Oregon Liner Shipwreck-Fire Island, L.I., New York
SS Oregon 14 March 1886 The night before arriving in port it was Captain Philip Cottiers' custom to supervise the OREGON'S entry into New York City. He went below leaving word to be awakened at 5 A.M.to welcome the arrival of the Pilot boat. This would give him enough time to be on the bridge before daybreak. As he went below he scanned the horizon and gazed out at the cool clear night with great satisfaction. The OREGON made the crossing on schedule again. He was pleased with the OREGON'S excellent performance making the trip from Liverpool, England in just under 71/2 days. The watch was on deck as always and the first mate was on the bridge nearby following the Captain's orders. Captain Cottiers had complete confidence in his crew. Suddenly out of the blackness of night a three masted heavily laden schooner struck the OREGON midships. The phantom ship, later identified as the CHARLES R. MORSE, penetrated the OREGON'S steel hull and stove three large holes in the luxury liner's port side. Temporarily they locked together but just as suddenly they drifted apart. Cries of help filled the quietness of the night as the schooner slipped mysteriously below the waves taking her crew with her. No one seems to know with any certainty when, how or why the idea of the Blue Riband was started. Recording speeds of steamship crossings began in 1838 and has continued since. In 1886 the OREGON was one of the speediest to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Although materially the award never existed until 1935, the OREGON was the proud recipient of that prestigious title. Until then her competition was not yet born. It was not until 1952, when the U.S.S. United States won the title for the United States and recaptured the award from other contenders. This time officially with the coveted Silver cup of Victory. The OREGON, although gone these many years held this victorious title in abeyance for The United States. When the OREGON left Liverpool at 10 A.M. on Saturday March 6, 1886 Captain Philip Cottiers, her skipper, intended to buoy the credibility of her exceptionable speed. She carried her 520 foot length proudly with her 7,375 gross tons across her 40 foot beam. She could make 19 knots with ease. Not only was she queen of the Atlantic she was also luxury par excellence. The seasoned and experienced crew members catered to the whims of the more than 650 passengers on board. The entire week of this momentous voyage the waves were glass top smooth and comfortably calm. Billowing clouds could be seen in a 360 degree arc painting a picture most passengers would never forget. It was a memorable crossing in more ways than one could imagine. Captain Cottiers made his last entry in the log before the morning docking, smiling as he flowingly wrote, "Weather clear, seas calm, fresh breeze from the west, continuing at maximum speed. All is well." At that time the OREGON was the biggest and the fastest ship afloat. It was designed especially for Stephen Barker Guion, owner of the American Lines, by Fairfield Ship Builders of Glasgow. She was exquisitely fitted with the finest, most elaborate and costliest materials. Steve Guion's penchant for splendor and speed became an obsession that eventually became his downfall. The diminishing quotas of passenger crossings certainly did not help either. With the invention of the compound steam engine in 1870 this four masted barque now sported two impressive smoke stacks, burned 240 tons of coal per day producing 12,000 horsepower. On her maiden voyage in 1881 she crossed the Atlantic in 6 days ten hours and 40 minutes. An unheard of speed...yet engineers predicted more improvements were on the drawing boards to increase propulsion and fuel economy. This earned the OREGON the mystical Blue Riband award ...and unfortunately the notoriety of being the largest ship to have been sunk off Long Island. Stephen Guion's interests centered elsewhere after winning this prize and as a result he went bankrupt. Cunard Line purchased the OREGON and placed her in the passenger trade crossing the Atlantic on a regular basis. As this giant forged forward approaching New York Harbor most of her passengers went to bed anticipating her early morning arrival. The engineers made certain she maintained full speed. The OREGON went down 107 years ago becoming the largest wreck lost in the history of ship navigation on Long Island. She is located on the 20 fathom curve just about 22 miles from the Fire Island Inlet. Smaller vessels with sufficient fuel can make the trip with ease. She is fairly easy to locate because the hull is still in one piece and her twin smoke stacks stand out like sore thumbs on the depth recorder. Unlike the SAN DIEGO the OREGON is right side up as though in a deep water drydock with her giant screw still buried in the sand. "At the time we were under a full load of steam, hoping to arrive in New York City in time for early Sunday church services. The weather was clear even at this early hour of 4:30 A.M.", said Captain Cottiers. After the collision the OREGON floated for more than 8 hours. He had earlier ordered all water tight compartments closed. "We worked from the moment of the collision. We took all the necessary precautions. The engineers attempted to seal the onrushing sea with a large canvas patch, but it was useless." The CHARLES R. MORSE, after colliding with the OREGON disappeared completely. None of the nine man crew or any part of the wreckage was ever found although a couple of masts were located about 17 miles from where the OREGON now lies. "We wasted no time alerting the passengers. Some never heard or were aware that a vessel had collided with us. The temporary repair kept us afloat just a little longer", explained Captain Cottiers. At about 8 A.M. upon hearing the distress signals the Pilot boat was the first to arrive. THE OREGON'S crew had already lowered the boats as the F.A.GORHAM of Maine came into view. Captain Cottiers was the last to leave his ship, later he commented to reporters, "I'm thankful that there were so many people involved in the rescue." Four hundred passengers and crew were transferred to the Pilot boat and about 500 hundred more on the F.A.Gorham schooner. Everyone on the OREGON was saved. It was a text book rescue. The OREGON'S cargo, worth about a million British pounds, all of the passengers baggage with untold valuables and over 300 mail bags remained on the OREGON as she majestically slid beneath the frigid waves. Rumor spread as to what caused the strange and unusual sinking. Mistakenly it was said that it was caused by an engine room steam explosion, quite common in those days. Some criticized the ability and qualifications of the ship's personnel. At the hearing by the Board of Inquiry in Liverpool, the panel concluded that no blame could be placed on the officers or crew of the OREGON. Through out the many years the OREGON has become one of the most interesting wrecks on the Eastern seaboard. All kinds of artifacts have been found there. Besides being one of the most popular dive area on the East Coast, it has become a favorite fishing area for all types of game fish....But the most important prize of all are the 20 lb lobsters said to have spawned in the recesses of the OREGON. This is an extract of the information found at: http://longislandgenealogy.com/shipwrecks.html RETURN to DISASTERS MAIN RETURN to NEWSPAPER MAIN RETURN to BSU MAIN RETURN to BROOKLYN MAIN