Death of William Page, Head Engineer of the Towboat Nail City

- from The Wheeling Register, April 2, 1879.
 

DROWNED.

Death of a Well Known River Man.

Yesterday about noon it was rumored that Wm. Page of this city, head engineer on the towboat Nail City, had fallen from the boat while passing Sunfish about 5 o'clock yesterday morning, en route to this city, and was drowned before assistance could reach him. It appears that some time during the night the boat had backed upon an obstruction and had broken one of her "fan tails," and when the engineer, Mr. Page, went out to oil the wheel, the fan tail gave way and let him into the river. The body sank and has not, as yet, been discovered. Mr. Page was about forty years of age and leaves and wife and family, who reside on the Island, to mourn their loss. He had been in the employ of the Monitor towboat and barge company for quite a while, and was esteemed as a steady man, always attentive to his business. At the time of his drowning, the second engineer was engaged in eating breakfast.

[His body was not discovered for over a week.]

Riverboats  |  Transportation  |   Biographies  |  People of Wheeling  |  Wheeling History Home  |  OCPL Home