Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-03
DISASTERS ON THE WATER.
Tow Boat Burns and Sinks near
PittsbuTg, Costing -Four Lives.


PITTsBURG, Jan. 1.-Two tow boats.
with heavy tows of coal barges, were
caught in the heavy ice and current and
collided with the pier at Davis Island
dam early this morning. Several coal
barges were wrecked. The tow boat !. n
Bunton caught fire from the collision, her
furnaces being broken down. and the
crew, numbering twenty men. became
panic stricken and several jumped over
board midway between the dam and Ne
vile Island. The boat careened and
went down in shallow water. Her
companion boat not having been injured
put out yawl and succeeded in picking
up sixteen of the Bunton's crew. The
other four are missing. Shortly after
ward the body of Engineer Underwood
was picked up. 1t is possible that the
three still missing have managed to make
shore, but up to noon to-day they had not
reported. The steamer Bunton was val
ued at $4,000. The loaded coal boats
which sank were valued at $25, 90 making
total loss of about $50, 600, on which there
is no insurance.
The accident is attributed to a neglect
to have the government signals lighted.
Inc signals are required to be on the lock
wall and dam. If this precautiOn had
had no difficulty in holding their tow be-
tween the lights. When the Bunton ar.
rived within the usual distance from the
dam at which the lights are supposed to
be visible, the lookout was unable to dis
tlnguish more than one light, which was
discovered afterwards to be on the lock
wall. 1t was then too late to tie up or
even prevent the tow from drifting, such
was the force of the ice-capped current.
the boats A.
pier. AS nothing has been heard from
the missing men, it is supposed that they
perished.
HURRICANE ON THE MEXICAN COAST.
CITY OF MEXICO, Jan. "A hurricane
occurred on the Mexican coast on No
Vember 4, which entirely destroyed the
town OF Altata, at the port of that name.
Not house remained standing, and ves-.
sells at anchor suffered severely. At Ma
zatlan the wind blew with great violence.
and the sea was excessively rough. When
the gale commenced the Mexican steamer
Democratic and the barks Carlos, Paladin
and Harmodius were at anchor. The Pa
ladln cut away her anchor, losing her
first mate in the operation, as he was car
rIed overheard and drowned. She drifted
on the beach at Puerto Viejo, near CANA
ron, where her crew succeeded in reach
ing the shore, with the exception of two,
who were drowned. The Harmodius sent
down her upper masts and Yards, and
rode the gale out in safety.
SUNK BY A sNAG WITH THREE LIVES.
VICKsBURG, Miss, Jan. 2.-The gov
ernment steam launch Nellie struck a
snag near. OpOssum Point and sank in
sixty feet of water yesterday morning.
ID. j. Patterson, of St. Louis, assistant
engineer, and two white laborers whose
names have not been aScertained were
drowned.
SIX LIVES BY THE BURSTING OF MILL
DAM.
HoUGHTON, MICH, Jan. 2.-The burst
ing of the Huron mill dam, situated one
mile from here, resulted in the loss of six
lives as follows: Charles E. RAYMOND,
teller at the First National Bank of
HOughtOn, his son and a servant girl, and
Howard Raymand, of Allouez mine, and
his wife and son. Fifteen hundred dollars
were subscribed at a meeting of citizens
yesterday for the benefit of Mrs. Raymond
and two children whom she heroically
saved