Daily Event for May 8



May 8, 1878: One of the first ships owned by Thomas and Christopher Furness was the SS Chicago. She was
built in 1878, the same year the Furness brothers opened their steamship company. While Furness, Withy & Co.
would last the Chicago did not. She was 240' long and registered at 1,384 tons and could make 10 knots
using her single screw however, she had two masts and full sail rigs, like all steamers at the time, just in case
the engine failed, which was also common for the time. Of course captains used the sails in good weather to
help increase speed and take some of the strain off the engines.

She was launched on Mar. 21, 1878 and left West Hartlepool, England on her maiden voyage on May 7, 1878.
Her short career ended on May 8, only one day later, when she was wrecked at Happisburgh, England after
sailing about 180 miles.


© 2007 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com