Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-07-21
BOATS COLLIDE.
The Woodward and Elizabeth
Caught in Lock No g.

Race all the Way From M0rgant0wn,
Side by Side-The Elizabeth Starts
Into Lock No. 3 First-The Wood
ward Started in and Mashed her
Guard-Neither Boat Budges for
two Hours till Orders are Received
From Headquarters.
The two boats, Elizabeth an
Woodward, belong to different pack
ct companies and an exciting race
from here to Lock No 8 Sunday morn
ing took place between them. Both
boats pulled out from the Morgan
town wharf together, well laden with
passengers. Their must have been
l50 people on the boats, the Eliza
beth having the greatest number.
They steamed along side by side,
rubbing against each other at full
speed from here to lock No. g. Meth
er boat gained half length on the
other the whole way and neither
would stop to let off or take on pas
sengers This announcement was
make by the captains when they
left the wharf at Morgantown
Each boat was hustling to get
through the lock first in order to
get the passengers who might want
transportation below lock No 8 1t
was an exciting race and even con
sidered dangerous by many of the
passengers on either boat. The en-
gines were being fred to their full
capacity and both boats were tremb
ling from stem to stern.
The Elizabeth reached the lock,
20 feet ahead of the Woodward and
steamed straight into the gates.
The Woodward never slackened
speed but forged right in beside the
Elizabeth wedging the two boats
tight in the lock gate forcing the
guard OF the Elizabeth against the
lock wall and stoving it in. Both
boats came suddenly to a stand
still and the captains and crews de
clared in steamboat language that
they would stay there till the river
troze oyer, before they would bulge
an inch, without orders from head
quarters. The lock master telephon-
ed to head quarters for orders and
the passengers made themselves as
easy as they could and awaited de-
velopments, taking a breathing spell
after the intense excitement of the
nine mile race suddenly brought to
close.
Although there was imminent dan
ger, several amusing incidents ON the
trip served to relieve the minds OF
those who feared an accident. One
man was sitting on the front railing
of the boiler deck of the Elizabeth
gazing peacefully down the river
when she was struck by the other
boat. The blow landed him on all
tours on the lower deck, head fore
most. He was terribly scared but
not otherwise hurt.
A fter "a wait of about two hours
the crews of the two boats and the
lock master got together and had just
agreed upon terms of passage through
the locks when a telephone message
from Pittsburg announced that the
Elizabeth had right Of way through
the lock first. The Woodward had
to back out and let her pass through
and herself take position in the rear.
As the Woodward retreated a number
of singers on the Elizabeth serenaded
them with the old familiar air, what
shame, a shame, measley shame"
The Elizabeth got practically all the
passengers from Lock to Browns
vile, having not much more than
standing room before she reached the
| wharf
The delay at Lock No. was a
great Inconvenience to passengers for
down river points, who wanted some
time to stay before the boat returned.
Racing between the boats is very
common but not usually So exciting,
and the boats do not often rub to-
gether for nine miles crashing into a
lock together, with Captains swear
ing never to bulge without orders,
till the river breezeS over.
Competition between the packet
lines is all right but many passengers
would rather ride where racing is not
III lovUo1