Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-13
Keokuk Packet Line De-
strOyed---Loss,
100000.
Great Damage to Other Vessels
and Property.

great power, taking with il several steam
ers lying st the bank in the southern part
OF the city. So far as known, the Fan.
ME keener, An Illinois river boat, is sunk
opposite the arsenal, aud will probably
be a wreck. The Southern Belle aud
Jennie Baldwin, small boats. were also
SINK in the same vicinity. The loss on
these steamers cannot now be stated, but
will not be heavy, as they are small boats.
Among the other vessels carried down
by the current and the ice are the Cen
t%ennial, Alex. Mitchell, Minnesota, Bay
ard, and Davenport, bus their where
abouts are not yet definitely s~soertained.
The river is now supposed to be open for
the south. AT the barracks one or two
small boats were pushed up on the East
St. Louis shore, and a hatboat or two
were wrecked, but the loss is trihing.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
A reporter lately from the arsenal
| gives additional particulars of the de-
strueiion of the stesmers this forenoon.
Il appears that nearly ell Of the boats Of
the Keokuk Northern Line were ia win
ter quarters, at or near the company's
ship yards, between Anna street aud the
arsenal. asd were supposed to be free
from danger. When the ice started
these steamers were forced from their
moorings and carried down stream, The
War Eagle and Golden Eagle, two large
and valuable boats, we're forced on shore
opposite the arsenal wall, in such q man
ner as to block the passage, and the
other boats lay in about the following
order: At the upper ED Of the arsenal
wall, Jennie Baldwin, wv on shore and
sinking slowly at stern; Lake Superior
and Alex. Mitchell. The Centennial, a
new oSat, which has not yet made a
trip, was crushed between the latter aud
the Andy Johnson; then tue Bayard, an
old craft, with her forward guards and
deck crushed Below these we're the
Rock Island and Davenport, both pretty
old and not OF great value. Then las
tie War Eagle, valued at sixty thousand
dollars, with the nose Of her consort, the
Golden Eagle, equally valuable, thrust
through her after-guard. The latter was
parity forced on the rocks on shore and
was hogged up under her boilers, and her
kuuckle plank wss broken. Below again
we're the Red Wing, Northwestern, Rob
Roy and Minneapolis lying with their
bows at the bank and apparently bat
little hurt. AT two o'clock in the after.
noon the ice again moved, crushing the
boats still closer together aud doing adj
: dilional damage. The Bayard was
almost completely destroyed, aud the
Rock Island, on examination, was found
to-have n wheel dropped down and the
guards torn up or broken off. At four
o'clock there was another move of the
ice, which pressed against the boats with
terrible power and forced them still
further down, crushing the guards, upper
works and wheels. and doing great dam
age. A half hour later the ice started
again, and there was another crush
stll closer, aud the stsrboard wheel
= and alf Of the starboard guards
of the Var Eagle we're carried
away, and she began to leak. The hull
OF the Mitchell stove 10, and she filed,
but her position prevented her from set.
: ting to the bottom. About . o'clock the
= Davenport sunk. In the meantime the
Rob Roy and Northwestern, which we're
uninjured, raised steam, and the Red
Wing and the Minneapolis, with a mum
Der Of bsrges, we're pulled out aud taken
70 the bar about a quarter Of q mile
below the arsenal, where they we're con.
sidered cafe. The ice moved again al
hslfpast nine o'clock, and again at q
< quarter to eleven o'clock, the result be.
ing that the Mitchell was crushed nearly
I TO pieces and forced against the Centen
{ NAL so gs to tear away almost oil hel
3 upper works. The ice vas now piled ny
: from ten to fifteen feet, and the pressure
. was tremendous. AT midnight the pros
2 pee. is that the bulls Of the Centennia
and the Johnson will De sayed, and tha
T the War Eagle and Golden Eagle may b
rescued in a very broken condition, un
y less The water falls and leaves them higl
! and dry, The river heloR the boat
Y is clear Of ice, and they alone prevent /
. from running. All these boats belong t.
o the Keokuk Northern Line, except tn
: Centennial, which is owned By Thoma
: l. Dagidson, and cost forty thousand
dollars. No acearste statement Of th
x loss can be given, but it is roughly est
mated st TWO hundred thousand dollars
p Thefa we're also several freight barge
Y mixea ia the Jam, acme Of which ar
!, wrecked, and others but slightly injured
The seene above the arsenal was one {
Disaster end ruin. Besides the boa
u mentioned 10 the FIRST part Of this di
u patch, a number Of barges we're crushe
g and others badly damaged. No such di
!, sster has occurred here for ten years, an
y this was unexpected, 1 al the
steamers we're believed to be in ss.
! quarters for the winter. The Keoku
~ Northern Line has &c insurance on the
y toets.
~
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