The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-07-11
100 LIVES LOST
WHEN BIC RIVER
STEAMER SINKS
SAD ENDING TO EXCURSION
PARTY EGRLY TO-DAY.
$50 PEOPLE WERE ABOARD
Were whiting the Time Away in
Dancing, When the Columbia
Suddenly Struck Log, Sprung
Leak and Went Down.

Peoria, ILL.,. July 6-Nearly one
hundred persons we're unaccounted
for early today following the sinking
Of the excursion steamship Columbia
in the Illinois river, between here and
Pekin, H., shortly after midnight.
Twenty bodies had been recovered
al daylight and telephone messages
from the scene OF the wreck indicated
that scores of others had been located
between the decks of the vessel.
Five hundred and fifty persons were
aboard the vessel Scores OF sur
vivors. some of them wounded, are be-
ing cared for in Pekin.
Excursion Party Were Dancing.
Teh Columbia was a three-decked
steamship one hundred and fifty feet
long and was under charter to so |
cial club Of Pekin.
The vesesl was returning to Pekin I
from a summer resort. A dense fog
lay over the river With the excur- /
ElDnlElS vi Aht upper hNNAe =
is believed that it ran ashore on a
sand bank Shortly afterwards the
ship began 10 list. The latest reports J,
say that the ship struck a submersible
log and tore a hole amidships.
Panic Upsets the Boat.
Panie-stricken. the excursionists
rushed TO the port side of the boat,
despite the efforts Of the crew TO keep i
the decks well balanced.
Less than five minutes after she
had struck the bar the Columbia
turned over in mid channel and sank.
August Mehl. purser of the Column
bia, saw his wife slip from his grasp
into the muddy water Of the river,
She was unaccounted for today and /
MehI believes that she was drowned. 4
stewardess is a Heroine.
Mrs. Elizabeth Frew, stewardess,
was asleep when the boat struck. She
hurried to the deck and tried to calm
the terrified women folks.
Everybody was fighting to get to
the rail" said Mrs. Frew. They
were struggling and clutching each
other. Many Of them jumped over
board. saw several 90 down and
soon boats picked them up. Soon /
found myself in one Of the boats. God
only knows how l got there"
Coroner Clary of Pekin said it was
impossible to give an accurate esti-
mate OF the death toll.
Forty Bodies Recovered.
Peoria, Ill, July Goodies Of forty
merry makers who were aboard the /
Excursion Steamship Columbia which
sunk in the Illinois river near here
shortly after midnight last night were
brought ashore by noon today.
All except seven we're Unidentified by
the grief stricken relatives who throng
ed the rivers banks.
Swimmers who braved the muddy
waters to grope about the steamship
believe that there are still thirty to
fifty still aboard the vessel
Professional divers from Chicago ar.
rived here this afternoon and were
rashed TO the scene OF the wreck in
automobiles
Inquest Is Being Held.
A coroner's jury was empanneled
this afternoon and will begin an in
vestigation of the disaster at once.
Scores Of small boats were eircling
about the wreckage this afternoon in
search for victims.
Many of the survivors are in a pitt |
able condition from injury and ex-
posture
The Columbia was carrying pas
sengerg OF a Picnic Social Club and
was homeward bound when it struck
the submercible log.
She listed and sank within five
minutes, when scores OF the terrified
passengers who were dancing rushed
10 the port rail.
sunk Within Five Minutes.
That the boat sank within five min
utes after water was discovered in the
hull Of the steamship was the state
ment made today by Allen Davidson
second engineer of the steamer
1--WE were travelling under slow
bell under the dense fog he said II
felt a shock but paid but slight atten-
tlon TO II. II was hardly noticeable.
Then l received signal from the
pilots TO back the boat
within few seconds received
another signal to go on, but slowly.
A Waterman then came down TO the
engine room and asked that the light
he thrown into the hull room and then
sqw that the hull was more than
soc half full OF water.
Pulling Away From Shore.
Tfe were then backing away from
kss wesley CITY shore and headed in
SO sfeefion Of the other shore. With
b rRe msnaies the boat listed to the