The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-08-06

THE Louisville CbWrier-JomrMuL re-
lates The following incident which
transnIred In the Falls near that city
on Tuesday:
Captain Pink Varble yesterday ad-
ded another 10 the long line OF thrilling
adventures and narrow escapes which
have diversified his Greer as pilot OF the
falls. He was ascending the falls In
the pilot t-house Of the steamer MollIe
Ebert at GA. M, and finding her unable
to stem the current, was compelled to
tie her 10 one Of the bridge piers In the
Indiana chute and seek the assIstauce
Of tow.boRt. Failing In his efforts to
find an unemployed tug In port, he de.
termined TO try and bring his charge
over the worst part Of the falls by get.
ting her anchor up the river and using
the capstan to aid the engines. Hs
therefore hired two laborers and skitT
ut the levee and started back 10 the
boat, having five men Ia the sklf with
him.
The Mollle Ebert was lying where the
current was strong and rough. When
tho skitf shot past the pier her crew
were unable 10 catch hold of the moor
ipEs OF the steamer, and so the crew OF
the latter threw them line which they
caught. But the men on tho steamer
awkwardly checked the skill, and
brought her head round so suddenly
that she careened and filled, and the
current brought such power to bear
upon her In that condition that the line
WINS wrenChed from the man holding
the skltf's end ofit. The filled boat
and its crew were then swept swiftly
down the surRing torrent. Acting on
the advice OF Capt. Varble, they all got
out and clung TO the skiG. Down they
went-Rt times losing their hold and
again recovering II by desperate exer-
tions-the vessel sometimes turning
bottom up as they pitched into boil.
ing gulf, and sometimes rightinH full
OF water. .,.- ..
AS they reached the turn above the
big eddy sudden plunge scattered
them all again from the skiR. Four OF
them, Including Capt. Varble, regained
the vessel, but the Captain was so ex.
hausted that he could not reach any
hold. One Of the deck hands, a brave
fellow, tried to secure the Captains
grasp, and, falling In that, said, Catch
hold Of my collar, Captain 1 will stay
with you 10 the last, and then go under
with you = The clerk, unable 10 reach
the skiG. caught large pine block,
which Capt. V. intended TO attach to
the anchor as buoy, and by this means
was managing 10 keep his head above
water most Of the time. One ofthe hlr-
ed men from the levee, a Pennsylva-
nian named Murray, was also unable
TO get back 10 the skifI. Trying to make
the shore he found himself unable, In
his exhausted condition, to cope with
the hell OF waters In which he was
tossed like cork. He then hailed the
men at the skiff, called out Good byep
and sank.
All this time, skifIs, which had put
of In every direction when the accident
occurred, were plunging down the falls
to the rescue. Soon AFTER the poor fel.
low sank, one Of the rescuers overlook
the ill.fated boat, but Its crew with
heroic generosity asked that the clerk
should be first taken care OF. He was
taken In Just In the nick oftime, being
In such drowning condition that, in
few moments more, he too, would
have sunk. Capt. Varb!e and his three
companions were then rescued from
their perilous condition.. They were
nearly gone, but, after the application
ofproper restoratives, were yesterday
evening recovering from the effects OF
their terrible adventure.