders measuring convert|45|in|cm|lk=on and convert|70|in|cm diameter with a convert|7|ft|m|sing=on stroke.citation
url = http://sdr.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mdp/pt?seq=9&view=image&size=100&id=mdp.39015020219674&u=1&num=83
title = Steamboat Days
first1 = Fred Erving
last1 = Dayton
chapter = Hudson River Steamboats
publisher = Frederick A. Stokes company
page = 83
year = 1925] It was named after the author Washington Irving.citation
title = Hudson River By Daylight
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = May 16 1913
year = 1913
periodical = The New York Times
series = Display Ad
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 16
url =
issn = 1570391
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17] It was launched on December 7 1912, and its maiden voyage was Saturday May 17 1913 from Desbrosses Street Pier, New York City to Albany. When put into service it replaced the "Robert Fulton" on the New York to Albany run.citation
title = Old Timers - Boats of the Hudson 1965
url = http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nygreen2/old_timers_-_boats_of_the_hudson_1965.htm
publisher = Greene County News
last1 = Ryder
first1 = F. Van Loon
accessdate = 2008-04-19
year = 1965
date = July 8 1965]

The ship had three smoke stacks amidship for its boilers, in a line one in front of the other, however, the forward stack was a "dummy" one added for aesthetic purposes.citation
last = Adams
first = Arthur G.
year = 1996
publisher = Fordham Univ Press
isbn = 0823212025
title = The Hudson Through the Years
page = 154, 182, 187, 191, & 314
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=As5tyLSVC5wC&pg=PA182&lpg=PA182&ots=43XDdCFmNN&sig=T8-rZrdCT4a3VYBTzc8m6t9iAgY&hl=en]

The first pilot of the "Washington Irving" from 1913 through 1923 was Captain Van Woert.citation
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=c8g1uMhFmUoC&q=%22Washington+Irving%22+sidewheeler&dq=%22Washington+Irving%22+sidewheeler&pgis=1
title = Steamboat Bill: Official Journal of the Steamship Historical Society of America
publisher = Steamship Historical Society of America
year = 1968
page = 22
last1 = Sagafjord
last2 = Hunt
first2 = Tom
place = Bar Harbor]

inking

[
citation
title = First Public Inspection Trip
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = May 11 1913
year = 1913
periodical = The New York Times
series = Display Ad
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 16
url =
issn = 1572353
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-18] ] Soon after departing the Desbrosses Street Pier on June 1 1926 on its way to Albany, it was struck by one of the two oil barges being pushed by the tug boat "Thomas E. Moran". The collision was on its starboard side below the water line just aft of amidships, allowing water to rush into her engine rooms. The resulting hole measured convert|21|ft|m|sing=off long and convert|3|ft|m|sing=off wide. It was valued at $1,000,000 but insured for much less, the barge suffered only $8,000 of damages. The captain, David H. Deming, ordered all to put on their life preservers and whistled the "Ship's afire" signal of two long and three short blasts repeatedly. Chaos of shouts prevailed as the passenger's tried to don vests and locate their children in the fog. Unable to see any land increased the alarm of the passenger's despite the captains shouts that all would be safe. The captain ordered the jazz band to resume playing their music and maintain their post until rescue. The accident was determined to be unavoidable due to "the unusual and unexpected strength of the tidal current, possibly below the surface"citation
title = Lay Ship Crashes to Tides
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 18 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 25
url =
issn = 1559121
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17] after inquiry by the United States Steamship Inspection Board closed on June 9, 1926.citation
title = Inquiry into Sinking of River Liner Ends
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 10 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 9
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E11FF355E1B7A93C2A8178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1558600
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17]

Aftermath

The ship sank on top of the New York-New Jersey vehicular tube complicating its removal. The wreck became a menace to navigation and was struck at 3am on June 16 by a railroad car float.citation
title = Sunken Liner Is Struck
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 17 1926
year = 1926
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 12
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0A1EFC35591B7A93C5A8178DD85F428285F9
issn = 1559106
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-24] The boat was raised on February 13, 1927 and towed to a dry dock to determine whether the boat's condition warranted repair.citation
title = Day Line Boat Floated
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = February 14 1927
year = 1927
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 12
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60C13FC3C591B7A93C6A81789D85F438285F9
issn = 1558695
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17] In March, it was determined to be totaled and a bond was issued to refinance the companies debt and provide financing for its replacement, the "Peter Stuyvesant". The "Peter Stuyvesant" was originally estimated to cost $700,000, but when the boat was completed in June, the final cost was closer to $1,000,000.citation
title = Hudson Day Line Issue
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = March 7 1927
year = 1927
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 32
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0C11F93F5F147A93C5A91788D85F438285F9
issn = 1554284
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17] citation
title = Entertains on New Ship
last =
first =
author-link =
publication-date =
date = June 8 1927
year = 1927
periodical = The New York Times
series =
place = New York
publisher =
volume =
issue =
page = 43
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50613FB395B1B728DDDA10894DE405B878EF1D3
issn = 1670441
doi =
oclc =
accessdate = 2008-04-17]

References

External links

* [http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/images/Pennants%20Page/pennant-washingtonirving2.jpgPhoto of a green pennant depicting the Washington Irving.]