The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-13
DASHED TO PIECES.
BOAT ON THE MISSISSIPPI DRIVEN
AGAINST A PIER AND
SUNK.
SEVEN LIVES ARE REPORTED LOST.
Statement of One of the Survivors Terri
BILE Shooting Affray Between Three
Brothers. n-LaW.

MEMPHIS, February lO.-The towboat Port
Eads of the st. Louis and Mississippi VAL
ley Transportation company sunk this
morning at o'clock at the site of the rail
road bridge two miles below the city. She
carried crew of about forty men and for
a time the widest rumOrs prevailed, the
loss of life being placed at from twenty-five
to thirty-tive, but it is now believed that
only one person, q colOred Chambermald,
was drowned.
The port heads had had tow Of six
grain barges laden and one fuel barge
destined for New Orleans from Cairo. They
passed the city shortly before O'Clock this
morning during heavy fog hugging the
Tennessee shore closely. A steamer ap-
preached the bridge as slowly as possible,
but owing to dense fog she was unable to
locate the sunken pier. She was seen
to stop suddenly, remain stationary for a
moment and then swing around with a
heavy force and settle on one side. Men
ran from every direction to the yawl, fight
ing each other in panic-stricken despera-
tion to reach it. One of the men detached
the ropes holding it and was about to climb
i'll when the water rushed in over the boat s
deck and all ran to the other side. Another
wave closed over the deck and she settled
lower Ten of the crew were taken to the
United States hospital near by, suffering
from cuts and bruises. The remainder were
cared for at houses along shore. The Port
Eads was valued at $4,000 The barges and
contents were uninjured.
1t is now known that seyen of the crew
were lost. They are:
VIM. Hickey, watchman.
Titente Jones, colored, chambermaid.
,Tohp McDermott, second cook.
Fireman VIM. Stewart.
Jas. Walker and an unknown; all col
ored.
The only body so far recovered is that OF
McDermott.
The pilot, Gus Hiner, who was on the
watch when the accident happened, makes
the following statement:
Capt. DAVIS Pilot Townsend and myself
were in the pilot house. | was at the
wheel and owing to the dense black smoke
| could not not see more than twenty feet
in front. When | discovered the pier | sig
nailed the engineer to stop the machinery,
bS& it was too late, as the next moment the
fuel barge hit the pier and went down.
was powerless to save the boat and left her
to the mercy of the water. When | real
lied what had happened | ran down into
the cabin and brought Mrs. Townsend out
on deck and was in the act of putting hel
on one of the barges when the vessel ca
reened and sunk. She was thrown into the
river and after drifting down stream some
distance was picked up by the tug Wei
come.
1t is probable that suit for damages will
be brought against the bridge company for
not having the pier protected. The Port
Eads had the most complete and valuable
steering gear ever on a Mississippi river
steamer, but the swift current making
more than six miles an hour, caused the
tow to float down against the stone pier OF
distraction and knocked the steamer int
a thousand fragments.
As the fleet hit the pier, the hull of the
boat was thrown on the top of it, hung
there for a few minutes, then broke in two
and was carried under and went out OF
sight in a moment. Six grain loaded barges
scattered and drifted off with the current
below, carrying Captain Nelson Davis, cap
tam OF the steamer, together with the mate
and seven of the deck crew, who had
leaped in them. AS their vessel went tC
pieces the captain and his assistants man
aged to guide the barge down to near the
foot Of Presidents Island. They bumped
hard a time or two, but were NJ
crushed, and drifting into slack
water they were finally landed
in safety by the tugs Welcome and May
flower. of the Bridge company, which the
tugs toWed after them very quick after the
mishap One of the barges is seriously i'll
lured and is leaking freely. The harbol
the wrecked boat, and at late hour to-
night was occupied in trying to stop the
leaks in the Injured barge. The Others
were made East to the bank, and are al
safe.