The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-11-07
BOATS COLLIDE.
TIE STEAMER JAMES W. GAFF
Runs Into the Mountain Girl, with u CireuS
Party on Bcnrd-Ths LATER siukS In n
Short Tims-A Number of Lives Re-
ported to Have Been Lost.

INDIANAPOLIS, ISD Nov. G.-The DAD
Ne,ef special from LawreEceburg, state
that between . and 8 o'clock this morning
the steamer James W. GaE and Mountain
Girl collided a! Split Rock, two miles from
Aurora, sinking tho latter and clrryiDl
down to watery grave seven men and be
tween thirty and forty horses.
The Mountain Girl was leased by por
ton Of the John Robinson show, travelling
as cheap priced circus aud variety con
csrn. 1t was exhibited at Lawrencsburi
last night and was on its way to Rising
Sun, when the disaster occurred.
All the victims with one exception
Dick Harrel, 3 young man OF lawrence
burg, were Come c.ed with the show.
CiNcISSArI, Nov. 0 The collision be
tween the steamer W. CAT, Ell route
from Memphis to Cincinnati, and the
steamer Mountain Gil, going down the
river to Yevay, Ind, happenedat / O'Clock
thisInorning, about mite below Llughsry
Island, some ten or fifteen miles below
LaTreDcebure, Ind. The Mountain Cir
was chartered 10 convey circus exhibit
ing along the river, aRd had left ] awrence-
burg with its people. horses and ciEcus
property after II o'clock. Its next up
pointment was ~ Vevay or Rising Sun.
The show was in the name OF Holland &
McMshon.
THE cAPrAIS's STORY.
Captain b. l. Thompson, who was in
command of the Mountain Girl, was at the
wheel when the boats started down the
river. He tells the story Of the accident
in this way: "I started out to pilot the
boat myself but was sick, having kid
ney affection, 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. l heard the Gatf whistle 10
pass to the left, which would put US on
the Kentucky side OF her in passing,
and l noticed that Smith answered
properly. l got up and looked and
lUuud the b0as were about tO pass all
right. | sat down again when was as
founded to hear three shrlll blasts from
the CAT, which meant imminent danger
sprAng tu the wheel and found that the
Mountain Girl was apparently attempting
to cross over to the Indiana or right side
Of the channel, and the Gatf was coming
full head agslns: her. l did my best to
stop the engines and get perhaps two Of
three revolutions Of the wheel iOr break
ing when the blow came.
The Cats bow struck in front oil the
boilers sblut thirty feet from our bow
and the crash broke iu our hull SO that we
Immediately took water. l turned the
boat's head toward the Indiana shore and
dent aa far as could, but We sank in
twelve feet Of water. This brought the
water about foot above the cabin floor.
No CAUSE FOR LOSS OF LIFE.
THE Gaf instantly came alongside, and
SO far as l know everybody was safely
taken of and put upon the Gat. do
not believe anybody was drowned. There
was no occasion for drowning, unless they
jumped overheard from fright. l think
the two men missing are still with the
Mountain Gil. | did not speak TO Smith
to ask him how the boat got t1rned across
the Calls bow"
The GafF arrived here this morning with
the men and women belonging to the cir
cus. They number between thirty and
forty. They are said to be missing, the
canvasman and the lamplighter, but no.
body can tell whether they were drowned
or were left in the confusion aboard the
Mountain Girl. The circus men lost ten
valuable trained horses, and number oi
snakes. Their circus property is nearly
all left on the boat, where it will be in
jured by water. Many Of the people ar.
rived here this morning without hats and
shoes, and Others without other articles oi
clothing.
The Mountain Girl was small up.river
steamer built for the Big Sandy trade, and
was owned by the Big Sandy Packet Com.
pany. She was valued at from 5000 to
IS 900. 1t is thought she can be easily
raised.
From the best information that can be
had from the circus people, it now appears
that John King, Of Cincinnati, aud Richard
Harret, CT Lawrenceburg, were drowned.
Some OF the men say they saw King in
the water. Nobodycan be found who has
seen Harret and it is therefore assumed
that he is drowned.