This may be from where the 1800’s artifacts are coming from…..
The Wreck of the Victor
By MRS. BESSIE WILSON DuBois
Searching in the Florida material in the Memorial Library in West
Palm Beach we came across a small item from the memoirs of Charles
Pierce which gave us our first clue to the identity of the vessel. It told of
the Steamer Victor which sank off Jupiter in 1872.
Our first inquiries to the Coast Guard and National Archives were not
fruitful. There was no record of the Victor. Finally however a letter was
received from National Archives with the following information about the
Victor:
"A Steamboat Inspection Service casualty report states that on October
20, 1872, the S. S. Victor (Official No. 25686), while in route from New
York to New Orleans, "broke her shaft" near the Jupiter, Florida, lighthouse,
filled with water and sank quickly without the loss of life. The vessel, which
was valued at $140,000, was described as having three decks, a round stern,
and a carved head; and as measuring 205.5 feet in length, 36 feet in width,
19 feet in depth, and 1326 gross tons. The cargo, which was valued at
$150,000, was also a complete loss. Charles Mallory of Mystic Connecticut,
was listed as the Victor's owner. No crew or passenger lists for this voyage
have been located in the National Archives."
1There seems to be no record of the part played by the Jupiter lighthouse
men in the rescue of the passengers and crew of the Victor.
A much more graphic account of the shipwreck came however from
Mrs. Lillie Pierce Voss of Boynton, Florida. Her father was assistant keeper
of Jupiter lighthouse for one year, 1872. The shipwreck occurred before she
was born but she had heard her father relate the story of that stormy
October day many times and her brother Charles had recorded many of the
details.
Her father, H. D. Pierce, was on duty in the tower of the Jupiter lighthouse.
A northeaster was blowing. Shortly after midnight he saw a glare of
coast on lights south of the inlet and knew a ship was in distress. He ran
down the spiral stairway to the dwelling occupied by the three keepers
and awakened Captain Armour and the other assistant Charles Carlin. The
three men climbed the tower and presently more lights indicated the location
of the distressed vessel.
The three men were all resourceful and used to the sea so they immediately
set about loading Captain Armour's sailboat, the Almeada, with
ropes and other paraphernalia necessary to rescue operations. Before daylight
they sailed down to the inlet and landed on the south side. Captain
Armour carried a lantern shielded by his coat. They dragged the ropes and
other tools down the beach.
At daybreak they could see the steamer lying broadside with waves
breaking over and around her. People were huddled amidship. The three
men on the shore were the only white men along this desolate shore for a
hundred miles. The gleam of the Captain's lantern must have been like an
answer to a prayer.
When daylight came signs from the ship indicated that a buoy was
being sent ashore. Even with a shore breeze blowing it came in with
tantalizing slowness after it was lowered from the stern of the Victor.
that cross and pocketwatch are very nice, Im still working on the Conquistador but would love to dive with you next time out. Im working in the boatyard in N Palm now... Let me know, Troy
