The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1918-07-07


three odicg recovered and the total
number of dead tonight estimated al
l50 to 200 persons, government stara
and county officials began searching
inquiries into the cause of the wreck
of the excursion steamer Columbia,
Friday night.
Survivors have charged that the
big steamer carrying 500 passengers,
on a return trip from Peoria to Pc
kin, Illinois, was driven against
sand bank scarcely ten feet from
shore and about five miles south of
Peoria during a heavy fog. First re-
ports were that the craft had struck
a snag or submerged log.
While the orchestra continued to
play on the dance floor, which proved
"A death trap to most of the 200 dane
ers, the vessel, it was said, backed
into deep water where ii suddenly
broke in two and Immediately settled
on the bottom of the river, with only
the pilot house and part of the super
structure appearing above the water.
When a heavy storm. accompanied
by high wind, broke here tonight, fears
we're expressed that the sunken
eteamer Columbia would break to
pieces and release bodies still PIN
ioned in the wreckage 10 he swept
down stream. The government was
maintaining a patrol about the wrec"-
ed steamer.
After a day spent in collecting tho
dead from the wrecked excursion
steamer Columbia, many citizens, eN-
cited by the narrowing scenes, to-
night gathered in saloons. and other
places and threatened to ~reak ven
geance on any of the ships officers
whom they should find in any way at
fault for the sinking of the ship with
the loss of a hundred or more lives,
Precautionary measures against any
mob violence were taken by the cit|
police. Extra patrols were thrown
about the streets and the closing OF
saloons was threatened ii any unto
ward action was started,
Although no official inquiry mas
been made to determine whether the
fatal accident was due to negligence
of the naval nayigators of the large
steamer, bearing 500 persons down the
Illinois river relatives of those lost
and others loudly condemned members
Of the crew as responsible 4or the
large loss of life.
John Dougherty, assistant district
attorney, Chief Mansfield, assistant
attorney general Of Illinois. and Cor
oner C1ary, of Taswell county, after
visit 10 the crumbled mass of ship
timbers, began Investigations of the
collapse of the vessel and why the
craft was not beached after the first
indication of trouble.
Harry Smith, chief of police of
Pekin. in discussing the disaster,
said;
Reports have come to me thai
the drinking on board the Columbia
the night of the tragedy was carried
TO extremes This phase of the case
will receive rigid attention after we
have buried our dead. The results
may be amazing"
The Columbia, which was known
as one of the most peculiar pleasure
craft on the river, owned and sailed
for the past seven years by Captain
Herman Mehl, the Loaf was con-
demned eight years ago just before
it was purchased and repaired by
Captain Mehl, according to R. v
Downes federal Inspector of hulls OF
ST. Louis, and his assistant. r. G.
Bowers, who also began an investi-
cation of the accident. 1t was on the
return trip to Pekin from Peoria
friday night that a raint jar extend
ed from stem to stern gave the first
animation Of the onrushing tragedy.
'It was not a hard blw," Captain
Mehl said. "She had worked over
pretty well to the Peoria side of the
river. because of the heavy fog which
was pro ably the cause of the crash.
She then backed off, squared away
and headed down stream again. Lots
Of people rushed to the starhoari
side and she listed a bit. Then the
lights went out and she settled in a
couple Of minutes
l.. l.. Davidson, second engineer