The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-11
A COLLISION.
The steamboat Shannon sunk by tIie
CanOnicMs.

CanOnicus.
Under the head of IA Warning" in yester-
days DEMOCRAT. reference was made to the
dangerous position occupied by the United
States war vessels opposite the steamboat
landing We predicted that collision would
inevitably take place between them and the
numerous steamboats, plying up and down
the river, especially during dark and stormy
night.
Unfortunately, our warning proved but too
true. Sunday morning, at 2 o'clock, the Shan
non, a sternwheel steamboat, engaged In the
Ouachita trade, whilst rounding too in order
to make her landing struck against the mon
itor Canonicus.
1t seems that at the time the accident oc-s
CURED the monitor, urged by the waves, was
swaylng aStern, from side to side; the Shan
mons pilot could not discern the dark low
mass in his way, and ran over the monitor.
Seeing his mistake he warned the engineer to
back out, and it was when rounding to, just In
front OF the war vessel, that the latter, with
anchors and crashed through the steamboat's
after hatch with terrific force Both yessels
then drifted together, calling for assistance
The steamtug jerry responded to the CALI
Shannon, which, still linked with the Canoni
Gus, hoated to some distance below the Slaugif
ter-House, and, releasing herself from hen
companion, sank in thirty feet of water.
A greater part OF the cargo, some 800 bales
of cotton, will be saved.
Yesterday at II o'clock the tugboat N. M.
Jones left with barge for the purpose OF Sc
curing the cotton picked up and bringing it to
the city. She returned at about 8 p. m. with
Is bales, and left Immediately in search Of
more. part OF the cotton Is still ON the
wreck; some bales were securely fastened
about the Shannon to prevent them from
floating off.
THE CANoNIcUs
was towed back to it's former position yester-
day afternoon by the two tugs Norman and
Harry Wright. 1t is the opinion OF all steam
boatmen that the United States gunboats, as
they are now anchored, are greatly in the way
Of river craft. A captain remarked that the
Garry Owen was sunk by the same monitor
about year and half ago at night, and that
another steamboat, caught in a gale during
the day, would have shared similar fate had
not tugboat come to her assistance.
These men-of-war were sent here originally
for the purpose Of shelling New Orleans in
case OF emergency, and now we ask whether
the famous Southern policy, 50 much talked
about, OF Mr. Hayes, requires that these same
gunboats be kept in the middle Of the river,
opposite the steamboat landing, simply for
the purpose OF sinking our peaceful CONNER
cial craft as they go out or come in OF a
stormy night.
The Enterprise is here for good work, and
we have welcomed her arrival, but she might
take a station somewhere below the city,
where she would not interfere with our river
commerce and endanger the property OF our
steamboatmen.
AS for the Cannonicus, we do not see what Is
her usefulness in these waters; she is in the
way, and, to speak plainly, is, as she stands.
an unmitigated nuisance.
She ought to be taken somewhere, where
nobody could see her, and where she would
not be a perpetual threat to our steamboats,.
Let her be towed down to the mouth of the
Mississippi, outside Of the jetties, where the
brave marines and gallant saiior-boys may
quaff unlimited draughts of the salt sea air.
and enjoy an indefinite perspective of their
own dear native element the briny deep, with
its dancing pillows.
The following IS the manifest of the Shan
non.
Bales cotton-Newrnan h Jones 3d. J. L. Har-
ris & Co 264. Meyer, Weis Il %. ss. Sam Hem
derson 5, Claiborne Go. A. J. T Hardie Il Co. 4.
Levy d Clark 4. W. FL. Harris 3. McGehee. snow
de n d Viole. Q, Newman h stockman 2, Allen.
Nugent & Co. 2, John I. Noble 2. Yale, Bowling
j Co. /. Forstall i Jumonyllle %. Hirsh. Adler
& Co. "a. J. w. White So. John Chaffe d S1n i.
lehman, Abraham & Co 1s. G l.. Wamslsyi
Co. 10. Richardson & May So. John Phelps IL ca
66. juicy Gillis 2os. J. B. Wolfe 81. Total.en
bales cotton.
sacks cotton seed-New Orleans Cotton Sees
OAK stavss.T. J. Carver s77ss a. Bohet 1 Bre
z5o4. Jurey & GilIis 2721. ]. L. Harris Co. 1914
Hoop pol. s-Jnrey Gillis 1000.
Sundries to order.