Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-03-13
FOUR LIVES ARE LOST.
In a Dense Fog the LongfelloW
Crashes Into Cincinnati
Bridge Piers.

Cincinnati, O., March S.-During a
heavy fog this morning, as the steamer
Longfellow of the Cincinnati, Memphis
u New Orleans Packet Line company
was on her way to New Orleans, she in
some way not yet clearly explained lost
her course. crashed against pier of the
Chesapeake Il Ohio railway bridge and
sank.
Five persons lost their lives in the acct
dent. They were:
DAVID ALDRIDGE of Rome, n Y.
CAPT. ]. l.. CARTER. clerk of the steam
Gus. SHEvANT, barkeeper, gave his life
trying to save Capt. Carter,
JAMES MILLER. colored porter.
The LongfelIow was scheduled to leave
last evening for New Orleans, but the fog
in the river was so dense that Capt Wise,
president of the packet COMPANY to whom
the steamer belongs, ordered her to be
held until this morning. He also ordered
the Hercules Carrel to be ready to assist
the big steamer to pass the dangerous
bridge piers. For having given this latter
order Capt. Wise is now more than graft
fled, for it was undoubtedly the means of
preventing a wholesale loss of life. The
Carrel took position at the stern and left,
or port side, and everything went we'll
until the boats were almost to the piers.
Then the pilot cried out that he could not
see anything. The order was given to
stop the engines, but it was too late The
boat was stove in near the boilers and it
became apparent that the steamer would
go to the bottom at once. The warning
was given to passengers not a moment
too soon.
All who could do so rushed for safety
to the Carrel. With presence of mind
some of the crew manned two lifeboate
and saved themselves and the family Of
John Miller of Missouri lon6inr thar, in,
Covlngton, Ky. The destruction of the
steamer was almost instantaneous. She
chung to the pier, while the currents,
striking the bow and stern, broke her
III two. In less than FIVE minutes she
went down. The known lost now mum,
bers three: David Aldridge Of Rome, N.
Y, an elderly man, who was accom-
panied by his wife, and Mrs. Armstrong
of jamestown, n Y. He was lame and
could not make his way in time over the
freight that impeded the way toward the
stern where The Carrel lay His wife
and Mrs. Armstrong were saved. The
aged clerk of the boat, Capt. J. l.. Garter,
who only last night was speak king of his
long service and of his feeling Of safety,
committed the indiscretion. after once get,
ting aboard the Carrel, of going back for
something from his Office Before he
could return the vessel went under. The
other victim is James Miller, the colored
porter, who was fatally crushed by the
collision. A number of others were re,
ported missing, but one by one they have
been accounted for.
Portions of the wrecked vessel have
been found and landed several miles be,
low, and it is possible that some small
portion of the freight may be saved
Divers Will at once search the wreck.
Later adviceS add two to the list Of lost
One is Gus Shevant, the barkeeper, who
persisted in an unselfsh effort to save the
aged clerk. They were seen to go down
together as Shevant was doing his utmost
to hurry Carter back to the Carrel. The
other was the second mate, James Kivett.
The second mate, James Kivett, has
been found, reducing the death list to
four.
The Longfeliow is the old y. P.
Schenck, transformed. The old vessel
was heightened % feet four years ago
and renamed the Longfellow. She was
valued at $50, 500 and insured for 49,
0OO. She was carrying 500 tons of
fro oht