The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-08
| STRECKFUS TALKS
OF The ACCIDENT
7 Does Not Expect any Criminal Action
on Account of the Recent
Burning Of the Steam
err J. S.
IN EXCELLENT SHAPE
Boat Was inspected TWO Days Before
the Fire and Found to DO
in Fine condi-
ton.

sThis talk of criminal action
against the Acme Packet company in
cedental to the burning of the steam
Ter ]. s. is all idle and nonsensical,"
captain John Streckfus, who was in
! command of the destroyed steamer,
said, in discussing the variety of
newspaper reports that have been cir
culated since the'disaster two weeks
ago. Two days previous to the fire the
y. S. was thoroughly examined by
Messrs. Cary and Knapp, the govern
ment. inspectors. for this district, and
their report will show that the boat
could not have been in better shape
with reference to safety. For in
stance, there was double the fire pro-
lection required under the govern
ment regulations. Were the situation
died the fire without having occasion
ed the least excitement on board.
But 1t was one of those fires that 1t
was impossible to work successfully
against, having taken root in the hold
of the boat and gotten in its work
UOlolC ally ouO Oh pOAid iColiLOo thehS
any such danger was impending.
II have been criticised for placing
man in the hold of the steamer
when he became disorderly and an
noying to the other passengers be-
cause he was one OF the two victims
OF the fire. In the first place, the
fact should not be lost sight of that
there were 400 souls in my care
men, women and children. In the ex-
cursion business on the river, as on
rail, all classes and conditions of peo-
pie are handled. I tried to establish
reputation for my boats that would
give a feeling of security and COM
fort to those who patronized them,
the women and the young folks par
ticularly. The moment any passen-
ger becomes disorderly he is warned
that he must denean himself as the
others are doing, and when he seeks
to defy the rules Of the boat, he is
I put under restraint until we have
reached the point from which the ex-
cursion started. This man who died
In the hold of the boat caused us no
little amount of trouble. | did not
know him. He had been repeatedly
warned, and when / saw that he was
trying to prove to the passengers that
had nothing to say as to how I
should conduct my business, | simply
ordered him put where he would be
no more trouble to the remainder
of my people. ] am firmly convinced
that he set the boat on fire, whether
Intentionally or accidently, OF
course / can't state positively. Ger
tainly am not responsible for the
death of the woman who jumped over
board She simply committed suicide.
Eeven her own husband could not re-
strain her. Every one of the other
passengers could have followed her
II they wanted to, and / could not
have prevented them doing SO.
"As soon as the fire was reported
to me, investigated, and seeing that
1t would have been futile to have at
tempted to fight 1t while the boat
was filled with human freight inn
mediately gave orders to close down
The hatchways, and headed the j. S.
into Bad Ak Island. All of the people
were on land before half of them
knew why they were being put off the
boat. In the interim ! had distress
5ignaled to rafter and its bowboat,
and they responded and were ready
TO render what assistance they could.
Three steamers were at once put into
commission taking my passengers to
Lansing. Three hours after the fire
broke out on the ]. S. all of the pas