The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-13
THE ICE GORGE
At Cincinnati Moves, Doing I'M
mense Damage.
Fifty Barges Swept From the foot
Of Fifth Street.
Two Steamers Sunk at r"ttit's-Fifty mon
CARRIED Away ON impcriied Craft--The
Scenes Wituesscd by Thousands on
the shorc--l hriiling Escapes.

! like the falling of heavy tinbers the
great ice gorge in the Ohio river at Gin
eiunati gave way at o'clock Sunday
afternoon. 1t 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 so in the afternoon.
This was most fortunate and. doubt
less saved great deal of property and
some lives. The army OF men engaged
along the river bank and on she steam
ers mt the wharf-boats were enabled to
see .*iiat they were doing and could
take advantage of any emergency which
might arise. 1t was n 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 the men who are ac-
customcd TO the river could appreciate
the danger which attended the gorging
of the river with great banks of ice.
aud which might crush the big boats
| like so much paper From shore to
shore for distance of twenty miles
were solid masses of ice which looked
| like stubble in field. The frozen river
was so rough that even where there
were no open pools or thin cakes it was
dangerous to attempt to cross on account
of the uncertainty of the footing and
the peril OF sudden breaking OF the
! gorge.
/ a Of rs MI hA arf. a
Mt the foot of Broadway and Walnut
street had been huddled as 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 neet and had
10 bear the brunt of the encroaching
masses of ice. The Bostona, lying n
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
flow Of ice remarkably we'll In less
than an hour 1t was evident that the
fleet at the public landing was safe, but
the news came that number of barges
had broken loose ut Coal Haven, KY,
and soon the news was confirmed, 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 afloat
The George Mathcson, a coal steamer
belonging TO the Marmet CO., was
turned over at the foot of Central ave-
nue and sustained serious damage. 1T
is valued at sl5, 900, but it is believed
that the boat can be rightcd and the
injury can be repaired for a 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 an 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- Z
frede Co. broke lose and foated down
the river. Collier, Budd g. Go. lost six.
but other firms were more fortunate.
BESIDES the barges which were
filled with coal large number OF
from this source was considerable and
may reach s25. 900. The breaking Of the
gorge was attended with many narrow
escapes from death, and it is yet possible
that the loss of men who are helpless
on floating barges may be reported
When the barges at Coal Haven, KY,
parted from their moorings two men
were on one of them. The shock and
break were so sudden that they did not
have time to reach the shore. 1t was
only after the daring efforts of three
men, who bravely rowcd out into the
floating ice in sl1iif. that they were
rescued, almost frozen and completely
Frustrated by their rough experience.
still more thrilling affair is reported
rom Delhi. Early Snday morning
fifty men were put to work at Bucks
landing, near Bromley, on the Kentucky
side of the river to try and cut the ice
around twenty-nine bargcs, so as to
form harbor around them and prevent,
their floating off. The workmen we're
engaged in doing this when the
gorge began to move. In an in
slant the barges were snapped
from the cables by which they were
DclQ ana were OUT III Inc SJTtdIu Win
the mass of floating ice. The men were
absolutely at the mercy of the river,
and the crowds on the banks attracted
by their cries for help were thrilled
with horror. The barges and their hui
man occupants ioated down past Delhi,
and as the ice was moving slowly it
was feared that they would be gorged
in between Delhi and North Bend. AL
together about fifty coal barges and
two steamers were lost, and the entire
loss is placed at 100000.
Horrible tragedy at Cleveland.
CLEVELAND, o., Jan. 10.-John Wood