The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-01-05
The Coal Combine to Ask the Gov
eminent for $4,000.
Alleged the Government Light Had
Been Moved, Causing the Dis
aster to the Boat.
wREOKAGE TO BE ABANDONED

u
much chance of carrying out its threat
Of making the government pay the
ESQ, 900 loss Of coal above Smithland,
. few miles from Psducah on Decem-
Der 80.
A report Of the accident has Just
been made TO Captain MAJ sebolt, the
combines superintendent at Louis
vile, and Pilot Tom Patterson, who
was ON watch at the time the steam.
er's big tow hit the bank, says in the
report that the government light had
been moved about quarter Of mile
back up the river. whether IL was
moved by the light keeper himself or
some outside party is not known.
But the coal company will proba bly,
take the case before the court Of claims
at Washington and ask for reimburse
ment for the damage sustained.
The government light, 1t appears,
had been on q point Of land that juts
three or four hundred yards from
where the light is alleged to have
been at the time Of the accident. II
may be that the keeper. on account
Of the high river, could not reach
the light and moved It back because
he had no way TO take II out to
tree IL was accustomed TO hang on.
But as the tree IL self was struck
and broken by the big boat,it is not
known whether the light was there or
not.
Local river men say that the gov.
ernment puts out its lights simply IS
an accommodation TO river men, and
is never liable for any damage result
ing from their removal. District At
torney X. ID. Hill, At louisville. when
the case was stated to him. said that
the government was never liable for
the negligence Of Its employees. The
light keeper yet has to be heard from
on the subject OF removing the light.
The loss sustained by the Brown
amounts TO ut least ESQ, 900 not q cent
of which is covered by insurance, as
the coal trust never carries insur-
ance on the GOAL feet The report
received by Manager sebolt shows
that moro than 800, 900 bushels Of
coal went 10 the bottom Of the river
In the smashup. Eleven ooalboats,
containing 90, 900 bushels apiece; one
barge containing 1000 bushels. two
flats upon which were loaded from
1000 TO 5000 bushels each, were
broken to pieces and sank to the bot
tom.
There is good straight stretch Of
river there. The channel would be
absolutely free from danger but for
the one false point upon which the
light has always been hung to warn
passing fleets. This point is several
feet under water when the river is
sufficiently high to admit Of q run OF
coal.
The Harry Browns tow consisted
Of SO pieces. % Of which were coal
boats, ore a barge containing freight
and the rest barges and flats loaded
with coal.
When Pilot Patterson sighted the
light he laid the Harry Brown into
what he supposed to be the usual
course. Instead IL took the big tow
straight down against the false point
II was not long after the first crash
that the Harry Brown, by reversing
her engines at full speed, managed to
stop the tow and save what was left of
IL. The tree upon which the light
was always hung had been broken
short of near the waters edge, with
such terrific impact did the big tow
strike. An examination of the dam
age on the morning of December "a
disclosed the fact that all Of the coal
craft had been more OF less injured.
Many lines and chains had been
snapped and lost. The craft that sank
were broken to pieces.
Much of the coal was swept away
by the current. No attempt will be
made by the coal company to reoov-
er any part Of it or save the rem
pants Of the smashed craft, as they
will all be carried away by tho time