Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-11-10
HORROR UPON HORROR.
Another mississippi steamer sunk.
This Time the War Eagle Goes TO
the Bottom of the River at MeOkuk.
Eawa

the Bottom of the River at MeOkuk
Iowa.
KEOKUK, Iowa, Nov. 1.-THE mos
horrible accident in the annals of thi
city occurred this evening about sever
O'Clock. The steamer War Eagle, 60
ing south, ran against n span of tn,
Keokuk and Hamilton bridge, break
ing i into fragments. The boat va
completely demolished. Eight persons
are known to be drowned.
FURTHER PARTICULARS
KEOKUK, Nov. Al about I O'Clock
this evening, shrill and continuou;
whistling at the Keokuk and Hamilton
bridge, followed by the ringing of fire
bells, drew hundreds of people to the
levee, to find that q steamboat load O.
passengers had miracuously escaped
from death. The palatial packet "Wal
Eagle" in attempting to pass through
the draw was baff1ed by the eddies
and cross currents, and swung around
against the bridge, breaking out one
span and entailing &'loss of $4,000 tc
the bridge.
The statement appended gives par
tlculars of the disaster. Several lives
are supposed to have been lost, but the
names could not be learned. C. Gregg
head clerk of the War Eagle, makes
the following statement to the
agate representative Captain Jerry
Wood was in command, with Hiram
Beable and VIM. Tibbles, pilots, both
being in the pilot house, though it was
Beadle's watch. I had just taken sup.
per, and went back into the cabin tC
talk to some ladies with wnom I was
acquainted. I heard the whistle blow
for the bridge, and heard the
bells ring to check her head
way. Knowing that it was the custom
to drop inside the long pier. l felt nc
uneasiness until | heard the alarm
whistle blow twice, which meant tc
back her strong. About this time, VIM
Holmes, 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, and looked at the bridge
He threw up his hand and passed out
the starboard gangway. l paid no at.
tention to it, knowing that he was
alarmed very easily, when passing
through the draw of the bridges; but in
a few moments he returned and threw
up his hand again. [ then excused my
self, hurriedly, and went to him, and on
reaching him he threw up his hands
and said: "She's gone this time" ] ran
out the starboard gangway on to the lar
board guard, forward of the barber shop,
and saw that we were broadside to the
bridge and that the boat was backing
strong. | instantly ran into the cabin
and threw up both hands to give the
alarm. L caught hold of one lady and
cried out to the rest to follow me, as
the boat was going TO strike the bridge.
We passed out 1.-THE aft door on to the
starboard guard, reaching there Just
as the crash of the collision of the boat
against the bridge came. I kept calling
to the passengers, who. seemed bewil-
dered. to get out on the hurricane
deck. They not seeming to under
stand, led the way and they followed,
with several ladies clinging to me. AS
soon as the boat struck the bridge the
span gave way quickly with fearful
crash and felt considera-
bly, relieved, knowing well 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 climbing
from the boat on to the bridge. | took
one lady and the rest followed. l told
them to come and we would all get
on to the bridge. 1 ran forward on the
larboard side, down the steps abreast
Ofthe smOkestacks and assisted in pass
ing the passengers out upon the bridge,
united the boat, grasped one lady refus-
ing to go, seeing that greater part OF
the passengers had escaped and were
safe. The second clerk, Alex. Robinson,
and myself determined to stay with the
boat. In very short time She swung
clear of the bridge and we went down
on the lower deck to see if she was
making water or not. Some one had
been down in the hold and reported
that she was making water, but not
very fast. [ went up stairs and quieted
the fears of the remaining ladies on
the boat and got all forward so
that in case the boat went down
we could get them off without much
trouble. She then foated with the
current and rounded to, head down
stream, to q point few hundred yards
below the elevator with the aid of one
wheel and the assistance of parties who
came in a skiff and took a line
ashore. She was made fast, resting on
the railroad track, which is covered
with water, the river being about fif-
teen feet deep. The dredge boat, w.
D. Smith, came down and held her
stern in until she wassecurely fastened,
there being one wheel entirely gone,
and it was afraid that if she swung of
she would toppie over. The
steamer Penguin with Captain
Hutchison aboard, arrived as
soon as they could get up steam, and
with a fatboat took off the baggage
and one Wizard oil wagon. [ saw Clay
Gillespie in skiff and he assisted in
getting the ladies to shore.
Dan Leach took the line ashore.
Capt. Wood remained on the roof and
all the officers so far as known stood
bravely at their posts. Thomas Con-
nors, the first mate, was working man
fully at the leak and remained at his
post until danger was past. The crew
got to terra fr711G as soon as they could.