Marietta Vessels

The Marietta Intelligencer, February 11, 1847

Two Schooners - the "Ohio" and the "Grace Darling" - built last season by the Marietta Ship Company, left here on the evening of the 7th inst., in tow of the S. B. "Wing & Wing" for Cincinnati, where the balance of their cargo will be received and whence they will depart for Boston in the course of a week.

The "Ohio" is 91-1/2 feet on deck, 24 feet beam, 7-1/2 feet hold. She measures 146 tons, Custom House measurement.

The "Grace Darling" measures 124-1/2 tons. She is 83-1/2 feet on deck, 23 feet beam, 7 feet 4-1/2 inches hold.

Both vessels are built of the best white oak and are heavily iron fastened. The decks are white pine. The cabins are below, very neatly finished with black walnut. They were built under the direction of Capt. Ira Ellis, the master builder, and one of the stockholders of the Marietta Ship Company, for E. D. Kimball Esq. of Salem, Massachusetts.

The vessels were rigged by Mr. William C. Fauvelle, who takes one of them round to Boston. 

The iron work was done by Count De Bonney.

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The barque built here last season by Captain William Knox for Messrs. A. & I. Waters is nearly finished and will be launched on the first rise of water.

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Another schooner has been contracted to be built by the Marietta Ship Company. The workmen commenced their labors last week, and Capt. Ellis informs us that if the weather is favorable, in sixteen days from this time the frame work will be up and ready for planking! This schooner is building for a Mr. Cochran of New Orleans.

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The steamboat "May Queen," which was burned at our landing on Friday morning last, had on board a full cargo for New Orleans. The following list includes the valuable items:

                    1353 Barrels Flour.

                    27 Barrels Tallow.

                    46 Kegs lard.

                    269 Sacks Dry Apples.

Of the flour, 1050 barrels belonged to Beaumont of Putnam (and a portion of it was of very extra quality), 167 barrels to Dewer and Granger, and 136 barrels to Culver and Porter. 140 barrels (only one of which belonged to Beaumont) were saved in good order; and 300 barrels (of Beaumont's) were saved in a damaged condition. The lard was all saved; and all the Tallow, except one barrel. Eighteen sacks, only, of the dried fruit were saved. Probably $5000 would not cover the loss upon the cargo, which it is understood was mostly insured.

The "May Queen" belonged to C. R. Kelley and W. T. Bowen of Zanesville. She was considered worth from $4,000 to $5,000, and was insured in the Columbus Insurance Company for $3,000. The fire is supposed to have originated from the ash pan under the boilers and had probably been burning some hours before smoke was discovered issuing from her hold.

It was about half an hour after the alarm was given before the flames burst through the deck floor, and had she been scuttled, the boat and cargo might probably have been saved. But the Captain would not consent that this should be done, lest the Policy of Insurance should thus be vitiated. A singular opinion this, though no doubt honestly entertained!