The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-12-11
STEAMER RRBECCA.
Full Particulars of the nisAstor.


tructlon OF this favorlte steamer Ia OF
peculiar interest TO our readers, we
take the following account Of the dis.
aster from the STATE Journal, published
the morning after the accident:
Last night, about II o'clock, as the
Rebecea was coming on her down trip
nom Wheeling, In passing through the
wide channel Of the new bridge, ct this
point, between piers Nos three and
four, she struck her stern on the pllinR
70 which the guy ropes OF pier number
four are attached, and Immediately be-
gan 10 I'LL, II Ia supposed that her en-.
tire starboard side was knocked away.
SO sudden and complete was the wreck
that she was manageable before
clearing the piers, and the engineer
barely escaped with his life. He In
forms Us that, In less than three min.
utes after abe had struck, her boilers
were covered. The sound, at the time
she struck, was distinctly heard over
the city, and aroused many from their
sleep. Within ten minutes the banks
Of the river were lined with persons, all
anxious TO render aid 10 the imperllled
crew. Unfortunately the means at
hand for rendering assistance were
very limited. Both transfer boats were
on the other side, and had extlnguish-
ed their fires three hours before, and
only four or five Bkltfs could be found,
In a very few moments from the
time she struck, she had swung round
and aoated down about 200 yards be.
low the piers, and sunk In IS or 20 feet
Of water, filling her cabin except o
small portion OF the ladles' cabin.
Soon as she commenced sounding q
distress bell, the Court House bell was
struck up In response, and our citizens
were thoroughly aroused. AS soon as
the skids could be uulooBed and oars
gathered up, some five Well~manned
boats went to the rescue. ARRIVING
there. they found nearly oil the passen.
gers on the hurricane roof and compar.
atively safe, as the boat was then on the
bottom Of the river. The akiIs were
Immediately filled, and, after making
about three trips each, all the passen~
gers that could be found were landed
and conducted to hotels. It Is impossI.
BILE to state, ut this writing, the extent
OF the loss OF life; but Il 10 supposed
that five persons wore drowned, as that
number, at II O'Clock this (Wednes-
aay) morning were nisslng-but It Is
hoped that some Of them may have
reached the Ohio shore. The steward
Informs US that he set two full tables
Tor supper, which would indicate q
pretty full load OF passengers. Some
OF the scenes enacted there were some.
what ludicrous, although death stood
staring them In the face. One gentle.
man managed TO escape to the hurri,
cane roof after being aroused, sans
trousers, hat and boots, and In that
condition was brought 10 one Of our
hotels, where warm ere soon made
him all right again.
The bar clerk, at the first Fremont.
ton OF danger, decided to take time by
the torelock, and Immediately jumped
overheard. In his bewilderment he
hardly knew which course to take, and
struck out for Blsnnerhasset Island In
stead OF the ParkersburR shore. He
was picked up by skih, opposite the
Swami House. Charley has certainly
established his reputation as superior
Bwtmmist. Some four persons, In all,
who Jumped overheard, were picked
up by the skiffs. From fifteen to tWen-
" ladies were on board, 80 the steward
Informs us, but It Ii believed that alI
were saved; although rumor IL clrcu-
!atlng, as we write this, that one elder
" lady was lost, but II Ia d!scredlted
by the officers OF the boat.
AL our citizens showed most praise
worthy zeal In extending aid to the
sufferers. We can hardly mention In
dtvidual cases without showing invidl.
Gus comparisonB, where all done so
well. But the action Of Mr.. Clement,
Agent Of the B. q o. and NJ. q @. Rail-
roads here, was particularly commend.
able. Upon the first intImatIon Of the
disaster, he rushed to the telegraph
office TO signal the office on the Ohio
side, and order the Mount Glare to be
Immediately fired up and come to the
rescue. But owing TO the late hour the |
operator at Belpre had retired, and his |
efforts In that direction were unavail.
Ing. BE then went over to the sunken |
boat, and was uutiring In his efforts 10 |
render assistance. E i
Our young friend Jimmy Mehen, up.
on hearing the first alarm, did not wait |
to don boots or coal, bat in slippers and |
coatless, brought away the first skl1T |
load OF passengers. Also Geo. Cross
and the watchman OF the steamer |
Thompson, are deserving OF special |
mention for their interchangeable efforts |
on this occasion. We might mention |
many other individual cases OF person.
al daring and prompt action, but our
space will not permit. We hear the |
bravery and courage Of the officers Of |
the Rebecca commended by all. By |
their prompt and energetic action II is |
believed that many lives were saved.
II ls useless to speculate. at this ear " |
writing, upon the causes of the -diSas- |
ter. The pilot was supposed to be thor.
ouRhly acquainted with the channel,
as be passes the bridge every day, but
no blame can be cast In any particular |
direction until allthe, circumstances |
are, better known. We understand that
the bOatwas insured for $1,000. The |
agent OF the underwriters has been sent |
for 10 come and take possession OF the
We have special reasons for
cOugratulation. that the accident did not
occur four days ago, when the Ohio
was from seven TO ten feet higher than
at the time Of the disaster. Then, not
a s0ul could have been saved, as the
water would have covered even, the
texas, and probably the pilot-house.
LATER.-Slnce the above was In type
we learn that one body has been found,
that OF Richard Poole, q deck hand.
Two others, an old gentleman and his
son, we could not learn their names,
are positively known to be missing.
give. also, among our river news
items dispatch from PArkersburg 10
the Cincinnati papers, sent after the
Coroner's Inquest had concluded its la
bors, to which we refer our readers.
RIVER ENTHUSIASTICALLY the land-
Ing presented more animated appear