The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-14
The nississippi Ice Gorge.

ST. LOUIS, December - The steamer
Centennla involved IN yesterday crash
bv the ice, sunk about four o'clock this
morning. Aside from this no notable
change has taken plsCc since the last RI
port. All boats previously mentioned
are still wedged tightly together, aud
when the ice gorge breaks away most ol
them will 60 down with II, and either bc
totally wrecked or damaged still more
than they are now. The Centennial
was very large, freight coo tons burden,
and is said Ia have cost sl21,OoN instead
o. $4,000 ~ reported last night. There
/, A fire risk on her, but - what amount
cannot be NscertaIned now. She ns-
never msdr tr,p, aud there was prob
ably no marine IusUraLC, on her.
a careful survey this afternoon oi al
fairs at the scene oi the steamboat dIsas
ter Mt the arsenal shows that SOME Of the
boat clasprd in the ic" gorge there are
not in as bad q condition ns they were
last night and that others are not 80
badly injured ~ reported. The watef
ro,e considerably durIug last night ani
TO- lay, which relieved the pressure some.
The Lake Suyrrlor T. siluat, and with ia"
exception % u trlf.ng leak /, ~ good con
dItion. The Ssysuah Is lying Just.
below the Superior and II siipat but ~
leaking badly, and u kept from sinking
only by the constant use OF the pump.
The carpenter. are cndeavoring 10 stop
the leaks. The War Eagle Is also stoal,
but she has n hole in he- bottom and her
afLcr-guards and upper works are goh"
She has steam up and all n'r pumps are
IN operation Her furniture and table
ware have been taken ashore. aud hGr
mate, who hA- large gang oi men
working on her, says that be can
save her. The Alex. Mitchell u IN
preCarlous condition, beng sppAr"ntly
held up by the IT," on ono side and thd
wreck Of the BAysrd on the other, aud
- hen the ice gOcs out she - "hpectod 10
sink. Some hopes are oGpressoi now
that the Centennial can be raised. The
Andy Jehnssn Is bAdly hsmmed ~ be.
tween the Centennial and the DAyen.
port. but Il is not leaking md iOr the
present at least Is safe. The Davenport
/, sunk ~ .hr boiler decI aud Is n total
lo,s The Red Wing. Minneapolis. RoU
Roy and NortHH",trrn are sa!e!y moor.
ed below the gorge. Tho latter
hYs steam up and Is ready ~ render
any assistance possible when the Ice
breaks up. The rise OF the water hoatsd
the Golden Eagle, and with tho aid Of
the North western, she u now hity or
sixty yards below the Jam. She has
steam up. aud II she l. not further dam.
aged by the next move Oi the Ice, twU
or three hundred dOlars will repair her.
The ROh Roy also has steam up, and Is
prepared 10 meet any emergency. The
tug Rescue. ha. succeeded ~ cutting
her wsy through the gorge from
above q a point abreast VI the
imprisoned steamers, and s now al
tempting - break up the Zee along the
outer side Ul them 30 that those that can
BE- removed from their pfrs"nt psfilJus
position, and can De taken ~ open water
Along tb. shOr" Below the water 8,
not grsz. 10 extent. but tb"r. Is enough
20 afford mODEug tor several boat
Farther out there n An immsuss Icr
'feld extending north, near ~ the city
wharf, and south beyond the reach 0i ths
eve. ThF wa the situation nj ,. NJ,
and n the weather !, CyuIIdsrAbly colder
the prospect i. tbst there will be ~ iuf.
.ner move %! the ice Tonight.