History #
The steamer Bytown was a sidewheel steamer built in 1836 in Kingston, Ontario. It had a tonnage of 123 and was primarily used for passenger and freight transportation. On October 25, 1837, the Bytown was caught in a storm while lying at its dock, Counter’s Wharf, in Kingston. The gale caused the steamer to be driven ashore and pounded into a wreck. Fortunately, there was no loss of life reported.
After the incident, the Bytown was hauled out on the Kingston Marine Railway between August and November 1837 for repairs. The extent of the damage suffered by the vessel is not specified in the available information, but it is mentioned that the machinery remained uninjured. The captain of the Bytown, Captain Bowen, lost nearly £200 that he had in his trunk, and a parcel containing about £1,000 belonging to the Commercial Bank was also lost.
During the same storm, other vessels in the vicinity of Kingston also experienced damage. A barge belonging to the Ottawa Company, loaded with flour and potash, was sunk but later raised and taken to the marine railway for repairs. The steamboat Commodore Barrie suffered minor injuries, including the loss of one of its paddles. The overall property damage in the harbor as a result of the gale was estimated to be around £5,000.
These details are sourced from historical newspaper clippings from November 1837, reporting on the incident and the damage caused by the storm on Lake Ontario.
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