The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-07-12
10 Lost Lives on Excursion
Boat in Illinois River.
TWENTY-FIVE STILL MISSING
Federal Authorities Open Inquiry at
Peoria. IiI.-Capt. Mohl Says Craft
Never Was Condemned-Wit
nesses Assert Disaster Was
Caused by Stationary
Log-Most of Victims
Lived in Pekin.

Pekin, Ill.,, July S.-A final check
on the bodies taken from the wrecked
steamer Columbia, which sank in 20
feet Of water in the Illinois river OPP
poslte Wesley, ILL.,, at one o'clock Sat
urday morning after striking log,
SHOWS u identified and seven uniden-
tlhed. No bodies were removed from
the vessel on Sunday, owing to heavy
storm. Twenty-Five persons are still
reported missing. The majority of the
victims were from this city.
U. S. Begins Inquiry.
With the arrival in Peoria of George
Green. supervising federal inspector OF
steamships, government investigation
OF the Columbia tragedy got under
way
A preliminary inquiry was held at
tile federal building, to which Captain
Herman Mehl and several members OF
his crew were summoned by Steamship
Inspectors George Bowers and Reese
Downs of st. Louis.
'The hull was pierced by a station
airy log" declared Tom Williams, vet
eran Mississippi river pilot, who was
at the wheel when the Columbia went
down.
Was Never Condemned.
Captain Mehl said:
'The Columbia was purchased from
Capt. Walter Blair of Davenport. She
never was condemned. That report is
untrue. She never went under any
other name.
"As to the crew being drunk or as
to there being any women in the pilot
house with Tom Williams, these are
lies, too"
'"The object of our investigation"
said District Attorney Dougherty, sis
to determine whether there were any
violations Of the federal law. We are
here to see that full justice is done and
not to Whitewash anyone"
: The Columbia was valued at $780,
600 and was not insured. Nearly $2O,-
900 was spent last fall for repairs at
the Mound City ways.
Loaded With Merrymakers.
The Columbia put out from it's wharf
in Peoria shortly before midnight Fri
day. Those aboard for the larger part
were members of the South Side Social
club of Pekin and some friends from
Kingston Mines. They had come to
Peoria earlier in the evening, bringing
their children with them to attend
war work carnival in progress in
Peoria.
The Columbia was about 125 feet in
length and of the usual broad beam of
river boats. The hull, like all river
boats, was fiat of bottom and regarded
as incapable of being capsized.
Upon the departure Of the boat, most |
of the passengers sought the lower
deck and the dancing floor.
Captain Mehl said his first intima-
ton of danger was when the vessel
sustained a slight shock.
The lights had flickered off and on
again. Captain Mehl megaphoned his
hands and beloved alOft, Everybody
get upstairs. She's going down."
There was second and more vio-
lent Jolt which caused the unwieldy
vessel to shiver and groan aloud. The
lights went out.
There was a rush for the exits. The
hull parted amidships and the whole |
superstructure crumpled into kindling |
and the boat sank into the mud bottom
20 feet below. An indeScribable chaos
of things and persons swept down
against the wall of the dancing salon |
and stuck there.
Then the silence broke and wild |
chorus of screams and shouts for help |
burst out Some Of the women gained |
the upper deck and the two small |
boats were launched.