Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-16
A SCENE UNPARALLELED.

A SCENE UNPARALLELED.
Last week. as the mammoth fleet of steam
ers employed TO transport old John kobnson
Great World Exposition, approached the land
ing at Wyandotte, situated on the bank OF the
Ohio river, 10 West Virginia, an unusual com
motion was observed to take place on board
the Aag ship Erie. No. g." Men, women and
children were wildly running to and fro irantl-
caly shouting to the other steamers, while at
the same time there arose series OF shrlckS,
scrccches, yells and howls, as if all the inmates
0. paudemouium were let loose.
The good people On shore were unable to
make ou. the meaning and strange behavior OF
those on the steamers, but, surmlslng that
everything was not right among the animals III
the mcnagere, they very quickly concluded
that the open levee Was no place Tor them
should any of the ferocious monsters make
their way to the laud, and quickly fled to their
homes. In the meantime, Commodore John
I. Robinson hoisted 81 gnals of distress, which
were quickly responded 10 by the steamer
Champion, Captain g. n Robinson; also the
steamer Argosy, Captain Jas. Robinson, who
ranged alongside the Erie, aud were Informed
that an awful battle was raging between the
huge double. horned rhiDoceros and the mon
s,cr war elephant, Old Emperor. The ladies
and children were quickly transferred to the
steamers Champion and Agrosy, and then the
entire crews of the three steamers armed them-
selves and went below to endeavor to separate
the combatants.
AS they reached that portion Of the main
deck lust off the boilers, horribly Sickenlng
sight met their view. Wounded, bleeding and
horribly lacera,ed men were lying where they
had been stricken down by the terrible brutes;
dead, wounded and dying horses and PONIES
strewed the deck iu every direction; cages des-
troyed and literally smashed into fragments
were scattered among the dead, wounded and
dying, and the terrible din, shrlcks, grunts
and groaus plainly told them that the oatlle
vas still raging A total destruction OF almost
every cage on the boat seemed imminent. All
efforts proved unavang to separate the sava-
ge dcnizeus of the forest. At this juncturc
large crash was heard, and the two cages con-
tanning the monster sea-Gons aud the Labrador
seals we're driven overheard.
The veteran Snowman was as cool and collect
ed as man could be under these circumstances,
when his property was going TO destruction
every moment by thousands Of dollars; not so
with manager John f. Robinson jr.. for when
he saw his tavorite seals and sea lions being
dashed over board he cried Boys, | can't
stand this. and we might as we'll attempt to
kill one Of these brutes before they ruin every
cage on the boat" He then ordered to fire
upon them, and heavy volley was discharged
which had no more effect on the now thorough.
y aroused and frightened monsters than to
cause them to fight with more fury than be-
fore. The situation was getting each moment
ayers were dispairing Of all hope, when it oc-
cured to manager Johu to open the steam pl-
pes and deluge them with steam.
The engineer quickly turned on the steam,
and as it suddenly escaped from the boiler with
terrific roar a shrill screech was heard from
the elephant such as they always utter IN cry
ing for mercy when couqured 10 their native
wilds Whether the elephant had received It's
death-bow from the rhinoceros or was fright
ened into submission by the steam, could not
be ascertained until the steam had cleared
away, which it did in few moments, discIos-
lug to the astopished gaze Of the Snowman a
curious and gratifying sight. There lay the
elephant on the deck covering, trembling down,
and little farther on was the rhlnosceros,
suugly ensconsed in his cage, where he had re-
treated when the steam was opened upon hlm.
The attendants spraug forward aud closed
and bolted the door of his cage, thus securing
themselves from further molestatlon from HIM.
Five horses were touod dead, as also were
three ponies, and four more we're 80 badly
mercy, to end their pains.
PRODUCING CHEAP lCE.-The unreasonable
high price for ice this summer, made more SO
by combination than scarcity, renders anything
relative to its production at cheaper rate OF
interest even in this latitude. Various plans
have been devised by chemists whereby the art
icle could be made artifcially at all seasons 10
the place where consumed, aud at lower rates
than that imported. In 1850 com blnahou
of apparatus designed to produce this effect
was patented in England by Prof. A. G.. Twin,
ing, then of Hudson, Ohio, and it was patented
in the United States in 1858. He succeeded
in making, With ten-horse engine, 6,OOO
pounds of ice day. at cost of a halt cent
per pound, or ten dollars per ton. This was
q near approach to the desired result, but the
Columbus (Ga.) Enquirer says that the Column
bus Iron Works have just perfected machines
with which they can make superior quality
of ice in quantities only limited by the capacity
OF the apparatus, at cost ranging from seven
ty6ve cents to two dollars per too, the latter
being the maximum, or One-tenth OF cent
per pound. The Columbus process, accord
iug to the Enquirer, claims superlority--tirst,
in the cheapness and durability Of its APP
paratus; and second, 10 the cheapness, rapid.
iy and simplicity with which ice can be
manufactured. There are only two OF the
improved machines as yet in operation, one ln
Columbus and one 10 Montgomery, Ala. Both
have exceeded the most sanguine expectations,
aud are said to have forced Northern dealers to
run their ice down to cost, which still leaves to
the artificial manufacturers large percentage
Of profit, where they can sell all they make.
These machines are being built now with Ca
paeity of from one to twenty thousand pounds
day, and ranging 10 price from six to twenty
thousand dollars By this process it is claim
ed the ice, being made from distilled water, is
purer than that cut from standing ponds. Any
apparatus which will cheaper the cost of ice SC
as TO make it accessible to the poor will be gen
orally hailed as great public beneht.-Bah
SIN.
IGARSl CIGARSl
- The five cent Cigars are as good as any in