Winter in Oswego Harbor, 1870s, From Lower Bridge

 


                    Remembering the good old days on the waterfront 
                                 By Clark Morrison

Oswego Palladium

Saturday, April 9, 1887

(Item in weekly column of editor Clark Morrison, Editor, called “Matters of Interest”).

   I had a pleasant chat the other day with Captain P. T. O’Connell of San Francisco, California, who is here on a visit to old friends. Captain O’Connell left Oswego 35 years ago for California, where he entered the morning business. He is now engaged in cattle raising. 

    He finds but few traces now of the Oswego of 1862 and many of his dear old friends of that other daycare now no more. Captain O’Connell found many familiar faces, however, and is having a right royal good time. The Captain has always looked back upon Oswego as “home,” and as the one place in the world where he ever had any real pleasure.

   The Captain has had a life of adventure. He was born in Ireland in 1815 and entered the United States Navy when 14 years old at New York. He followed the life of an ocean sailor until 1848, passed through many trials and hardships. In 1837 he was in a brig wrecked at Sandy Hook while returning from the West Indies, narrowly escaping with his like. In1838 he  came to Oswego to sail on the lakes. He says the harbor at that time had but little resemblance to that of the present day. The lighthouse was on the east side of the river, close under the fort, but was soon afterwards  removed to to its present side on the West pier.

   The captain’s first experience on the lakes was in the schooner Osceola, under the late Captain Davis of this city, an old sailor of wide experience. He was afterwards with Captain Allen. He followed the lakes until 1850, when he was cast ashore near the east breakwater at Oswego in the old schooner Mohawk. Many old sailors remember that wreck. Captain Carmichael, a well known Oswego man, whose family still lives here, and another sailor, were drowned.

   Captain O’Connell was washed off the vessel and carried over the pier on the crest of a huge breaker. He was insensible but was picked up by some soldiers and carried into Fort Ontario where he was restored to consciousness.

   In 1857 he was given command of the first tug that ever plied age this port. Named the O. S.  Howard, she was a side-wheeled affair, and was bilge just above the lower bridge. She lay at the foot of West Cayuga street preparing to make her trial trip in the afternoon the Canadian excursion steamer Comet exploded her boilers while turning around in the river. Captain Cornell jumped into a small boat and rescued the captain of the steamer who was struggling in the water and then helped to save the passengers who escaped death.

   Captain O’Connell will go to New York The coming week, whee he expected to hear from his business in the west. If he receives favorable reports he will spend the summer in Oswego with his sister on Ellen street.

 Captain O’Connell is tall as an Indian, straight as an arrow and bears his years remarkably well. 

   

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