Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-08
U. S. AUTHORITIES
OPEN INQUIRY INTO
COLUMBIA TRAGEDY
GOVERNMENT TAKES CHARGE or
INVESTIGATION TO FIX BLAME
FOR ILLINOIS RIVER ACCIDENT
COSTING HEAVY TOLL LIVES.

Peoria, H. July with the arrh-
al IN Peoria last night OF George
Green. supervising federal Inspector
OF steamships, government inyestiga
ton OF The Columbia trasedy got UNI
der way.
A preliminary inquiry was held dur.
Ing the afternoon al the federal huila
ing. 10 which Captain Herman Mehl
and several members OF his crew were
summoned by Steamship Inspectors
George Bowers and Reese Downs or
ST. Louis.
Al the Niagara hotel there was an
important conference between John
Doueherty. United States District At
t0rney in Peoria, Julius Rosen. CHER
investigator for the Department or
Justice a, Springfield, and Deputy
Marshal Walter William of Peoria.
Later the yconierred with the
steamship inspectors and With Win.
lam l.. Saekett of Springfield. who IL
here as Governor iowden's repre-.
sentative.
Captain Mehl and his crew, pale
and shaking. talked in subdued tones
while awaiting their interviews VITA
the officials These were held he
hind closed doors. One witness wan
admitted at time.
Secret service men have been de-
tailed to guard them against possible
mon violence. But they admitted
feeling nervous and clnng together
as II for companiorship They are
giving Pekin wide berth.
They denied the huh of the III.
fated ship was rotten or thai there
was anything wrong with the keel.
They explained The collapse of the
frail boat by saying The Sanctions
under the ballroom deck must have
given away.
The hull was pierced by station
AIRY log declared Tom Williams.
veteran Mississippi river pilot. who
was al the wheel when the Columbia
Went down, He continued
The turn In the river onnosite
Wesley City is particularly dan
gerous one. 1t is a place of swift
currents and whirlpools always
feel sense Of relief when 90, a
boat past this death trap
THE current had swung us over
too close to the shore and az was
trying 70 turn he boat back again
INTO The channel the snag caugh,
us, We did no. round on a sane
bar.
Why didn't ! try to beach the
boat There was no time II was Il
battle against the sNif, current.
The boa was sinking rapidly ana
listing. She became unmanapeable
in moment and went down in
twenty-five feet of water. was
surprised the water was so deep.
THE hull was built of 20 inch
plankine reinforced by 9. inch steer
plate, but the sharp log Wen,
through It as il it had been made
Of paper When a ship strikes a
hidden obstruction like that some
thing has got 10 give either he
snag or the ship-aud in this case
il was The ship
Dell Sivley the alternate pilot, de-
clared ne was asleep in his cabin
when the accident occurred. He said:
Il was awakened by my wife She
was employed in the unchroom. 70,
Gods sake, Dell, she cried. get up;
something's gone wrong with IN.
boat | eaped ont Of The bunk anG
reached the deck barefoot ed and half
clothed.
The crew behaved like gentlemen
! saw Bob Bennett, deck hand, save
twelve people Three of them were
little children, and onea boy--was
dead when Bob dug him out from I'm
der the beams.
Capt. Mehl said.
stThe Columbia was purchased
from Capt Walter Blair of Daven
port She never Was condemned
That report is untrue She never
Went under any other name
"As to the crew being drunk ar
as TO there being any women in the
pilot house with Tom Williams. those
are lies. TOO. Our engineer hasn't
taken drink for years. Neither have
Williams or Siyley Ii is possible
some OF the crew might have had b
few bottles OF beer. but nobody wa,
drunk
III it hadn't been for the good
work OF the crew. the death list
would have been good deal lar
ger