New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-06
An EXCITING SCENEi
FERRY-BOAr STRANDED ON TaE FALLS
WITH TWO HUNDRED PASSENGERS on

h1-bOAk SlhANDED O&s Aa6 AAAA<S,
NTH TwO HUNDRED PASSENGERS OF
BOARD.
ns.tsrday morning sbeu, 81 O'Clock, the Jenscs-
VIE ferry. started to crces the nvsr with fey
Two hnncreo persone 90 board, most cf whom vOe
destined for the Jsfersonvile and Ohio ana Nkeslp
sippl railroscs foe Cincinnati ana the East. Ahse
getting out shors distance into the ri ys, he 49,
wss caught IN floating mass Of ice which q eoud
neither penetrate nor resist Despite the usmoss ~.
ertions C the boat, wtn all the power Of s.ss. Il
wss slovly borne backward by the ice. ana dnellV
lodged on the FALL at the head OK the middle chats
in about two feet water. The boat grounded hfoed,
eide TO the current with the ice breaking ever her
guard ard piipg up 10 ffighual masses Against hsr
TO TIE terror and consiernsnoo OF the sso hundred
Human beings crowded together on her deck. 10 I'd.
di,ou TO the people boaru there were three Sonr>
horse on nihusts, one mail-wsgcn, Adsnss kspreo
wagon. with tao horses, tso-horse baggage wagon,
ami two country wagons and horses.
The ferry boa; fully half mile from thie shore,
and three or four hundred ysrds from the lDdaans
shore, with rapid current and the river fall Of
tosarg ice. IL was soon runored through The city
that the boat was wrecked on the rocks and Ne hvse
OF two hundred persons. including many women End
children, most OF them citizens Of Louisville and
Cincinnati, were in imminent peril, and the wAaf was
soon lined With hundreds Of persons al anxioas to
render assistance. but no one knowing bow L could
be given.
As the vast n ssses OF ice came thunderin9 agaps.
her Eide roaring and crashing around the sppAently
al vessel, great pieces rambling upon the Gusrds, Z
CCt matter OF ettentrom<nt tOat eoL0o CCOet6f
nation pervsded the thrcrg Of passengers on board.
The large number Of ladies aud children naturally
timorous, had their worst spprehensione Of danger
aroused. These fears were further heightened, whes
they had gathered together in the cabin, BY see pro-
pcsal Of the two clergy men, Birhop MclNsine, Of
Ohio and the Rev. Df. Sehcn of this city, u prayer
to God for the Of the lives 81 the paseen
gers, should be offered up. Regarding THE u an In
ccatioR of extreme peril and fearing that each elos
given by the large cakes Of Ice would destroy the
host If tha cfarxx man an
swered by shrieks sod lamentations. Prayer wM
Ii. offered up; the sgtsted emolsge became 10
measure sutdued, yet sobs and signs were mingled
with the inteIcessous and the most solemn scsSs was
presented.
At this iuncture, Mr. Dunning clerk of the jacob
Str ader, who had the boat, offered ope bun
bred dollars to Shower would make the effort to
reach the stranded boat with assistance. M. Toos.
Armstrong the engineer 81 the psssion = once vol
DER then proposed taking the life boat, which We a.
ceeded to, and Capt Summons had II launched from
the deck and these daring souls, assisted by stout
osrsmen puzzled the life boat over the iee into the
current and after rum ing the gresteet rsks from the
floating ice, succeeded In reaching the feny. bos in
safety and relieved the minds Of the hundreds ON the
boat who saw by this welcome arrival, That assist
ancs at hand and the people on shore were mind
full of their safety. The life boat rounded IN on the
lower eide Of the feny. boat Mr. killum jumped ON
board and took the con Of Mr. Dunnns, placed hin
in the life boat and then took oil Mrs. Joseph DAT,
of Cincinnati together with her sister young lady.
The boat with this burden. 9as cast loose 10 tho
mercy Of the current, and by dnt Of hard labor and
perseverance,, 1t safely brought bach 70 the Ken.
lucky shore, and its passengers resforee alive md
well to their anxious frieads
The pobest feat Of ali and best assistance was rem
dered by Capt Jas. +. Hamilton, and P'ccsney
the relief of the wrecked people ia-ooaf or noas
capable Of sustaining seventy five persons. Captain
Hamilton had boat belonging to Gill, smith y Co..
rendered for his use, which was taken; and, aitef
providing . stout line, sweeps, and crew nsney
started forth on their errand OF mercy. Mr. William
Ste ee clerk Of Gill; Smith e. Co., was willing vol
unite to the expedition, and cid good service on the
TIP. by tklliul management the boat reached the
ferry line was thrown out and caught. and the bost
safely landed the lower side OF the ferry when the
gallant crew were received with glad shouts by the e.
cited crowd of sufferers, who had boen wssehing
their progress with the greatest solicitnde. Bone
fifty or sixty persons iacludiBg ladies' aud children
were taken of and Captain Hamilton csst his BARI
loose upon the falls, and was safely landed At snip
presp9It opposite Captain jim Porters tavern. Ihe
tat rubbed pretty hard while crossing the reel o.
rocks known the " Bsckbone;" but skilful pilot
were at the helm, and accident occurred Afsef
reaching fe, ma, the rescued people geve vent ~
their Joy In loud cheers for Cspt II. and bis brave
crew.
In the me antime the yswls Of the steamers Virginia
and Queen Of the West we're manned, and, togeths 81
with number OF skis, proceeded to the ny-o0at
and brought Of various squads OF people and landed
them on Corn Island, rom Which tney neo uw W
make their way over the ice to the banks OF the
canal TO be safe. Dir. kism, mate Of tAe Jacob
Strader, made q second trip with the life beat and
took of the expItes messengers OIL Adams ~ Co., 70
gether with their valuable PACKAGE and landed them
at Jefferonve. The express wagon and horses also
the omnibus teams were all left on the Jerry boas TO
the mercy OF the ice and tue waves.
Capt Hamilton after landing bis first cargo, i'm ne.
distely returned TO the city With Mr.. Marble, and
purchased small Hat boat for seventy doIlan, man
ned and ain went to the rescue OF he people on
the feryboat. He went along side without any acct
dent, and had the proud satisfaction OF sowing some
seventy more persons ell Of whom had been lefs the
boat They were safely landed at Shppiogsport with
out cent OF remuneration being dem snded. n0Dg
the persons on the boat the Rev. +. w. Seb0n,
of this city, and Bishop Mcliyaine Of Cincinnati who
rendered money to Capt. H., which be refused Res
outons Of thanks proposed to him and his crew
but owing to the excitement Of the moment, they
were lot drawn Off. We think the warmest thanks
Of the community are due Capt Hamilton and hs as
stsnts for their entry and dlsihteres'ed devotion
TO the dictates Of humanity. The gratitude OF the
rescued people surely theirs and we think the fer
~ company should promty step forth deirsy The az
penses Of Capt. H., and rehunerse his crew Tor their
great services.
Many Of our citizens proff.red any pecunisry aid
that might be desired in rescuDg the people, and one
of them offered to pay for steamboat !! could Dc
taken TO the ferry boat. Of course it could DO Of no
use and wa. not taken. The ferry boat still lodged
on the rockp and in great danger OF being dashed 70
pieces by the ice Capt p. Smith, who bad . new
yswl In his boat yard, had il hauled To the nver,
manned aud sent to the boa, ard brought Oh e'gnt
women sx children and blind man.