Corona (Packet, 1878-1889)

Photographer

Lytle, Andrew

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Packet
• BUILT: Brownsville, Pennsylvania, 1878
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Blew up at the foot of Prophets Island, 1889
• OWNERS: Captain T. C. Sweeney; Captain Jack Blank and others (1889)
• OFFICERS & CREW: Captain Jack DeHart (master, 1880); Captain Jack Blanks (1889); Captain H. W. Blanks (1889)
• RIVERS: Mississippi River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 1331; Built for Captain T. C. Sweeney of Wheeling, a large cotton carrier; her construction was completed at Wheeling where A. J. Sweeney & Son built and installed her engines, etc. She ran out of New Orleans. Captain Jack DeHart was master in 1880; he was the son of Captain DeHart of the 1814 New Orleans. She was later owned by Captain Jack Blank and others. They rebuilt her the summer of 1889, and she came out looking like a new boat. She started up the Mississippi and, at the foot of Prophets Island, she met the Anchor Line City of St. Louis. While the pilot on Corona was blowing a whistle salute, Corona's boilers let go. Captain H. W. Blanks was blown an estimated 150 feet in the air and was the only person who went up and came down alive. There was a large number of lives lost. The City of New Orleans gathered up survivors and took them to New Orleans. The Corona had a duplicate of the famous St. Lawrence whistle. Much of Corona's cabin furnishings came from the Calumet
• PHOTO DESCRIPTION: At Baton Rouge, Louisiana