The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-16
THE RIVER.
Further Particulars OF the "breaA
4. wheeling Packets all ssie
r--Confaicting Rnmors-NeWs
from Other Ports.

At an early hour yesterday the large
crowds who had been assembled on the
leyee in front of the city to witness the
breaking up of the frozen surface OF INC
river the night before, began assembling
at convenient points along either snore
10 get DAYLIGHT view OF the devastating
elements, as they rushed onward toward
the gulf. The river all day yesterday
was filled from bank to bank with heavy |
ice, and boats and barges of all descriP-
tions, aoated listlessly on the bosom OF the
trescherous stream towards destruction,
MANY of which were uniDjured, ana
many being in sinking condition. ana
crushed and shattered beyond de;criPtion.
THE LOSSES
at this point last evening did not exceed
a few hundred dollars, the only ooats
damaged being the g. W. Hornorook,
hole knocked in hull above water marx
steamer Phaeton, guards torn OH from
bow to wheeihouse; Leasure boat CLUB
house. hull shattered and sunk; three
bsrges belonging to the Hornbrook car
ried away; barge Eugene, portion OF
stern slightly crushed, and portion OF
wheel of Harrison torn of. The Hudson
and Monitor, which we're lying IN the
same locality as the boats mentioned as
being damaged, passed through the
ordeal safely, and at this writing still re,
main intact, both boats havir 3 full
head of steam up all day Yesterday, IN
case OF emergency. During the day a
large amount of property OF various
kinds
FLoATED DOWN
mast the city, but owing to the heavy ice
Which filed the river no attempt was
made to rob the Ice fiend of its prey.
The Wellsburg ferry.boat is said 10
have been seen some miles above this
place at an early hour in the morning,
and later, q boat almost entirely sub
merged, nothing but the smoke-stacks
and q portion Of the pilot house being
visible, was seen floating down past the
citv, supposed to be the ferry.
| The Wellsville ferry-boat, aboara OF
which were two men, came down about
eleven o'clock Yesterday morning, and
swinging in toward the shore, was board
ed by four others at the Top mil, in the
hopes OF saving her. Their efforts, how
ever, were futile, and the boat drifting
down with the resistless force OF the
heavy mass OF ice, struck the little steam
or P6aeton and tore the guards from the
boat from the bow to the wheelhouse.
When the crash came, the parties on
board the terry-bost, fearing that the
terry was about to be wrecked, jumped
from the boat into the grooming
and seething mass OF ice below.
Lines were Immediately thrown them
from the boats moored along the shore,
and all were saved, the last man being
hauled from the river and taken on
board the Hudson. The other boats es.
caped injury from the ferry, which pass
ed on down and was lost 70 view.
Seven sections of the Brownstown dry
docks, on which was large model
barge almost broken in two, passed down
about noon, and was forced almost TO
the Island shore short distance below
the bridge, by the ice.
The number of barges which passed
down is incstimable, and the damage re-
sulting to barges alone cannot be calcu,
lated. Many OF those passing by here
were uninjured, while others were in
sinking condition and badly broken.
In addition to the large number OF
barges passing down on this side OF the
river, the back river was we'll filled In
the morning, but about noon. we have
been informed, two barges struck one OF
the piers OF the bridge, and lodging, the
ice gorged, throwing the whole volume
into the channel on this side, and greatly
increasing the danger, but the ice beng
so much crushed by the gorges above,
the boats moored here withstood the
shock without difficulty.
Not only did the boats at this point
escape serious damage, but from the
latest advices the
WHEELING PACKETS ALL ESCAPED
being injured, and were held to their