The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-16
THE RIVER OPENED
BREAKING UP OF THE ICE.
Sinking OF the Eureka.
RARcEs CARRIED AWAY

neENOuo cAPSS'
awaiting the breaking up Of the ice and
the opening ofthe river. The freeze
up had come on them so suddenly
that they had not all been able to select
the harbors for their boats that they
wished, and il the. break should come
suddenly things looked ugly, especially
for those boats lying at La Belle. Their
anxiety has caused them to keep a close
watch, and to have steam up 30 as to be
ready for any emergency. This
watchfulness has been rewarded
in their passing the hour OF
danger with comparatively slight loss,
On Friday afternoon the first indica-
ton of a break was noticed, and
large crowd of people was attracted to
the river bank in the hope Of seeing
the ice go. The people were doomed
to disappointment though, for, except
making gaps in the ice forty or
fifty feet wide, the river remained with
out change. =.
About half past two o'clock Saturday
morning the ice gorge below Steuben'
Vile broke, and with a dull, angry roar
the waters sped on, breaking up great
fields of ice as if they were egg shells.
The water climbed up the banks rapid
", and about three o'clock, when the
crunching of the ice and the roar and
splashing Of the waters was first heard
bv the watchmen on the boats at Swee-
ney's landing, it rose seven or eight feet
in very few moments, the marks show
ing Is feet IL inches.
The water coming down with impet'
uous fury, and the great masses OF ice
it was bearing on its bosom coming
with irresistible force against the firm
ice, made things lively for those in
charge of the boats. The derrick the
Science had out was broken as if it had
been q straw, and she was lifted up
some ten feet on to the bank, where,
the waters receding as suddenly as they
came, she was left high and dry. By
great exertion she was got afoat again
The Courier escaped without a
scratch, thanks to the staunchness OIL
her timbers and equipments. A spar
she had out was forced some eight OF
nine feet into the bank.
The coal barges that have been
aground on Fosters farm above the
bridge, ever since the river troze, were
thrown ashore on the bank Of the
Island opposite the mouth of Wheeling
creek. They are now in such a posi-
ton that the coal may be saved. The
barges are pretty well "chawed up"
The Martinsville ferry boat Eureka
was cut through by the ice and sank a
her moorngs. We have not been able
20 learn the loss.
The ferry boat that plies between La
Grange and the Ohio shore, at the heaC
of Boggs Island, was thrown sIshor'
after being badly cut by the ice
Two of the Hornets barges arc bad!
wrecked, below La Belle landing. On,
OF them is turned over. The other
and the Hornet made their escape, ant
are safe somewhere near Hates rock
The wharf boat was left high ant
dry on the wharf. She got pretty baC
shaking, and for while it was tn ough
she would not be saved. Line aftel
line parted, chain after chain broke, til
there was but one left to hold her
This stood the strain and saved the oil
wharf boat.
Two barges belonging to the Balti
more and Ohio railroad, which wer,
moered at Benwood, were wrecked.
The above are all the accidents W,
have heard Of as yet That our boa
owners have escaped with 80 little los
is indeed fortunate, and is in grea
measure due to their ceaseless vigil ance
Every precaution that was likely to adj
to the safety of their boats was adopted
and their pains were rewarded in TIT
safety of their property.