Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-17
ROCK ISLANDER
TELLS TRAGEDY
OF RIVER BOAT
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Cook of This
City, Survivors Of Sinking
OF Columbia
WERE IN THE DANCE HALL
Gives Details OF Incidents on Fatal
Night-Uscd Rare Presence
OF Mind.

rvrst hand incarnation regarding
.ha sinking Of lie excursion steam
- columbia 3D. The Illinois river be-
.-oa- Peoria and Pckin the night
~ TnIv >. has been obtained from
WsIter Coos. Rock Island man, who
wes on the fated steamer when she
went down.
vr Cook. who has been living at
.,s Rosenfleld fats on Third ave
me between sixteenth and Seven
,santb streets since last September,
rss formerly a resident Of Pekin,
and while visiting there with his
wife over july + attended the moon
rqbt excursion which ended 50 dis
sstrously.
referring 10 the tragedy, Mr.
root TODAY said My wife and l.,
,ogether with our friends, Mr.. and
MS Walter FIuegeI Of Pekip- de
rised that We would join the eN-
rnrsjonists on the trip to Peoria
and hack, and boarded the boat
which left Pekin al 5 in the even
ing We arrived at Peoria at 10,
and after a half hour spent in Al
Freseo park. boarded the boat which
started on tie return trip at 1870.
Al j. when the return trip was
shout half completed, the tragedy
took place nearly opposite Wesley
City ILL.,
Mr.. Cook al this point IN his mar
rative lowered his voice and then
continued My friend, Walter Flue-
gel and I were on the first deck
when We first became aware that
all was not going right with the
boat. The vessel had run nearly
ashore and the first excitement
came when branches Of trees scrap
ing along the side OF the boat,
dragged people from their chairs to
the deck. and women screamed and
some tainted. \ grating noise com
ing from the bottom OF the boat
soon followed. | was at once posi-
tive that we were all in serious
danger and told my friend that We
should hurry to the next deck and
ioin our wives, who were on the
dance floor. We ran up the fight
Of steps and had just joined our
wives when the boat began TO list
to the west You see, the boat was
going south. and as we were on the
east side when she listed TO the
vest We were brought up on the
high side as she quickly sank.
Used Window.
Immediately on finding that we
we're sinking. I raised a window in
the dance hall near US and began,
With the aid OF my friend, to aid
? wives to pass through the small
an-ng. After eXtriCating our
les from the interior Of the boat
my friend and I followed and we
were put to severe strain for an
hour in supporting them and our
selves by standing on the chanting
side of the boat while Clinging to a
steel brace for support. We were
the only persons to get out of the
dance hall of the doomed steamer
before the water had rushed in. A
few others later began climbing out
Of the windows near US. The last
! saw OF the others in the dance
hall, who had so shortly before
been enjoying themselves, was
when was climbing through the
window. Men, women and children
were swiftly sliding down the slant
ing floor into q heap on the other
side OF the hall as the steamer set
tied on the river bottom and the
the frankie Folsom, river steamer,
eF forget that sight, it has been
with ne like a nightmare ever since
the fatal tragedy. I was powerless
10 aid them Ny friend and I were
strained to the limit Of our endur-
ance in supporting our wives, who
we're in. state Of total collapse.
We were rescued from the sunken
steamer about midnight and were
iaken to shore in a TOwboat.
Arrived in Pekin.
4 special train was on the scene
aad hundreds of automobiles carry
ing persons who had come to give
aid. At 2 80 We arrived in Pekin
oy train. On going home and upon
telling my mother Of the tragedy,
she Immediately exclaimed that she
Asd been asleep and was dreaming
q the tragedy when she was awak-
ehed by our arrival Later she told
Us many things taar she had dream
"a that had actually taken place.
his do not attempt TO account
LOT, but know it u be the truth"
Stanley Everett, who fought Jim
ME Harris July 4 at the baseball
PARK in this city, is Mrs Cooks