Str. Becky Thatcher Demolition Update

Reports from the Pittsburgh area are that the river is rising rapidly and expected to go above flood stage this weekend. The removal of the BECKY was expedited to ensure that pieces of her didn't float downstream and cause problems at locks, dams, and elsewhere.

Any news on the Becky since the demo began

Has anyone heard any updates on the Becky since the demo began. I saw the video a couple days ago and wonder if they got to the hull and what they found or if they completed it before the flood waters got too high. Also and what really bugs me...where is her paddle wheel. Did they ever actually bring it up because the ones that saw her up close from the land side DID NOT see a paddle wheel even on the first few days after she sank. We down here would just like to know if it was in fact there or not. As I said, the initial up close pictures that were taken from the side and back just behind the warehouse show no wheel and the folks that were standing not more than 30 ft away could not see it or even the hint of it underwater.

I have this photo, courtesy of Eric Johnson, that showed a hint of the paddlewheel a few days before demolition began. I made a close-up view of the stern. From what I can see, the wheel is not sitting square with the hull, as if it's bent away at a 45 degree angle to the hull.