History
BROOKLYN was a wooden propeller vessel built in 1866 in Cleveland, Ohio. It had an official number of 2151 and was owned by the Northern Transportation Co. The ship had a length of 136.6 feet, a beam of 25.1 feet, and a depth of 12 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 466.38.
The vessel was primarily used for passenger and package freight transportation. It had a high-pressure engine manufactured by Cuyahoga Iron Works, with one cylinder and one boiler. The ship had a speed of 13-15 mph, making it one of the fastest boats of its time.
On October 22, 1874, tragedy struck when the BROOKLYN suffered a boiler explosion while racing the steamer EMPIRE on the Detroit River near Fighting Island, Michigan. The violent explosion caused the ship’s after end to be blown off, tearing its bottom and leading to its quick sinking. The boiler explosion resulted in the loss of 22 lives, although different reports provide varying casualty numbers ranging from 13 to 20.
An investigation revealed that the ship had been pushing its steam levels to pass the steamer CUBA ahead of it, and the second engineer had allowed the water level in the boiler to run low. The vessel was carrying general merchandise, including leather, marble, and various other goods.
The BROOKLYN was raised in November 1874 but sank again. Salvagers reported that the ship’s engine had been blown clear out of its hull, and the after end of the ship was severely damaged by the explosion. In subsequent years, attempts were made to recover the ship’s machinery.
