Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-25
THE STEAMER GAFF.
The Cause Of Her Sinking Still q
Mystery-Insurance on the
Boat and PrObabilit?
Of Her Being
Saved.
The LouisvilIs commencement II tbe

Colonel j. W. Moore, clerk OF the Gin
cinnati and Memphis packet James w.
Gaf sent us the following special dis
patch from 0wensbero, KY. yesterday.
He says; The Jas. w. Calf sunk a.
two o'clock Thursday, seven miles above
Csnnelton, Ind, on the Kentucky side Of
the river, in fourteen feet water. No
lives lost, and all on board safe. AS "
the cause Of her going down, it is uuex.
planned, so far. She had taken on a good
supply OF coal at Cannelton, and went
down in ten minutes after the leak was
discovered. Captain Wise says sho can
be raised in a short time with very little
trouble, aud has telegraphed for the
Eckert to come to her aid at once" The
Golden City passed up yesterday after
noon, bringing a number OF her passen.
gers and crew, but no more particulars
than are related in the dispatch above.
Captain Lew Shallcross. agent for the
underwriters here, left for the scene of
the sunken steamer on the packet yester-
day afternoon. The James W. Gaff WAS
not quite n year old; was built and
owned by the Cincinnati, Memphis and
Ohio River Packet Company at Cincin.
natl. She was insured in Louisville and
Cincinnati Offices. She was q stern.wheel
boat with a full cabin, aud was very DOB
ular in the Cincinnati and Memphis
trade. Captain Robert w. Wise com.
mspded her, and Colonel Moore was her
clerk. We hope soon to see her aaoat
again. The Eckert is at work on the
ssnken steamer Shannon at New Or.
leans, and perhaps may be unable to 90
to her assistance as early as some other
wrecker" could reach the CAT.
4 CAUSE OF THE DISASTER
is not known, but remains a mystery, al
though there are several reports. One
account says that the Gaf eoaled at
Hawesville, and about four miles above
there it was discovered that she was
sinking, and she was run ashore at Mar.
shalfs landing, on the Kentucky side,
when she sunk in less than Eve minutes
after the alarm was given. She lies
badly %careeued, with her head on the
shore and her stern sunk till the water
is in the ladies' cabin. 1t was thought
she was broken in two, and would prove
a total loss. Her passengers we're sent
forward by the Golden City. There are
different reports as to the cause Of her
sinking. One report says SIZE struck a
snag below New Madrid, which started
her butts, and she had been leaking badly
ever since. Another report says she
was very deeply laden, and at HawesvilIe
took a large quantity Of coal oA her
starboard guard, careening her, and that
the seams of her outriggers being open
she took water and sunk. Will Wheeler,
her freight clerk, came to Greensboro in
q skif to telegraph to her owners.
A THIRD REPORT
states that the CATS freight is being
transferred to barges, such as can be
reached. She has 800 bales of com
pressed cotton in her hold. Most of her
freight on the main deck and in the
hold will be be badly damaged. The
cause Of her sinking has not been ascer.
tanned. The SaIvor ard Champion No.
6 are on the way to her. Captain Ken
niston thinks she will be ahoat to nor.
row, if she is not caught too fast on the
bank by the falling of the river.
Il GAFR's CARGO.
As previously stated the CATS cargo
consisted of 1900 bales of cotton, $40
barrels of cotton seed oil, etc. The priu.
cipal agent shipper in Memphis refused
to give the press any information as to
the co~asignors, cousignees, etc for fear
that this would injurs the reputation Of
the individuals or damage their own
business. In view of this refusal we are
pleased to be able to give the public the
following reliable inforHatiou furnished
by the intelligent and enterprising agents
in Cincinnati:
he cargo for Cincinnati was consigned
as follows. Cincinnati Transfer Com.
pany, 1854 bales cotton, 60 sacks meal;
order, 1873 bales c%ottoni order, 90 bbls
cotton seed oil; NJ. anG r Furniture
Company, | box glass; Block 4 Pollak,
] hid iron, 81 bales rags; John Gsf &
Co., 80 boxes cheese; A. Iglaner, | pkge
merchandise Il. B. Wills, | lot punder;
Iuues, Magill & Co, ! box merchandise
Proctor & Gamble, 262 bbls oil; Putnam,
Hooker L Co, ~ bales cottou; S. Levi
& Bro 2 bundles lurs; r lberl Moore &
Co 20 bales cotton.
INSURANCE on THE GAFF.
The steamer JAS. W. CAT was valued
at 5000, aHd insured for S22 500, as
follows: Eureka, $4,000; Commercial
$500; Kenton, S25OO; National, $25OO;
Enterprise, S25OO; Farmers, $4,000;
American (reinsursd with Owen Owens),
$4,000; Firemen's, $4,000; Franklin,
$500.
The VERY LATEST PARTICULARS.
Captain Richard W. Lightburne, the
popular and Trustworthy agent of the
company, returned last night from Gin
%cinnati, and reports shat be arrived at
Cincinnati Saturday morning aud found
that the officers of The Memphis
and Ohio River Packet Company,
Jas, s. Wise, oomnodore, had dis.
patched the powerful wrtcsil g.boat
Champion No s, with a complete equip.
ment of pumps and divers, ind that the
Champion would arrive at the CAT about
/ pm. Saturday. She also had two
barges in tow to rave cotton from the
wreck. Whilst there wss no definite in.
fo..ot.., -. 4. IL. l.A.- A. MI