Built as cargo-passenger mail steamer by John Englis & Son, of Brooklyn, New York for the New York, Havana & Mexican Mail Line (Alexandre Line). The line was founded in 1867 and purchased by the Ward Line in 1888.
03 July 1873 launched under the name CITY OF NEW YORK.
Tonnage 1.716 tons, dim. 252 x 34 x 15ft.
Powered by the inverted vertical direct-acting engine, with a 56-inch bore and a 4 feet 10-inch stroke, turning a left-handed four-bladed propeller, speed 12 knots.
Steam was supplied by 4 tubular return flue boilers and two funnels. Machinery was manufactured by the Quintard Iron Works of New York City.
Built especially for the semi-tropic service of the Alexandre & Sons, New York & Mexican Mail Line.
The CITY OF NEW YORK was said to be one of the finest steamers of her time. All of her public and staterooms were on the upper and main decks, there being no arrangement for carrying steerage passengers.
She had two saloons, both finished in French walnut and marble panels, relieved by gilded carved moldings. The larger saloon is up on the hurricane deck. Her cabins were finished in black walnut and maple.
She was used in the service between New York and Vera Cruz, Mexico, with calls at Havana, Progresso, Campeche, Tuxpan, Tampico, and New Orleans. She was the fifth of the Alexandre steamers on the service.
28 June 1879, she collided with the iron-hulled British bark HELEN off the coast of New Jersey. The HELLEN was en route from Havana to New York with a cargo of sugar. The HELLEN sank in 10 fathoms of water, 6.5 miles from shore, 12.5 miles from Barnegat Light, and 9.5 miles from Tucker’s Beach Light, with the loss of the Captain and three seamen.
21 June 1880, she returned to New York from Havana, she was berthed at Roberts Stores in Brooklyn, discharging her cargo of hemp, beans, hides, etc. The stevedores had all gone for the day, when smoke was seen pouring out of the skylight abaft the funnels at 06.45 PM on 23 June. An alarm was sent to the fire department but before it had arrived the mooring lines had been cast off, and the passing tug J. JEWTT pulled the CITY OF NEW YORK into the East River, where she anchored about one hundred and fifty yards from the pier.
The tug BALTIC now came up and both the BALTIC and J.JEWTT played streams of water onto the CITY OF NEW YORK, now blazing furiously.
The fire tug HAVEMEYER now arrived and her firemen boarded the steamer, but by 7.30 PM all of her upper works had been burned away. At 12.30 AM of 24 June there was a big explosion on board followed by an outburst of flames; the fire was not put out until about 8.00 AM. At that time the hull had settled so much that at high water only her outline and a few feet of her smoke stacks showed above the water. She was a complete loss, to be covered by insurance.
There are not any records that she was salvaged and re-used later. So most probably broken up as she lay.
New Zealand
Received from Bob Birmingham, and copied from Early American Steamers Volume I by Erik Heyl.