The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-13
Blowing Up. Of the Towboat
Sam Brown Recalls Similar
Accidents.

CHARLESTON. Feb. 12.-In the last
few months, the neighboring Ohio
river between Pittsburg and Cincin-
natl has been The scene Of many river
disasters, In most instances boats in
volved being totally destroyed and
many lives lost.
In this respect the waters Of the
Ohio between Huntington and Park
ersburg hold the bulls Of many steam
ers and barges.
The sinking Ct the towboat Sam
Brown predominates all the other ca
tastrophes in that vicinity. The loss
in this case. both in life and money,
exceeds all the other accidents.
The Towboat Defender.
The big boat Defender, which blew
up in 1906, just ten years ago, near
Twenty.eighth street. Huntington,
foated down the river in mid stream
and finally sank below the swirling
waters at Twentt-sixth street, op-
posite that city. The hand Of death
spread out over the wrecked mass OF
twisted iron and splintered timbers,
claiming eight lives.
before the Defender sank there was
seething mass of flames, many Of
is crew sustaining serious burns.
The kanawha Tragedy.
The steamer Kanawha, with full
list Of passengers struck bridge head
below Petersburg on the night OF
January S, and when final cummings
OF the accident were taken, It was
found that probably eighteen had died,
ana the boat was a total loss. The
night was exceptionally dalk, and
hampared rescue work.
The kanawha disaster was recalled
ty the brown accident opposite Hun
t'ngton last week. Lucky John Hut-
son. an old negro fireman, rescued
from the wrecked Brown, also Lad
narrow escape from the sinking Ia
nswha. He floated for four hpurs,
hanging to log, which floatcd from
The Kanawha wreck, and was finally
picked up. In both instances Hudson
was in bed sleeping sGuudiy. in the
first accident nc jumped from The sink
ing boat, when the boilers of The
Brown let go, 10 was :hroSn against
the wall with such force thar it stun
led him. Hudson finally revived and
succeeded in escaping before TIC
Brown trembled and wen. below.
Two Steamers Burl.
odiiifn,, tha Lane,
Of river accidents, was made last weck
also, wien the two steamers OHIO
end Lorena we're burned to the wafer
line by ire Of unknown origin. The
Ohio burned at the PARK, SOU. lotl
while the Lorena was eaten by flames
near Pc.Et Pleasant. BGti. boats are
total losses.
Convoy Turned Turtle.
The tow boat Convoy, well known
r yer worker, turned :irrle IN ne
Oh'o river near Cincinnati, duri"s a
teavy md Storm in 1914. Three p"r-
sons sore killed. and the iowpoat Was
badly damaged, but later lifted from
its watery grave.
The Wallace Barges.
Another bad accident, in local waters
occurred recently when the tow boat
George Wallace lost ten barges. The
Wallace's tow became unmanageable,
and the barges broke loose, near
Twenty-sixth street. Huntington. Be-
fore the powerful boat Val E. Collins,
of the Island Creek Company. caught
the tow, ten barges had disappeared
under the waters.
The Castillo Sunk.
The towboat Castillo. OF the Smiley
Towboat Company. sank two months
ago, at its pier, at Eighteenth street,
From some unknown
cause, the Castillo sprang a leak, and
before the crew could place the pumps
In the fast filing hole, the boat slip
ped from its mooring and went to the
bottom. loss of life in this accident
was narrowly averted, for several
members Of the crew left the boat
few seconds before 1t took the plunge.
The Diamond Blows Up.
The blowing up Of the tow boat
Diamond, at Davis Island dam, near
Pittsburg, two years ago, was also re-
called to mind by the Brown disas-
ter. Mate Ben Williams, Of the Brown.
who escaped, was mate OF the Diamond
when the boilers Of that boat exploded.
He escaped both disasters miraculous
ly, and by his heroic efforts in CALM
ing members OF the Browns crew quite
n number Of the deck hands were
saved. Several persons were killed
in the Diamond wreck.
The Virginia.
The steamer Virginia was also dam
aged recently below Parkersburg
when it grounded during high water.
At first, it was thought 1t was COM
plete loss, but it was refloated, how
ever and is now plying the waters of
the Mississippi,
The Queen City.
The sinking of the pleasure steam
,r Queen City February II. last, was
most conspicuous, in view Of the fact
hat not a passenger was lost. The
Queen City sank on the head OF the
Louisville falls, in the ice. 1t had 100
Iardi Gras excursionists aboard, but
not one was injured. 1t was raised
!, ON the bottom, and taken to Park
,rshurg, where repairs were made.
The California.
The sinking of the steamer Califor-
lia more than thirty years ago is
commemorate in the name of the reef
If locks lying near the Ohio shore
opposite Twenty-fourth street, Hunt
ngton, which are known to the pres
mt day as "The California Rocks"