Shotline Diving

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Charles W. Parker US 125222

The Charles W. Parker, a steam screw tug, tragically exploded in 1891, resulting in seven fatalities and significant regulatory changes in maritime safety.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Charles W. Parker
  • Type: Steam Screw Tug
  • Year Built: 1873
  • Builder: Chicago, IL
  • Dimensions: 66.8 × 15 × 7.6 ft; 36.4 GT / 18.2 NT
  • Registered Tonnage: 36.4 GT / 18.2 NT
  • Location: Lake Michigan
  • Official Number: US 125222
  • Original Owners: Vessel-Owners’ Towing Co.

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Steam Screw Tug (U.S. No. 125222)

Description

Built: 1873, Chicago, IL
Specs: 66.8 × 15 × 7.6 ft; 36.4 GT / 18.2 NT
Propulsion: Non-condensing steam screw tug
Purpose: Harbor towing in the Chicago River (Vessel-Owners’ Towing Co.)

History

Incident Overview – October 4, 1891

  • Context: On an October afternoon, Parker, alongside three other tugs, was attempting to tow the coal steamer H.S. Pickands out from beneath Archer Ave. drawbridge on the South Branch of the Chicago River. Dense steam and smoke covered the area.
  • Explosion: At around 4:30 p.m., the boiler blew out the crown sheet, ripping a hole approximately 10 × 20 ft in the hull, and the vessel’s bottom was nearly obliterated.
  • Cause: Investigators concluded that impure river water caused foaming and low water levels, exacerbated by sudden engine reversal, resulting in crown sheet failure.

Significant Incidents

Casualties & Damage

  • Fatalities (7 total):
    • Captain James B. Carter, Engineer John C. Moore, Steward Samuel Armstrong (all from Parker)
    • Mary Rice (25) and her 18-month-old daughter Barbara (both bystanders)
    • Samuel Sawyer (Illinois Steel Works switchman)
    • One unidentified man struck on Archer Ave bridge.
  • Injuries: Many others, including crew from another tug Van Schaick and spectators, were severely injured.
  • Structural damage: Debris blasted up to 500 ft, causing property damage to nearby docks, vessels, and onlookers.

Final Disposition

Investigation & Aftermath

  • Upon dry-docking the wreck, the lever reversed position signaled a sudden change of engine direction right before explosion.
  • The boiler was found in excellent build condition; the incident was blamed on water quality and operational stress rather than construction flaws.
  • The vessel was declared a total loss and towed into Lake Michigan to sink adrift.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Historical Significance

  • One of the deadliest tug boiler explosions recorded on the Great Lakes, prompting stricter boiler maintenance and river water management practices.
  • Led to significant protocol reforms concerning water quality used in steam boilers from polluted urban waterways.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”charles-w-parker-us-125222″ title=”References & Links”]

Research Recommendations

  • Archival Records
    • Complete inspection report from local marine inspectors (November 1891 Marine Review).
    • Coroner and insurance files for Parker‘s crew and civilian victims.
  • Newspaper & Institutional Archives
    • Original coverage by Chicago Tribune, Inter Ocean, and Cleveland papers for human-interest details and rescue reports.
  • Remnant Search
    • The boiler and large hull sections sank nearby; shoreline and lakebed mapping in the former river mouth/lake area may locate remnants.

The Charles W. Parker explosion on October 4, 1891, tragically killed seven people and injured many others. Caused by crown-sheet failure during towing operations in dirty river water, the disaster led to widespread regulatory changes. The vessel was destroyed, scuttled, and remains lost to history—but stands as a landmark case in maritime boiler safety reform.

Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Steam Screw Tug (U.S. No. 125222)

Built: 1873, Chicago, IL
Specs: 66.8 × 15 × 7.6 ft; 36.4 GT / 18.2 NT
Propulsion: Non-condensing steam screw tug
Purpose: Harbor towing in the Chicago River (Vessel-Owners’ Towing Co.)

Incident Overview – October 4, 1891

  • Context: On an October afternoon, Parker, alongside three other tugs, was attempting to tow the coal steamer H.S. Pickands out from beneath Archer Ave. drawbridge on the South Branch of the Chicago River. Dense steam and smoke covered the area.
  • Explosion: At around 4:30 p.m., the boiler blew out the crown sheet, ripping a hole approximately 10 × 20 ft in the hull, and the vessel’s bottom was nearly obliterated (Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections, historicnewspapers.sc.edu).
  • Cause: Investigators concluded that impure river water caused foaming and low water levels, exacerbated by sudden engine reversal, resulting in crown sheet failure (chicagology.com).

Casualties & Damage

  • Fatalities (7 total):
    • Captain James B. Carter, Engineer John C. Moore, Steward Samuel Armstrong (all from Parker)
    • Mary Rice (25) and her 18-month-old daughter Barbara (both bystanders)
    • Samuel Sawyer (Illinois Steel Works switchman)
    • One unidentified man struck on Archer Ave bridge (historicnewspapers.sc.edu).
  • Injuries: Many others, including crew from another tug (Van Schaick) and spectators, were severely injured (historicnewspapers.sc.edu).
  • Structural damage: Debris blasted up to 500 ft, causing property damage to nearby docks, vessels, and onlookers (chicagology.com).

Investigation & Aftermath

  • Upon dry-docking the wreck, the lever reversed position signaled a sudden change of engine direction right before explosion (chicagology.com).
  • The boiler was found in excellent build condition; the incident was blamed on water quality and operational stress rather than construction flaws (chicagology.com).
  • The vessel was declared a total loss and towed into Lake Michigan to sink adrift (Georgia Historic Newspapers, historicnewspapers.sc.edu).

Historical Significance

  • One of the deadliest tug boiler explosions recorded on the Great Lakes, prompting stricter boiler maintenance and river water management practices.
  • Led to significant protocol reforms concerning water quality used in steam boilers from polluted urban waterways.

Research Recommendations

  • Archival Records
    • Complete inspection report from local marine inspectors (November 1891 Marine Review).
    • Coroner and insurance files for Parker‘s crew and civilian victims.
  • Newspaper & Institutional Archives
    • Original coverage by Chicago Tribune, Inter Ocean, and Cleveland papers for human-interest details and rescue reports.
  • Remnant Search
    • The boiler and large hull sections sank nearby; shoreline and lakebed mapping in the former river mouth/lake area may locate remnants.

Summary

The Charles W. Parker explosion on October 4, 1891, tragically killed seven people and injured many others. Caused by crown-sheet failure during towing operations in dirty river water, the disaster led to widespread regulatory changes. The vessel was destroyed, scuttled, and remains lost to history—but stands as a landmark case in maritime boiler safety reform.

Would you like assistance securing the full inspection report, locating newspaper obituaries, or coordinating a site survey for possible wreckage?

charles-w-parker-us-125222 1891-10-04 16:46:00