The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-14


The DtsAsTRR TO THE srGPsoN Hon.
NER.-rhe steamer Sim pson Horner, en-
route 10 Cincinnati with feet Of coal
barges, met with disaster at the upper
end Of the city yesterday morning which
resulted In the loss Of three Of her barges
The HoTncr was coming down alongside
the steamer Tom Lisle, which also had a
heavy coal feet, and in rounding the
point OF the Island struck upon the bar
on the west side Of the channel, opposite
sweeneya landing, where she sunk two
barges. In trying to save the remainder
Of her fleet, the Homer run on TO the bar
opposite the Water Works, where che
was broken loose from her tow. Ono Of
her barges 0oated down the channel until
II filed with water and sank broudside In
the middle Of the river, almost underneath
the suspension bridge. Three barges and
two fuel boats were grounded on the bar
Just above the bridge, and were damaged
to some extent, while tho remainder Of
the tow, consisting Of some four or Eve
barges, drifted with the current until
they were caught and landed at the Bel
mont Mill.
The accident occurred aboutl0 o'clock
in the morning, and as there was con.
slant stream OF passing coal fleets during
the day, il required much skill and vigil.
ance on the part Of pilots to safely pass
the obatructiohS. Al one time there were
eleven steamers within sight, and the
channel was so obslructed that it requir.
ed thirty minutes for one steamer to
pass.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, how.
ever, all the coal fleets got past in COM
parative safety. The j. c. Mercer had
one barge injured while passing the sunk
en- barge under the suspension bridge, but
she was not detained by the accident.
The steamer Tom Isle, which wasso near
the Homer at the time Of the disaster
that collision seemed almost inevitable,
backed out OF harms way and escaped
without a scratch. The Horner, how
ever, while backing of from her barges,
opposite the Water Works, backed
into the tow Of the Joseph Walton, that
was passing down at the time, and seri-
onsly damaged one OF her barges. The
Walton passed on down, however, pump.
ing and repairing the barge, and keeping
It above water. The Andes, which was
lying at the Peoples whaffboat, had sew.
eral close rGbs from steamers passing BY,
shyingclear OF the channel distractions.
The loss will amount to considerable.
The barges sunk at Sweeney's lie up and
down the river, near the western shore,
and are considered total wrecks. The
barges which sank under the Suspension
bridge lie broadside in the channel, Il
complete wreck. Up to dark last even.
ing the Homer had not succeeded in dis.
lodging her barges from the bar Just
above the bridge, and they lie there sill,
in a damaged condition. The three
barges which are considered total loss
were worth about 81 500 each, and had a
capacity Of 10000 bushels Of coal, which
was worth about eight cents busiel. So
that the actual loss to Messrs. Simpson
Homer and Sons, who owned the barges
and coal, may be estimated ct about
$1,000.
It depends entirely upon the condition
Of the river whether the barges on the
bar above the bridge can be saved or not.
Should the river rise, in the damaged
condition in which they are thought to
be, they would be completely wrecked.
On the contrary, should the river fall
much, there will be considerable salvage.
We were unable to learn the name Of
the pilot, but we understand that Capt.
Curley Allabach was in command Of the
Horner. Capt. Simpson HOrner, one Of
the owners Of the steamer and fleet, ex.
pected to get aboard below somewhere,
The insurance on the coal, ii any there
was, We did not hear.