History #
COASTER, a wooden propeller vessel, met its unfortunate fate in a storm on Lake Ontario. Built in 1854 by A. Miller in Oswego, New York, the COASTER had dimensions of 96 feet in length, 17 feet in width, and 5 feet in depth, weighing 70 tons. The exact details of the loss, including the number of lives lost and the cargo being carried, are unknown. However, it is recorded that the COASTER was driven ashore and pounded to pieces near Stone Mills, close to Picton, Ontario, in November 1860.
Reports from the Buffalo Daily Republic on November 27, 1860, confirm the tragic event. The COASTER ran aground eight miles below Stone Mills during a severe gale. The vessel was completely destroyed, but the engine was salvaged. The Oswego Commercial Times also reported similar disasters on the lake, with several vessels suffering damage and loss in the same storm.
An earlier incident involving the COASTER occurred in July 1859. The propeller collided with the schooner Coquette near Oswego, New York, resulting in damage to the bow of the COASTER and causing it to become waterlogged. The crew managed to reach safety and the vessel was towed to port. The Coquette, carrying lumber, also sustained minor damage in the collision.
