1901 — Aug 19, Windstorm, steamer City of Golconda turtles, OH River ~Paducah KY-15-22

—     40  Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 692.[1]

–17-22  Atlanta Constitution.  “Trapped in Small Cabin…Loss of the Golconda.” 8-21-1901, 1.

–17-22  New York Times. “The Paducah Disaster.” 8-21-1901, p. 2.

–15-22  Blanchard range.[2]

—     20  Daily News Almanac…for 1902. “Events of 1901.” 1902, p. 335.

—     18  Evansville Courier, IN. “City of Golconda Goes Down…Paducah.” 8-20-1901.

—   >17  Daily Huronite, SD. “Charge Carelessness.” 8-27-1901, p. 3.

—     16  Merchants’ Exchange of St. Louis. Annual Statement…for the Year 1901. 1902, p. 104.

—   >16  News-Democrat, Uhrichsville, OH. “River Steamer Overturned.” Aug 23, 1901, p. 6.

—     15  Sandusky Daily Star, OH. “Last Victim of City of Golconda…Found.” 8-24-1901, p. 1.

—     15  U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report…FY Ended June 30, 1902. 1902, 62.

 

Narrative Information

 

Daily News Almanac: “City of Golconda, steamer,[3] wrecked[4] by a squall on the Ohio river Aug. 19 — Twenty persons drowned.” (Daily News Almanac…1902. “Events of 1901.” 1902, p. 335.)

 

U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service: “August 19. – While en route from Elizabethtown, Ill., to Paducah, Ky., steamer City of Golconda was caught in a severe windstorm and capsized at a point near Cottonwood Bar, resulting in the loss of 15 lives, 11 passengers and 4 colored deck crew. Damage to steamer, $2,500. Cause investigated and officers exonerated from blame.”  (U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service. Annual Report…FY Ended June 30, 1902. 1902, 62.)

 

Newspapers

 

Aug 19: “Paducah, Ky., Aug. 19 – Eighteen people lost their lives in the sinking of the steamer City of Golconda tonight. It was the worst disaster that has taken place on the Ohio river in 50 years. Caught in a storm which came up suddenly, the boat was turned over in the middle of the river in the twinkling of an eye and 18 lives were sacrificed. Forty-five passengers escaped.

“The City of Golconda plied between Golconda and Elizabethtown (Illinois) and was on her way down the river with a large number of passengers. The boat had fine sailing and nothing had happened to mar the trip of the many pleasure seekers on board. When the boat was five miles above this city, a storm came up. It was sudden. The crew did not see the black clouds in the west. In fact, the passengers were at supper and all were merry.  Suddenly there was a loud noise, like a clap of thunder, and the boat was turned over in mid river. It was too sudden for those on board to tell how it happened.  In an instant passengers were fighting for their lives in the middle of the river and many were caught in the cabin like so many rats in a cage, never to escape.

“The fortunate ones who happened to be thrown in the river held on to the steamer until she drifted down stream a mile. Skiffs that are always kept on top of a steamer were finally secured and with these the passengers got to shore.

“News of the terrible disaster reached here at 8 o’clock and a relief party was sent up the river to aid in the work of rescue. The party arrived too late to save any lives and began searching for bodies of the dead.

“Some of the passengers who lost their lives were from the most prominent families of Kentucky. Watts Davis was a cattle buyer of Livingston County, Ky., and one of the wealthiest men in western Kentucky. Miss Locky Barnett was the wealthiest woman in Smithland and her father, who recently died, was prominent in politics.

“The City of Golconda was the property of Golconda, Ill., people and was valued at $10,000. She was one of the best little boats in this port and was insured for $5,000.

“On board the steamer when the accident happened was a Methodist minister. There was also a white horse on the boat. Passengers who saw the horse taken on remarked at the time that there would be an accident of some kind, as there was already a minister on the boat. The minister escaped with his life and says he will never again go on board a steamboat where there is a white horse.”  (Evansville Courier, IN. “City of Golconda Goes Down…Paducah.” 8-20-1901.)

 

Aug 20: “Paducah, Ky., Aug. 20. – Seventeen lives are known now to have been lost when the river steamer City of Golconda turned turtle in a windstorm last night while the boat was being worked into the landing at Crowell’s, six miles from Paducah. The number may be increased to twenty-two, as five persons are yet unaccounted for. There, were sixty persons aboard.

 

“Of all the women aboard the steamer only one, the wife of Engineer Hayden, was saved. The passengers were at dinner in the cabin when the storm struck. There was absolutely no chance for those in the cabin to escape. The usual rocking of a steamer capsized by the wind was not felt. The boat simply turned over and sunk in eighteen feet of water. Captain Bauer and Pilot Peck jumped overboard and reached the shore, where they got a boat and rowed around the wreck, picking up the few who had been able to throw themselves overboard.

 

“Of those who were inside the cabin when the steamer turned over, only two, H. E. Whorten and N. S. Quarternous of Hampton, Ky., escaped. They got out by breaking a hole through the glass top-work, and were picked up by-boats.

 

“Captain Bauer said that those in the cabin-must have been drowned instantly, for he heard no screams.  He declares that the accident happened so quickly that it was a mystery to him how a single person escaped.

 

“As the boat’s passenger list was lost, as well as all the ship’s papers, an absolutely accurate list of the persons drowned has not yet been obtained.

 

“Three divers and a salvage corps are at work now on the wrecked steamer. They reported this afternoon that the cabin which was closed when the storm came up, is full of bodies. Only three were recovered up to noon, those of Miss Trixie Grimes, Miss Lucy Barnett, and Mrs. David Adams.

 

“The boat is seventy-five yards from the Kentucky shore, head down stream and difficult of access in every way.  Recovery of the bodies will be slow work.” (NYT. “The Paducah Disaster.” Aug 21, 1901, p. 2.)

 

Aug 20: “Paducah, Ky., August 20. – The horror of the City of Golconda disaster at Cottonwood bar, 4 miles above Paducah, last night is just beginning to be fully comprehended by the people of Paducah as body after body is brought into the city and taken to undertakers. The boat’s register has not yet been recovered, but it is certain the death list will number seventeen and probably twenty-two. The list of the dead follows:  [17 names].

 

“An official investigation will be made, as it seems certain that the most culpable carelessness caused the catastrophe.

Engineer Deserted Post

 

“A.A. Peck, the pilot, claims the engineer deserted his post and that he could not manage the boat with the engines helpless. The engineer denies this and claims that he remained at the throttle until the water was waist deep.

 

“Frank Enders, one of the passengers, corroborated by several others, declares that the effort to land brought the side of the boat around so that the wind struck it full force. There had been almost a gale blowing for ten minutes and one many who could not swim went to the pilot house and begged the pilot to land. When he did finally consent to land, the hurricane, visible as a huge black streak sweeping across the river, struck the boat as it swung around in a position least able to resist it.

 

“Early this morning the work of searching for the remains began…The rescuing party had two boats with three divers and salvage corps. They report since noon that the loss of life will exceed twenty and that the revised list cannot be had until the boat is raised and the books as well as the bodies are recovered….” (Atlanta Constitution. “Trapped in Small Cabin…Loss of the Golconda.” 8-21-1901, 1.)

 

Aug 22: “Paducah, Ky., Aug. 22.–The United States snag-boat Woodruff, pursuant to instructions, went to the wreck of the City of Golconda and righted the boat, turning her over and leaving her with top of hurricane roof above the water, not far from the bank.  She is a bad wreck and it is thought the remainder of the bodies will be recovered Thursday….John Meehan, a peddler of Paducah, is added to the list of dead.” (Piqua Leader-Dispatch, OH. “The Boat Righted.” Aug 22, 1901, 2.)

 

Aug 23: “Paducah, Ky. – The worst steamboat disaster of years hereabouts occurred when the City of Golconda, plying between this city and Elizabethtown, Ill., was struck by a tornado as she landed at Crowells, six miles above here, and turned over. Many of the passengers were at supper and were unable to escape from the cabin. At least sixteen were drowned. Most of the crew was lost. The boat was loaded with live stock and grain and had about seventy-five passengers. Several who reached the deck as the tornado struck the vessel jumped overboard in their fright and were lost.

 

“Captain Jesse Bauer and Pilot E. E. Peck swam to shore and after rescuing all in sight hurried to the city. The boat went down in ten feet of water on her side, and what few passengers were found struggling in the water clung to a yawl and reached shore….” (News-Democrat, Uhrichsville, OH. “River Steamer Overturned.” Aug 23, 1901, p. 6.)

 

Aug 24: “Paducah, Ky., Aug. 24. – The body of Wallace Hogan, drowned by the over-turning of the steamer City of Golconda, was recovered today. It is the last body and makes the list of dead 15.” (Sandusky Daily Star, OH.  “Last Victim of City of Golconda…Found.” 8-24-1901, p. 1.)

 

Aug 24: “Cairo, Ills., Aug 24.–Three bodies, supposed to be from the ill-fated steamer City of Golconda, have been caught in the river here. One is the body of an elderly white man, supposed to be that of the peddler drowned on the boat. The other two are bodies of negroes. Coroner James McManus is now engaged on the inquest. A fourth body is reported to have been seen by the crew of the towboat Herman Paepcke near the Kentucky shore a few miles below here. They thought it was the body of a woman. The bodies of all five of the women known to have been on the boat have, however, been recovered. There are still five bodies missing and a close watch is being kept on the river.

 

“W. W. Hogan of Paducah, who lost his entire family on the City of Golconda, was unaware of the fact until he reached this city on his travels. He travels for the J. M. Clark Grocery company of St. Louis. Returning from a trip through southeast Missouri he stepped to the telephone to tell his wife and three little ones that he would be up on the Fowler that evening. The reply that he got almost crazed him with grief.” (Kokomo Daily Tribune, IN. “Keeping Watch Up. Other Victims of City of Golconda Disaster Found Floating at Cairo.” 8-24-1901, p. 7.)

 

Sources

 

Atlanta Constitution, GA. “Trapped in Small Cabin…Loss of the Golconda.” 8-21-1901, 1.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=4845961

 

The Sun. Brooksburg, IN. “River News,” 8-29-1901, p. 1. Accessed 7-11-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brooksburg-sun-aug-29-1901-p-1/

 

Daily Huronite, SD. “Charge Carelessness.” 8-27-1901, p. 3. Accessed 7-11-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-huronite-aug-27-1901-p-3/

 

Daily News Almanac and Book of Facts for 1902. “Events of 1901.” Chicago Daily News Company, 1902, pp. 335-338. Accessed 7-10-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=7ZIaAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Evansville Courier, IN. “City of Golconda Goes Down Five Miles This Side of Paducah.” 8-20-1901. At: http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/09/city-of-golconda-goes-down.html

 

Kokomo Daily Tribune, IN. “Keeping Watch Up. Other Victims of City of Golconda Disaster Found Floating at Cairo.” 8-24-1901, p. 7. Accessed 7-11-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/kokomo-daily-tribune-aug-24-1901-p-7/

 

Merchants’ Exchange of St. Louis. Annual Statement of the Trade and Commerce of St. Louis for the Year 1901. St. Louis, MO: R. P. Studley & Co., 1902, 104.  Digitized by Google at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=KNwpAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

 

New York Times. “The Paducah Disaster” [Steamboat City of Golconda] Aug 21, 1901, p. 2.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=52165626

 

News-Democrat, Uhrichsville, OH. “River Steamer Overturned.” 8-23-1901, p. 6. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=6394897

 

Piqua Leader-Dispatch, OH.  “The Boat Righted” [City of Golconda]. Aug 22, 1901, 2.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=83809438

 

Sandusky Daily Star, OH. “Last Victim of City of Golconda Accident Found.” 8-24-1901, p. 1. Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=3367516

 

United States Steamboat-Inspection Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat-Inspection Service for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1902. Washington, DC:  Government Printing Office, 1902, 337 pages. Digitized by Google. Accessed at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=sVYpAAAAYAAJ

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Not used for high estimate – have not been able to corroborate with other sources.

[2] The range is a reflection of our sources, which we have tried unsuccessfully to narrow.

[3] Described in a news report as “a short, narrow, topheavy sternwheel boat.” (The Sun. Brooksburg, IN. “River News,” 8-29-1901, p. 1.)

[4] Turned upside-down.