Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-11-05
EASTERN DISPATCHES
Another River Steamer Disaster BY
Collision with . Bridge.

Collision with . Bridge.
Kxoxux. Iowa, November 6.-About
z O'Clock last evening . shrill and con.
tinusd whistle at the Ksokuk and Ham.
iltsu bridge. followed by the ringing Of
FIRE bells. drew hundreds Of people to
the lsvse. to find that q steamboat. load
OF passengers had miraculously escaped
from death. The palatisl passenger
packet War Eagle. in attempting to pass
through the draw. was bsfisd by sddiss
and cross currents and swung around
against the bridge. breaking out ono
spsn, and eatailins . loss Of $4,000 to
he bridge. The head clerk Of the boat
gives the following account Of the dis
aster:
/ was In the cabin whom I heard the
whistle blow for the bridge an6 heard
the bells ring to check her hsadway.
Knowing that Il was customary TO drop
inside the long pier, I felt no u~nessiness
until I heard the alarm whistle blow
twice, which meant to back her strong.
There were only ten Of twelve ladies IN
the cabin at the time the remainder
being ON the outside looking at the
bridge. ran out the larboard gangway
On the larboard guard forward OF the
bsrber-shop, and saw that va were
broadside to the bridge and that the boat
was backing strong. ! instantly ran
into the cabin and threw up beth hands
10 give the alarm. I caught hold OF n
lady and cried out to the rest to follew
me. a. the boat wal going TO strike the
bridge. We oil passed out the after dsor
on the starboard guard, reaching there
lust as the crash came OF the collision Of
ths boat against the bridge.
As soen % the boat struck the bridge.
the span gave way quickly with q fearful
crash. / locked forward and saw that
she was leaning on the west pier. her
stern having cleared the east pier where
the break In the bridge occurred, and
saw the people climbing from the boat
on to the bridge. I took one lady and
the rest followed. / told them 70 come
aud ws would all get on to the bridge.
ran forward ON the larboard side down
the steps abreast OF the smoksstacks and
assisted in passing the passengers out
upon the bridge until the last boat
swung of. One lady refused to 60.
Seeing that q greater part OF the pas
ssnRers had escaped and were safe. l
concluded to stay with the boat. In Q
very short tune she swung clear OF the
bridge. Some one went down into the
hold and reported that she was making
water but not very fast. / went up
stairs and quoted the fears Of the few
remaining passengers and got oil Tor
ward 90 that In case the boat went down
We could got them Of without much
trouble.
She then foatsd with the current and
rounded to, head down stream. Of o
psint q few hundred yards below the
elevator, whore, with the aid OF enc
wheel and the assistance Of parties who
came In q skiff and took Q line ashore.
she was made f6st. resting on the rail-
road track. which 10 covered With water.
the river on the outside being fifteen feet
deep. The drsdgs boat W. D. Smith
came down and held bar stern until she
Was securely fastened. The steamer
| Penguin arrived o after. and With .
fat took of the baggage. Captain Wood
and oil the officers. so far az known.
stood bravely at their posts until all
danger was past.
Captain Wood says he thinks NO one
was drowned though several jumped into
the river. There was NO panic. The
| War Eagle IL now settled In about seven
teen feet Of water on the larboard side
and seven feet on the starbosrd side,
with her head down stream. Cannot say
az vet how badly she 10 damaged. She
IL badly broken In i've places. especially
where she struck the pier. and n wheel
10 entirely gone. The hull IL not badly
damaged and the cabin 10 net injured.
The engines are also In good shape.
She bad Q miscellaneous cargo OF about
/ 5000 packages. including iour. pot..
toes, oatmeal. barley. three wizard oil
wagons, ten horses, four mules, 1000
packages OF sundriss and q miscellaneous
assortment OF freight. Yet she lacked
fully 200 Ions Of being loaded to her full
capacity. Being pretty we'll insured tho
loss will be light.
The War Eagle IL Q young boat, hav-
ing been built only about three years
ago. She 10 the fastest boat on the up
per river aud the finest. Her companion,
the Golden Eagle. having been burnt
within . year. These two boats were
built expressly for passenger trafao be-
tween 81. Paul aud St. Louis. and made
their trips in incredibly short time. They
were models OF steamboat architecture,
| h.aniiinllx aauinnad and uara thu plida