The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-28

swan it was; they could also read the
name, The Golden Eagle"
FUNK said: well, that golden eagle
mas got to fly pretty straight to take
It's rat body through that slim draw"
ana now the Lakerimmers were
lucky, or unlucky, enough to see such
sight as was never seen perhaps be-
fore or since on that river.
AT the very moment when it was
necessary that the rudder of the
steamer should guide her with the
very incest aim, 1t refused to act at
all. The boat was caught in a great
eddy that swirled round the end of
the canal wall from the river. Instead
of shooting like spear straight for
the narrow opening in the bridge, the
boat began to whirl round and drift
broadside on like some great wound
ed whale in its dying agony.
There was a great shrieking of
whistles and jangling of bells on the
boat, and much running here and there
on the top deck
Now even the passengers began to
see their danger and to fee, = pantic.
There was nothing for them to do but
rush here and there like swarm of
flies in fly trap. There was no es-
cape for them.
The Lakerimmers were so Mortified
CT "AAelA AACy were SCCinS lhdl WllnOul
knowing it they stopped rowing and
allowed the two canoes to drift down
on the current. Their hands seemed
to be paralyzed. They were all eyes.
And now the immense strength of
the old Mississippi showed itself
strangely. The big steamer that had
launched at its currents and it's eddies
was now helpless, having lost the aid
of the little plank that served as a
rudder.
Slowly, as it seemed, and then very
swiftly, the steamer was turned and
carried aside. 1t swept past the side
of the draw it was steering for, and
past the other side. Then just as it
was opposite the next section of the
bridge, the current hurled the steamer
straight forward like mighty batter
ing ram.
1t smote the sharp edge of the stone
pier and then shunted off and smash
ed into the bridge.
So tremendous a sledge-hammer
blow it dealt that it carried away, with
deafening, ripping and thunderous
crash, that whole section of steel and
wood, foot-paths, railroad tracks, Cir
ders and all, and flung it all into the
river.
And then the Golden Eagle, all
bruised and battered, with its hull
CdNeQ III anu us u6CkS WE6Ckeu, went
drifting and turning through and over
the steel section of the bridge that it
had carried away, and fioated down.
ward on the angry current, filling with
water as it went.
The terrified passengers were like
sheep in a fold when a wolf has leap
ed across the walls. Some of them,
as the boat crept past the bridge,
| leaped from the deck to what remain
ed of the foot-path and were easily
saved. Others making the leap mis-
judged the distance or were Jared
from their footing and fell, bouncing
along the pier as they dropped to the
| seething waters below. Some grasped
hold of any life preserver they could
find and jumped into the river. One
man rushed from the cabin with a
rocking chair and chung to it till he
was rescued. Others were not so
lucky in their choice, and the things
they had chosen for life preservers
sank with them. Here and there were
| men fighting with each other for some
small piece of timber.
CTo be continued.)