The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-11-14
yHEHORNER ACCIDENT.
Tow of Eleven Barges Broke w
Three Barges Sunk, Three Laho
ed and Five Aground.

ed and Five Aground.
NIGHT before last feet of twenty TO"
boats, having from ten to twelve oarges
each, tied up between this city ana y" me ne
SISTERS" owing to the heavy Jog. Inc
The boats were the Tom Rees No. z, Tom
Iysle. Simpson Horner, j. 5. Mercer
Vim. Stone, j. NJ. Mcdonald, Veteran,
Josh cook, Geo. Lysle, Sampson NO. =
Rover, Venture, Jos. Warner, L. n: fnli-
Inns. Coal City, Hope, Joseph Walton,
Gypsy. Onward and Jay Gould. About
o'clock, although q heavy log still
hung over the river, the Tom Rees No.
2, with pilot viii Moore at the wheel,
took the lead, with twelve bsrges: ana
psssed safely by the city, closely followed
by the Tom Lysle. The other boats
however, were some hours later In sIart-
ing. and at about ten o'clock along came
the Simpson Horner, with tow OF eleven
bsrpes in command OF Captain Curly
Aibac. en- route for New Orleans
After rounding the bend AT the upper
end of the city the pilo., in the fog that
prevailed, pulled too much to the east
Shore. and sCoa alter having made the
turn, sunk two bsrges at Sweeneys land
ing. Backing out and leaving the sunken
bsrges, he again started, ouI
had not proceeded further down
than the water works, when the tow
was broken 10 pieces by striking the
bar on the Island side, and nearly all OF
the barges more or less damaged. Five
of the barges stuck where they had
struck. four Aoated on down the river IN
sinking condition, and the Homer
driited around until she laid directly
across the channel. After some consic-
cradle work the Homer was strsightep ed
out and started In pursuit OF the run
AWAY barges, one of which sunk In about
6 teet of water, about 80 yards west OF
the channel, almost directly under the
Suspension bridge A short distance be-
low the bridge the Horner overlook
the other three barges which had
broken loose, and hitching on to
them, succeeded by free use OF tar
psulin and oakum IN keeping them
saost until she had landed them
At point near the Belmont mills. After
having landed the damaged barges, the
Horner returned to the five barges
aground, at which she worked with steam
sTphOns all day yesterday, and was stili
at work last night without having sue
ceeded in getting them oil. Following
close in the wake of the Homer was the
i. ). Mercer, which landed her foremost
stsrboard barge directly on top oil the
sun ken wreck, aud knocked a hole IN II.
The MERGERS barge, however, was kept
afoat with the pumps until sufficient
oakum was put in the hole to stop the
| flow of water in the hull, when the Mer-
Ger swung round and released her tow
from the obstruction and passed on down
the river without further damage.
The other boats followed in quick
succession, but all passed the sunken
wreck in safety, although several OF the
boats narrowly escaped being sunk by
the obstruction. The wreck, the top oil
which is barely visible, is in a bad place,
and will make navigation extremely
dangerous along the upper part OF the
levee, as it lies nearly IN the CEN
tire OF the river. The full extent OF the
damage sustained by the formers tow
cannot be ascertained until thorough
examination of all the barges is made.
ADDITI oNAL PARTICULARS.
In addition to the above, we have
since learned that the WstOn's tow mar
rowly escaped. AS the Walton was work
ing down past the five bsrgeS of the
Horner aground on the bar opposite the
water works, the Horner (that boat being
ut work trying to pull some OF her bar
yes atoat) swung across the stream, and
before she could get out of the way OF
the formost bsrges of the Walton's tow,
it struck her stern, injuring the Horner's
cylinder timber and doing other slight
damage The Horner cut loose from
the grounded bsrges and drifted down
stream with the Walton's tow until she
was directly under the suspension bridge.
At that moment she managed to get
clear OF the barge, which had until
then held her last by the after
guard and started ahead much to the re-
lei OF the large crowd on the wharf and
bridge, who were sure there was col
lision imminent with the suuken barge
some thirty yards further down and d.
recs!y ahead of them. AS the Horner
started up stream everyone SAW she was
out OF danger, so I'LL attention WAS con-
ceutrated on the Walton and her tow AS
it came rushing along with the current
nj about five knot speed, looking almost
irresistible and with the momentum OF q
moving mountain. The outermost barge
on the stsrboard side appeared certain
10 be pointing Tor the wreck and
the people were bresthlessly awaiting the
shock that seemed inevitable. The crew
seemed to be imbued with the exact feel
ings OF the spectators on the shore and
bridge, for they were exceedingly lively
IN WALKING around, moving lines taking
an extra tur n there and Stacking up
somewhere else. Ga the tow came, how.
ever, and one could have almost sworn
it struck the wreck, but in did not. The
starboard barges along the line just graz
ed it and by hairsbresdth, escaped in
jury, much to the joy OF the great num-
Der of lockers on.