Year: 1867

ing and the water works escaped inju-
ry. ~ ~t9} -..f- il .,.- s..,,-f.


A telegram 10 MeSsrs. Booth, Bat
tolle 4 Co, yesterday evOnirg to Wheel
ing, Annouhcsa that the Hillmah had
been caught and made fast At Ports
mouth, Ohio; that her larboard side
and chimneys were gone, but her hull
was sound; also, that the New State
had, been taken ashore and made fast
at point three milss below Ports
mouth, that her wheel and sboth her
pitmans were broken of, aud all her
upper works badly damaged, and, al.
though her hull was sound, she was as
near wreck as could be to have lived
At all through the terrible ordeal to
which she had been subjected.


The Wheeling Intelligencsr Ofths
4th says: .......'.


The breaking up Of ther river was the
all-AbSorbing topic of Saturday. Not
withstanding the inclsmsncy of the
weather, large numbers Of people ling
ered about the landing all day, as If
determined that the great event should
not take place without their being wit
nesses Of it. At last, between three
and four o'clock, the news that the lee
had begun to move spread like wild fire
through the city, and soon, from the
suspension bridge to Ritohietown,
Thousands Of people gathered on the
banks to witness the grand spectacle


For several days the steamboat own
ers had been endeavoring to prepare
for the event, and had large force Of
men working with might and main en-.
deavorinR to cut away the ice from
about the boats. Thoy wore, however,
only partially successful. On the riv-
or side of the Ailfnran and the Eagle
(both side-wheel boats, the ice was
found TO be Clinging in enormous mass
es, many feet thicker than the ice on
the surface Of the river, and it was
found impossible to removoit before the
river began to break. :taI
THE EAaLR AND THE HILLxAK. l


The Eagle was the first to part her
chains and hawsers, but having sup
ply Of new lines was soon made fast
again. Shortly after tho Hillman par
ted her chains, and all her lines snapp-
ed like threads, and she started out in
great food Of ice. She had steam up
in her donkey-enginc, but could net
turn q wheel on account of the masses
Office clinging to them. The New State
which had boOn wedgOd between the
Hillman and the shore, next parted all
her lines, and was driven into the ed
dy at the mouth of the creek, and q
line was run out and made fast, her
stern being up the river. '.r 70 s-


The ioe at this time being much bro
ken, she was thought to be safe but
soon a large field Of ice with great
beak, like o Government ram, was dis
covered bearing directly upon her.
The stern was quickly swung round,
and only just in time tosave them from
destruction. The huge mass struck
the shore just above her stern, and
shivering its great point against the
bank, rushed on with irresistible force,
and the lines which held the boat prov
cd as little able to cope with it as the
green withes with the strength ofSam-
son, and she went on broadside to the
stream, and was soon below the point
and out ofsight. "4 aaa


The wharf boat, which had the heav-
lest chain cable on the Upper Ohio,
parted it on dead pull She also
dragged the massive stone and ring
bolt, to which her other lines were fast
eAsd, from its bed into the river, and
was borne down against the Eagle.-
For a few moments che sustained the
tremendous pressure, bat it soon be-
came evident that nothing but the
eternal hills could endure such press
ure One after another Of her old lines
parted, and the new ones were strain
ed until they sung like fiddle string
Her capstan and bits gave way with a
terrific crash, stripping her head as
clean as thehead of an ancient mari ner
She was then driven with great force
upon raft. Every thing crashed as
if tho whole side Of the boat was being
a =: lr II. Id.