Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-06-30
STEAMER BURNS
TO WATERS EDGE
FOUR DEAD AND MANY IN
JuRED-LOSS
$4,000.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED EXCURSION
lists STRANDED ON AN
ISLAND.

La Crosse, Wis, June 26.-The
steamer ]. S. burned near Victory
] with 1y50e passengers on board, 1000
being from Lansing, Iowa. The boat
is beached on an island and raft
boat has gone to its assistance.
The Dead.
The dead are:
Mrs. Emma Randall, New Albin,
Iowa; drowned.
John Plane, Waukon, Iowa; burned
Norman Fox, Victory, Wisconsin.
Unknown man.
Dozens sustained injury, some of
them serious.
Hundreds jumped into the river
when the steamer ]. S. approached
tine island, many from the top deck,
and sustained injuries, some of them
Of serious nature.
Mrs. Emma Randall, New Albin,
iowa, jumped as soon as the alarm
was sounded and was drowned. Three
men who persisted were locked up in
the hold forward, having become dis
orderly. It is believed they were
burned to death Joe Coyle of Lam
sing slid down a burning stanchion
and both hands were badly burned.
Mrs. John Joseph of De Soto and Mrs.
DIR. Meyer of Lansing sustained brok-
en- legs.
The boat is valued at $4,000 and is
a total loss.
With 1900 excursionists on board,
the Acme packet cOmpanys' big
steamer J. S. caught fire in the Mis-
sissippi river between Genoa and Vic
tory Saturday night and although the
steamer was burned to the waters
edge, the prompt action of Captain
Streckfus in bleaching the boat when
the first alarm was sounded saved
every person on board. The steamer
Brought 1000 people from Lansing,
Iowa, and 500 from intermediate
points to La Crosse Saturday, leaving
here on the return trip at O'Clock
Saturday night. The boat caught tire
when two miles above Victory, Wis
consin, just opposite the Bad Axe
bend, the blaze breaking out in the
lower works close to the boiler room.
Putting on full speed, Captain Streck-
fus headed the boat direct for Bad
Axe island in mid river, which fortu-
nate1y was but a short distance away.
Before the general alarm was sound
cd the vessel had grounded on the
sand and it was but a few minutes
work to get the people Off the boat.
The crew worked valiantly to control
the eXcursionists and although there
was q great rush to get off the boat
sufficient check was held on the crowd
so that only one woman was IN
jured. A few minutes after the steam
er had been cleared OF it's passengers
and crew it was mass of flames and
rapidly burned to the waters edge.
The excursionists are stranded On an
island 500 feet long and 300 feet
wide, with a few launches and row.
boats from Victory and nearby ham,
lets making slow Roadway in getting
the people to the mainland.
Number Were Burned.
1t develops that a number were Sc
verely burned and were taken from
Victory to De Soto by train. Delay
in finding a landing place drove the
passengers frantic. The boat was
headed for the Iowa short when the
fire was discovered forward. The
water was so shallow that the boat
could not get near shore. Then the
Wisconsin shore was tried with the
same result. The fire grew in volume
and intensity and women became des-
perate.
Women and Children Drown?
The passengers rescued from the
steamer ]. S. declare they saw sew
eral women throw children in the
Mi sissippi before the boat could be
beached and jump in after them
Being in mid-stream at the time it is
believed they were drowned. The
number is not known.
One woman Mrs. tombstone Meir
of Lansing, was trampled upon, sus-
tanning fatal injuries. Several others
were less severely injured.
Officers of the boat deny that any
one jumped overheard.
The boat might have been lost if
it had not been for the arrival of the
La Crosse Star, vessel of another
line, when the danger was at its
worst. The other boat towed the J.
S. ashore, and its crew helped the
people to escape. Mrs. Meir was in
jured in rush of passengers to the
upper decks when the fire first start
ed. The blaze is blamed to cigaret.
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