Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-28
STRUCK A SNAG.
The TOwbOat Little Condor Strikes a
Snag Near Bradley's Landing, and
becomes a Wreck.
The Grew and Barges Saved, but the Ill
Fated TOwbOat Floats Away
Down Stream.

ABOUT nVe CLOCK yesterday lnorulHS liHet
men at the landing discovered wrecked
steam boat floating down stream past the city,
and shortly afterward tow OF barges was
seen floating helplessly after the submerged
boat. The steam tug Orole, Captain Morris
NJ Nicely, and the transfer ferryboat General
Pearson, Captain w. w. Malngault, at once
put out for the wrecks. The submerged
steamer proved to be the towboat L tile Con-
dor, owned by the st. Bernard coal and min
ing company, of Kentucky. A few days agu
the Little Cundor, with a tow OF SIX barges
of coal and two barges of slaves, LETT tue len
nessee river for New Orleans. About two
o'clock yesterday morning the Condor struck
snag III the bend at Greer's landing, just
below Bradley's. Atthe time OF the accident
the steamer was hankiug down the bend.
As the boat was backing at the time, and
none of the lows were touched by the snag,
it is evident that she struck amldshlps on
this snag, which tor the past two or three
years has been known to local pilots, and
was regarded as quite dangerous. As
soon as the boat struck she began
to fill with water, and Captain Roach, the
master, ordered into use all the extra pumps
and syphons. The crew was set to work, but
nothing was of any avail, for the water could
not be pumped out. The hold filed rapidly,
the steamer in the meantime backing so as to
get clear of the sand-bar In the bend. All
at once the Condor began to careen to the
| larboard side, when she was stripped OF her
bell and rigging, which were placed on the
| coal barges The lines that attached the tow
| to the boat was severed, for the Condor, 1t
| seemed, was fast settling. In fact, the crew
and officers did not have time to get their
| clothing or to remove the boat stores.
| The steamer rolled to one side, and
as she did so her boilers slipped into
| the water, and were instantly followed by
| the chlmneys. The boat had already filed
with water, but strange to say the wreck did
! III h,,ko Hnat
| Condor, Captain Roach commanding. had
tow of six coal barges and two stave barges.
| The boat and six coal barges were owned by
| the ST. Bernard coal company, the coal being
| consigned to Bryan x Co. oil this city. The
! two stave barges were consigned to parties
| at New Orleans. The tug Orlole and the
| transfer boat General Pearson succeeded IN
| landing the coal and stave tow at the Arkan-
| sas point, near the wreck of the lll-tated
| City of Chester. The towboat Condor foa:ed
| on and took down the Tennessee chute at
Presidents island. At the head of the chute
| the boat dragged bottom and stood for
| minute or two, but was finally forced along
by the strong current which sweeps the night
| hand channel. The boat foated down the
chute and out again into the main channel of
| the Mississippi river.
| the tug Night-Hawk after dispatches had
been received from Paducah, Kentucky, left
| the landing at ten O'Clock to hunt up the
wreck of the floating towboat, with which 1t
| is expected she caught up some fifty or sixty
miles down the river, and succeeded IN land
| ing. From ]. w. Roach, captain of the Lit
| tie Condor, the following statement was OBJ.
| tanned: ''The boat left the shipping point of
| the company's mines, which is at bridge on
| the Tennessee river twenty two miles above
| its mouth, last Sunday, having In tow SIX
coal and two stave barges. The coal barges
were to have been landed at this city. One
of the stave barges was owned by Mr.. James
White, and the other by Messrs. r. d. De-
| ford and Hinckle The Little Condor was to
have proceeded with the stave barges, and
four coal barges which were ready at this
point awaiting her coming, to New Orleans.
| When the accident occurred Captain Roach
was asleep, but was awakened by the shock,
| and Immediately went to work with
| the rest of the crew, trying to keep
the Little Condor from sinking. The
pumps were kept going, but the water gained
| so rapidly that it was seen she must sink. 80
| they ceased their efforts and began to save
| their effects. The boat soon careened over on
| her side, and while in this position was cut
| loose from the barges, as they were endan-
| gered by her close proximity. The wreck and
| tow fioated down the river to this city. where
| the tug Oriole and transfer steamer, General
! Pearson, rescued the crew fromof the barges,
and landed the tow on the Arkansas shore.
| The Little Condor was purchased by the 81.
| Bernard coal association last January, and
cost about three thousand five hundred dol
lars, on which there was no insurance: She
has made regular trips since that period, In
towing coal for the association to this CITY
and New Orleans. She carried GREY
of nineteen. Her officers were: }.
W. Roach captain; Newt Pell, pilot; Hugh
Moore and Harry Mix, engineers; jim NJ
Garvey, mate; J. L. Roach, Waterman.
| There was also deck crew of six men, three
iremen, one cook, one cabin boy and two
men who worked regularly at the pumps.
The effolts of Captain NJ Nicely, OF the tug
Oriole, and Captain Maingault, of the trans
fer-boat General Pearson, are TO be COM
mended both officers and crew doing good
and efficient work in saving the tow feet and
crew of the Condor.