Joseph Walker burns in New York harbor

The ship Joseph Walker of the Black Star Line was moored along the west side of Pier 29 of the East River in New York City for several days as workers loaded a cargo of cotton, resin, and grain. On December 26, 1853, a destructive fire broke out at a bakery, expanding to destroy three ships and several buildings. Joseph Walker was left scuttled in the harbor, disrupting wharfage for nearly a year as efforts were made to salvage the ship. A long court case involving various insurance companies followed, and the justices agreed that the parties involved in attempting to raise the wreck were not at fault for their failure.

The ship appears to have a second distinction: being named in the humorous song Yellow Meal. In this song, a naive sailor signs aboard with the famed Liverpool broker William Tapscott. Tapscott describes bags of “mail” and the young sailor pictures a speedy Atlantic packet-ship, but in fact the unscrupulous boarding-house master is exploiting the pronunciation of the dismal mush called “meal”. The unfortunate sailor seems to enlist on the bulky, ill-fated Joseph Walker as a result.