Barge and Crane

Dive Site Conditions

    Depth in feet:   maximum - 50 ;    minimum - 10 .
Visibility in feet:     average - 25 .

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Salvage

    Salvage attempts have reduced the steamer's hull to little more than scattered frames and plates over broken ledge, crevices and rocks. As with all New England dive sites, visibility is a tricky subject, however most reports indicate no more than 30 feet. The amount of algae growth will be dependant apon the time of year and the amount of Sea Urchins. New England's Legacy of Shipwrecks, Keatts, 1988, reported the wreckage free of growth, in effect an urchin barren. However with increased commercialization of the marine invertebrate it's unknown whether those observations still apply.
    Artifacts Recovered include a deck prism, used to transfer sunlight into below deck spaces. The brass letter "G" from Gallatin's hull and a sword corroded into its scabbard.
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Historical Background

Constructed:   year - 1871 ;    where - Buffalo, N.Y.
                     builder - David Bell
Construction details: Iron Hull, Mahogany Decks
Crew: 39 ;     Master: Capt. Eric Gabrielson
Owners: United States Revenue Cutter Service
Home or Hailing Port: Boston, Massachusetts
Former Name(s), date(s): .
Official number:            .   Country: U.S.A.
Other Comments:
* - Armed with 2, 6 pound, brass "Whitworth" carriage guns, mounted in a broadside.
* - Cruising Grounds - From Portsmouth, N.H. to Holmes Hole, Mass.
*- Nov. - Dec. of 1881 the cutter recieved a $10,000 overhaul.
* - The Albert Gallatin was considered one of the United States Revenue Cutter Service's most able seagoing vessels. In her career she saved at least $50,000,000 worth of shipping from total destruction.
* - Captain Gabrielson served in the Spanish American War as a volunteer naval officer. He commanded the Revenue Cutter Dexter when that vessel went to the aid of the City of Columbus which wrecked January 18, 1884 off Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, with the loss of 99 lives, mostly women and children. * - The Gallatin was the first Revenue Cutter lost since the end of the Spanish American War.
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Salvage

    The February 27th edition of the New York Times reported the Government preparing to investigate charges of fraud in connection with the sale of the wreck for salvage. "Amoung the bids received were two reporting to be from the same firm". One of which was the highest of all. Notice was sent of it's acceptance to which their reply stated that if such a bid had been received then it was a forgery. A Nova Scotia wrecking company, the existence of which could not be found, made the next highest bid. The next in the line of bids was from the first wrecking company.
    However subsequent reports state that two months after the sinking, the Collector of Customs at Boston transferred title of the Albert Gallatin to three Boston men, who inttended to salvage her. Prior to the disaster the steamer had been valued at $50,000. The winning bid was $679.
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Sources:
MapTech Mapserver
MBUAR; File Number MA-8237
New York Times; January 7, 1892
New England's Legacy of Shipwrecks; Keatts, 1988
Merchant Vessels of the United States; 1877
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