Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-23
rRAogplEs or PAST
REcALl9o ~ pgRu9Al
or COUNTY RECORDS.

Muscatine, Jan 23.-Echoes Of trag-
eeiss past and gone which at one time
thrilled old Bloomington, later Musca-
tine, to the heart but which are now
forgotten are Steamed from the perusal
Of the old county records. quantity
written and worded by the men who
made Iowa.
For instance on July 20. 1889. the
following note II cleaned from the
proceedings Of the board Of supervis-
ors on dle in tho office Of the county
auditor:
"Dr. William II. Baydlesslee and DR..
Joseph Flint are allowed the sum Of
nolds under the direction Of Judge
INFLICTED by Jonas M. Higley."
It does net state whether or not the
Judge was the victim Of the assault
or whether Reynolds was the aggrieved
one. This 10 the frst record Of trag-
edy in ,Muscatine.
A Awful Disaster.
The Same summer saw the most ter
rible disaster in the annal Of the upper
river stea mboating. The great steamer
War Eagle loaded with emigrants
was blown to pieces by the explosion Of
its boilers while directly-in front of
Muscatine and sixty-hve people were
killed, drowned or burned to death.
u. Pettagrew 10 hereby allowed the
sum Of $50 for thirty-five collins
made for the victims Of the War
Eagle" reads the laconic statement in
the board Of supervisor proceedings.
No further record IL available to this
terrible disaster which took place di-
rectly in front Of the city Just after
the steamer had left here for Daven-
port.
Little Muscatine sat perched in the
folds Of the thousand hills. The arrival
Of a steamboat was an event then.
Loved ones came on every ooat-new
families haxarding their all on the new
land dropped of here and lived in Mus-
catine-if the residents could persuade
them that this was the town they were
looking for.
The great steamer surged across the
white caps towards the middle Of the
river when their came burst Of leap
ing 1ame-a wall and then q shower of
debris. The boat sank at the head
and burDed with terrific herceness at
the prov which old timers tell remained
above water and which was shortly
crowded with refugees. One by one
they dropped into the water and sank
from sight. Boats put of from shore
and the horror stricken residents Of
the little town Of Muscatine saved
scores Of people from an awful death.
Sixty-f1ve bodies are reported to have
been recovered.
Buried on Third Ward Hill.
The bodies were all those of stran-
gers. Many entire families were wiped
out and their names were never known.
All were taken to the little cemetery
which was located then where the
Third ward school now stands, Orange
and Seventh streets, and all were
buried there.
Years later the location was selected
as the building site for q school. The
graves had been neglected and to many
had been forgotten. Scores Of skele-
tons were unearthed by the men who
did the grading. Valuable ornaments
Of gold and silver were found The
unearthing Of the bodies some thirty
years later proved a great sensation.
Today the victims Of this catastrophe
lie In unknown and unmarked graves
in the city cemetery.
How many families back east ORE
serve the tradition Of relatives leaving
for the wild west who were never heard
Of again?
Who were they-from where did they
come? 1t has never been answered
ana never will be. They are the un-
known soldiers who fell In the battle
or early civilization Of Iowa.