The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-11
LOCAL MATTERS.



NIGHr-sTEANERs AND sAIL.vEssELs ADRir1
| AND CARRIED AwAY-JHE RESULT, &C., &C
The river had risen Yesterday on the city
front at Rockets and above several feet,
occasioned by the ice banking up from the
James River Steamboat CompaDy's wharf
across to Mayo's bridge. Between these
points IL was a solid mass; below 1t was not
so bad. During the day the river was about
twofeet higher than usual at Lvncbburg,
and the weather was reported to be clearing.
The ice-2Orge here extended chiefly from
the steamer City OF Richmond, lying at her
wharf, 10 MayO's bridge. II was q pretty
sight 10 look upon, but it was alarming to
contemplate the damage and disaster which
imperilled all vessels and other property
lying in its way. Great heaps OF snow
covered ice piled up IN the river, in some
places several feet above The water.level,
threatened disaster 10 everything In its way.
IL was. as we before said, sight pleasant
to look upon; but The result OF rs break
ing away in one great mass would be OF
very serious consequence to those owning
property likely to be injured bv it.
| About : O'Clock The mass between Rock
etts and near MavO's bridge did break
away. All OF q sudden a vast field OF ice
swept down upon all the shipping lying in
It's way, carrying away steamers and school,
ners, and creating not little excitement
in the lower part OF the city. The steamer
City OF Richmond. OF the james. River Line,
which bad been at her wharf for sew
eral months, was the first TO be car
ried off by the ice. Her heavy lines
parted as though they had been threads, and
the vessel drifted down the stream in the
midst OF the ice until 1t ran ashore below
the brewery. She ran into bark lying at
one OF the lower wOarves, but sustained no
other damage than the swapping OF ber flag
stan. The water, which had been several
feet above ordinary level, fell rapidly with
the ebbing tide, and It Is said fell nearly
four feet in the brief spice OF half an hour.
The steamship Old Dominion, Of the Old
Dominion Line, which left New York on
SATURDAY, aud which left City Point about
12:40 Il. VI. Yesterday, met the driftice.
near Dutch Gap. and plOughing through 1t
came on 10 Richmond. reaching here at Q
O'Clock last night, having been on the way
between eight and nine hours. At times
The officers bad almost abandoned the
idea OF attempting 10 reach here last
night, so heavy wa, The ice; but they
kept their course, ard at last reached here
safely. The ice which drifted away from
her paddle-whecls is described as being five
or SIX feet thick. Several OF the tug-boats
in the harbOr, nearly all OF which had
steam. went off promptly to the assistance
OF the Richmond, and at II O'Clock sue was
back at her wharf, without damage. The
Old Dominion towed the tug Arnold nearly
all the way from City Point, where she had
been waiting for favorable opportunity TO
come en- to Richmond. The Arnold has re-
Gently been repaired at Washington, y. c.,
and for the past nine days has been lying at
the wharf at Brandon.
The schoOners Ella II. Barnes, Katie
Ranger, John BrOsw wald. and Archer and
Reeves. which were moored on the Ches.
terteld side Of the river. parted their lines
and were carried down the river by the ice.
The Ella II. Barnes was partly loaded, and
ran aground just below the Ddnville
wbarves. The steamer Tiger Lily also
parted her lines, ana was driven between
the Ella Barnes and the shore.
The Archer and Reeves and Katie Ranger
were ashore last night at II O'Clock. No
serious damage to any OF the vessels was
reported.
The river from MayO'S bridge 70 the
lower end Of the island. across 10 MancheS-
ter, is filled with ice, only about one fourth
of the river there being free OF blOckaded
ice. Between MlyO's island and MancheS-
ter the ice was piled up i've feet above the
surface OF the water, and was believed TO |
be as deep as the bottom OF the river.