The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-10-11
Went Down in Shallow Water
at 4:30 a. IN. Today,
No Livei Lost and She Will Be
Easily Raised-Cargo Some
what Damaged.
STRUCK A sUNKEN WRECK

o'clock at the foot of Cumberland Island
two miles below Smithland. in few
feet of water She struck hidden
wreck and stove hole in her hull
slowly settling in the water. None OF
the passengers or crew was injured OF
lost. and there was not very much eN
citement aboard, as the boat was fully
two hours in sinking.
The steamer reached Rducah late
yesterday. after slow trip from Evans
Vile on account of the low water She
was stopped by more than one bar, but
frally reached the city little worse with
light trip and fairly large passenger
list.
Pilot Overstrect was at the wheel. and
The boat was not going very rapidly
when the sunken wreck was hit lie at
tempted to back oil. but could not dc
50 on account of the firmness with which
she was stranded on the wreckage. lie
could have easily run the boat on to a
nearby sandbar il he could have gotten
her off the wreck, and kept her from
sinking,
The shock awoke everyone aboard.
and there was for time considerable
excitement. but il was evident soon TO
all that there was no danger.
An effort was made to keep the boat
aaoat, but to no purpose. as the pumps
did not work sufficiently wen to keep
her pumped out.
In about two hours she sank. and the
wreekage punched several holes in her
hull a. she settled down on it. but she
will be easily raised, nevertheless.
The scene of the accident is about ten
miles above Paducah in the Ohio river.
The passengers for Smithland were tax
en- there on the Golconda, which came
along and offered to give all the assist
ance possible.
The Dudley is lying straight and
even. There are four feet OF water in
her engine room, but the forward deck
is above water, and she will be
easily raised, and brought here for re-
pairs.
Capt. Jas Howard, who was in COM
mand. telcphoned this morning that the
boat could be raised easily, and would
be little the worse for the mishap. The
Colconda. which was at the scene of the
wreck, had orders to proceed to Cairo
but efforts will be made to enlist her aid
in raising the Dudley.
The cargo on the Inflated boat is not
greatly damaged, as il was light. and
most of it above deck. II will be trans
fcrred and brought here as soon as pos
s.blc.
No one seems to have known anything
about the sunken wreck which caused
the accident. II is believed to BE- the
hulk of some coal barge, but its exist
ence was unknown, and it was probably
made dangerous by the low stage Of the
rivef.
The Bob Dudley is owned by Capt.
Tom c. Ryman, of Nashville. She runs
in the upper Cumberland when there is
a good boating stage, but in times of
low water is chartered out TO other
companies. as in this case. She was
chartered to the Evansville, Paducah and
Cairo Packet company when the water
became so low that the John s. Hop
kins and Joe Fowler were forced to the
bank, and had been the only boat in the
trade for some weeks She was valued
at about $4,000, and it is understood
that Capt. Ryman carried no insurance
ca her
There will be no Evansville packet a.
all now until the river rises. The Dudley
is about the only boat hereabout that
could run at this stage, and after she IL
raised IL will be some time until she
~ ~ III h-dins thBAs NY
man was today notified by wire of the
sinking of his boat and is expected to
come or send someone from Nashville,
at once.
This made the third steamboat disas.
ter within a few days. The Mayfower
burned near Pittsburg about week
ago, and the John W. Thomas sank near
Greensboro, and il was asked then by old
river men which would be the third, and
l. is the Bob Dudley. This, it is hoped
will end the streak of bad luck.
This afternoon the Mary \ will be
sent up with two barges, and the Dudley
will be bulkheaded. 1t is hoped TO have
her raised by tomorrow night. and she
will be brought here at once for repairs
A telegram this Afternoon from Capt
Ryman Stated that he would arrive to-
night and at once go up TO the wreck.