The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-11
UNDER THE WAVES.
Collision Of Steamboats, On the Ohis River Last
Night
The steamer Mountain Girl, Carrying Cir.
Gus, Is Sunk in Twelve Feet of Water
Two Members of the Circus
Company Drowned.

CIycINSATI, Nov. 6.--The collision between
The steamer ]. w. GOA, en- route from Mem.
phis TO Cincinnati, and the steamer Mouns
tain Girl, going down the river TO veyay,
Ind, happened at / O'Clock this morning,
about mile below Laughery Island, some
zen or fifteen miles below-Lawrenceburg,
Ind. The Mountain Girl was chartered
10 convey circus exhibiting along
the river, and had left Lawrenceburs
with its people, horses and circus
property after II o'clock. The next ap-
pointment was at Vevay or Rising Sun. The
show was in the name OF Holland IL McMa-
hon. Captain /. L. Thompson. who was in
command Of the Mountain Girl. was at the
wheel when the boat started down the river.
He tells the story OF the accident in this
way: Il started out 10 pilot the boat my
self, but was sick, having q kidney affec-
ton, and could not stand at the wheel. The
mate, whose name is Smith, took my place,
and sat in the pilot house with him. We
had no trouble as the water was ample, and
Smith handled the boat all right. / heard
the GOf whistle 10 pass 10 the left.
which would pct US on the Kentucky side
OF her when passing, aud 1 noticed
up and looked and found the boats
were about 10 pass all right
! sat down again when I was astounded 70
hear three blasts from The Con, which meant
imminent danger ] sprang TO the wheel
and found that the Mountain Girl was ap-
parently. attempting 10 cross over TO the In
diana or right side of the channel and the
Soft was coming full head against her. !
did my best TO stop the engines. and did get
perhaps two or three revolutions OF the
wheel for backing, when the blow came.
The Coils bow struck us in front of the
boilers about thirty feet from our bow. and
the crash broke in our hull 50 that we I'M
mediately took water / turned the boats
head toward the Indiana shore and went as
iar As | could, but We sank in twelve feet o.
water. This brought the water about foot
above the cabin HOor. The Goff instantly
came alonside. and, 80 fer a ] know, every
body was taken off and put upon the Coil.
/ do not believe anybody was drowned
There was no occasion for drowning unless
they jumped overheard from fright. ! think
the two men missing are still on the Noun
tain Girl. did not speak 20 Smith TO ask
him how the boat got turned across the
Gofi's bow"
The Goff arrived here this morning with
the men and women belonging TO the circus.
They number between thirty and forty. Two
arc said TO be missing-the canvasman and
the lamp-lighter-but nobody can tel
whether they were drowned or were left III
the confusion aboard the Mountain Girl.
The circus men lost ten valuable trained
horses and a number of snakes. Their circus
property is nearly al LETT on the boat, where
it will be injured by water. Many of the
people arrived here this morning without
hats and shoes, and Others without other az
tieles OF clothing.
The Mountain Girl was 2 small ur-river
steamer, built for the Big sandy trade and
was owned by the Big Sandy Packet Com
pany. She was valued at from s., 600 to Ss.-
900. It is thought she can easily be raised.
From the best information that can be had
from the circus people, it now appears that
John King, OF Cincinnati, and Richard Har-
rel, of Lawrenceburg, were drowned. Some
OF them say they saw King in the water. M
body can be found who has seen Harrel, and
it is therefore assumed that he is drowned.