Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-06
$50 DrOlUned When
Steamer Sinks in Fog
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TO be extricated from the mass Of wreck
age near the stern
An unidentified woman, about twenty
five years old came next. and the body
of an unidentified grl-ahout twenty
years old-was then recovered
Fifty-one bodies had been removed
from the wreck up to noon today. All
known victims were residents of Pegin
and nearby towns. All the bodies were
being taken from the main deck and
dance floor of the boat and were being
removed as fast as small boats could
carry them to shore. Among them were
many women and young girls.
Saw His Wife Drowned
August Mehl. brother of Captain II.
F. Mehl and purser of the boat who
lost his wife. made the following state
ment regarding the disaster:
The whole thing was over In an in
stant | was in the cafe of the boat
when the shock came ! knew that we
had struck a subn erged log and I heard
my brother. the CAPTAIN cry out EVERY
body upstairs The crowd rushed for
the upper decks. I rushed to the engine
room to notify the engineers On nv
of me up the companionway. I followed.
and just as | got to the second deck. the
! boat listed to the lee side. and sank
quickly. | saw my wife thrown over
board into the water. I grabbed at her
skirt but it slipped from my fingers Then
the boat was plunged in total darkness
] ran for a life preserver and got to the
upper deck in time to help the women
and children escape in the lifeboats.
AT that time the water was UP to the
staterooms Immediately below the pilot
house on one side and up to the base of
the pilot house on the listed side"
Dell Sivley. the pilot off watch at
the time of the accident, was asleep in
the lunch counter rushed to her hus-
bands room and awakened him. They
reached the deck. grabbed life preservers
jumped overheard and were saved.
Mrs. Herman Mehl, wife of the cap
tain, was bleeding from wound on the
side of the head when she told her story
of the accident.
Il was on the dance floor deck at the
time" she said. 1T was all over before
on the first two decks, who constituted
by far the larger portion of the crowd
could have escaped.
ITappeu ON Lower Decks
Il was chatting with friends We felt
the boat rise out of the river 1t was
clouded with fog. There was a crash
For a moment no one moved. and then
almost everybody rushed to one side of
the boat. The crew and the officers, as
soon as they realized what was happen
ing. cried for the passengers to even the
lead. but it was too late. The Columbia
tilted and then suddenly overturned.
was thrown into the water.
When ! came to the surface peopIe
were swimming about. too dazed to
know what direction to follow. The mist
hung low above the overturned boat
| from which came horrfying cries for
aid.
Those on the lower decks seemed to
have been tapped.
Il swan about. and then man came
to my aid. A portion of the boat re-
mained above the water There ether
men were behaving like heroes.
/ Some We're holding women in their
arms and others were attempting to keep
you could say skat. When the boat listed
something must have struck me on the
head came to in the water and
grabbed a handrail on the boat. I just
had sense enough to pull myself in and
get a life preserver Holding on with one
hand to the boat and the other to the
preserver, kept afoat until some men
pulled me in"
Miss Pauline Dineuel, OF Pekin. who
| told the following story of the disaster:
The steamship had three decks. I
was on the upper one. On that below
| dancing was going on. The bottom deck
was occupied principal by men who were
talking and smoking.
81 do not believe many of the persons
their heads above the river by cIinging
to their clothing. The accident occurred
about opposite Wesley City. The steam
boat had rammed an obstruction near
the east bank 1t was not long before
the sound of the screams for help at
tracted attention on shore. Rowboats
began to approach.
"The rescuers began to pick up the
survivors. After a moment the boat
neared me. A man who was supporting
me called to the rowers to take me in.
We rowed a distance-it seemed about
four blocks-before we finally reached
shore"
The steamboat was in the regular ex-
cursion trade along the river. 1t was
about $50 feet long and was considered
stanch. The boat reached the park
about 10 o'clock. The excursionists $
which there was band music and
dancing. The crowd was homeward-
bound when the crash came.