Buckeye (Propeller), U2150, sunk, 24 Sep 1865

Loss of the Propeller BUCKEYE - By a telegram received in this city this morning, we learn that the Northern Transportation Co.'s propeller BUCKEYE struck a rock in the St. Lawrence River yesterday, among the Thousand Islands, and sunk in 70 feet of water. It is also stated that seven persons were drowned. We have not learned the names of those lost, or whether they were of the passengers or crew. Should any further intelligence be received before we go to press we will publish it.

Since the above was written, we have been furnished by Mr. Fuller, operator for the Western Union Line, with the following particulars concerning this catastrophe, received by telegraph from Ogdensburgh:
Ogdensburgh, Sept. 25. - The fine propeller Buckeye, of the Northern Transportation Co.'s line, left this port for Toledo on Saturday evening with a number of passengers, and a cargo of about fifty tons of merchandise, and some weight of marble. When near Cross Over Light, in the Thousand Islands of the St. Laerence, about a mile above Oak Point, at four o'clock Sunday morning, she struck a sunken rock and sank in seventy feet of water.
At first no great alarm was felt, and immediate efforts were making to back off, when it was found that she was rapidly filling. The passengers had been aroused, but hardly had time to collect their senses when the vessel slid from the rock and sank stern foremost. Three, and probably four, passengers are known to have gone down. The names of the three known to be lost are Mrs. O'Neil of Oswego, and Mrs. and Miss Aubrey of Burlington. Miss Aubrey was aroused and could have been saved, but refused to desert her mother.
Before Mrs. Aubrey could be got at, the boat careened on her side, and mother and daughter went down together. In fact, scarcely 20 minutes elapsed from the time the BUCKEYE struck till she sunk. As she went down, the mate noticed three men in the water under the stern. It is feared they were also lost.
The survivors were brought to this port by the steamer CHAMPION of the Royal Mail Line. We believe this is the first instance in which the lives of passengers have been lost by any accident to the company's steamers. The extreme darkness of the night and the low water in the St. Lawrence are reasons given for this sad catastrophe.
      Oswego Daily Palladium
      Monday, September 25, 1865



      Ogdensburgh, N.Y., September 25.
      The propeller BUCKEYE, of the Northern Transportation Line, left here on Saturday evening with passengers and merchandise for Toledo, when about 4 A.M. on Sunday morning she struck a sunken rock near Crossover Light, in the St. Lawrence River, a mile abouve Oak Point, and sunk in seventy feet of water. The passengers were aroused but hardly had time to realize their peril when the boat slid from the rock and sunk.
      Three passengers are known to have been lost, namely Mrs. O'Neil, of Oswego and Mrs. and Miss Aubey, of Milwaukee.
      As the boat went down three men were seen in the water under the stern, and it is feared they also were lost.
      There was not twenty minutes time after the vessel struck before she went down. The surviving passengers were brought to this city by the steamer CHAMPION of the Royal Mail Line.
      The low water and extreme darkness of the night are the reasons given for this sad accident.
      Erie Daily Dispatch
      Tuesday, September 26, 1865

      . . . . .

      MARINE - The propeller BUCKEYE left Brockville, Canada, at 4 P.M. Sept. 24th. for Detroit and Cleveland, with a cargo consisting of 150 tons of marble and general merchandise. She had on board about 25 passengers and a crew of 18. She struck on a rock nine miles above Brockville, and near what is called Nine-Mile Lighthouse. Her head was turned towards the shore, but she filled rapidly and sunk a few moments after the collision. The crew and passengers reached the shore in safety, and were brought down to Prescott by the steamer CHAMPION. There is a rumor, however, that several lives were lost, but is believed to be unfounded.
      Erie Daily Dispatch
      Friday, September 29, 1865

      . . . . .
     
THE BUCKEYE. -- The Northern Transportation Co.'s propeller BUCKEYE, Capt. McDonald arrived here yesterday from Cleveland. During the winter the BUCKEYE has been extensively rebuilt, and comes out this spring as staunch as when entirely new. This is the first trip since she was raised from the bottom of the St. Lawrence last fall.
      Toledo Blade
      April 16, 1866
     

Steam screw BUCKEYE. U. S. No. 2150. Of 351.85 tons gross; 236.02 tons net. Built Cleveland, O., 1856. Home port, Chicago, Ill. 136.2 x 26.0 x 11.2.
      Merchant Vesel List, U. S., 1885