Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-05-12
Mrs. Joseph Harris, Nashville,

Mrs. Joseph Harris, Nashville,
Tenn.
Mrs. Archie Paterson, and her
son, Archie, two years old.
William j. Pickett, travelling
salesman, St. Louis.
Fowler Post, boat clerk for the
Saltillo.
Miss Lena Wall, Nashville, Tenn
The head porter, cabin boy and
two roustabouts of the Saltillo.
Mrs. Reah is the wife, and Miss
Annie Reah, the daughter of Isaac
Reah, president of the Tennessee
River Packet Co., owners of the
Saltillo.
The City of Saltillo left St. Louis
at Z O'Clock last night bound for
river ports on the Tennessee shore
of the Mississippi. She carried q
passengers and a crew of 23 persons.
The packet was commanded by
Captain Perry Crane.
The river is very high, and great
quantities of drift wood swept down
stream by the swift current made
the trip a hazardous one.
Every precaution was taken, it is
declared, to avoid danger, but in the
darkness shortly before 10 O'Clock
last night, the steamer struck a
rock off the shore near Glen Park.
When the packet struck the rock
the crew realizing that the steamer
was in great danger, attempted to
run out the gang plank. They be-
lieved it would be possible to reach
shore or at least get the passengers
to shallow water out of the current,
where they could wade to land.
Panic stricken passengers rushed
on the gang plank before it could
be run out it's full length and many
of those who went down were in
this number Some of the passen-
gers were sleeping when the acci-
dent occurred and it is believed they
uleu III JuelI SJdJeIOOulS.
Others jumped overheard and
most of these were rescued.
In the darkness, the accident
created a panic and the officers and
crew of the packet were unable to
control the passengers. Efforts to
lower boats to save those struggling
in the water proved futile.
The steamer filled rapidly and the
rescuers had no time to save the
passengers.
The current was swift and those
who could not swim and who cast
themselves into the water were car
ried down stream.
Daring attempts at rescue were
attempted by members of the crew
and some of the passengers.
William r. Banhart, of st. Louis,
proved one OF the heroes of the
night. He was accompanied on the
trip by his mother, his two little sis
ters and their nurse. When the
the crash came he jumped into the
water and swan to shore with his
mother, returned and saved his two
sisters, then made a third trip and
saved the nurse. He repeatedly re-
entered the water in attempts TO
save others who were struggling In
the current, but his efforts were
fruitless and, at last, exhausted from
his exertions and from the chill Of
the water, he was forced to give uD
his attempt.
Mrs. Archie Patterson thought on
ly of her little son. when the acct
dent occurred. Snatching him from
his bed she ran on deck and with
her little son clasped in her arms,
jumped overheard and struggled to-
wards shore She was borne down
by the current and sank, her baby
still clasped to her breast.
The members of the crew who
were drowned were carried out on
the plank with the passengers. They
vainly attempted to hold the passen-
gers back. it Is said by survivors Of
the accident.
The Saltillo began settling In the
water soon after she struck the rock
and finally sank. Some OF the pas
sengers who we're drowned clung
desperately to the vessel, believing
that she would float, or II she sank
the water was shallow enough 10
keep her upper decks above the cur
rent
The water was "a feet deep
where the boat went down and she
was completely submerged.
At daylight the passenger list was
checked over and It was found that
1s persons were unaeeounted for.
The survivors were brought TO St.
oufe todav fn a gUeefal train