Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-28

Point Pleasant. O., April az
President Harding's adventure-a 80
mile voyage up the Ohio river to
participate in the one hundredth
birthday anniversary Of Gen. Grant,
narrowly escaped serious disaster
when part of the third deck OF the
steamer Island Queen crashed to the
deck below, carrying with it some
200 persons. Only half a minutes
warning by cracking timbers gave 4
school children's band and many 9TH
ers OIL the deck below time to get
from under che crashing deck. Only
three persons were injured.
That the president and Mrs. Hard
ing and other distinguished person.
ages in the presidential party were
NOT aboard the Island Queen was due
to advice of government inspectors
late last night. They advised against
the president making the trip on the
old pleasure boat because OF its con-
dition. Consequently. the president
and his party were assigned to the
Cayuga, government boat, which
led the flotilla of seven steamers from
Cincinnati bearing between ten and
fifteen thousand people.
Three Injured.
The injured were: 'f
Wilbur Morgan, Manchester, O.;
cut about the head, not serious.
Richard Armstrong, Bethel, O.;
arm broken.
Lieut.. Eugene Wetherly of the Gin
cinnati police department, cut by
glass.
They were on the second deck
front immediately under the deck
which fell.
The river flotilla was passing New
Richmond, O., seven miles below
Point Pleasant.
The Cayuga, with the president
aboard, leading the procession, had
cleared the village. New Richmond
citizens, however, did not know of
the change in plans which put the
president aboard the Cayuga. They
began firing rockets as the Island
Queen, with its 5000 passengers
came abreast. Those on board crowd
ed to the front decks to witness the
spectacle ashore. Bands aboard were
playing and everybody was in high
spirits.
Out of clear sky there came the
crashing and grating of timbers
under the feet of the 800 on the
third deck. They felt the floor sink.
They stood silent, awe-struck for
half minute. Then came deafen-
ing crash. The entire front deck
dropped. Still there was no panic.
Remember School Boys.
Those who went down with the
deck remembered the Manchester,
(O.) school boys band had been play
ing Immediately under them. There
were 81 boys and\ girls, many boys
IN knee trousers. Were they killed?
As the 800 scrambled from the
crushed deck, the one question on
all lips was: "Are the band boys |
Ill killed? The question was asked
N whispers.
But the half minutes warning
saved the boys. At the first crash
they began to scurry toward the
stern. Some did not make it in
time and were caught, but the chairs
IN which they had been seated held
he load for a second and that was
ong enough to permit them to crawl
o safety before the tons of timber
and human weight crushed the
chairs.
The crash of the falling deck re-
sounded from bow to stern. Many
thought the steamer was sinking.
Others thought the boilers had ex-
oloded., Women tainted and became
aysterical. Children screamed and
men appeared awe-struck. One girl
attempted to jump overheard. Of
'icers caught her.
Band Continues Playing.
The 11th division band was on the
1eck Immediately above, but which
did not extend all the way over the
ll-fated deck. They heard the crash
and saw the deck drop. True to their
training, not a bandsmen
stirred. They were playing a soft
air and sensing the situation, the di-
rector Immediately struck up a live
y tune in which each member put
his entire energy. The music drown
ID out the cries of children and hys-
terical women. 1t no doubt had
great effect in preventing panic
throughout the forward decks.
OFFICERS Immediately constructed
dead lines on the second deck after
getting all toward the stern, and be-
gan to search the debris for any that
might have been caught. In less
than 10 minutes they were able to
assure the passengers that no one
was caught under the fallen deck or
had been killed. Physicians and
Red Cross nurses attended the in
ured !,