Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-05-16
4 STEAMSHIP SUNK.
~ City Of Paducah Strikes Z
Snag In the Mississippi
TWENTY-FIVE OF The CREW MISSING


et. Louis, May 14.-A special to the
Rost-Dispatch from Grand Tower, ILL.,,
seys: The steamer City of Paducah
1enk in Is feet of water, five minutes
before ten o'clock last night, in less
than five minutes after striking q
snag, while backing out from Brunk-
horst landing. The bodies OF two pas
Dengers who were drowned have been
fec0vered and 20 members of the
crew, most Of them negroes, are miss
Ing. All Of the officers were saved.
First Mate Tobias Royal, of St.
Louis, says only about IL passengers
were on board and all were saved ex-
sept two. The body Of DR.. j. W. Bell,
Of Bells Landing, Tenn, was taken
out of his state room. The remains
cf q young woman, on which was a
visiting card reading "Mrs. Harry L.
Allen, 3430 Eads avenue, st. Louis"
was recovered from her state room.
Two friends travelling with the
drowned woman, who started back to
st. Louis on the steamer City Of
Clifton, said that the young lady was
engaged to marry DR.. C. A. Meredith,
1908 Lee avenue, 81. Louis. Several
hundred dollars worth Of jewelry was
found on her body.
The steamboat drifted third Of a
mile below the landing before she
sank. The first mate says the boat
went down within three minutes
after striking the snag. lie was on
the cabin deck and escaped by climb
Ing through the skylight.
II IL supposed that most Of the
missing deck hands, who were on the
lower deck, were washed down the
river. The boat lies down about 100
feet from the Illinois shore, the fore
part Of the hurricane deck being I'M
der water. She appears to be total
wreck.
Thomas Johnston, Waterman of the
boat, who Is said to be among the
1ost, was IS years old and had been q
steamboat man for go years. He lived
III St. Louis.
Frank White, whose home Ia IN
Kansas City, got aboard the boat Mt
landing 70, north of Brunkhorst. He
was seen by reporter yesterday
morning and told the following story
Of the disaster II got on the boat
IT landing 70 to go to Cairo. The
boat stopped at Lake Ditch landing
and again at Brunkhorst, which is
only few miles below Lake Ditch,
and took on corn. At both places
ab0ut II sacks were loaded. After
the corn at Brnnkhorst had been
placed on board the boat started down
stream, and just as she put of struck
. snag, tearing big hole in her.
The crew then tried to place the stern
Of the boat toward the river and,
while turning her around she sank.
She Is about 20 feet from shore and
her cabin and pilot house are above
water | jumped into skiff and 20.
ashore. don't know how many were
aboard, but think there were about |
Is drowned. Among them were two
engineers, one white woman and
about Is negroes. There was great |
confusion and It may be more are
drowned, and II is likely Others of the
party saved will tell different stories
of the catastrophe. was glad to
get out alive and did not tarry at the
scene. The boat sank about ten
o'clock Sunday night"
At II o'clock last night crowd Of
anxious relatives and friends
thronged the Office OF the company
awaiting the arrival of the City Of
Clifton. Efforts were made to get
additional tidings of the wreck from
that vessel by telephoning to points
along the river, but they were un.
lvailing. Divers left last night for
the scene OF the wreck.
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