The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-03
Over the Falls.

over the Falls.
THE STEAMER ALICE CARRIED BY THE TER
| RlBLE CURRENT UNDER THE BRIDGE AT
LoUIsvILLE-THE HULL SMASHED AND THE
| BOAT sUNK-A MISTAKE CAUSES THE ACCI-
| DENT.
The Louisville COurier.JOurndt gives the
steamer Alice briefly mentioned in the tele-
graph dispatches:
| About o o'clock Wednesday morning the
steamer Alice, from Pittsburgh, bound for
ST. Louis. was turned adrift without steam,
and was wrecked upon the falls. The Alice
arrived from Pittsburgh about 5 O'Clock.
and tied up outside Of barge near the foot
| Of Fourth street.
During the morning the engineer, Thomas
Ridgely. in getting up steam blew out Il
Joint. In repairing this the steam in the
boilers was let down. The captain OF the
boat &C.. F. Adams), it seems. knew nothing
Of this, and at about $50 O'Clock gave Or
ders 10 set the boat adrift. The lines we're
all taken in. and the signal was given to the
pilot to go ahead. He rang the engineers
bell for the engines to be started, and was
SURPRISED VIXEN be heard the voice Of the
engineer ringing up through the speaking
tube that he did not have pound OF steam.
By this time the boat had drifted q cOns;d-
cradle distance, and was in q fearful pre-
dicament.
UNABLE TO STOP HER.
Orders were at once given to secure the
boat to the shore. Lines were accordingly
run out and fastened but the boat was too
heavy for them and the current too swift.
The lines all snapped like twine, and the
boat continued 10 drift, stern forward,
down the stream. The stern-whcel ST. uck
, Bowser's coal feet in such n manner that
, the bow was thrown around toward the
dam. She continued TO be governed by the
! current, and floated broadside over the dam
, toward the bridge.
1t was now evident to all on board that
r the boat was at the mercy Of the current,
4 and fear took possession OF nearly all on
4 board. The boat was being carried toward
G the first span OF the bridge at rapid rate,
) and its salvation depended on its passing
through the piers safely. She was quarter.
ing toward the bridge, and an escape seemed
I hardly possible.
: DASHED AGAINST THE BRIDGE.
a She struck the thirteenth pier with heT
a larboard side, about twenty feet forward OF
!. She cylinders, knocking dcwn her chimneys
o Nearly all on board were knocked off tbeil
: feet by the force of the conclusion caused
@ bv her striking, and much Of her cargo was
Z displaced. Meanwhile every effort was be-
: ing nade to get up steam, ana about the
!. lime the boat struck there was steam enough
. in the boilers to start the wheel.
I. TOW-BOATs TO THE RESCUE.
r At this juncture two towboats, the Reso
Iute and the Transit, hove in sight, an(
C were making for the wrecked steamer
J Wien tue boat struck the pier, Der butts
D were sprung about six inches, and The watel
: began rushing in. Efforts were made tC
: stop the leak, but they were OF no avail
! Steam. however, had been gotten up. anC
e orders were given to run the boat ashore
: The passengers were running wildly abou
0 the deck wringing their hands and mutter
Ing prayers.
RUN ASHORE.
Under the pressure OF steam the boa
made great Roadway and struck the shor'
: lust above the cemcnt-miils with grea
force. The boat careened heavily over OF
the starboard side, but immediately settlet
back. Several deck.hands jumped into The
!, river and landed safely.
There was great rush by the passenger
: TO get ashore. A lady nance Mrs. BrogaR
who, with her infant son, was on her way u
St. Louis, got down on the boiler deck, an(
the clerks, Messrs. ii. &. Caldwell and j. A
7, Dales. were assisting her to get upon TIT
I cabin deck when the boat struck the shore
! The careening OF the boat nearly buried
1 them among boxes; they were, however
e not much hurt and all got out into a ski
and reached the shore in safety.
PASSENGERS TAKEN OFF.
!, The towboats reached the wrecked sfeame
!. inst as she settled and took most OF tn
: passengers aboard, bringing them up to TIT
!. CITY wharf The boat kept settling and sool
! the water had reached the cabin deck.
, good deal OF light freight foated of, whlcl
: was mostly picked up by persons in skifs
who are known to the river-men as pirates
The wrecked steamer is lying in eighteel
q feet OF water, aud seems badly broken
q Had she gone further down the stream sh
, would have been completely submerged,
!, the water short distance below Is abou
. sixty feet deep.
OLD MAN PROBABLY LOST.
Q An old man, whose name could not b
r learned. took deck passage at Cincinnati
He has not been beard OF since the wreck
! and 1t is feared be is lost.
, The boat is owned at Pittsburgh by ..
l&C.F. Adams, where she was butt aDou
! two years ago at cost OF about sSo,VoV
: She was In the st. Louis and PittsouTg'
packet line, and was on her twentieth Trip
There is an insurance OF about Sl2,000 OF
the boat in companies in Cincinnati ant
. Pittsburgh.