Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-14
STEAMER HELEN
BLAIR IS SUNK
Hole Torn in Hull by Obstruc-
ton in River-Near Su-
burban Island.
ALL SAVED; DAMAGE SLIGHT
Boat Settles in Six Feet of Water and
Passengers Await Coming of
Rescuing Craft.

The steamer Helen Blair, belonging
10 the Carnival City Packet company,
! lies on the beach about half a mile
below Suburban island, where it was
run aground yesterday afternoon fol-
lowing the hitting of a snag in mid
stream which caused a serious leak
in the boat and no little danger to the
crew and the half hundred passengers
on board.
The boat does regular packet bust
ross between this city and Burlington
Yesterday it left the dock here at 30
and half an hour later it reached the
scene of the disaster. What was
struck will probably never be known,
but at any rate as the boat was steam
ing along at the rate of Is miles an
hour everybody on board felt a sud-
den jar and then a scraping sound as
though a boulder or a floating obstruc-
ton of some kind had been hit. At
the time the boat was in midstream
ard q short distance below the mouth
OF Rock river. The channel at this
point is ordinarily considered perfect
" safe even with the stage of water
as low as it is now.
Find BOat Leaking.
The first mate of the boat, Henry
Hutchinson, feared that the heavy
shock might have caused a leak in
rEe hull and he went below at once.
He discovered that the hull was al
ready filling with water, though he
was unable to get 10 the leak or even
learn where it was. lie notified Cap
tain Fred Howe and the latter ordered
the pilot to beach the steamer, which
was done as soon as possible. In the
meantime the captain ordered all the
passengers to gather on the upper
deck and to get the life boats ready.
The boat took water rapidly, but not
TOO fast TO permit of a landing, and it
was finally grounded on the Iowa
shore about half a mile below Subur-
ban island and an equal distance above
sill 200 feet from shore, however,
and arrangements were made for TAX
ing the passengers off should the boat
keel over It finally sank to the top
Of the lower deck and there it remain
ed The inside of the boat lies in
three feet of water and the outside in
about six.
Passengers RcmaiA on Board.
The officers and crew of the boat
we're loud in their praise of the actions
of the passengers, many of whom
we're women. None of them became
very badly frightened and all obeyed
the orders of the captain willingly
and promptly. When told that the
toat was on the bottom and that there
was no danger they decided to stay
aboard and await relief rather than
land and try to reach their destination
by rail. At supper time all of the pas
sengers were fed in the dining room
OF the boat and everybody made the
best of their plight.
The steamer Acorn had in the mean
time brought two empty sand barges
TO the sunken steamer and the freight
was transferred to these as rapidly
as possible, and because of the prompt
ness with which the boat was beached
practically nothing was injured, and
the damage done to freight will not
amount to over $25. About Z O'Clock
the steamer Wenona, belonging to the
Carnival City company, arrived at the
scene on its way back to Rock Island
from Muscatine, where it had taken
an excursion. Captain w. A Blair,
head of the company. was on board
and he at once took charge of things.
The WenOna hurried back to port and
discharged the eXcursionists and after
ticking on a supply of coal went back
to the sunken boat and took it's pas.
sengers and freight which had been
loaded on the barges. About II o'clock
it started out for Muscatine and ar
rived there between and 4. This
morning it proceeded on to Burlington
on regular time. At Burlington the
Wenona will replace the Black Hawk
in the trade between that city and
Keokuk and the Black Hawk will take
charge of the heavier trade between
Burlington and Rock Island The
schedule will not be changed.
VIII Raise SunI<en Craft.
a diver from Cincinnati is already
on the way here under orders from
Captain Blair and he will locate the
hole in the hull of the Helen Blair and
the work of raising the steamer will
be pushed as rapidly as possible. As
soon as it is temporarily repaired and
raised it will be taken on the ways at
the Kahlke boat yard and made ready
fol duty again.
Inquest on Mcdonald Death.
An open verdict was returned by
coroner's jury last evening over
the body of John Mcdonald 0402