The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-28
BY TELEc GRAPH.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT
MEMPHIS.
Terrible Destruction OF steam boats
and DaTEss BY Ice.
NIne sLeamers and Ten Barge. Lo,J

and BaTGes By Ice.
Nine Steamers and Ten BaIges Lost.
MEMPHIS, December 27.-Llst night
the ice gorged Al the Hen and Chickens, d
Just above the city, and al . o'clock the
gorge broke and the ice came down with
terrific iorce. sweeping Of the dry docks,
then cutting down ten bMges Of coal be-.
longing TO Brown and Jones, and then
steamer after steamer lying at the wharf,
until not single one ol the large nun
Der lying there could be saved. The fol
lowing IS list Of the lost Laura, Belle
ol Pike, Il p. Walt, Undine, Wes; Wind,
and City Of Augusta. The boat Mel.
lio Thomas is lying in critical condition,
and 1t is doubtful whether she can be
saved, as the Ice /, running very heavily.
The West Wind and Walt are loaded
with cotton. Further particulars as soon
as possible
SECOND DISPATCH
The bluhs in front Of the city aud
leyeo are lined with people watching the
strange spectacle Of destruction by the
ice, Just above Tue foot ol JcleFson
street lies the X, p. Walt crowded on the
shore and broken in two Above her
the Belle Pike sunk above her guards,
and is supported by empty bsrgcs. Just
below lies the Laura, badly broken. The
crews are busily engaged in wrcckiDg
them, in order 10 save all they possibly
can before the ice changes their cOndi.
ton. Just at the water guage lies the
West Wind, drivea -bow.on; while 8
steamer at the wharf boat has her upper
works completely wrecked, bpt her null,
with $50 bales Of cotton in It, Is Cumpar.
atively uniBjured. Just Gs,ern, and on
the outer guard ol the wharlboa,, lies the
Andy Baum, with her upper works badly
damaged, and the boat in prccnrlous
condition. The whariboat was but little
injured. The Arlington, Glasgow and
St Francis, are lying at its stern, with
their guards and upper works smashed.
Owing to the confusion and strenuous cl.
forts Of the crews to save everything pos.
siblo and guard against further danger, it
Is impossible to obtain reliable data as
to the losses. The Walt Is owned by FL
lott Bros, Memphis, who are now engag
cd in wrecking her, and saving all the
cotton possible. The Laura, the Mound
City ferry, will be total loss She is
owned by Capt. James, her commander
The Belle Pike will prove almost a total
loss, together with her cargo OF Gotten
She is owned by the St Louis tS Naples
Packet Company, and ia being wrecked
ut the dry docks, after being driven down
TO the loot Of Exchange street and secur.
ed. She will probably be saved, though
her and the steamer Pat CIcbournc,
are in critical condition, likewise
Nellie Thomas whose upper works are
crushed. The West Wind, belonging to
MRrsingal s. Bowman Of Nashville, is in
great peril, having been stripped Of her
upper works and forced against the wharf
boat with such power rs to break her
shafts. The Undine, Helen Brook and
Summer KoOn are sunk out oI sight. The
Clipper tow boat was driven down to The
head Of Presidents Island and will prove
a total loss. Brown & Jones lose
$4,000 worth OF coal, leaving only
three days supply in the hands Of dealers.
Memphis gas works, which supply the
city, being without days supply. Coal
dealers have advanced the price TO two
dollars per barrel, which will cause great
suffering among the poor. The Baum was
driven down on wharf boat Taylor Wells.
One Of her pilots attempted to jump from
the hurricane roof on to the wharf boat
aud fell into the river, badly crushed by
the ice, and was rescued with great diff
fcully. John Clinton, second engineer,
and the bar.keeper both made the leap,
but were badly bruised. The James
Howard arrived from below about 10
o'clock and made several Intellectual
attempts to pull the City OF Augusta out
without being able to move her. The
river is still rising, having risen 81 feet
since last evening.
At nine o'clock tonight the river was
falling, which Is considered an indication
that It will gorge again at Randolph.
Steamboatmen are all on the QuI rice for
another crash Office. The James Howard,
alter cxtricating the City Of Augusta, has
got her line ashore at the foot of JeiTtr-
son street, but Is unable TO get into shore,
The Walt is considered lost. She is
owned by the Elliott Bros, Of this city,
and is valued at S36OOO insured in New
Albany offices for $4,000. Her cabin
furniture has all been removed. The
cotton is being saved. The Belle Pike is
total loss. She Is valued at $2O, 900; in.
sured In ST. Louis. The whole loss thus
far will not exceed 100000. The Il. C,
Yaeger lies against bar on the Arkansas
shore unharmcd.