The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-01
IMPRISONED STEAMER.
The Fine Excursion Steamboat Fran
els j. Torrance Too Big for Accom-
mediation by the Locks at Marietta,
in the Muskingum River.

els j. Torrance Too Big for Accom-
mediation by the Locks at Marietta,
in the Muskingum River.
The fine sidewheel excursion steamer,
Francis j. Torrance. said to be the
handsomest river craft ahoat, is pinned
| in the Muskingum river, at Marietta,
! and the government refuses to open
I the lock unless her owner. the Monon-
! gaheia and ohio River Transportation
! Company, assumes all risks in case OF
damage to the boat.
| 1t Is feared that when the boat Is let
| into the lock chamber that the lower
| gates, next to the Ohio river. will give
way under the strong pressure OF wa
ter, and not only do great damage to
the lock, and send a ten-foot torrent
OF water down the Ohio river, but pos
| sibly do great damage to the steamer.
The lock has two chambers. That is,
there are three sets OF locks, one set
OF gates being almost directly in the
center Of the lock,
To enable the steamer to enter the
lock, two sets OF gates must be opened
and the steamer lowered ten feet. so as
to get into the Ohio. This would throw
the entire weight Of water in the Mus
! Eingum river on the lower gates, which
are very ahalSy. and probably would re-
suit dlsastrousiy to all concerned.
Capt John NJ. Boyd, the general
manager OF the line. has been in Mar
letta for week. endeavoring to perfect
ARRANGEMENTS whereby the boat can be
| locked through. II appears that the
lock has been in n damaged condition
for some time. The lock is an old one,
the flooring on which Is built Of planks.
being unlike the locks on the Ohio and
Monongahela rivers. The masonry OF
| the lock, as well as the lower gates, Is
| in n very shlky condition. It is feared
| that II the two sets Of gates must be
opened to enable the boats to pass In,
| IL would cause such rush OF water ms
! TO wash out the flooring OF the lock,
and also undermine the masonry. p-ob-
| ably causing 1t 20 tumble In the river.
Captain Boyd has kept the telegraph
wires hot between Marietta and WASH
| ington, D. c.. in an effort 10 have the
secretary Of war make some arrange
ments whereby he can get his boat out
| into the Ohio river , government In
| spector was sent from Washington
Monday. and examined the lock, but
did not give captain Boyd. Il Is said,
much satisfaction. After making a
| thorough examination, the inspector
left FOR Cincinnati 10 confer with Ma
jor W. Il. Blxby. who has charge OF the
improvements Of the Ohio river.
In shc meantime word came from
washington that Captain Royd's boat
would be locked through into tha Ohio
rver even II Il required thr building OF
n cofferdnm 10 accomplish &. This,
however. would cause delay. II is said
that rise II four feet out OF the Ohio
river would enable the boat 10 be locked
through without any trouble. This
amount Of water would nut four more
foot Of vater against the lower gates
Of the lock in the Musldngum river and
would tend to lesson the strain on
| them.
The owners Of the boat have been
waiting for weeks for the rlEe 10 come,
hut It h7s failed. Thr boat Is ready to
60 to Pittsburgh, and has 4 number Of
excursions booked.
Tho steamer WIS built by NJ. G. Knox
s Company. Of Marietta and cost $780,
oC0 She has thrro decks, md hps =
ballroom that Is 20 feet wide and 10
feet long. the floor Of which Is laid in
white maple. All Of the balts fur
nishlnEe are silk. md the carpets IRE
az Wilton make The boat has eight
p0rlors. Hcr furnishings, II Is said.
arr oven superior 10 tho fnr steamers
That plv the great lakes. The boat Is
2ts faot long and Just flts the four l1rg-
est locks on tho MononEahel1 river.
which IRE located between Pittsburgh
and Brownsville
Tho boat made n trial trip Monday
night. and hnr great electric light plant
wac kept IN full operation. It Is s1id
Tint her hundreds Of lnrandrsccnt
lights made n SIGHT that iF rarely Wit
messed on tho rlvprs, Captain Boyd
has great homes that tho boat WIN get
ont the NugNlngum river during the
present week.
REECHAM'S PILLS-So equal for