Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-04-23
A GENERAL NNkNH.UP.
The Robert 3. Lee Goes Adrift.
One Boat Sunk---SuppOSed Less
of Life.
The City Responsible.

OOtAo Win. iANifC VI ~ HiNNSSNDhf $500
they have been compelled to pay thou
sands of dollars into the city treasury.
We have warned our authorities that
some accident would occur from the want
of proper fastenings, and that the city
would be liable for the damage done.
The warning, though timely, wan I'M
needed, and now we have to record a
serious destruction of property, and
probable less of life, from this neg
leet. The steamer Robert Il. Lee,
which arrived in port ON Saturday
morning, and was lying at the foot Of
Court street, broke loose from her fast
enings and went adrift between seven
and eight o'clock yesterday morning.
The stern Of the boat was lying pretty
well out ia the stream, and a log caught
in her iarboard wheel, at which the car
penter was at work. Before it could be
removed, a large amount of drift accu-
mulated, and the ring bolt on the levee
to which the steamer was made fast,
broke short off, letting the boat swing
out with such force as to part all her
lines. She drifted rapidly down stream,
dragging her anchor, which had been
let 20, and struck the city wharfb boat
forward Of her starboard wheel, and
every knee on her starbosrd side was
broken off a v one. The little steamer
Maid of Peru, which had steam up, was
living below the wharf boat, but before
sE could get out Of the way the
immense steamer struck her, car
rying away her upper works, the
guard of the Lee completely covering
the hull Of the smaller craft. The Lee,
with the wreck still under her guard,
fioated a~gsinstthe Southerner, breaking
her loose. About this time it was dis
covered that the wreck Of the Maid was
on fire, and then the forethought Of the
builders of the great steamer was
illustrated. A small engine is kept con-
stantly with steam up, ready for all
emergencies Of this kind and, although
the boat was in port over two days, lying
peacefully at the landing, no sooner was
the word passed that the wreck was on
FIRE than several streams were turned
upon it, subduing it, in a few mo-
ments, so efFectually that the cap
tain of the Maid begged that
they be stopped or his boat would be
filled with water. The floating boats
struck the bank above Fort Pickering,
and were fortunately made fast before
more damage was done. 1t was Won
derful that several other steamers which
were tied up below were not Injured.
Capt. Richardson, by his presence Of
mind, proved himself equal to any
emergency, and Capts. Smith, Mccoy,
Messrs. McVay aud Dlnwiddle-in fact
every officer on the boat-was cool and
collected, and by their conduct satisfied
every n that in a time Of greater trial
they would not be found wanting. The
Lee got up steam, and after towing the
Southerner 10 her old position, she again
came to the wharf, and by tonight no
sign will be left on her deck or hull Of
the narrow escape she made. The
Southerner was uniRjured. The wharf
boat had her chains broken, and some
timbers, also. The entire damage will
not fall short of four thousand dollars.
Il It said, we do not know with how
much truth, that two of the
crew of the Maid of Peru jumped over
board and were drowned, and that a
stranger who was standing on the guard
OF the wharfboat was knocked oyerboard
by the collision and was lost. We learn
that suit is about TO be instituted by the
owners of the Maid of Peru for the loss
of that steamer. Maybe, when our city
pays out a few thousand dollars in the
shape OF damssas, it VIII wake up te its
Interests, and give the steamers at our
wharf that protection which they are
compell1 to pay for, but DO not get.
THEE oNcERr SUNDAY EVENINGS.
Peters church was filled TO its utmost
capacity on Sunday evening, and we OBJ
served among those present nearly or
quite as many Protestans Of all denom-
nations as Catholics. The music as a
whole was creditabls to Profs. Sabatsky
and Kstzenbsch, aad the ladies and
gentlemen who gave their valuable as
sistanoe on the occasion. The gem Of
the evenings entertainment, however,
was undoubtedly Miss Nora Bradford's
rendition of the prayer " Pity, o Savior y
from Stradella, which she sang with ex-
quisite taste and expression. Indeed,
this young lady obviously improves each
time we have heard her, and needs only
continued competent instruction to be-
come-if sine likes-s hnisned dftiSts-
40 Cor Amoris," solo and chorus, the
two male quartettes, and louis est
HomO,U were also sung in a manner
to elicit commentator and Selight the
large auditory. Pref. Sabstsky's organ
voluntary between the first and second
parts of the programme, was happily
CONCEIVED, not only to show the great
power and parity in tone OF the instru-
ment, but it also exhibited in a very de-
lightfuI manner his own mastery skin
as an orgaQist and maestro. One objec-
tionahle feature at this concert, as at
almost every musical entertainment we
have attended in Memphis, was the
ineessant chsttering of certain thought
less persons, who, without the culture
aud taste to appreciate a nigh order of
music, or, if they possess that, a proper
regard for the rights or comfort Of others,
completely deprive those who so for the
pleasure Of hearing and enjoying the
music Of the ability to do so, by their
selfish indulgence in conduct not sane
toned by good taste or perfect breeding,
and which would not be tolerated for an
instant in England OF on the continent
Of Europe.