Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-07-06
Owners of WhaIeback Explain Ac-
ciGent at Milwaukee.
% PASSENGERS ARE MISSING
Excursion Steamer From Chicago
Crashed Into Tank Holding $4,000
Gallons of Water-Passengers
Crushed to Death.

are Known 10 nave IOSL LuelE lives anu
more than score were hurt.
The explanation was made by III. w.
ThOrp, general manager of the Good
rich Transportation company, owners
of the boat, after he had talked with
Capt Charles E. Moody.
There was a tug at the bow and
one at the stern when the Christopher
Columbus came down the Milwaukee
river to where the Menominee runs In,
forming ~" Thorp said. "The tug
at the back swung the boat into the
Menominee SO it could go down the
stream. The current was too strong TO
turn the whaleback in, and it swung
into the bank.
"Such currents are not unusual and
there have been more this year than
ever before, not only in the Milwaukee
river, but in the Chicago river also. In
the last few months the Chicago river
has risen and fallen as much as two
feet in two hours. The cause is not
definitely known and the currents can
not be anticipated"
The death total was brought to Is
when the body of woman victim was
taken from the river. Six of the in
jured are in a critical condition and
missing.
These Known to Be Dead.
The revised death list follows:
Fred Blum, Milwaukee.
Mrs. Blanche Cooper, Cherokee,
Kan.
Bertha NJ. Comstock, Kenyon, MINI.
Thomas FL. Creel, Parkersburg, W.
Va.
Robert Downs, cOlOred Chicago.
Eva Eatman, Chicago.
Alfred B. Murray, Chicago.
Cecil Neil, Billings, Okla.
Bertha Parsons, Chicago.
A. G. Pollak, Dubuque, Ia.
Alta Roberts, Morrill,, Kan.
Frank Saukup, Chicago.
William Steenberg, Milwaukee.
Adelia Swanson, Kenyon, MINI.
Unknown man.
While searchers were dragging the
river for additional victims, officers of
the Goodrich line lunched in the club
room of the ship and planned an in
vestigation of the tragedy.
u. S. May Make Arrests Soon.
Federal agents opened an inquiry,
and it was limited that arrests will be
made.
Capt. Charles Moody, who was on
the bridge at the time of the accident,
cnonf oil nj yh naniDU tho of tho
boat. His face was white and hag-
gard when he appeared at the office of
the steamboat inspectors in the federal
building to face the star chamber grill
ing by Inspectors Collins and Van Pat
ten.
Before going into the room he told
his story to reporter.
Il saw it coming long way off" he
began. II knew something terrible
would happen when we hit the en-
bankment. AS soon as / saw trouble /
ran down from the bridge and grabbed
the wheel from James Brody and start
ed to back with all my might. l didn't
stop the engines. The engines did
that when the crash came.
when we hit l still tried to back
up, but the next thing / knew the pilot
house was lying all around me and
Brody was nowhere to be seen. must
have been stunned.
Many of the survivors told of seeing
the catastrophe coming, but were
rooted to the spot through fear.
How Accident Occurred.
Fifteen excursiOnistS were killed
late Saturday when $4,000 gallon
tank toppled from steel tower 100
feet high and crashed onto crowded
decks of the whaleback Christopher
Columbus, on which were teachers and
pupils of the Northwestern university,
University of Chicago and other sum-
mer schools.
More than 400 passengers, the ma
jority of whom, it is believed, were
members of the school outing party,
were aboard.
All were intent on speculation on
where the mass Of falling steel would
strike, and, fascinated by the impend-
ing disaster, they stood frozen with
terror In an instant the vessel was
scene of tragedy, the survivors looking
dumbly on.
Thousands of gallons Of water,
loosed by the bursting tank, flooded
every deck. Staterooms were awash,
saloons running with water, and de-
bris and confusion reigned.
Many passengers, seeing the rush of
water, with visions of repetition of
the Eastland disaster, leaped into the
river. One young woman's body was
found almost nude, her clothing torn
from her in the crash.
Rescuing parties were met by har-
rowing sights. One woman was taken
out of the wreckage almost dead. One
of her legs had been torn of. Later
the leg was found floating.