Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Steam Boat Explosion

The Marietta Republican, February 6, 1862

Terrible explosion and burning of Steam Boat Advance at Matamoras, Ohio, on the night of January 28, 1862.

Editor Republican:

The S. B. Advance exploded her boilers last night about midnight, one half mile above this place in Mill Creek ripple; after the explosion she took fire and burned to the water's edge. She was on her up trip with coal barges in tow and under headway at the time of the explosion. She floated down opposite this place, and the cries of the sufferers aroused the citizens from their sleep, who went to their relief. Everything was done that could be done to alleviate their suffering, which was great and terrible to behold. 

The explosion was one of the most disastrous that has taken place on the Western waters for some years. A large portion of one of the boilers was blowed three hundred yards on shore. Only two of the crew escaped uninjured. The following is a list:

Killed - William Clark, fireman, Cook of the boat, colored.

Wounded - Fred Marks, fireman, fatally; H. Craig, deck hand, fatally; Samuel Irwin, badly; John Irwin, badly; R. E. Mewner, first mate, fatally; Nelson Klinefelter, pilot, fatally; William King, 2d Engineer, fatally; J. W. Long, slightly; I. W. Bradley, watchman, slightly.

Uninjured - Capt. W. Stewart; Mike Tweheherer, 1st engineer.

The boat was owned by Haig & Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cause of the explosion unknown.

H.
Matamoras, Ohio. January 29, 1862.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Frances Harper Speaks

Home News, December 22, 1860

Frances Ellen Watkins, a semi-daughter of Ethiopia, delivered a lecture in the kitchen of the Centennary Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday evening last, on the subject of the wrongs of her race. There was a room full of hearers, many of whom think she is rather smart. Her discourse was of the intense abolition order, as might be expected. She held forth again last night at the Court House as Mrs. Harper.
 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

A Trophy

Home News, January 11, 1862

A couple of female rebels - shame upon a disloyal woman! - recently crossed the Ohio from Belleville, Virginia, to Reedsville, Meigs County, sporting the rebel flag in the form of aprons. The sight was more than three of our loyal Buckeye girls could stand, and they forthwith captured and confiscated the aforesaid contraband goods, despite the resistance of the rebels. Bravo for the Meigs girls. The aprons were divided and sent to the boys from that county in Camp Putnam, and also to the Marietta Editors, as the Telegraph says, but they failed to reach the latter.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Rope Walkers

The Home News, November 3, 1860:

Tall Walking

Tuesday last was a "great day in Marietta."  So the bills said.  They also said that on that day, Master Charlie Alford would give us, to quote from the Rhyme of ye Ancient Pedlar Man, a "specimen of tall walking."  And so he did.

He stretched his cable from the roof of the National House to a pole erected at the corner of the alley by the "burnt district" - some 300 feet long and 50 to 60 feet high.  At the appointed time, Charlie made his appearance on the roof of the National, in costume, and seizing his balancing pole, marched out on his air line, with the stately and heroic tread of a warrior.  He reached the other end of this journey without difficulty, amid the hushed stillness of the largest crowd we ever saw in Marietta.  Had it been a political gathering, it would have been said that ten thousand people were present; but as it was not, five thousand will include all.

Resting a few moments, he retraced his steps to near the National, when fastening his pole to the cable and guys, he gave an illustration of how a man would look pointing his pedals to the sky, hanging by his hands, feet, &c. at that distance above terra firma.

In the evening, in the beautiful moonlight, the performance was repeated, a torch being fastened to each end of his pole to light him on his perilous way.  He accomplished the feat without difficulty, and retraced his steps to the hotel backward.  A few Roman candles ended the entertainment, which was witnessed by almost as large a crowd as in the afternoon.  Let Blondin look out for his laurels.

The Home News, December 29, 1860:

More Rope-Walking

Mr. Moses Cook, a young gentleman residing in the eastern part of Marietta Township, thinks some things can be done as well as others, and that Washington County boys can do what any body else can, proposes to walk a rope fifty feet high and three hundred feet long at Robinson's Mill on the Little Muskingum, on Tuesday afternoon next, New Year's day. He expects to see the day when he will beat Blondin all hollow. Those who are fond of such exhibitions should be on hand.

The Home News, January 12, 1861:  

Mr. Moses Cook, on New Year's day, performed his rope-walking experiments at Robinson's Mill with complete success. He walked backward and forward with steadiness and grace, and did everything that could be done except standing on his head. The cable was 48 feet high and 300 long.

The Home News, January 26, 1861:

Tall Walking

Mr. Charles Cook of this township, who exhibited a specimen of tall walking equal to young Alford on the Little Muskingum on the 1st inst., will show the citizens of Marietta and all others who choose to come and look on, how it was done, on Saturday, the 2d day of February. His rope will be 300 feet long and 50 feet high, on which he will perform all the usual antics of the profession.

The Home News, February 9 1861:

The rope walking exhibition of Mr. Moses Cook on Saturday last was a decided failure. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, several hundred people assembled to witness the performance, but the rain rendered the cable in a very unfit condition to walk on, and after progressing a few feet from the roof of the National, the attempt was abandoned as too hazardous.