Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-02-29

MOVING OF THE IcE.-The ice in the Ohio
from Cincinnati down. appears to be pretty gen
orally giving way The Cincinnati Columbian
of Wednesday says:
During the morning, the river was for some
time free of id. The Covington ferry boat made
six or seven trips, the Newport boat three or
four. On these occasions many persons passed
to each side After dinner heavy mass of drift
ice began to run and continued until night, pre-
venting any return. The consequence was,
Kentucky and Ohio had each guests from their
neighboring State, but as they were not invited,
and as the glorious odd was over, they had to
pay their own hills.
The coming down of this ice was one of the
most striking events of the breakup. Aheayy
gorge at some higher point had given way the
water and ice above the gorge had accumulated
enormously, and the consequence was the rush
ing down of aperfect torrent of water, hurrying
in the most impetuous manner, and whirling
along immense quantities of ice (mOstly broken
but some in large tields,) ut a vast rate. Some
old river men say they never saw so swift a cur
rent on the Ohio.
Immediately before this descent, tho Jacob
Strader had left her mOorings on this side, to
seek safety at the mouth of the Licking. As
she was entering the mouth, the cataract of ice
came down. the Strader was struck but no Sc
row one Had the immense torrent reached
the Licking a few minutes earlier, the Strader
would have been taken by the broatlSide and
must have been destroyed. Some other boats
moved, before the Strader, from the foot oil
Broadway and Ludlow to the Licking. which is
now crowded with boats.
The Louisville Courier of Monday says, the
river during Saturday night and yesterday was
rising steadily, causing the ice that had lodged
on the break of the falls to float off in detached
masses, leaving, however, one immense cake, or
solid mass, which extended diagonally from the
middle of the river up to point above the ferry
landing. All below and beyond was open wat
or. Soonafter dinner, yesterday, large fields OF
ice, above Jacksonville, were seen slowly float
ing down the river, aud hundreds of persons
lined the wharf to see it. The united mass
slowly moved onward, one edge reaching the
shore, crushing tiathOatS and bargeS in its path,
or forcing them out on land, doing, howey +,
little damage, as the ice was very rotten, and
was easily broken against whatever it came IN
contact
The mail line wharf boat at the foot of Third
St, which was partially ashore, was struck by
the advancing tnass of ice, and hole crushed
into it about as large as barrel. A bulk head
was built, and the damage will soon be repaired
The ice piled up OIL the shore in broken pieces tc
the height of many feet, the pieces being fully
one foot thick. After passing the wharf boat
the ice passed along the lower wharf, aud
then over the falls without doing any further in
jury
river was comparatively clear, but soon after
another Immense field of heavy solid ice, from
above Six Mile Island, came sweeping along,
covering nearly the entire surface of the river
and lodging hard and fast directly on the bow o.
the Hungarian. below Bullitt ST., and the Other
end EXCEEDING five or six squares up the river tc
the ferry landing. The ice on the break of the
Falls had gorged, and prevented this mass from
floating by.
The riverwas rising pretty fast last evening
and twas thought the ice would float off with
out doing any damage, though the Hu lgalisr
wa n A dang TO position. The river rose I
inches yesterday, in half an hour, with nearly {
feet water in the canal by the mark laSteycning
On the Falls there were 4 feet inches water II
the pass.
The Madison Banner of Monday says:
About eleven O'clock on Saturday night, tn,
immense fieldof ice opposite the city, made
movement with the current Of about fifty yards
carrying every thing pretty generally along with
it. Coal boats, bargeS, tiatboats and all othei
water craft wero torn with force irresistible
from their fastenings and either raked fore anC
aft and rent, wrecked, crushed, and sunk, OF
StOMuSU HlSh SuA uFy upon 3l1e Vauh ~ aWHl
Spring or Summer weather, or what perhaps, j:
INN in mt, a Hood before they tioat. again. Haw
Sers wee Of no avail. Anchors dragged, or lef
their broken iukeS sticking in the bottom of til,
river, Chain cables were snapped aSunder likt
cambria threads Spars few in pieces like pipt
steams s s 55 ~ 4
On. Sunday, the ice again came down in larg,
masses, and during that night much damage wa
ANTICIPATED, but Monday morning uncovered
things in not such a bad plight after all. S
Brown lost two or three ice boats and rigging
M'Intire & Brooks, coal merchants, lost five Goa
boats, lines DC. Capt, Abbot, of the Prairi,
Bird, is the most serious sufferer. But If hi