It is with consternation and feverish excitement that I present to you the 1856 book "Lloyd's steamboat directory, and disasters on the western waters, containing the history of the first application of steam, as a motive power; the lives of John Fitch and Robert Fulton"!
While written too early for Majestic's wreck at Tower #2, it's got a whole lot of interesting things in it, including a description of St Louis at the time (p 217-220).
[LINK] [Archived LINK]
The tl;dr version is: a lot of boilers exploded, with horrifying results.
Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
RE: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
Based on the picture I narrowed down the window of the sinking to after Tower 2 was built (1911) to before the Chain of Rocks Bridge was built (1929).
Found a source in a Wikipedia article that shows all the Merchant vessel losses for each year, so after some manual searching through several old government reports, I found the date she hit the intake tower.
Found a source in a Wikipedia article that shows all the Merchant vessel losses for each year, so after some manual searching through several old government reports, I found the date she hit the intake tower.
- Attachments
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More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AV4R3LIDADUHJQ8S wrote:Majestic (Excursion boat/Packet, 1914-1914)
BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
BOAT TYPE: Excursion boat/Packet
BUILT: 1890 at Harmar, Ohio at Knox Yard
FORMERLY: Keystone State (1890)
FINAL DISPOSITION: Hit an intake tower or pier and was lost at Chain of Rocks above St. Louis on the Mississippi River in June, 1914
OWNERS: Captain D.W. Wisherd
OFFICERS & CREW: Captain Frank Gill (master, 1914); Captain Steve Withrow (pilot, 1914); John Pearson (pilot, 1914); A.J. Mason (chief engineer, 1914); Tom Posey (mate, 1914); Edgar Wisherd (purser, 1914)
RIVERS: Mississippi River
OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 3711; She was built into an excursion boat at Peoria in early 1914 by Captain D.W. Wisherd
Majestic (A)
- Attachments
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More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
The Captain says the Majestic is still there:
Captain D, W. Wisherd Memoir wrote:Wisherd: …I purchased the packet steamer Keystone State, at Peoria and converted her from a packet to an excursion steamer, operated her for thirteen days on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers and renamed her the steamer Majestic. Operated the moonlight excursions out of Alton for the employees of the telephone company. She was on her way to St. Louis to come over and operate on the Ohio River between Cairo and Pittsburgh. She sank in thirty feet of water on what was being constructed as an intake tower for the city. This tower had no light on it and was right in what had been the channel for fifty-seven years. The steamer sank but the lifeboats floated on the roof. The intake tower was being constructed at what is known as the Chain of Rocks above St. Louis.
Interviewer: Was anybody hurt?
Wisherd: There was no lives lost. My brother Edgar Wisherd and my nephew Roland were employed on the steamer and when I got word at my home over in Quincy, Illinois, I endeavored to get a train or some service to get down there to see if they were safe. I finally arrived about seven p.m. and found that they were safe on the boat. Endeavored to raise the steamer but the hull was so badly damaged we couldn’t do it successfully. Continued to try it at different times until the fall of that year. Finally abandoned it.
Last edited by Nicotti on Wed Jan 15, 2020 9:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
After he lost that boat Wisherd bought the Rees Lee, constructed out of steel. He remodeled it into an excursion boat and renamed it to Majestic as well, even though a captain friend of his told him it was bad luck to name another boat after a sunken one and that it started with the 13th letter in the alphabet. The 2nd Majestic was destroyed by fire. After that Wisherd said he learned his lesson and didn't name any more of his boats Majestic.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
-
houndmaster
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:28 pm
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
Any new "high water" pics of the intake towers?
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
My guess would be "no" since the river hasn't been abnormally high since 2019, but maybe someone will prove me wrong.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
-
houndmaster
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:28 pm
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
I'm an idiot, typing too fast, I meant to ask about LOW water pics.Nicotti wrote: ↑Thu Jan 12, 2023 4:00 pmMy guess would be "no" since the river hasn't been abnormally high since 2019, but maybe someone will prove me wrong.
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
Here's a vid from a channel I found. Looks like the chimney fell on the western tower and put a hole in the roof.
Edit: Nevermind, that's been like that for a few years now.
Edit: Nevermind, that's been like that for a few years now.
More online investigation than onsite exploration these days.
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
“My dear fellow, who will let you?”
“That’s not the point. The point is, who will stop me?”
-Ayn Rand
-
houndmaster
- 0-99 Poster
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:28 pm
Re: Chain of Rocks Water Intake towers?
Thanks Nicotti - cool video either way.