The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-01-12
THE ICE GORGE
At Cincinnati Moves, Doing Inn
mense Damage.


Two Steamers Sunk at Pettit's-Fifty men
Carried Away on Imperiled Craft-The
Scenes witnessed by Thousands ON
tho shore-Thriliing Escapes.
-
CINCINNATI, Jan. with a sound
like the falling of heavy timbers the
great ice gorge in the Ohio river at Gin
cinnati gave WAY at o'clock Sunday
afternoon. It was fearful and excit-
ing time for the river men and they
watched the outcome with grave mis-
givings.
The break was twelve hours later
than expected, and, instead OF occur
ing at night the dangerous mass OF Ice
let go in the afternoon.
This was most fortunate and, doubt
less saved great denl of property and
some lives The army of men engaged
along the river bank and on the steam
ers at the wharf boats were enabled to
see what they were doing and could
take advantage Of any emergency which
might arise It was a remarkable and
thrilling sight that was witnessed by
the thousands Of people who gathered
on the banks Of the Ohio river In antici-
patton of the ice gorge giving way. Few
of them outside of tho men who are &C
customed to tho river contemporaries
the danger which attended the gorging
of tho river with great banks OF Ice,
and which might crush the big boats
like so much paper. From shore to
shore for q distance Of twenty miles
were solid masses of ice which looked
like stubble in field. The frozen river
was 80 rough that even where there
were NO open pools or thin cakes 1t was
dangerous TO attempt TO cross ON account
of the uncertainty of the footing and
the peril of sudden breaking of the
gorge.
The steamers along the wharf-boats
at the foot of broadway andsWalnut
street had been huddled rs closely as
possible to the shore.
Some of them were comparatively
safe in almost any event. but grave fear
was felt for the Mary Houston. which
was on the outside of the feet and had
to bear the bruut of the encroaching
masses of ice. The Bostona. lying a
short distance below the Houston, but
near the shore. and protected by
others above it, and the last of
the boats was the Tacoma, and
its little stern wheel swashed
constantly and seemed to keep out the
now of ice remarkably we'll In less
than an hour it was evident that the
fleet at the public landing was safe. but
the news came that number of barges
had broken loose at Coal Haven, KY,
Epsvo 0d for
thirty-one barges came down with the
ice and passed without doing any In
Jury. All sorts of rumors OF great dam
| age were afioat
The George Matheson. coal steamer
] belonging to the MarInet Co., was
| turned over at the foot Of Central ave-
nue and sustained serious damage. It
is valued at SIS, 900, but it is believed
that the boat can be righted and the
injury can be repaired for few thou
sand dollars.
The most stirring scenes were those
! between Central avenue and the South
ern bridge, for the sweep of the river at
those points added al impetus to the
moving ice and made the condition of
the boats and barges more perilous A
number of prominent coal men lost a
number of loaded barges.
Twenty-nine coal barges of the Wini-
frede Co. broke lose and foated down
the river. Collier. Budd &c Co. lost six,
but other firms were more fortunate
Besides the barges which were
filled with coal large number of
empties wero carried away. The loss
from this source was considerable and
may reach SIS, 900. Tho breaking of the
gorge was attended with many marrow
escapes from death. and it is yet possible
that the loss Of men who arc helpless
on floating barges may be reported
When the barges at Coal Haven. Ky,
parted from their moorings two mon
were on one of them. The shock and
break were SO sudden that they did not
have time to reach the shore. Il was
only after the daring efforts OF three
men. who bravely rowed out into the
floating ice in skiff, that they were
rescued, almost frozen and completely
prostrated by their rough experience.
A still more thrilling affair is reported
rom Delhi Early Snday morning
Atty men were put to work at Bucks
| inhoAnSs hCof otA psA0 AASAeoSAy
side of the river. to try and cut tha ice
around twenty-nine barges, so as tc
form a harbor around them and prevent
their floating off. The workmen were
engaged in doing this when tho
gorge began to move. In an in
stant the barges were snapped
from the cables by which they were
hold and were out in the stream with
the mass of oating ice. The men wert
absolutely ct the mercy of the river
and the crowds on the banks attracted
by their cries for heip were thrilled
with horror The berges and their hu.
man occupants fioated down past Delhi
and as the ice was moving slowly u
was feared that they would be gorgot
In between Delhi and North Bend. Al
together about Atty coal barges ant
we steamers wero lost. aad the enttr,
lnss is placed ~ $500. .0eo
| RotAschiids Wui Help Husgary.
| BUDA-PnSrH. Jan. Q. The UnGarisoh,