The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-10

COLLISIONS.
The Tow Boat B. Z. Weaver.
Strikes the Bridge.
81
Little or no Damage done and
3 no lives lost.
Items in general about the
other late Accidents.
COLLISIONS.

ether late Accidents.
This AFTERNOON at o'clock the tow boat
B. r. Weaver.collidid with the goverumee'
bridge and was badly broken up. although
the injury did not prove of serious o.
fatal nature. The tow boat was bringing
down raft and was attempting to lsent
the tow between two piers OF the bridge
when the accident took place. The draw
had been opened in response to the Wea
vers whistle. and the little steamer wa
preparing to send the raft through an6
catch it again below the bridge as is the ger
eral custom, when it became unmanagablt
and was taken down with the current anG
drifted against the span of the bridget
Immediately north of the draw. The span
struck the smoke stacks and pilot house
as the boat passed under, and as a result
the pilot, who was at the wheel, narrowly
escaped sudden death. He had the
presence of mind to step on the
bridge as the collision became in
evitable, and thus was uninjured.
The ferry boat and the rafter Dan Hines,
went to the rescue, and the commanders
of those boats ascertaining that the acct
dent had not proved as serious as was
feared to be the case, the ferry boat drop
ped down the river and the Dan Hines
took the dismantled steamer in charge.
The crew were found to be somewhat
frightened, but they remained with theiS
craft and assisted the men in attaching q
tow line. The raft was also taken in
charge by the Dan Hines after it had
fioated down the river some distance.
The accident would no doubt have prov
ed more destructive, had it not been for
the declining state of the water and the
small size of the weaver. If the same mis-
hap had occurred during the recent high
water the bridge span would have collided
with the lower part of the boat causing
more damage and perhaps resulting in
loss of life
THE PILOTS STORY.
Jacob Suffer, the pilot of the tow boat
B. F. Weaver, states that the cause of the
accident this afternoon to that steamer
eddy or other swift current near the bridge,
to answer her rudders and drifted in an
opposite direction from that intended.
He says that he saw the raft going through
safely and attempted to drop through
stern foremost The boat was carried to
the left of the bridge draw which was
open, and collision was inevitable. He
rang for the engines to go ahead, but they
counteract the swift current until
after the pilot house had been
showed forward against the smoke
stacks. The pilot was caught in the door
of the pilot house, and had his leg some
what injured. He jumped upon the bridge.
and as he did so the boat was propelled up
stream. She ran up against the draw, as
there was no pilot to guide her. The
whistle was sounded and the rescuing
boats soon arrived. The pilot stated that
the boat was owned by P. Davidson, of
La Crosse, and was under the command Of
Captain Diamond
Her damage, it is said, viii not amount
to over $50, as the smoke stacks were in q
very badly damaged condition before the
accident.
It is stated that the Dan Hines assisted
the Weaver to her raft, after which the
Weaver started up her wheel and passed
down the river. as it was thought the in
jury could be repaired without visit to
the boat yards as was first intended.
THE WRECK.
Owing to the difficulty in procuring
anchors to be used on the barges in raising
he hull of the sunken steamer Jennie Gil
,hrist, the work of the diver has been
delayed. 1t was expected that the steamer
Viola would bring one of those implements
rom below this morning. AS soon as
uitable anchors can be secured the barges
viii be taken to the place where the hull is
coated and made stationary so that the
liver can descend and make an examination
# the wreck. AS soon as the hull is raised
t will be conveyed to the Rock Island
hore where it will remain for some time
It least. The diver before making any
to raise the hull viii make a /
arefu1 examination of the wreck to ascer-
ain whether any bodies of the victims are
edged in thst part of the wreck.
AS soon as work is commenced on the
7reck. it is thought that one day will be
efficient to complete the raising and its
to this city. The boilers viii
lso be brought to the surface from their
asting place near the bridge and if found
, good condition will be utilized on
mother boat.
THE JURY.
npanellad by Coroner Morris to investi-
To t1,a aar1Sfa IF tho aeri1aut hy which