Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-27

] About half-pnst twelve o'clock last
night one Of the most destructive aeci-
dents thats'has ever occurred to steam
boats in this vicinity was occasioned by
the breaking away yesterday of the ice
gorge at Randolph, forty miles above
here. The floating masses Of ice,
coming down with the swift current Of a
rapidly rising river, were carried with
terrible force against the Memphis
dry dock, owned by Captain W, p
Walker, tearing it from the bank and
swapping the huge hawsers that held it
to the shore, as well as an immense chain
cable, as though they were made OF
thread, carrying it down fully hundred
yards and crowding it against several
coal fats, which were crushed Against
the bank, and also sinking one or two
that were on the outside. .irm
The Andy Baum, laying above the
foot Of Jefferson street, was carried by
the ice down upon the wharfboat owned
by the Cincinnati Packet Company, and
thrown against the outside guard, tear.
ing her guards fearfully and jamming
the wharfboat upon the bank, injuring it
considerably; but fortunately there was
no hole knock ed in the hull of either.
The sternwhcel steamer West Wind,
laying next, was forced down until her
wheel crowded over the upper guard OF
the wharfboat, and literally tore the
wheel to shreds, and broke in her stern.
The ice forcing hole in her hull, caused
her to partly gil with water, and she lies
now considerably careened and sup
ported on the outsidt' by the ice.
Next above her was the sternwheel
steamer Laura, which was crowded high
upon the bank and atterWard dropped
back and sunk, with the water over her
lower deck
The R. P. Walt was the next boat
above, and is total wreck, as she was
jammed with such force upon the bank
as to break and twist her hull into all
sorts of shapes. She was worth forty
thousand dollars ald was just preparing
to load for New Orleans. Outside OF
her came the City of Augusta, also
owned by Elliott & Miller, and worth
sixty thousand dollars. Her star board
guard was crowded. under the larbo orc
wheel of the Walt, and she was injurCC
considerably by the ice, but had taken
no water up to a late houra The furai-
ture, cabin fixtures, etc., Of the Walt is
being taken to the shore, and she will be
wrecked where she is At her stern lies
the, little steamer Summer Koon and
the propeller Helen Brooks. The former
is sunk, but the latter, having an iron
hull, is injured but little.
Three coal barges were crushed in be
tween the Augusta and the Walt, and
the two on the outside were raised and
their bows thrown high in the air, and
darting across the third, were forced
against the boilers and cabin floor of thu
Walt-the boilers torn up and the cabir
floor burst through. Boz
The Belle of Pike lays next above the
Walt and Jared as bad as she did. The
ice stove in her hull and she lies sunk
with seven hundred and fifty bales o.
cotton, with the water over her main
deck, and she is supported only by the
ice. ai'
Brown & Jones, coal dealers, lost
twelve or fifteen barges and fats, with
two hundred and fifty thousand bushels
of coal; and their loss alone will be one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Nc
insurance.
Above the Belle of Pike lays the little
steamer Nellie Thomas, a total wreck
she having been crushed and je,mmed
against the bank by the Pat Cleburne, al
the foot Of Poplar street. The CIeburnC
was injured but little, being protedted by
a barge on the outside.
The ferryboat Excelsior lays mex
above, and is damaged but slightly, he
guards being crowed on the bank.
The Celeste was above the dry dock
and was carried down past the city, an,
out OF sight. The little steamer Undine
was carried down also, and thrown by
the ice upon the head Of President is
land.
The transfer boat H. G.. Mutt is with
the John 0verton on the Arkansas side
of the river at Hope6eld, and are not
heard from. The towboat Clipper and
barges wer at the bar over the river, and
we're torn away and doubtless sunk.
The Yaeger lay just below, and must
have been injured, as both her syphons
are being used. Assistance cannot be
sent her, as the ice rs too heavy. '-
The gas company lost ten thousand
bushels of coal, and may not have
enough left to light the city with tonight
Below Court street the Arlington lays
with fifteen hundred bales of cotton on
board. She was crowded down on the
st. Francis, and she in turn upon the
Glasgow, breaking the wheel and wheel
house Of the former, and upper deck of
the latter. The Arlington escaped,
however, with but little injury. Next
below are the Ashland, A. J. White,
Mary Miller and Lawrence, and at the
elevator the P. W. Strader, all Of which,
with twenty-five produce boats lying
- -,..:-o5 t,t .l;.k. ,r;,-;as