Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-27
FOUR LOSE LIVES
IN BURNING j. S.
Handsome Steamer Set on Fire
by Drunken Man Impris-
oned in Brig.
is BEACHED ON AN ISLAND
Fifteen Hundred Passenger Are
Rescued Through Goodness of
Captain John Streckfus.
IS BEACHED ON AN ISLAND

Captain John Streckfus and the
members of his family who were with
hi maboard the Inflated ]. S.. arrived
In the city today from the scene of the
disaster. He was accompanied by Mrs.
Streckfus, Misses May and Anna, and
Roy and Verne Streckfus. All their
personal possessions which were on
the boat were lost.
Flames were discovered in the hold
Of the boat about amidships, where the
brig "a ships jaiD is located" Captain
Streckfus said. The matches were
battered down and the boat was run
On the beach at Bad AK island. The
passengers were advised that the boat
was on fire and that they must leave it,
but were warned not to lose their
heads, as there was no occasion for
hurry. Nevertheless many of them did
lose their heads, and small panic re-
suited as they marched off the gang
plank TO the island and safety. When
all were off, the boat was cut loose and
fioated to deep water, where orders
were given the crew TO scuttle il. If
this had been possible the fire would
have been extinguished at once and the
beat could have been raised again at a
nominal expense. The inside of the
hull was so intensely hot, however,
that none of the crew was hardy
enough to do the work of scuttIing the
boat, and it remained afoat. Finally, /
about two hours after the discovery of |
the fire, the flames appeared on the
deck, after having eaten their way
through, and then it was but a short /
time until the whole ship was one
mass of flames. It burned to the wa |
ter's edge, and the burned and black |
ened hull sank
The 81. S. was built in 1901 at an ex-
pense of 000O, and it was regarded |
as the finest excursion steamer on the |
river. Insurance on the boat amounts
to $4,000, and the remainder IS al
most a total loss. The possibility of
building another boat to replace the
j. s." has not been considered as
yet.
Streckfus Hero.
La Crosse, Wis. June 27.-CSpecialO |
The indomitable courage and the
heroism of the captain, engineer. mem
bers of the crew and passengers. on
er J. s., which took fire on Saturday
night on the upper Mississippi while
loaded to the waters edge with l 500
eXcursionists. saved the lives of all
except fouT of the panic-stricken pas
sengeTs.
The list of dead in the disaster was
kept down to that number while only
five were seriously injured Four nun
dred more most of them women and /
children, are suffering from burns
All of those saved from the steamer.
which. at the time. seemed likely to
become a great funeral pyre have Cap
tain John Streckfus, a COoLheaded
courageous old Mississippi river mas
ter and pilot, to thank for their lives.
In the face of the greatest danger, +
while the flames were fast making
Roadway, while fear-crazed men, wO-
men and children were rushing from
one end of the steamer to the other,
threatening to throw themselves over Il
board, the hardy old captain stood at
his post, commanding, directing and
encouraging his pilot in the effort to
find a landing place where the passen-
gers might reach shore in safety.
None of Crew Quits Post.
The members of the crew were I'M
der perfect discipline during all that
mad rush of passengers. Not one de,
serted his post. COOlheaded men in
the crowd, too. assisted the captain
and crew. They restrained hundreds
from hurting themselves into the
river; they shouted words of encOur-
Rgement and cheer, and, when a land
Ing finally was made. fOrgetful of
selves, they assisted the women and