The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-05-19
STEAMER SINKS: IS LOST
CITY OF SALTILLO GOES DOWN
NEAR ST. LOUIS.
Strikes Rock and ifty'
one Passengers and Crew
Are Rescued.

st. Louis, May 13.-Thirteen per.
sons were drowned when the steamer
City of Saltilla sank in the Mississippi
river near Glen park. twenty-four
miles south of st. Louis. The Saltillo
was bound from St. Louis to Tennes-
see river points and struck a rock
and foundered within reach of the
shore at Glen Park. The steamer
turned turtle after striking the rock,
and was pointing up stream where she
finally %foundered. Many of the pas
sengers were pleasure seekers from
Nashville, Tenn.
The dead:
Mrs. Isaac T. Rhea, Nashville. Ten
nessee, wife of the president of the
Tennessee River Packet Company.
owners of the Inflated vessel.
Mrs. Anna Rhea, daughter of Mrs.
Rhea, Nashville, Tenn.
S. c. Baker, first clerk of the steam.
er, st. Louis.
Mrs. Joseph Harris, Nashville, Ten
nessee.
Mrs. Archie Patterson, Nashville.
Tenn.
Archie Patterson, Jr., 5 years old,
son of Mrs. Patterson.
William Picket, travelling salesman,
st. Louis.
Fuller Post, clerk on boat st. Louis.
Miss Lena Wall. Nashville, Tenn.
Head porter, name not known.
A cabin boy.
Two roustabouts.
The steamer City Of Saltillo was In
charge of Captain Perry Crane. On
board were twenty-seven passengers
and a crew of ~thirty-seven men. The
voyage was considered precarious be-
of the high water and the great
amount of driftwood floating in the
river.
Shortly before reaching Spring Park
the boa began to show a strong shore
ward tendency. The draw was fought
frantically by the pilot, but she con-
tinued to drift and finally the engines
were reversed in an effort to over
come the pull. The Saltillo continued
to swing in toward shore in spite of
the reversed engines and the rudder
having been thrown hard over.
AS the boat swung toward the shore
with increasing force she turned com
pletely around. Then came the noise
OF tearing timbers, the shrieks Of the
crew and passengers as the vessel
struck a rock almost within reach of
land. She careened quickly and sank
in twenty feet of water.
Many of the passengers were In
their berths and awakened to find
water rushing in the doors. The boat
san with amazing rapidity and today
only the upper deck was above water.
Captain Crane Immediately realized
there was ne hope of saving the boat.
So close were they to the shore that
an attempt was made to throw out a
gang plank. Many jumped and many
were rescued by the crew or pas.
sengers.
AS the men struggled with the gang
plank it became e%ntangled in the trees
and in spite of the efforts Of the men
on III boat to restrain some of the
panic-stricken passengers, they rushed
out on the plank which was elevated
at an angle of so degrees.
All this time the boat had been
steadily sinking. Suddenly it careened
and seemed to almost turn turtle.
The women were on the gang plank
then. 1t gave a twist and all were
thrown into the water and drawn
down into the swirling current. OF
the women on the plank Miss Louise
Rhea and Miss Francis Harris we're
the only ones to get ashore alive.
After the boat settled down many
of us were escued by members of the
crew and some caught pieces of wrec.
kage and driftwood to support them.