St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-07
COAL BARGES SUNK.
Great Destruction Of Prop
erty by the Breaking Of
an Ice Gorge.
Over q Score Of Coal Barges
and Floats Carried Away
or Sunk.
Another Gorge Forms, With
Many Barges Locked in
the Ice.
M,,od no o,so k1opor tho Ar.
Much Damage Along the At
lantic Coast by a Heavy
Storm.

CINCINNATI, Jan. 6.--Thlrteen years
ago an ice gorge broke up at this port
in the Ohio river, with great destruction
to property. Tins evening a gorge
broke, with nobody knows precisely
what loss to boats and coal flats. Heavy
ice has been floating in the Ohio river
for the past two or three days. No gorge
was formed until o'clock this morning.
There are five bridges across the ONO
here. The first. and farthest up stream,
is the Louisville & Nashville railway
bridge. Near it is the Cincinnati q New
port cantiIever bridge. close to the
mouth of the Licking. Next comes the
suspension bridge. After it is the great
Chesapeake IL Ohio railway bridge.
Fifth and last. and lowest down the
river, is the Cincinnati Southern rail-
way bridge, close to the mouth OF Mill
creek, and above it. All OF these
bridges nave piers in the river. Those
of the suspension bridge are 1000 feet
apart. The channel piers of the other
four bridges range from $50 to nearly
600 feet apart. The stage of the water
here is fifteen feet.
Tie ice gorged at 9 o'clock this morn
ing between the Louisville q Nashville
bridge, and the Cincinnati Southern
railway bridge. This is distance or
two miles Floating ice came down and
Joined the gorge. Below the river was
clear. In this
Immense Frozen Raft
were locked all the coal fleets, the nine
packets and several tow boats. The
harbor boats Comet. Benwoud and Alice
Barr tried all day to break the gorge.
but without result. AT 4:3J O'Clock TINS
immense body of ice began to move III
solid MASS. The packets and tow boats.
to all appearance, escaped with little or
DO injury. On the other hand, the coal
fleets suffered.
Tie principal destruction is the fol-
lowing: ThePlttsburg Coal company,
four barges and two flats. value, Sl0C0J.
Collier, Budd IL Co., four bargeS and
several floats; value, $4,000. These
were on the Ohio side of the river. Just
opposite them, at Ludlow. MI. Buck
lost sixteen barges, valued at 100000.
Seven miles further down the river is
Eddystone. On the Ohio side OF tue
river. Here two barges and three floats
have been taken away; value. Sl0,O0o.
These are all the losses definitely ascer-
tanned. Other inevitable incidental
losses are estimated at $50, 600. making a
total of 100000.
But the danger is not over and the
situation is still threatening. At .
o'clock tonight the gorge stopped at
|. North Bend, thirteen miles below here:
Another gorge at the same time formed
lust above Lawrenceburg, Ind, twenty
three miles down the river. Between
these two gorges the water is clear. In
the front of the upper gorge are locked
the coal boats and Darges, such as have
not gone down. Behind them is three
miles of ice. There seems scarcely a
possibility of saving amy of the prop
erty in this prison of ice. The river
above is open, but is floating heavy ice:
If another gorge forms here tonight
greater damage will be done. People
are expecting rise in coal tomorrow.