Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-06
poRN BIZ WE SEA.

DVWN 0k AA-H tsbHs
Another sseambsst sssk In . Fss-Nsr.
rev Escape or Passsuxers--ysmped Over
board. &C.
Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch.|
NORFOLK, January 5, 1885.
Another steamboat accident and an
other steamboat sunk this morning, and
all on account Of the fog.
Mention was made in Sundays issue
Of the Dispatch that the Old Dominion
steamers we've running the schedule Of
the John Romer, Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway, between this city and
Newport's News, until the Romer
should be raised. This morning about
10 o'clock the Luray was going to New
ports News for Chesapeake and Ohio
passengers. and tho Accomsc, of the
Smithfield line (both Old Dominion
steamers). was returning from New
ports News to Norfolk. The fog
was dense, and the approaching vessels
collided near Crsney Island, about five
miles from the city, the Luray striking
the Accomac on the starboard side
Just forward the wheel, STAYING her in.
The Accomac began at once to fill, and
would have sunk Immediately had not
the Luray held her up. There were
some six passengers and fifty bags Of
peanuts on the Accomac. The passen-
gers and crew were transferred to the
Luray, and when she pulled out the
Accomac sunk in six fathoms Of water.
The Luray's damage was slight.
1t is out of the question to talk of
who was in fault, as in such weather as
we have had for some time past it is
impossible for steamboat-men to locate
the position Of an approaching vessel.
The number Of disasters of late is
something alarming. and it is nothing
short of miracle that lives have not
been lost. The Baker Salvage Com
pany will raise the Accomac.
The schooner Matte A. Holmes,
Captain Charles Burr, from Baltimore
to Portsmouth, n. H., with coal, was
run into by the schooner William l..
White on the evening Of the I'd in Hamp-
ton Roads. and sustained considerable
damage. The vessel is in port for re-
pairs.
A colored man was arrested on the
Berkeley ferry-boat night or two ago
for slight misdemeanor, and rather
than be turned over to the authorities
he jumped overheard. He has not
since been heard from, though it is
hardly probable that he was drowned,
as he was afterwards seen wading in
shOal water.
The coal Of the Norfolk and Western
railroad is growing to be very popular,
and is to be introduced into South
America and Europe. The company is
making arrangements for thorough de-
velopment of its coal-fields in South
west Virginia, which cover an area of
25, 900 acres, embraced within forty
square miles of territory. and proposes
to enter into lively competition for the
trade now supplied by the Cumberland
and Clearfield Goals of Pennsylvania.
Work in the coal-felds has been pushed
forward vigorously, and the company
now has capacity of 1000 tons day,
while their coal-pier at Lambert's Point,
near this city, is said to be the largest
in the world. The pier was to have
been completed by the LIST of January,
but the work was delayed by the bad
weather.
Baltimoreis bowling about the discon-
tinuance OF the mail service over the
Bay Line. but the merchants Of Nor
folk are disposed to laugh, and some of
them have been heard to say that Nor
folk would be better off without any
Baltimore mail at all.
The New York, Philadelphia and Nor
folk Railroad Company put in a bid for
carrying the mails between Norfolk and
Cape Charles City, but their bid was too
high for the Department. The COM
pany declined to allow the tug-boat be-
longing t. the contractor to land at their
wharf at Cape Charles City. so that the
mails are sent to Cherrystone and car
ried overland to the railroad. Then,
too, the contractors boat is small, and
could not cross the bay in storm, so
that the railroad company is smiling
and the Daytime Company frowning,
and the Baltimore papers saying, ave
told you So" ELLA.