Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-03
GOVERNMENT pREooE TRYING
TO SAVE RELIC OF RIVER
CRAFT DESTROYED IN 1856.
HULL OF EFFIE ALTON
SUBMERGED NEAR DAVENPORT
Description Of Disaster That Occurred
on Mississippi Over Half Century
AGO Boat Containing IT'S Passen-
GERS Wrecked and Burned, Hull
Sunk and Lost Since That Time.

Keokuk. Nov. 3.-The government
dredge Apache is endeavoring to raise
the hull of the steamer Effie Alton
that was wrecked between Davenport
and Rock Island over half century
ago. The existing low stage of the wa
ter makes the task less difficult than it
ordinarily would be. The Alton took
fire on the Rock Island rapids and Set
fire to the first span of the bridge east
of the draw. Among the rivermen the
tradition has been handed down that
after the Alton got loose from the
burning bridge it drifted down the river
to a point just above the head Of Nc
Manus island, and there sunk in deep
water. There has always been par
ceptible break on the surface Of the
river there that has been pointed out
as made by the submerged hull of the
Effie Alton The water has never been
SO low, however, that the hull came in
sight, and no one has searched the
rivers bottom there to find out. This
week the government dredge was To-
Gated at that point to take advantage
of the low stage of water and clear
out the obstruction, whatever it proved
to be.
Rivermen noted the move with in
terest, and those at a distance will be
still more interested to know that the
Apache found the solid hull of a dis
mantled boat, with the upper works
all charred and burned off, showing
that beyond any doubt it is the wreck
Of the Effie Alton that lies at that
point. The hull proves sound and tight
y
above the water line everything was
burned away before it sank.
History Of the Wreck.
A local paper of the date Of May Z,
1856. published the following account
Of the disaster:
zone OF the most frightful disas-
ters we ever witnessed was at the
Mississippi railroad bridge. The steam
boat Effie Alton, Capt. J. S. Hurd,
bound for st. Paul, left this city at
5 o'clock in the morning, entered the
draw thru the bridge. and had gone
fully 200 feet above the entrance when
the wind and current striking her head.
she began to swing around towards the
island. 1t was impossible to turn IT
on account of the rapidity Of the cur
rent, and it swung around against the
timbers of the bridge, tearing all of
her forward works to atoms, shipping
her chimneys and smashing everything
about the cabin as far back as the
passage thru the boat 1t lodged
against the pier and when it was
found the boat was still, every per-
SON. above and below went to work
to save themselves and baggage.
which was done. and not one person
was lost or the least injured. The
number OF passengers was rs. The
boat took fire twice, which was extin-
suished both times, but finally took
fire again and was Immediately wrap
ped in sheet Of flames. The boat, Ay-
ing snug TO the pier and under the
span east of the draw, the tilnpeIs
We're soon burned so the entire span
fell with tremendous crash upon the
boat, and the burning wreck floated
down the stream. grounding upon a
bar near Credit island, where it burned
to the waters edge.
Passengers All Rescued.
"Soon after the fire broke out the
steamboat ]. B. Carson ran up to the
wreck, made fast to the stern of the
Effie Alton and saved a large num-
Der of the passengers and their bag
gage, the balance having clambered
" S1lS VI lu6S anu SO1AC <AoAoAS ~ S1AS
island. The boats cargo consisted
mostly Of groceries, machinery and
livestock, and is supposed to have
been worth $4,000 to $4,000. partly
insured. The boat cost $4,000 and was
insured for $4,000. The scene was one
of intense excitement. The shores in
both Rock Island and Davenport were
densely thronged with spectators, and
many hundreds more had gone over to
the island. When the span of the
bridge fell. the steamboats, lying at
both cities and those on the river
sounded their loudest whistle. AS the
vast floating connascatio;i passed down
the river. the cattle and horses on the
boat were believing and plunsing to
avoid the spreading flames. Some of
them succeeded in breaking loose and
swan to the shore"