The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-05
DID THEIR DUTY.
The Officers ofthe War Eagle
at Their Post.
By Their Prompt Action 0nI,
Two Lives Lost.
SINKING OF THE STEAMER WAR EAGLE

KEOKUK, Nov. 4.-The most horribl,
accidents in the annals of the city occurred
here this evening about seven o'clock
The steamer War Eagle, going south. RAJ
against span of the Keokuk and Ham
ilton bridge, breaking it into fragments.
Tne boat was completely demolished
Eight persons are known to to drowned
LATER ACCOUNT
At about seven o'clock this evening the
shrill and continued whistling at tht
Keokuk s. Hamilton bridge, followed by
the ringing of fire bells, drew hundreds o1
people to the levee to find that a steam
boat load Of passengers had miarculoasly
escaped death. The palatial passenger
packet. War Eagle, in attempting to pass
through the draw, was baffied by eddies
and cross-currents and swung around
against the bridge. breaking one span an d
entailing loss of S150,oo0 to the bridge.
statemenst appended give par
| tictulars. several lives are supposed
lost, but names could not be learned.
/ Captain Gregg. head clerk Of the boat,
made the following statement to a Gate
City reporter:
| Captain Jerry Wood was in command.
with Hiram Beadle and William Tibbles
pilots, both being in the pilot house,
| though it was Beadle's watch I had just
eaten supper and gone back into the cabin
to talk to some ladies. heard a whistle
| - A.,
check her headway. Knowing that it was
customary to drop inside the long pier. I
felt no uneasiness until heard the alarm
whistle blow twice, which meant to back
her strong about. At that time William
Holmes, the third clerk, came through the
cabin, which was almost deserted, there
being only ten or twelve ladies in the cabin
at the time, the remainder being on the
outside looking at the bridge. He
threw up his hands and passed out
on the starboard gangway. I paid
no attention to it, knowing that
he was easily alarmed when passing
through the draw of bridges. But in a
few moments he returned, and threw up
his hand again. then excused myself
and hurriedly went to him. On reaching
him he threw up his hands and said: ''She
is gone this time" ran out on the lar
board gangway on to he larboard guard,
forward of the barber shop, and saw we
were broadside to the bridge, and the boat
was breaking strong I instantly ran into
the cabin and threw up both of my hands
to give the alarm. Caught hold of one
lady and cried out to the rest to follow me
as the boat was going to strike the bridge
We all passed out at the after
door on the starboard guard. On reach
ing there, just as the crash Of the collision
of the boat against the bridge came, I kept
calling to the passengers who seemed tc
bewildered, to get out on the hurricane
deck. They not seeming to understand
led the way and they followed, with sew
eral ladies clinging to me. AS soor as the
boat struck, the span gave way with 6
fearful crash, and I felt consideraly re
1ieved, knowing well that the chances fol
saving life would be much better. look
ed forward and saw she was leaning OF
the west pier, the stern having cleared ths
, east pier, where the break in the bridge
occurred, and saw the people climbing
J from the boat to the bridge. | tool
one lady and the rest followed, I told then
J to come and we would all get on thu
bridge. ran forward on the larboarC
side, down the steps abreast of the smoke
) stacks, and assisted in passing the passen
gers out upon the bridge, until the boa
swung off, one lady refusing to go. Seein!
} that greater part of the passengers hat
2 escaped and were safe, the second clerk
Alexander Robinson and myself, determin
ed to stay with the boat In very shor
time she swung clear of the bridge and w
!, went down on the lower deck to see If sh
:, was making water or not. Some one ha
:, been down in the hold and reported sh'
e was making water, but not very fast.
r went up stairs and quieted the fears Q
e the few remaining ladies on the boa
o and got all forward so that in cas-
O the boat went down we could get them OF
e without much trouble. She then foate
/ with the current and rounded to, hea
b down stream, to point a few hundre
8 Yards below the elevator, where, with th
aid of one wheel and the assistance of pal
ties who came in a. skiff and took the lin
Is ashore, she was made fast, resting on til
Ie railroad track, which is covered wit
|. water, the river on the outside being abos
is fifteen feet deep. The dredge boat, W.
,r Smith, came down and held her stern
n until she was securely fastened. The
r being one wheel entirely gone. was afra
ID if she swung off she would topple owe
N The steamer Penguin, with Captain Hutc
inson aboard, arrived as soon as the
Is could get up steam, and with a fiat took c
Of the baggage, and one Wizard G
A. wagon. / saw Clay Gillespie in a ski
ne and he assisted in getting the ladies
n shore Dan Leach took the line ashor
ID Captain Wood remained on the roof, al
all the officers, so far as known, stot
bravely at their posts. Thos- Conner
first mate worked manfullY at the leak, al
! remained at his post until the danger W
asoad The deck crew got to land