The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-11-06
TELEGRAPHIC
DISASTERS.
Shocking River AishRps-
Other Casualties.

Other Casualties.
Keokuk, Iowa. AT about o'clock
this evening shrill and continued whist
ling at the Keokuk and Hamilton bridge,
followed by the ringing Of FIRE bells drew
hundreds OF people to the level to find q
steamboat load OF passengers had
miracously escaped from death. The
palatial passenger packet Var Eagle,
in attempting TO yass through the draw,
was bsfied by eddies and cross currents,
and swung around against the bridge,
breaking out one span and entsiling q
loss Of Sl5e,O0O TO the bridge. The state
ments appended give the particulars Of
the disaster. Several lives are supposed
to have been lost, but the names could
not be learned. Ciph Gregg. head clerk
of the Var Eagle made the folloRing
statement to g Gate city representative:
Captain Jerry Wood wss in com msnd
with Hiram Beadle and VIM. Tibbles,
as pilots, both being in the pilot house,
though it was Bea lies watch. l had
just eaten supper and went back into
the cabin to talk to some ladies
with whom I was acquainted. l
heard the whistle blow for the
bridge, and heard the bells ring to
check her Roadway. Knowing that it was
customary to drop inside the long pier, l
felt no uneasiness until l heard the
alarm whistle blow twice, which meant
to back her strong. About that time
VIM. Holmes, third clerk, came through
the cabin, which was almost deserted,
there being only ten or II ladies in the
cabin at the time, the remainder being
on the outside looking at the bridge He
threw up his hand aud passed out At the
stnrboard 9aBgwsy. I paid no attention
to It, kI owing that he was alarmed easily
bridge, but in few moments he returned
cused myself hurriedly and went TO him,
and en- reaching him he threw up his
hands and said. "She's gone this time"
I ran out at the lsrboard eangway on
the lsrboard guard forward, off the bar
Der shop, and saw that we were bread
side to the bridge, and that the boat
was backing strong. instantly ran
into the cabin and threw up both hands
10 give the alarm. caught hold Of
one lady and cried out to the rest 10
follow me, as tbs boat WAS going to
strike the bridge. We all passed out
the aft door onto the starbeard guard,
reaching there just as the crash Of the
collision of the boat against the bridge
came, I kept calling on the passengers,
who seemed bewildered, to get out on
the hurricane deck. They not seeming
to understand, l led the way and they
followed, several ladies clinging to
me. As soon as the boat struck
the bridge, the span gave way
quickly with q fearful crash, and I
telt considerably relieved, knowing we'll
that the chances for saving life would
now be much better. I looked 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 elm bing
from the boat to the bridge. I took one
lady and the rest followed. I told them
to come and we would all get on the
bridge. ran forward on the larboard
side down the steps, abreast Of the smoke |
stacks, and assisted in passing the pas
sengers out upon the bridge, until the boat
swung OF, one lady refusing to go. Seeing
that the greater part of the passengers
had escaped and were safe, the second
clerk, Alex Robinson, and myself deter
mined 10 stay with the boat. In a very
short time she swung clear of the bridge
and we went down on the lower deck to
zee If she was making water or not. Some
one had been down in the hold and re.
ported that she was making water, but
not very fast. I went up stairs and J
Iuieted the fears of the few remaining {
aides on the bost, and all forward, so {
hat in case the boat went down, wei
ould get them off without much tloubIe, t
'he then hoated with the current and '
ounded to head down stream to a point I
few hundred yards below the elevator.
7here, with the aid Of one wheel and the
ssistance of parties who came in skiff.
nd took line ashore she was fast
esting on the railroad tack, which was &
overed with water, the river on the out
de being about fifteen feet deep. The s,
redge boat ". D. Smith, came down and S
cid her stern III until she was securely d
Istened. There being one wheel entirely b