Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-17

The ice again disappeared from the
4 river before night, yesterday, and the
weather continues pleasant, but some
what foggy.
The arrivals since noon yesterday
were the Leni Leoti and Majestic, Ten.
nessoe river to Louisville, and the Little
Gray Eagle, Louisville and return.
The Glendale for Cairo, the r. X.
Dunkerson, for Bowling Green, and the
GENERAL Halleck, Tor Henderson, eonsti-
iute the departures.
The Countess was expected during
the night ard will return to Paducah
this afternoon She is roomy and
pleasant side-wheel steamer, with pleas-
an. officers, and will carry passengers
tsSFough in double-quick time.
The Juno, Capt J. 7. Hugo, viii leave
Tor the Wabash river at 2 clock this
afternoon, aud will want freight aud pas
sengers.
Messrs. Cox & Humphreys advertise
the Big Missouri for Saturday evening.
They will receipt for freights for the
Missouri.
G pts Hall & Rudd are enlarging
their wharf boat by adding extensive
guards They need more room.
The Cincinnati Commercial Of Tues.
day says.
Heavy ice was running all day in the
river opposite this city. Que huge field,
in its steady progress with the current,
struck the big Indiana quartering
lick causing this new and staunch
steamer TO tremble, crack aud snap, the
strain on her spar splitting portion Of
the bulwark Of her forward larboard
guard The Indiana being extra fasten-
ed, however, sustained no material dam
age. The same cake also came in con.
tact with the Magnolia, parting one Of
her lines, 3.inch hawser, together with
one OF her chains. The shore ice il
still making, aud with the reo0ding riv-
er, accumnlating along the shores The
Magnolia left her berth at tho foot Of
Walnut street, for more secure harbor
at the mouth Of Licking River
Below we give the report Of the Local
Inspectors, Stawirt and Jones, relative
to the explosion OF the Eclipse in the
Tennessee River. Il will bo observed
that they have revoked the license Of
John. S. Crawford as first engineer:
oTFtcu q g. Local ISarN rons.
OncisNAri, Feb. 10, 1850.
M r. r. Carson, Surveyor Of Gus
toms:
sra: BY direction OF Mr h. NJ. Shield.
we have examined the causes which led
to the explosion Of the boiler of the
steamer Eclipse, at Jacksonville, on the
Tennessee river, on the morning Of the
9th Of January, 1865, by which one
hundred, or more, q our brave soldiers
we're killed or badly scalded (some o.
Indiana's bravest sons.) We have ex
amined the Captain and first Engineer
of the Eclipse aud from their testimony
there is no doubt as to the cause Th'
Eclipse had been lying 81 Cairo for
month or more previous to starting oI
her last trip to Tennessee river. John 5
Crawford, licensed FIRST Engineer, wa
on board all the tune, to do what repair
we're necessary Git any, Mr.. Crawford
In his testimony, said the boilers looke'
we'll at Cairo, but q part Of shet i
the larboRrd boiler, put in at ST. Lo !
some time previous, did not look so wei
or as sound as the rest, BOZ he had q
fears. The Eclipse left Cairo loade
for Government, with a loaded barge
tow. bound for Eastport, on the Tennei
o see river, and when about fifty miles b
low that point the larboard boiler con
meneed leaking at the defective patct
or sheet; aud when the boat arrived I
her destination Mr. Crawford examine
the leak and found the riyet-holes ''veI
much drawn and cracked at each end
the patch He reported the. result
the Captain, and that the boiler cou
not be repaired at that place, b
thought he could take her to PadReah
Ca;so with safety, by using care az
low steam, if they did not rema
there three or four days with steal
But they did lay there that leng
of time, and Mr. Crawford
not pro est against stating, theI
fore the presumption is, he at
thought il safe IL appears in eviden
that the Capt refused TO take q barge
over the shoals in consequence Of I
defective boiler, and also requested
Quartermaster to place the Indiana b
tory on another boat, but, when int
rogated BY Capt Blown, commando
said battery, did not think 1t unsafe,
having full faith in the engineer,
Crawford, and upon bis statement q
he could take the boat TO Padueah
Cairo by using caution, and using
steam, the transporting soldiers vi
put on board the Eclipse, Captain Brol
of the battery. explicitly stating I
al there was danger from defect
boiler he did not want to put bis n
on board Capt Yoris stated that
did not spprehend any disastrous res
= from the leak" We, therefore,
that as 1t was imprudent in the engin
Mr. Crawford, to make the attempt
the defective condition of the hoi
frivet-holes very much drawn
cracked at each end of the sheet,
should have refused TO act, as the
requires in such eases, aud in that e1
the accident would not have occurred
if forced to act, the responsibility w
have rested with the kuthoritiss