Princess (Barge), aground, 7 Nov 1880

HARBOUR ACCIDENTS. -- About 3 o'clock Sunday morning, while the gale was at its height, the schooner SLIGO, moored at the Kingston and Montreal Forwarding Co.'s wharf, parted her lines and dislodged the spiles to which she was fastened.
      She ran between the shipyard wharf and a crib, bow on, carrying away her bowsprit, jib-boom, and fore-topmast. Her square-sail was blown open and torn considerably. The vessel collided with the schooner LILY HAMILTON breaking the latter's bow line and setting her adrift. The LILLY's rail was also broken. The SLIGO knocked down the shear poles supporting the storm drum. They fell across the SLIGO's deck. The jibboom rigging of both vessels became entangled. The crew of the SLIGO dropped anchor and held her in position. The LILY HAMILTON, as soon as released, drifted down the forban striking the Ontario Foundry's wharf damaging it and prying several tons of the coal piled thereon into the water. The vessel was still carried down the harbour moving past the steamer CORSICAN tied at Swift's dock, which she struck, and then went square upon the shoal at the Martello Tower.
      This disaster had no sooner occurred when the elevator SPARROW, belonging to the K. & M. Forwarding Co., pulled the spile to which her line was attached and went off before the wind. It passed the grounded schooner LILY HAMILTON, ran between the schooners PILOT and SWEEPSTAKES anchored off the M. T. Co.'s wharf, collided with the Cataraqui Bridge, was turned around and blown up on the Barriefield shore. Fifteen minutes after the SLIGO had broken loose, the barges MINNIE and PRINCESS snapped their lines. The drifted across the bows of the SLIGO to which the Captains ineffectually endeavored to fasten lines. An effort was made to cast the anchor of the barge MINNIE, but it caught on the rail and could not be removed. Both barges ran upon the rocks near Point Frederick. The PRINCESS was laden with 9,000 bushels of wheat, from the schooner LILY HAMILTON. She grounded high and dry. The barge MINNIE acted as a breakwater and prevented the grain in the PRINCESS from being damaged and lost. The MINNIE is full of water and will be considerably damaged. The tug H. A. CALVIN today raised the MINNIE. The PRINCESS was to be lightened and then pulled off. Men were at work at the elevator yesterday and got her on ways and jack screws. The tug FRANKLIN attempted to pull her off but broke her hawser, and it became to dark to continue the work. She was taken off today.
      Two piers at the Cataraqui bridge, one near the toll house and the other at the Barriefield end have been damaged a good deal, in bridge in consequence sagging about two feet at the former place. Repairs were at once commenced, and in the meantime traffic across the structure stopped as much as possible.
      Kingston Whig-Standard
      Monday, November 8, 1880



The barges PRINCESS and MINNIE were blown from the Kingston and Montreal
Forwarding Co's wharf at Kingston to the Pittsburg shore just above the bridge. (Cataraqui Bridge)
      Toronto Globe
      November 9, 1880


      At eight o'clock last evening the elevator SPARROW was towed along side the Barge PRINCESS, ashore at Point Frederick. A hole was cut in the deck, into which was inserted the elevator's leg. Work was then begun, about 38 men being employed in the unloading. For two hours $1 per hour was paid and over 8,500 bushels of grain were taken out of one hatchway and discharged into the M. T. Co.'s barge TORONTO. The tug LADY FRANKLIN this morning after a little exertion, hauled off the stranded barge and took her to the marine railway, where she will by put on the ways simply to satisfy the insurance conpanies interested. She has received no apparent damage.
      Kingston Whig-Standard
      November 9, 1880