On July 23, 1878, the canal boat H.R. Preston encountered a tragic incident off the coast of Oswego, New York. The Preston, along with three other canal boats named Rising Star, Morning Star, and Evening Star, were being towed by the tug Alanson Sumner on their way to Canada to load ashes. The three Stars had already been towed from Napanee to Picton by another tug before joining the Preston in the tow by the Sumner.
About fifteen miles from Oswego, the Preston broke loose from the tow due to rough seas. It took the Sumner about an hour to regain control of the Preston, using its own lines to secure the boat. The Preston was a quarter deck boat with a bin covered by canvas.
However, when the boat was approximately a mile offshore at around 4:30 p.m., the rough sea knocked off the bin, causing the Preston to fill with water rapidly. Captain Dobbie, realizing the boat was bound to sink, ordered the line to be cut. The Preston went down bow first, but before completely submerging, the stern tilted up about fifteen feet out of the water and remained in that position for several minutes.
Only two crew members, John Tully and John Watson, were aboard the Preston. They managed to tie boards together and used a pike pole to keep themselves afloat. The tug Sumner sounded its whistle and raised its flag to signal for help. The tug Morey, captained by Captain Pappa, heard the signal and, along with the tug William Avery under Captain Albert Thompson, went out to rescue Tully and Watson. Captain Blackburn and another member of the Life Saving Service also went out in a small boat to assist.
The H.R. Preston, built by H.C. Le Roy on Oneida Lake in October of the previous year, was insured for $1,000 for lake navigation and $2,000 for canal navigation. It was carrying a cargo of 240 to 250 tons of ashes, consigned to James A. Bill of Lyme, Connecticut, and purchased and shipped by Charles O’Hara. The cargo was insured for $600.
In addition, the Evening Star, one of the other canal boats in the tow, suffered damage when it lost its post and collided with the docks upon entering the harbor. The boat’s sides were broken, and it started taking on water. All the boats in the tow were leaking, with about a foot of water in their cabins. The Star boats were owned by C.W. Pratt, and there were three men aboard them.
This incident resulted in the loss of the H.R. Preston, but fortunately, the crew members were rescued by the responding vessels.
