Schooner Norwegian and Tug Maria Melvin
- Vessel Types:
- Schooner Norwegian
- Tug Maria Melvin
- Location: The vessels went ashore near Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, just below the east pier.
- Date of Incident: August 20, 1870. The aftermath was reported on August 23-24, 1870.
Description: #
The schooner Norwegian, owned by Morgan Wheeler of Oswego, and captained by Charles Brown, was en route from Kingston, Ontario, to Oswego. It was running in ballast, and Morgan Wheeler himself was on board as a passenger.
As the schooner approached the Oswego harbor between 3 and 4 a.m., facing gale-force winds, an attempt was made to enter the harbor under sail. The tug Maria Melvin, owned by J.D. Murphy, was hailed to assist. Unfortunately, during the operation, a squall came from the southwest, causing the schooner to accelerate, making it impossible for the tug to secure a line properly.
Both vessels ran aground near the pier, where heavy seas soon opened their seams, causing both to fill with water. Thankfully, the crews managed to reach the shore safely. Despite efforts by the tug Maria Melvin to tow the schooner, the tug also became stranded, leading to a double wreck.
Final Dispositions: #
- Schooner Norwegian: After attempts to pump the water out using equipment from Kingston and Buffalo, the schooner was ultimately abandoned as a total wreck. Divers concluded it was unsalvageable despite multiple efforts.
- Tug Maria Melvin: The tug was successfully pulled off the rocks by the Canadian steamer Wellington and taken to dry-dock for repairs.
Insurance: #
- The Norwegian was insured for $12,000, split between Aetna and two other companies.
- The Maria Melvin was partially insured.
Salvage Efforts: #
Despite several efforts, including powerful pumping equipment and a diver’s survey, the schooner Norwegian was declared a total loss on August 24, 1870. The Maria Melvin was successfully refloated and repaired.