Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-23

The first serious accident to the boats of
the Champlain transportation Company
occurred at an early hour Friday morning,
the details of which. so far as ascertained,
are as follows:
The Champlain was put on the regular
line, last week, in place Of the Vermont,
which was to have some new machinery /;
and she wen. out yesterday in her usual ex
cellent condition, made her usual landings,
took her load Of passengers and freight at
| Tieonderoga. and came back north After
making Westport landing, and when about
two miles north of it,-at Stoammil Bay,
as it is called. under foil head Of steam,
she struck ledge CT rock, and was broken
completely in two.
The alarm on board As great. Many of
the passengers were in their berths, and
were mos; rudely aroused By the shock. bot
the GOODNESS Of the captain and officers, and
the admirable arrangements on this, as on
all the Company boats. Tor the safety of
passengers IN case of accident. prevented
panic, and any loss Of life
The usual course OF the steamers Is very
near the Point, as the water is deep aud
there Is 10 danger. and 50 near was the
boat that planks were thrown ont 10 the
shore and the passeng r. and crew walked
of-no one being even injured.
The cause Of the accident is not vet GER
tainiy known but it is reported that
sudden break OF the port engine threw the
boats head on the rocks before the star
board engine could be stopped and In spite
of the efforts Of the wheelman to keep her
clear.
The Champlain was one Of the hes, boats
bailt on the Lake; she was seven years old.
and valued at $50 coo. Hc- length was
2i2 feet, breadth 81 feet 5 inches and
depth II feet inches She was built at
Marks Bay, under supervision of Capt.
Proctor, for the Rutland Railroad Compa-
ny, with the especial view Of Transporting
railroad cars across the Lake, and was
chris:ened the " Oakes Ames,' ana came
into the control 9th Vermont Central Com
pany, when they leased the Rutland road
She was afterwards purchased by the Cham
plain transportation Company. and year
ago last winter was thoroughly ovarhauled.
and fitted up in the bes; manner i1r a pas
senger boat, and her name changed 70 the
a. Champlain" She was side wheel
steamer with independent engines. She
was commanded 10y Capt Geo Rash
low, an old and experienced seaman
Her pilots were John Eldridge, L. Rock
well and Alexander Narque ,--Edridge be-
ing at the wheel at the time Of theGccldent.
lie is considered one Of the best pilots on
the Lake.
On the arrival Of the Williams from
P.att-burgh at 9 o'clock, Sapt. Inman, Col. /
Cannon. the President Of the company. and .
other officials, took her and proceeded at
once 10 the scene Of tho accident
We learn from Superintendent lnman.
who returned from the scene Of the disaster /
last evening, that the Champlain Is a COM
pete wreck. Most of her furniture was
s'.NNlA ~ ''AN u iAal HJI li~L evening anu
she is being dismantled as rapidly as posi-
be The water is breaking over her prom
enade deck. As she was not insured against .
marine disaster, bat Only against fire. She /
viii be total loss TO the company, save I
her furniture AID machinery. and what /.
little else they may save from the debris.
The aeeiden; is a very strange one. aud /
gives rise TO many conjectlres. Mr..
Eldridge was one Of tho oIdes, pilots. and .
was considered one Of the safest on tie .
Lake. The most reasonable <apqo>:;i5a is /
thar in rounding the Point by some means
he tsrned little too soon. and the 3i-a-trou /
result followed
The Vermont, which has for soma time
been laid up for repairs, is expected out I
next week, and in the meantime the C1mpa-
ny viii run only one boat south, leaving
Burlington at 1890. p. n, and one north,
leaving at > Is D. m