The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-14
Rabbi Bloch, Wife and Daughter, En-
Route from st. Louis to Evans
Vile, Among the Saved.
DOCTOR AND GIRL DROWNED
LATTER WAS ENGAGED TO MARRY A
ST. LOUIS PHYSICIAN.
Most of the Missing Were Deck Hands,
Whose Bodies Were Swept
Down the River.

CARBONDALE, ILL.,, May 13.-The City of
Paducah, n Mississippi river packet, was
sunk near Brunkhort Landing, about four
miles north of Grand Tower, about u
o'clock Sunday night. Between twenty-five
and fifty people We're drowned. only seven
escaping with their lives. The City of Pa
ducah left st. Louis Sunday morning on a
downward trip and stopped at most land
ings and loaded on freight, most of which
corn. Between IL and u o'clock Miss
Fannie Bloch, who, in company with her
parents, Rev. and Mrs. Bloch, was going
from st. Louis to Evansville, Ind, was
reused from sleep by sudden jar. She
asked her mother if her berth had broken
down, and no sooner had the words passed
her lips than water rushed into the apart
ments and they were compelled to act
quickly to save their lives. With four
others they escaped to the Illinois shore by
holding on to driftwood and swimming. The
seven saved are Hebrews. Rev. Bloch is a
rabbi. The survivors made their way down
the river bank to Grand Tower and aroused
Mrs. Baronowsky, at the fremont Hotel,
where they were given lodging until this
morning. They lost all their clothes and
valuables and had nothing but their under
wear and blankets about them. Among the
drowned were about twenty-five negro
roustabouts. Rev. Bloch, wife and daugh-
ter passed through Carbondale this morning
on their way to Evansville, where they will
reside.
Frank White, whose home is in Kansas
City, told the following story of the dis
aster: ~ got on the boat at Landing rs to
go TO Cairo. The boat stopped at Lake
Ditch Landing and took on several sacks
of corn. We landed again at Brunkhort,
which is only a few miles below Lake
Ditch and took on corn. At both places
about LOO sacks were loaded. After the
corn at Brunhort had been placed on
board the boat started down stream, and,
just as she put off. struck a snag, tearing
a big hole in her. The crew then tried to
place the stem of the boat toward the river
and while turning her around she sank.
She is about thirty feet from shore. and
her cabin and pilot house are above water.
L jumped into skif and made to shore
do not know how many were aboard. but
I think there were about twenty-five
drowned. Among them were two engineers,
one white woman and about fifteen ne
groes. There was great confusion and it
RABBI BLOCH'S. STORY.
Rabbi Bloch had just retired for the
night in berth next to that occupied by
his wife and daughter, when the boat
struck the snag. No warning whatever of
impending danger was given. THE boat"
he said, took on at Fountain Bluff 1900
sacks of corn. Some of US thought the
boat was overloaded. When the vessel
struck the snag she broke in two length
wise, one side careening and going to the
bottom. at once, while the other foated. 1
happened to be on the floating part
Miss Bloch, Rabbi Bloch's daughter. was
rescued by Captain Fitzpatrick. She was
asleep in her berth when the accident hap
pened. The captain, by great exertion, sue
ceeded in taking her and her mother from
the wreck.
A dispatch from Grand Tower. ILL.,, says
the City Of Paducah sank in twenty
five feet of water in less than five
minutes after striking a snag while
hacking out from Brunkhorst landing. Two
passengers were drowned and twenty-five
members Of the crew, most of them ne
groes, are missing. The bodies Of the two
passengers have been recovered First Mate
Tobias Royal. of ST. Louis, says only about
twelve passengers were on board and all
were saved except two. The body of Dr.
J. w. Bell, of Balls Landing, Tenn, was
taken out of his stateroom. The remains of
a young woman, on which was found
visiting card reading Mrs Marry l.. Allen,
ST. Louis, No." was recovered from her
stateroom. Two friends travelling with the
drowned woman, who started back to st.
Louis on the steamer City of Clifton, sail
the young lady was engaged to marry DR..
c. A Meredith. of St. Louis. Several huE-
on her body. Her name was learned TO be
Miss Gardiner, of St. Louis.
The passenger list has not been recov-
cred. diver is searching for it. only
the texas and the hurricane deck are above
water, which reaches 10 the skylights OF
the cabins. All the staterooms are COM
rletely flled with water The steamboat
drifted a third of a mile below the landing
before she sank. The first mate was on the
cabin deck and escaped by climbing
through the skyiight.
1t is supposed that most of the missing
6eckhands, who were on the lower deck.
were washed down the river. The boat lies
down about one hundred feet from the ILL.,
nois shore. the forepart OF the hurricane
deck being under water. She appears to be
a total wreck. The coroner. c. Z. Knauer.
of Murphysboro. H.. is holding an inquest.
while a diver is searching for more bodies.
Thomas Johnston. of ST. Louis. watch
man of the boat. who is said to be among
the lost was eighty-five years old and
had been steamboat man for sixty years.
He lived in st. Louis.
The Wrecked Steamer.
SIT LOUIS. May l3.-The steamer City OF