Newspaper Archives

About This Archive

This is a collection based on historical newspaper archives documenting maritime accidents and casualties. Unlike traditional shipwreck databases that focus primarily on total losses, this archive captures vessels that were stranded and recovered, partial losses, and obscure incidents often missing from websites, books and historical shipwreck databases.

How to Use:

  • Search: Enter a vessel name in the console below to find specific reports.

  • Filter: Use the dropdowns to narrow results by Wreck Type (e.g., Stranding, Collision) or Incident Year.

  • Browse: Select a letter from the A-Z Index to view the catalog alphabetically.

This database is a primary source tool for researchers regarding maritime incidents.

BROWSE A-Z: ALL ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Sunbury

VESSEL: Barge
TYPE: Collision
DATE: March 25, 1903
SIZE:
BUILT:
MASTER:
LOCATION: Vineyard Sound, Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard

SUMMARY:
The tugboat Cuba along with the barges Sunbury and Cienfuegos were preparing to continue on its voyage to Bangor, Maine. The barges, loaded with a cargo of coal from Newsport News, would collide.  The Cienfuegos struck the stern of the Sunbury resulting in the vessel’s hull cut down nearly to the water’s edge. The damage on the Sunbury was so significant it was unsafe to proceed with the tow. The barge would be left behind until a tug could take it to Fall River for repairs.  The Cienfuegos as undamaged and would be taken under tow by the Cuba to Bangor.

After repairs in Fall River, the Sunbury was towed to Fort Point cove.  There the barge would be towed to Bangor and arrived on April 20, 1903.

REFERENCE:
The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts). March 25, 1903. Page 8.
The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine). April 21, 1903. Page 7.

+ Structured Data
Vessel Name: Sunbury
Vessel Type: Barge
Country or Flag:
Wreck Type: Collision
Incident Type: Collision
Incident Date: 1903-03-25
Incident Year: 1903
Incident Month: 3
Incident Day: 25
Location – By Water: Vineyard Sound
Location – By Land: Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard
Lives Lost: 0 deaths
All Hands: false
Injuries: 0 injured
Photo Exist: false
Weather:
Notes: Struck by the barge Cienfuegos, the barge sustained damage that would unable to continue to be towed.
Total or Recovered: Recovered
Departure Port: Newport News, Rhode Island
Destination Port: Bangor, Maine
Cargo: Coal

Valentia

VESSEL: Steamer
TYPE: Lost Deck Cargo
DATE: September 5, 1900
SIZE:
BUILT:
MASTER:
LOCATION: Atlantic Ocean, Alligator Key Light, Florida.

SUMMARY:
The Steamer Valentia departed from New Orleans, Louisiana on September 2, 1900 bound for Norfolk, Virginia and Bordeaux, France.  A few days later in the voyage on September 5, the steamer reported had encountered a “hurricane” while in the Straits of Florida off Alligator Key Light and lost a large portion of deckload of staves. Fortunately, the steamer was able to survive the storm and continue on its voyage reaching Norfolk several days later. The crew of the Valentia reported seeing a small bark (no name given) going ashore near the light and presumed the vessel had been lost.

What the crew of the Valentia had encountered was not yet a hurricane, but a tropical storm that was rapidly gaining strength.  The following days the storm would increase in intensity in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before it struck Galveston Island as a Category 4 Hurricane on September 11, 1900. This hurricane would cause more than 6,000 fatalities and leave 1 out of 3 in Galveston homeless.

REFERENCE:
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). September 11, 1900. Page 7.
Alligator Reef Light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_Reef_Light
1900 Galveston Hurricane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Galveston_hurricane

+ Structured Data
Vessel Name: Valentia
Vessel Type: Steamer
Country or Flag: Great Britain
Wreck Type: Lost Cargo
Incident Type: Damaged
Incident Date: 1900-09-05
Incident Year: 1900
Incident Month: 9
Incident Day: 5
Location – By Water: Alligator Shoals Light, Straits of Florida
Location – By Land: Matecumbe Keys, Florida
Lives Lost: 0 deaths
All Hands: false
Injuries: 0 injured
Photo Exist: false
Weather: Tropical Storm
Notes: Lost deck cargo of staves
Outcome: Recovered
Departure Port: New Orleans, Louisiana
Destination Port: Bordeaux, France
Cargo: Staves
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