The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-10
THE ICE GORGE
At Cincinnati Moves. Doing I'M
mense Damage.
Fifty Barges Swept From the foot
Of Flfth Street.


2ttmt8 W tNNIIHUm ~ NMMM||MM- On
the sh~ore-Ihrntins EsonpeA
$3.50
CINCINNATI. Jan. f0-With i sound
like the failing or heavy timbers The
great ice gorge In the Ohio river ~ Gin
c%innatt gave way at ? o'clock Sunday
Afternoon. IL was 4 fearful and excit-
ing timc for tho river men and they
watched the outcome with grave mis-
givings.
The break was twelve hours later
than expected. and. instead Of occur
ing AZ night the dangerous mana d leo
let 60 Ia the afternoon.
This was most fortunate and. doubt
less saved d great deal Of property and
spnia Lives The army Of men engaged
along the river bank and on the steamk
ers at the wharf.boats were enabled 20
see what they wore doing md could
take advantage Of any emergency which
might arise. ii WINS d remarkable and
thrilling sight that was witnessed BY
the thousands Of people who gathered
on the banks Of tho Ohio river IN hntici-
patton % the Ice gorge giving way. Few
OF them outside Of the men who are uc-
cnst0med 10 the river could appreciate
the danger which attended the gorging
Of the river with great banks Of Ice,
and which might crush the big boats
like 80 much paper. From shore 70
shore for q distance Of twenty miles
were solid masses ~ Ice which looked
like stubbie In a Held. The frozen river
was 10 rough that even where there
were no open pools or thin cakes u was
dangerous 10 attempt To on account
OF the uncertainty Of The footing and
the peril of q sudden breaking of the
gorge.
Tho steamers along the whnrfsboats
at the foot ~ broadway and Walnut
street had been huddled as closely -
possible 10 the shore.
some Of them were comparatively
safe In almost amy event. but grave 3
was felt for the Mary Houston, which
was on the outside Of the feet and had
10 bear the brunt on the cncroachinR
masses Of Ice Tho Bostona, lying =
short distance below the Houston. but
near the shore, and protected BY
others above II and tho last Of
the boatA was the Tacoma. and
It's little stern wheel pwashed
constantly and seemed 10 keep out the
now Of ice remarkably we'll In less
than m hour Il was evident that tho
flcetat The public landinT fiaE 11ff1 Nt,f
the news cana that > npMlrf % 4.
had broken loose ut Coni Haven. Ky.
and soon tho news WI confirmcA. for
~thIrty-one bargca came down with the
leo and passed without doing my In
jury. All sorts Of rumOrs Of great dam
agc were afloat.
Tho George Math6son. q coal steamer
belonging 10 the Mnrmct ca. was
turned over nt the foot Of Central ave-
nue. and sustained serious damage II
Il valued DC SIS. 900, but IL Ii believed
that the boat cau DO righted and the
injury can be repaired for q few thou
sand dollars
The most stirring scenes wcre those
between Central avenue and The South
ern bridge. for the sweep Of the river ct
those points added IN impetus To- She
moving Ice and made the condition Of
the boats and bargcs moro periIouR A
number Of prominent coal men Lost q
number 0f loaded barRes
Twcnty-nine coal bnrgea 81 the Wini
frcde %. broke lose and iioated down
the river. Collier. Rudd a co. lost six.
but other firms were more ~fortunate.
besides the barRes which wer6
filled with coal . large number Of
empties were carried away. The loss
from this source WA considerable and
may reach t25. 900. The brcakinRo the
gorge was attended with many narrow
escapes from death. and Il Il yet possible
the loss III men who are helpless
on floating bargca may be reported
When the barges nt Coal Haven, KY,
parted from their mornings two men
were on one 81 them. The shock and
break were so sudden that they did moi
have time to reach the shore. Il was
only after the daring efforts Of three
men, who bravely rosxcd out into the
floating ice in Q skin, that they were
rescued, almost frozen and completeiy
prostrated BY their rough experienced
"A still more thrilling affair L reported
fifty men were put TO work At Bucks
landing, near bromley, on the Kentucky
side Of the river, to try and cut the lee
around twenty-nine barges. 20 ns 70
form a harbor around them and prevent
their floating Of. The workmen wern
engaged IN doing this when the
.garge began to move. In an in
slant the barges were snapped
from the cables by which they were
held and were out IN the stream with
the mass of floating ice. The men were
absolutely at tho mercy Of the river,
and the crowds on h banks attracted
by their cries for help were thrilled
with horror. The barges and their HUI
man occupants tloated down past Delhi,
and as the Ice was moving slowly Il
was feared that they would be gorged