1937 — Jan 30, WPA worker barge sinks, Birds Point/New Madrid Spillway, MO      –26-30

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 11-16-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–26-30  Blanchard. Names of 26 recovered dead and 4 missing are listed at end of this listing.

—  30  Moberly Monitor-Index, MO. “Dredges…Continue Hunt…Four Bodies.” 2-23-1937, p. 7.[1]

—  26  Joplin Globe, MO. “Bodies of Two More Levee Workers Found.” 2-10-1937, p. 1, col. 5.

—  26  Joplin Globe, MO. “Engineers to Inspect Barge that Went Down.” 2-20-1937, p. 10, col. 4

–~25  Kittle. “`New and strange terrors’: More than 70 years ago, Birds Point levee…” 5-8-2011

—  24  Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin Inquest into Disaster at New Madrid.” 2-8-37, 2.

—  24  Joplin Globe, MO. “Body of Another Sunken Barge Victim is Found.” 2-6-1937, p. 1.

—  24  Moberly Monitor-Index, MO. “Barge Disaster Probe Closed.” 2-9-1937, p. 1, col. 2.

—  24  Pampa Daily News, TX. “Levees Stand Against Huge Water Blasts.” 2-7-1937, p. 7.

Narrative Information

Kittle: “Charleston, Mo. — A flood is one thing. A flood of biblical proportions is another. But a freezing flood is unmitigated misery….

 

“In the days following the breach, the misery continued, punctuated by one of the flood’s greatest tragedies. About 25 men, all working to reinforce the levee, drowned when their barge took water and sank in the floodway. In the icy water, the men began to panic. Some tried to climb into the small motorboat pulling the barge. Men on the boat used paddles, hammers, even hatchets, reportedly, to beat the drowning men back for fear they would capsize the boat.”  (Kittle, M. D. “`New and strange terrors’: More than 70 years ago, Birds Point levee was breached because of icy winter flood.” Southeast Missourian, 5-8-2011.)

 

Newspapers

 

Feb 1: “New Madrid, MO – (AP) – A heavy steel barge loaded with an undetermined number of WPA levee workers — estimates ranged from 100 to 250 — sank in the icy waters of the Birds Point – New Madrid spillway Saturday night and one occupant said it was impossible to establish if any had drowned.  Col Edwin C Kelton of the Army engineers conducted a court of inquiry and said “We have found no evidence that any were drowned.”

 

“But four occupants of the barge declared 30 or 40 men were missing when foremen made a check.  John Boyer pilot of the motorboat Mud Hen which towed the barge, added ‘Chances are 9 to 1 that somebody drowned.’

 

“Government officials found a thorough check of all men on the barge difficult because of the scattered places to which they went after the accident.  The barge went down in the vast Hood basin purposely inundated by Army engineers to ease flood pressure on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

 

“Ralph Carpenter 27 one of the occupants, said the craft sunk shortly after it pulled away from the setback levee near East Prairie, Mo. For its New Madrid base….`Some of us started shoutin’ ‘Pull ‘er to shore, pull ‘er to shore,’ but it was no use.  We were sunk under five feet of water before any of us could even jump up.  Some of those fellows had on overcoats which kept ‘em from swimming.  Some were cramped over double and were going down.  I stayed out till the last man was out – the last one I could see, anyway’.”  (Gazette and Bulletin, Williamsport, PA. “Claim Many Drowned as Barge Sinks.” 2-1-1937, 1.)

 

Feb 1: “Poplar Bluff, Mo., Feb. 1. — UP) — How a steel barge tipped crazily to slide more than 100 levee workers, first fore then aft, into a flooded spillway, was detailed here today by Wiley I. Mitchell, 36 years old.  Mitchell, under care at a home near here, said he was among workers on the barge when it sank Saturday [Jan 30] night. 

 

The barge was packed full of men…We had been working since early that morning without food and you can imagine what a bunch of hungry tired men would do when a barge showed up. They all stampeded aboard.  I don’t know how many were on there but there were plenty.

 

The barge hit either a log or a stump — I don’t know what. The front end dipped down and that threw all the load to the front and the men fell off like flies.  That eased the front and it reared back up and tilted sideways and that threw the rest of them off.  Then it sunk.  I went under and when I came up I grabbed a pole about four or five inches thick that was floating around.  I was lucky because you couldn’t see anything. 

 

Men were hollering and screaming all around me.  I tried hollering for a while, but that did not do any good!  I floated away and I could hear them hollering for a long time.  I floated all night and some men picked me up early Sunday morning. I don’t know how far I drifted.  I kept kicking and moving enough to keep by blood circulating. 

 

Those men had a hard time getting my arm pried loose from that pole. They took me to the courthouse in New Madrid, took my clothes off and wrapped me in a blanket and the doctor told me to keep moving. They dried my clothes by the furnace,

 

The bosses told me that they believed between 45 and 65 were drowned. I don’t know about that.  I know I nearly froze to death.

 

“Announcement that an investigation is being pushed into the sinking of the barge was contained in a statement issued tonight by the U. S. army engineer’s office.”  (Joplin Globe, MO. “Survivor Describes the Sinking of Steel Barge near New Madrid.” 2-2-1937, 7.)

 

Feb 2: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb 2 – (AP) – The drowning of at least 15 levee workers on a sunken barge and the knowledge more than 12 others are missing stunned this flood-menaced city tonight in the hour to which it had looked forward.  The Mississippi river has stopped rising.

 

“All week, half-deserted New Madrid waited for that news while the waters rose above the level of its streets, held off by a buttressed sea wall.  Tonight the news arrived almost simultaneously with the grim announcement that 10 more bodies had been picked up by grappling hooks in a flood prevention spillway.

 

“The 15, whose deaths increased southeast Missouri’s flood toll to 34, perished in a dark scene of wild disorder.  A wooden barge, carrying more than 100 dike builders to food and rest after a long day of work, sank Saturday night in the 131,000-acre Birds Point-New Madrid spillway.

 

“That $21,000,000 flood prevention project is credited with bringing today’s heartening news: A stationary river stage of 47.92 feet from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the 51-foot high river wall.

 

“Coroner L. A. Richards announced the finding of more bodies and the announcement was confirmed by the office of Colonel E. C. Kelton, U. S. army engineer.  The identified dead:

 

Merle Ballard, Wardell, Mo.

Frank Dean, Matthews, Mo.

Clyde Scott, Wardell, Mo.

Jeff Baker, Catron, Mo.

  1. J. Barker, Wardell, Mo.

William Dawson, New Madrid, Mo.

Steve Gibbs, Bell City, Mo.

  1. L. Masterson, Kennett, Mo.

Larman Late, Advance, Mo.

Jake Schlosser, Bell City, Mo.

Frank Dunlap, Kewanee, Mo.

Orville Hindman, Bell City, Mo.

Luther Swinford, Bell City, Mo.

Charles Williams, Negro, address unknown.

Charles Woodbin, Advance, Mo.

 

“District army headquarters at Sikeston said the latest check of the exact number missing totaled 14.”   (Joplin Globe, MO. “Ten More Bodies Found in Spillway.” 2-3-1937, p. 2.)

 

Feb 4: “Cairo, Ill., Feb. 4 (AP)….Another day of dredging brought five more levee workers’ bodies from the spillway downstream in southeastern Missouri, raising to 20 the death toll of a Saturday night barge accident.

 

“The spillway was flooded on purpose to make room for water the Ohio dumps into the Mississippi here, estimated by the engineers at 2,050,000 feet a second – more than 12 times the normal flow over Niagara Falls.

 

“Where the river folk once clustered on the levee to study the rise, they gathered and watched for the barge to come from the grappling scene possibly with more bodies.  Ten men still were unaccounted for today….” (Moberly Monitor-Index, MO. “Barge Death Toll Mounts to Twenty.” 2-4-1937, 1, col. 1.)

 

Feb 5: “At New Madrid Col. E. C. Kelten announced the three additional bodies were identified as those of

 

Albert Neal,

Raney Smith and

William Smith.

 

“Still unaccounted for were William Faalks, James Tyler, Eugene Tyler, Clary May,[2] Bob McFadden, James F. Ruffin, Crawford Shannon and James Wilson.”  (Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered but Unyielding as Ohio Recedes.” 2-5-1937, 1.)

 

Feb 7: “At New Madrid, Mo., the body of the 24th victim of last Saturday’s barge sinking was identified as that of James F. Ruffin of Wardell, Mo.”  (Pampa Daily News, TX. “Levees Stand Against Huge Water Blasts.” 2-7-1937, p. 7.)

 

Feb 8: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb. 8 – (AP) – Vernon Hudelston, 20 of New Madrid, told a coroner’s jury investigating the death here of at least 24 men in the Mississippi barge tragedy the night of January 30 that levee workmen “rushed the barge.”  He said he was employed in the engine room of the motorboat pushing the barge.

 

“Approximately 130 workmen had been taken to the levee from New Madrid, Huddleston explained, and after they had unloaded the others rushed aboard.  “Did anyone tell the men how many should go on the barge?” Morris Frankle, member of the jury asked.  “No,” Hudelston, who was the first witness, replied.

 

“Hudelston said he knew of no defect in the wooden barge, although pumps had been used to get the water out of the hull.  He did recall, however, that the barge struck a tree on the trip up the river shortly before the accident, but did not know if it caused any damage.

 

“The witness said he believed the barge was large enough to handle 130 men, the number he estimated was on it when it sank, about 30 feet from shore.

 

“Coroner L. A. Richards ordered the body of William Ruffin, of Wardell, Mo., returned here from Portageville, where it had been taken for funeral services.  The body will be viewed by members of the coroner’s jury and then will be returned to Portageville for burial.  Funeral services for the 23 others taken from the floodway during the past week already have been held.

 

“Coroner Richards named members of his jury as follows:  Morris Frankie, gin operator; F. L. Steele, county surveyor; W. P. Hunter, levee contractor; Bryon Stanley, son of the sheriff; H. B. Henderson, state liquor inspector and Lennie Fontaine, a barber.

 

“The circuit court room was being used for the inquest and it was filled to capacity an hour before time for the investigation to get under way.  Coroner Richards asked that J. V. Conran, prosecuting attorney of New Madrid county, question the witnesses….

 

“Six of the more than 100 men who were plunged into icy floodwaters as the barge submerged remain missing….

 

“Witnesses at the inquest will include Col. E. C. Kelton, United States army engineer in charge of levee work in this district or his representative, and several survivors of the tragedy.  Members

of the crew of the tow boat also will be called Richards said.  The coroner said he will attempt to determine where responsibility for the safety of the men lay and whether reasonable precautions had been taken for their protection.

 

“Fog and a strong wind hampered the search for bodies yesterday.  Grapplers have been dragging

at the scene of the accident for more than a week.”  (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO.  “Begin Inquest into Disaster at New Madrid.” 2-8-1937, 2.)

 

Feb 9: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb. 9 (AP) – The investigation of the New Madrid barge disaster was declared closed today but, there, was no halt in the search for the bodies of six levee workers believed to have drowned in the spillway Jan. 30.  “As far as I am concerned the case is now closed,” Coroner L. A. Richards said after a jury returned a verdict citing “contributory negligence” of the workers and inefficiency” of those in charge.

 

“The jury heard testimony of survivors of the tragedy and the operator of the tow boat.  The verdict dealt specifically with the death of James F. Ruffin, Wardell, Mo., but officials said it applied also to the other 23 victims whose bodies have been recovered.  “I don’t see how we could have reached any other verdict,” said F. L. Steel, New Madrid county surveyor, foreman of the jury.  ‘Both the government officials on-the-job and the workers themselves were at some fault.”

 

“Prosecuting Attorney J. V. Conran, who conducted the questioning said:  “From the evidence given by the witnesses, the jury returned the only verdict that could have been, reached. There will be no further investigation into the matter.”  (Moberly Monitor-Index, MO.  “Barge Disaster Probe Closed.” 2-9-1937, p. 1, col. 2.)

 

Feb 9: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb. 9. – (AP) – The death toll in southeastern Missouri’s greatest flood disaster reached 26 tonight with the announcement by army engineers here that bodies of two more levee workers aboard a bare when it sank January 30 were recovered today.  Aids in the office of Colonel E. C. Kelton said the bodies recovered today were identified as those of James A. Wilson, 61 years old…of Puxico, Mo., and Bob McFadden, 50…whose residence is unknown.

 

“A coroner’s jury yesterday blamed ‘contributory negligence’ of the known dead and ‘inefficiency’ of those in charge for the sinking of the barge in the Birds Point floodway about 12 miles north of here 10 days ago.

 

“More than 100 men were aboard the barge and engineers’ records show four of them still unaccounted for.” (Joplin Globe, MO. “Bodies of Two More Levee Workers Found.” 2-10-1937, p. 1, col. 5.)

 

Feb 13: “Washington, Feb. 13 – (AP) – Representative Orville Zimmerman of Kennett, Mo., said today he would ask further investigation of the sinking January 30 of a barge in the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway… “I am not satisfied with the war department’s report,” he said.  “I feel there should be further investigation of the tragedy.”  Zimmerman said the war department should be able to establish the cause of the accident “more definitely.”  In its report the department said: “The war department docs not believe that any of the employes of the government can be directly charged with responsibility for this accident with all circumstances and conditions taken into consideration.”

 

“Zimmerman said the Works Progress Administration had advised him all the victims are presumed to have been government employees coming under the compensation law.  Relatives of each victim, Zimmerman said, will receive up to $3,500.”  (News and Tribune, Jefferson City, MO. “Will Ask Further Barge Death Probe.” 2-14-1937, 12.)

 

Feb 19: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb. 19. – (AP) – A wooden barge that sank in the Birds Point floodway January 30 with the loss of 26 lives, was being towed to New Madrid today for inspection by United States army engineers.  The hulk, barely afloat, was found yesterday afternoon about 300 yards out from the basin’s setback levee at a point two miles below where it foundered.  Twenty-six bodies of WPA workers who died when the barge sank have been recovered.  Four men still are listed as missing.”  (Joplin Globe, MO. “Engineers to Inspect Barge that Went Down.” 2-20-1937, 10.)

 

Feb 23: “New Madrid, Mo., Feb. 23 (AP)….The barge, the engineers said, has been removed from the spillway for examination and was found in good condition.”  (Moberly Monitor-Index, MO.  “Dredges to Continue Hunt for Four Bodies.” 2-23-1937, 7.)

 

Fatalities (bodies recovered):

 

  1. Baker, Jeff. Catron,               (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  2. Ballard, Merle. Wardell,       (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  3. Barker, C. J. Wardell,            (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  4. Dawson, William. New Madrid. (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  5. Dean, Frank. Matthews,        (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  6. Dunlap, Frank. Kewanee,      (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  7. Gibbs, Steve. Bell City,         (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  8. Hindman, Orville. Bell City, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  9. Lambert, Frank. Catron,        (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  10. Lape, Lemon. Bell City.[3] (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  11. Masterson, M. L. Kennett,    (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  12. Mathews, A. R. Wardell,      (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  13. McFadden, Bob, residence ukw. (Joplin Globe, MO. “Bodies of two more…” 2-10-1937, 1.)
  14. Neal, Albert. Bloomfield,     (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  15. Pruitt, Don. Bloomfield.              (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  16. Ruffin, James F. Wardell,    (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  17. Sanders, Harry. Bloomfield.        (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  18. Schlosser, Jake. Bell City,    (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  19. Scott, Clyde. Wardell,           (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  20. Smith, Raney. Bell City, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  21. Smith, William. Wardell, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  22. Swinford, Luther. Bell City, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  23. Tyler, W. M. Wardell,           (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  24. Williams, Charles. Wardell, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)
  25. Wilson, James A., Puxico, (Joplin Globe, MO. “Bodies of two more…” 2-10-1937, 1.)
  26. Woodfin, Charles. Advance, (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin…” 2-8-1937, 2.)

 

Missing:

 

  1. William Faalks.       (Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered…” 2-5-1937, 1.)
  2. Eugene Tyler.          (Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered…” 2-5-1937, 1.)
  3. James Tyler. [4]          (Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered…” 2-5-1937, 1.)
  4. Crawford Shannon. (Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered…” 2-5-1937, 1.)

 

Sources

 

Gazette and Bulletin, Williamsport, PA. “Claim Many Drowned as Barge Sinks.” 2-1-1937, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=14700498

 

Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO. “Begin Inquest into Disaster at New Madrid.” 2-8-37, p. 2, col. 3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=90241851

 

Jefferson City Post Tribune, MO. “Levee Battered but Unyielding as Ohio Recedes.” 2-5-1937, p. 1, c.1. Accessed 11-17-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/jefferson-city-post-tribune-feb-05-1937-p-1/

 

Joplin Globe, MO. “Bodies of Two More Levee Workers Found.” 2-10-1937, p. 1, col. 5. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=166879236

 

Joplin Globe, MO. “Body of Another Sunken Barge Victim is Found.” 2-6-1937, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=166879214

 

Joplin Globe, MO. “Engineers to Inspect Barge that Went Down.” 2-20-1937, p. 10, col. 4. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=147066234

 

Joplin Globe, MO.  “Survivor Describes the Sinking of Steel Barge near New Madrid.” 2-2-1937, p7. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=166879190

 

Joplin Globe, MO.  “Ten More Bodies Found in Spillway.” 2-3-1937, p. 2. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=147066106

 

Kittle, M. D. “‘New and strange terrors’: More than 70 years ago, Birds Point levee was breached because of icy winter flood.” Southeast Missourian, 5-8-2011. Accessed 3-30-2012 at: http://www.semissourian.com/story/1725564.html

 

Moberly Monitor-Index, MO. “Barge Disaster Probe Closed.” 2-9-1937, p. 1, col. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=77200685

 

Moberly Monitor-Index, MO. “Dredges to Continue Hunt for Four Bodies.” 2-23-1937, p. 7. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=77200801

 

News and Tribune, Jefferson City, MO. “Will Ask Further Barge Death Probe.” 2-14-1937, 12. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=90241880

 

Pampa Daily News, TX. “Levees Stand Against Huge Water Blasts.” 2-7-1937, p. 7. Accessed at:  http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=132821660

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Thirty includes the four still-missing, and presumed drowned, WPA workers on the barge.

[2] Later found alive. (Jefferson City Post-Tribune, MO.  “Begin Inquest into Disaster at New Madrid.” 2-8-1937, 2.)

 

[3] This is most probably the “Larman Late” of Advance City, reported dead in: Joplin Globe, MO. “Ten More Bodies Found in Spillway.” 2-3-1937, p. 2.

[4] It is not crystal clear that neither of these Tylers are the W. M. Tyler of Wardell noted as a body recovered.