The Washington times., 1910-05-12
THIRTEEN DROWNED
AS STEAMER SINKS
IN THE MISSISSIPPI
Swept Ashore BY Swift Cur
rent, Vessel Capsizes
Near St. Louis.
VICTIMS MEMBERS
OF PLEASURE PARTY
Hurled From Berths Into River In
Darkness, Few Are
Rescued.

ST LOUIS, May I2-Accompanying
the bodies Of the victims who lost their
lives in the worst river disaster Of sew
eral years. survivors Of the ul-fated
steamer City Of zsaltiIIO, arrived here
on a special train today.
The vessel tur1ied turtle and sank tn
the Mississippi twenty-four miles south
Of here last night of Glen Park, No,
with a loss Of thirteen lives. Nine
bodies have been recovered
Women vi-O csc ed the disaster were
hystorical when they reached here. Most
Of them were members Of a party Of
pleasure seekers from Nashville, Tenn
They were guests OF Mrs. Isaac T
Rhea. wife Of The president Of the Ten
n5ssee Packet Company, owners Of the
vessel Mrs. Rhea was drowned, as was
also her daughter
That more Of the twenty-seven pas
SenEers did lot drown was due 10 the
heroic efforts Of officers OF the boat
and members Of the crew.
List Of Dead.
Those known 20 be deal are:
MRS ISAAC T RHEA, Nashville
MISS ANN RHEA. Nashville.
5 c BAKER, first clerk OF the steam
CT. St Louis.
MRS JOSEPH HARRIS. wife OF Dr..
Harris, Of Nashville, Tenn
MRS ARCHIE PATTERSON, Nash
VILE Tenn, returning from visit with
parents at Chester, III
ARCHIE PATTERSON, IT., FIVE years
old, son Of Mrs Patterson. who went
10 her death with the child IN her arms
WILLIAM J. PICKETT, travelling
salesman. St Louis
FOWLER. postal clerk St. Louis
MRS LENA WALL. Nashville, Tenn.
member or the Ehea party
-Four others are known 10 have gone
down with the boat. but their bodies
have not yet been recovered
Passengers Scramble From Bed.
The body Of Mrs. Rhea was the first
recovered She was breathing when
brought ashore, but died Immediately
The City of SaltIIIo. a big $4,000 stern
wheeler, was one Of the feet on which
President Taft and his Congressman
went down the Mississippi IN the COM
pany Of the Deep Waterways Conven-
ton delegates
., The accident accident occurred at the worst
time possible while the passengers
we-e retiring or were already abed.
In the wild scramble Of the passen-
gers and the crew-more than fifty per
sons all toiG--theTe was no time 70 ac-
count for all It was each one for him
self
So close vas the boat TO the shore
that after the first moment of excite
ment q board was thrown from the shin
10 the bank. and across, that men. wo-
men and children crept 70 safety
50 great was the confusion that even
those traTersing the plank were unable
20 tell in the darkness whether th5Se
0eIore them were safe or had slfn0e1
70 death IN the river
Capt Harry Crane and the Officers
or the Saltlllo- e-COrding &c the stories
tod TO-DAY by survivors reaching here,
olspiayed heroic eoolness, doing ell that
was possible 70 Qutl the panic
All Night Search for Bodies.
The noise Of the accident-the crash
OF the hull on the rocks. the whistle.
and he shrieks Of the passengers-
brought out the entire population Of
Glen Park
Within a short time a feet Of small
craft had taken up the search for vic
tins and the river was dotted with the
lights The search continued through
out the night and today.
A special train was rushed from St
Louis and in the meantime emergency
hospitals were organized at Glen Park.
where the passengers and the crew were
attended until the special arrived 20
bring them 70 St Louis
Though the wreck created intense ex-
Citeuent IN the little town, the citizens
of Glen Park turned over their homes
to the victims, supplying sustenanCe and
clothing Physicians were taken TO the
Glen Park doctors. who had their hands
fun attending tn injured and revivtng
the half drowned
Some OF the passengers on their ar
rival here were able TO continue i'm
mediateIy to their destinations.
Vessel Helpless IN Current.
one Of the survives told this story
OF the trip and acc .ents
I'VE left St. LOIS about O. n
Nothing eventfuI o CURED until we were
almost opposite Glen Park Then the
vessel was seized by some terrific cur
rent and steadily drawn shoreward-
From the first moment the trend was
noticed. the pilot fought It. At first
he depended on his wheel; but turn IT as
he might. he could not wrest the
steamer from that terrible grip
Then he reversed the engines The
few passengers who were up were
aroused by the changing Of the engine
room bell. and we went on deck. We
could make out nothing In the dark.
Then, with engines reversed and ruG- I
der thrown hare over, the steam was
carried along spViltly- swinging sharply
shorew2rd- For a moment it seemed /
that she vas caught in a mill race, and 1
then came terrific shock. We could
hear the tirnberS being torn out OF her
She wheeled and rolled over as the 4
passengers came tumbling out OF their +
cabins holding fast 10 prevent being
sent sliding down the decks into the 4
river Lights went out In The da-lS- 4
ness We could only distinguish the shore 4
vaguely
Scores OF men and women were i
pitched into the water. and for a time T.
those on shore could do little to heip /.
them The crew worked vaIiantIv. I viii .
say. and did much, but the lack of
lights greatly hampered them As the
heads Of those overheard appeared. men !
leaped into the river and buoyed them 4
up. or ClnElng to the boat with .,ne
hand, pulled them in Many must nave
been swept away in the swift currun-
Then some one got a plank running
to shore and the rush to land BEGAN, /
men, women. and children crossing he'll
ter-SkelteT- They had little tine 70 i
spare, the Saltillo was under the river /
before the last had Quit her bv tbe 4