Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-01-15
THE ice BREAKUP
Disaster and Ruin to Steam
bOatmensFan Coal
Merchants.
Loss at Pittsburg Not Definitely
Ascertained, But Not Less
than So s,00O,OO
Loss at Cincinnati Estimated at
100000.
List of the Unfortunate
Owners, Principally
Coal Dealers.
latest Information from All Points
On the Ohie.
Sunday and Mondays Reports.

PITTsBURG. January l4.--The river q
10 pm. is 3 feet and falling rapidly ant
IS still running full of ice. Weatte
clear and freezing. The heavy ice from
the upper Monongahela, which startet
yesterday afternoon, reached here Mt
o'clock this morning and the next few
hours we're fraught with disaster aBC
ruin to cur steamboatmen and coal mer
chants unequaled in the history of Pitts
burg. Seventy steamboats, we're in thu
river, of which forty-two lay at the cit
wharf, together with ten model barees
There were numerous barges and aost
tied up at the landings, and forty, NOR
or less, anchored to the piers of the Biz
miugham bridge, while nearly one huu.
dred loaded barges we're moored at Il
south side. Most of the steamboats, bee
steam up waiting for the crisis, and Til.
was about the only preparation that
could be made.
The towooat Relief was among the
fest of the steam vessels to be caught in
the raging current. 1t was lying in front
of Chess, Snythe & Co.'S nail works
just about Dam No. /. A feet Of heavi
ly laden coal bsrges struck it on the
side, slowing it in aud sinking the steam
er in a very short time. The Relief was
the property of Robert Craig. aud is a
total loss; valued at $4,000; not insured.
The work of destruction lasted several
hours and was Witnessed by Thousands oil
people who lined the wharves acd
bridges of the MononGahela
The following is as complete a list Of
the losses as a be gathered tonight:
The Bennett and Chieftain, two side.
wheel packets, owned by toe Brownsville
and Geneva Navigation Co, were sweep
from the moOriDgs at Brownsville aud
both totally wrecked; value and insur.
ance unknown.
The following tugboais in pool No.
we're sunk: R ]. Trace, Jim Brown
Jno. Warner, Minnie Harris, Relief and
Alex Foster. The Lion was carried away
from the south side, smashed up, and
will probably be a total less.
The Commercial gives the following
list of boats damaged: CHARLES Brown
badly; j. S. Ksifer, stacks demolished
and wheel smashed; Joseph Walton,
stacks down and hurricane roof broken
in; Nellie Speerr larboard engine Grip,
pied; ]. B, Williams hole knocked ID
her hull; Jack Gumbert, a McKeespori
and Elizabeth packet, lies on her side al
HcKeesport; Ben Wood, edged in be.
tween two abutments opposite GlenWood
Elizabeth, carried away from her moor
ings at Elizabeth and eighty injured.
The following lisa list Of coal boats,
barses, fats, etc.. lost:
Grand Lake Company, fourteen loaded
boats and a number of empty bsrges.
VIM. Il. Brown & Co., pool No, l
thirty.eight loaded and sixty-seven empty
boats swept away aud probably all lost
Fawcett & Son, pool No. l, sixteen
loaded boats, seven bsrges and FIVE fueI
boats lost; one boat stopped at lock No.
l all right.
0'Neill & Co pool No. 3, FIVE loaded
barges.
J. B. sneathen & Co., pool No. 3, ont
loaded barge.
Phillips & Maltenzivey, one eoelboat
Simpson Horner & Son, ore loaded
eoalboat and several empty boats.
Two loaded barges were carried away
bat will be saved.
J.. & J. Gilmore's four coal barges sunl
below McKeesport.
James Watson, pool No. l. entire fee
of barges carried away.
The entire fleet above Ffankstown
owners not ascertained, swept off.
Foster, Blair & Co Moaongahela City
whole feet lost except one bsat.
Stone Brothers, McKeesport, empt,
fat.
Gray Iron Line lost two model barges
John Dippold &S,n, three barges sun
at the landing.
J.S Mcdonald, pool No. 3, lost on
and probably two loaded boats.
Riddle, goldman & Co., one coal boa
at CampbelTs Landing, and three M
coal boats at Birmingham bridge-los
estimated at $4,000.
John Atwood & Sons, pool No. |, fsu
loaded boats, two full boats and a lot q
empty Ones.
George Lysis & Sons. four losde
boats.
Joseph Walton, West Elizabeth, seveI
fats loaded with nut coal three empt.
boats and one loaded barge carried ava,
from this city-toial loss $40, 200.
]. c. Fisher & Co., six loaded barge
from Laughlin's furnace, two from Ben
netts Landing, aud seven empty barges
Hornet Coal Company, four empt,
barges carried away ard forced ashore
Samuel Clark lost some boats. numbe
not stated.