Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-23
RIOT ON THE RIVER
Roustabouts of Old Dubuque
Driven Into Water BY Band
of Raftsmen.
TAKE POSSESSION OF THE BOAT
Made to Surrender BY Arsenal
Officers, But Not Until
Many Are Killed.
TAKE POSSESSION OF THE BOAT

The Dubuque Times of Sunday
moved thereto by the temperance o
the Diamond 10 liner Dubuque in tina
city, ready to go on the ways and b,
made as good as new again. after hav
ing her whole hull torn off, digs NJ
this ancient story of warm local inter
est in this locality. A story that i.
not warm one does not fit these
times. This is guaranteed to fit any
state Of the thermometer:
The coming of the Dubuque tc
this city has brought up "reminiscences
concerning. her, and many have the
impression that she is the Dubuque
that was seized by large party OF
raftsmen near Rock Island about %
years ago. The impression, however,
is false. The present Dubuque was
the Pittsburg until the st. Louis cy-
clone, in which she was completely
wrecked. there being nothing left OF
her but the hull. The Dubuque that
was seized by the raftsmen was the
original boat of that name. and her
first master was Capt. j. w. Parker,
| for many years, and who, after re-
| firing from the river, served two or
three terms as alderman from the
Fourth ward. In 1867. during the
administration of Mayor Graves, the
city presented her with a stand of
colors and set of horns, the latter
occupying conspicuous place on
her hurricane deck. near the bell. 1t
was on the occasion of her first trip
to this city that the presentation
was made, Hon. John II. O'Neill re-
spending on behalf of the mayor, and
Captain Tom Levens presenting the
antlers. There was a great crowd at
the levee and the city was in holiday
attire, especially the levee portion
of it.
a Riot Aboard.
1.-The old Dubuque went through a
trying experience about % years ago
In those days all the logs and lumber
from the pineries was fioated down
the river, and each raft had, on an
average, about so men. There was
a large party of these raftsmen at one
of the towns below Rock Island, and
they boarded the Dubuque for the
north on their return to the pineries.
They had been paid off. and, after
coming on board, the first thing they
did was to make a rush for the bar,
all the packet boats of that time hav-
ing bars. Who the then captain of
the boat was is not known, but it is
thought that he was Capt. Rhodes;
but, at any rate, he gave orders that
no liquor should be sold to the
%
man on the stairway leading to the
cabin, with orders not to permit
the raftsmen to go up to the bar.
The first to make the attempt were
stopped and, when it became gener-
ally known among the raftsmen that
they could not get anything to drink.
they became frenZied with rage and a
riot ensued. Revolvers were drawn
by the raftsmen and an indiscrimi-
nate shooting of colored roustabouts
began, several of whom jumped over
board and were either shot to death
or drowned. The officers of the boat |
drew their guns AID endeayored to |
subdue the rioters, but their efforts |
proved futile, and the shooting and |
killing continued until the raftsmen |
had complete possession of the boat |
The officers were driven into the
cabin. The pilot WIS compelled to
keep on, there being men in the pilot
house with revolvers. and he had 10
1bey.
situation desperate.
The situation was desperate one,
Ind the officers saw that it would not
10 to permit the boat to pass Rock
Island in the possession of the rioters.
10 prevent this. if possible. one of
he officers jumped overheard and
WAN ashore. He sent word to the
.ity authorities. and they, in turn,