Big Sandy Herald (Ky) - Feb. 11, 1873

The tow-boat Petrel No. 2, owned by the Pomeroy Salt Co., commanded by Captain Wolf, now lies a wreck, near the bank at Ceredo. She was discovered first by Jas. P. Waymer, near his residence, lying on her side close to shore, at daylight Sunday morning. The Petrel left Middleport at ten o'clock, P.M., on Saturday the 8th, to go to Ashland to take back to Pomeroy some barges belonging to the P. S. Co., and left there a few days ago on account of ice in the river. She had on board her own crew and the captain and crew of the H. S. Neal, another boat with barges, also left at Ashland. She had no load and ran finely enough until down about Haskelville, at one o'clock Sunday morning, when it was discovered that the boat was rapidly filling with water. The pilot undertook to run the boat ashore, but could do nothing with her, and the officers and crew began to look out for means of escape. The boat's yawl could not be got out at all, and ten of the twenty-eight persons on board the Petrel plunged into the icy river for a cold swim for life. They all made the shore - a brave little fellow of about thirteen years of age landing first - but Captain James McElhany, Captain of the Neal, died in a few minutes after being taken to a house on the river bank, from cold and exhaustion. Those who got on shore then rallied out the neighbors with skiffs and all remaining on the boat were saved, but three. It is not known what became of them. It is supposed they were in their rooms when the boat tipped, and could not get out. The missing are Billy Thompson, cabin boy, and John Church and George Oakes, all belonging to Middleport and vicinity. James C. Fugi second engineer of the H. S. Neal, and one of those who had the cold swim of half the width of the Ohio on Sunday morning, came down to Ceredo on the Ironsides, and gave the particulars to our reporter.