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218. Pensacola's Sinking of the Tarpon 1937

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Updated: Mar 29, 2022


The "Tarpon" was a well-known passenger steamer that plied the coastal waters of Northwest Florida at the turn of the last century. She was built in 1887 as a 130' iron-hulled ship with an extra 30' added four years later. She was obtained by the "Pensacola, St. Andrews & Gulf Steamship Company in 1902 to be captained by Willis Green Barrow from 119 West Chase Street, Pensacola, Florida. Beginning in 1903, the Tarpon became a regular feature as she made her weekly trips between Mobile, Pensacola, St. Andrew Bay in Panama City, Apalachicola, and Carrabelle. Captain Barrow claimed to have missed only one scheduled trip due to bad weather in twenty years. At one time, it was quoted in the paper that the stalwart vessel had sailed over 700,000 miles under his captaincy. When the owner of the company passed away in 1908, Willis assumed the presidency of the steamship line in addition to becoming a major stock holder. He quickly became one of the most well-known and flamboyant sea captains on the Gulf Coast.


But on August 31, 1937, the Tarpon set sail from Mobile, Alabama on Barrow's 1,735th voyage. However, this time the ship was so heavily laden with cargo that there was only as estimated five inches between the deck and the water line. But the forecasters predicted calm weather, so Barrow went to bed placing William H. Russell at the helm. At 2:00 AM of September 1, 1937, the sea began to rise and the Tarpon began taking on water. Cargo was thrown overboard, but all to no avail. By dawn, the storm had grown dangerous and the Tarpon began to founder eight miles off Panama City, Florida. By the time Barrow ordered the ship abandoned, it was too late for those below decks. The seas were too heavy to successfully launch the lifeboats, resulting in the drowning of the cook's wife, Lily White in the process. All those on deck were immediately washed overboard by the huge waves. Crewman Addley Baker started swimming for land and after 25 hours, he came ashore near the intersection of Highway 98 and State Highway 79. Word quickly spread of the Tarpon’s sinking and the Coast Guard dispatched a rescue ship. Sadly, the cutter Dix had only been a few miles away, but Barrow had refused to install a 2-way radio on board. Such a device might have reduced the loss of life. In all, eighteen people drowned although many were never identified, such as those trapped below. Some of the bodies were recovered due having life jackets, including Barrow whose body was returned to Pensacola for burial. The seafaring legend that had survived so many storms before was finally laid to rest in St. John's Cemetery amidst an adoring crowd of onlookers.


Today, the Tarpon rests at a depth of 90 feet, 7.8 nautical miles from shore. The wreck was located and marked by the Coast Guard in 1939, and divers could enter the cargo hold that still had cases of beer stacked up. But alas, the Tarpon has slowly begun to disappear with the most dramatic changes occurring after a huge 1970 storm. A 1937 board of inquiry found that Barrow had failed to follow Federal law by painting a "load line" on the ship’s hull. Lack of a "load line" contributed to the sinking since the ship was overloaded with cargo plus six extra people over their limit. As to the recovered crewmen were: Willis Green Barrow (body recovered and buried St. John's Cemetery), Lewis Earl Danford (1872-1946, Died Panama City), William McKnight, Lloyd Bonaparte Mattair (1896-1982, 316 West Romana Street, Buried St. John's Cemetery), William H. Russell (body recovered), Addley Baker (1910-1969, Found dead Galveston, TX, Buried Galveston Memorial Park), Cecil Smith, Dozier and Lily White.


Captain Willis Green Barrow of the Tarpon,

drowned September 1, 1937


Grave of Captain W. G. Barrow, St. John's Cemetery


1912


1910


Tarpon's Engineer Lloyd Bonaparte Mattair (1896-1982)


Tarpon Oiler Addley Baker (1910-1969)


Addley Baker


Tarpon Sinking Article Syracuse Herald, New York


Wreck of the Tarpon in 95' of water


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