The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-07-11

mated that nearly 100 more bodies
remain in the wreckage. More than
rs survivors are in hospitals in
Peoria and Pekin suffering minor
Injuries.
Peoria, Ill. July e.-Government in
v~cstigation of the sinking of the ex-
ccursion steamer Columbia last night,
with the loss OF from 100 to 150 lives,
mostly women, was promised by John
Dougherty, assistant district attorney,
this afternoon.
AT 1915 O'Clock this morning 81 bod
les had been recovered by divers.
Survivors Of the disaster charged
that the steamer, loaded with nearly
500 oycursionists ran on a sa,adbar
IN a dense fog. and did not
hit a sunkeE snag as at flsst reported.
II is declared that, although he ship
was within 10 feet of shore at this
time, she was backed u into deep
waite. without waiting to ascertain the
extent ct tho injuries she had sus-
taiucd. AS the ship reached milstrcam
She suddenly broke in two Il sank.
Twenty bodies had beer recovered at
daylight and telephone messages from
tina scene OF the wreck indicated that
ether bodies had been located between
the decks OF the vessel.
TtV. i2rdred and EiSty-three persons
besides tue crew of 80 were believed
to aa:7o been aboard the vessel. Scores
of ss.rv.rure, some Of them injured. are
beng cared for ut rek:n.
Tbs Co.ambia vas q threo deck ex-
cur%ion steamer. $50 feet long. 1t was
owned w the H. f. Mehi Excursion
company. CT Peoria, II was under
ck4r.e5 to tho South Side Social club
OF FciiE.
Tsc vesse! was returning to Pekin
from Al F-esco. a ulnmer resort. A
dense fog lay over the river.
Passengers Ove.turn Boat.
With the cxcursionists dancing on
the upper deck to the strains OF a band,
the Columbia ran on g sand bank. She
was promptly backed off but immedi-
eatei% began to list. Late. .eports indi-
Gated size had struck q. submerged log
ard torn = mole amidsh:ps.
Panic stricken, the excursionists
rushed TO the portside of the boat in
spite OF the efforts of the crew to keep
the deck load evenly balanced.
Less thar five minutes after she had
struck the bar the Columbia overturned
in mid channel and sank.
Dozens of men Ii wone had
leapcd into the water and others were
tirowr into the water when the boat
turned oyer. Many were between decks.
aid It ryas believed certain that they
went down with the boa
III. second deck of tho boat, where
the dance ilall is located, was crowded
Wl.cll lie crash came, II it was here
THAT many were q usllet. to death in the
Gal?lc.
FAY Jones. fireman on che steamer
estimates that between $50 nnd 200
persona were on the dance loo when
the boat struck and lie believed many
o. theso nod pcrished.
Wen the boat settled on tho bottom
TIC water reached tho state rooms i'm
lnc1late.y below the pilot house on the
listed side. The pilot when he found
lis boat was sinking sent distress sig
rails and within a short time boats
from various directions canc to the
rescue .,nd bcgsr to 2icl: up those
rt:ussHng In the water. but on account
Ss the darkness t!eir efforts we're badly
haG,p2red.
Over IN An instsnt.
August .tehl, brother OF Captain Fl.
i. Mehl and pu:scr OF tvs boat, who
aosf his Wife in the disaster. made the
following statement:
The whole thing was over in an in
slant. | was i'll the cafe CO the boat
Wnea the shock came lu1ew that we
had struck a submerged Jog and
nsa.a my brother the CAPTAIN. cry out
Everybody npstairs:' T!,e crowd
PUSHES Tor the upper iee!s:. rushed to
the eiiSi.a roo;D TIC not:fy-ti.a engineers.
On my return . sa.W my wtsR running
al9aa Q! me uP ire compan.onNay. |
fo.nwea and 1rst as : got To- the second
deck the boat listed re .h.s les side and
overheard into tn. vatec. grabbed
al her skirt bat It si.pres from my
1!ni;css then the poa wa clucecI into
tosas darkness .a1 cor /. LIFE pre-
se.:.s and got 10 Tn. upper deck y,
tirnT' II help tho woln.E escs % IN t;;e
1Se hoat..
Al :Gat tirce :he water waa lip 20
the s,ate-oonls Immediately below the
pi!ot house OH ono aid and up to the
bass Of tie pilot house CT thu listed
side"
Few Bodies Recovered.
Del s!vely. h pilot 81: watch at
In his sta;eroor. Ills vito, in charge
OF the !iinen counter, rushed to her
husbands room and awakened him.
trey reached h deck. grabbed life
preserrers. jumped overheard and were
saved.
Mrs. Herman Mehl. wife OF the cap
tain. was bleeding from a wound on
inc sid Of the head when she told
her story nj tho accident.
waA on the dance floor deck at
tho inne. shs cd. ut was ai over
before ycu sou!t say scat. When the
me on tho head. I came to in the
water AEG grabbed 8. hand rail on the
boat tsEs:. l;aa ss.se enough 10 pull
myself liz and get q. life preseryer.
Hoidins en tW,iii ore hand TO the boat
2 he. ether &c tho prsserver. 1 kept
afloat Until sams men pulled me in
Search for bod:ss yAs abandoned al
4 O'clock this n.ari:in. until daylight
came. Aprsos i.eSteiy 20 had BEEN re-
scoycchd. only 9 peSt.en Of whom had
bes;. identified.
Tss::s morning nn:y ;i.s lurriaanc deck
~ s.aih:e above lse waser Of the liz
f,oiA
sS..' he hrneE o. day two 6.."crs
wss.t 10 ", inc me suni,en wreck OF
ths ,oi:sn.a.a brig .p bod:es OF the
u, ;iss4s