Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-28
TBB ISLAND FERRY.
VARIOUS INTERESTING MATTERS IN CON-
NEOTION WITH IT.
Election Of Directors at a Meeting Last Night
Cause of the Recent Disastsr-Ihs
Question Of Ownership.

Island people have been perpleXed as
to the reason for the sinking OF the
ferry boat Charleston, since her hull
was reported in excellent condition.
This uncertainty was the cause for
many of the complaints and charges
that the committee was incompetent,
which as a matter of fact is far from
the truth. The boat had been foated
to a point near the South Side foundry,
in Charleston, for repairs. The stern
was open, or uncalkad, but this defect
was above the surface of the water, so
that no danger was feared. The weight
of the snow caused the hull 10 sink In
the river, and the water poured In. Inc
boat is half sunk and lying at an angie
of about twenty-five degrees.
Nothing was heard last night from
Mr.. w. H. Hearne, who went up 20
Plttsburg in the morning to look AFTER
the interests of the ferry company.
The company is especially DESTROYS OF
fixing the liability for damages incurred
by the sinking of the boat, without be-
coming involved in litigation Mr..
Hearne will probably return TO the city
to-day.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Fl. P. Nc
Gregor received a telegram from Capt.
Ben Goodwin, who was sent to Charles
ton, stating that the boat is in charge
of the Plttsburg Bridge Company, and
had not yet been turned over to Mr..
Everett when she sunk. If this be true,
the boat was still the property OF the
original owners, and the Island Ferry
and Packet Company is not responsible
for any damage sustained. The Charles
ton was insured for 1000. The Kama
VIVA Gazette estimates the cost OF nee
essary repairs at $500, but local steam
boatmen are Of the opinion that the
boat can be raised and repaired for
much less than that sum. The pay
ment of the 81, on deposit at the
Commercial Bank has been stopped for
the time being.
There are diverse opinions as to the
effect of the operation Of the ferry upon
the bridge Companies. Said an Island
citizen to a REGISTER reporter last
night: 1.-The only way to conduct the
ferry, in order to bring the bridge Com
panies to terms, is to operate 1t as
free ferry. How could it be done? The
plan is perfectly feasible. 1t has been
estimated that the running expenses OF
the boat will be SEQ day. | am willing
to subscribe S25 to fund to operate the
boat for a year, and 1 don't own a
dollars worth of real estate on the ISL
and. Many more citizens would sub
scribe larger amounts, and there would
be no trouble in securing suitable con-
tributions. When the fund is large
enough, place the ferry in operation,
and let everybody ride free. There you
have it. We would be in position TO
dictate terms to the bridge companies
before a year had passed"
Another big meeting Of Island citi-
zens was held last night at st. Luke's
chapel, on South Broadway. The
building was literally jammed with in
terested people. The meeting was
called for the purpose OF electinR a
Board Of thirteen Directors, the bylaws
having been amended at a meeting on
Monday evening, to provide for that
number of stockholders on the Board.
When the meeting was called 10 order,
and before the voting commenced, sew
eral stockholders made addresses, call
ing attention to the unwieldy Board
with thirteen members, and the conse-
quent difficulty in securing a quorum.
The bylaws were again amended. this
time providing for an Executive Board
of nine members. The stockholders
then proceeded to vote for members OF
the Board.
The vote was not counted until after
midnight, when it was found the fol-
lowing had been elected: NJ. j. Nc
Fadden, oil; NJ. Hubbard, 1853; R. X.
Griffin, 1854; Louis Jones, 306; ii. j.
McGregor, 34s; George House, 300; 4.
b. Burt, 1874; w. Il. Chapman, 351, aud
Cartain VIM. Pearce, 3O1. The Board
will meet at w. H. Hearne's law Office
at o'clock this morning.