From Peoria to Pekin and all around folks gathered for
the enjoyment of another Fourth of July this time in 1918. It was an important year in local history
because of the terrible FLU epidemic, the year that the 18th
amendment was being ratified and the glorious time in November when the war
ended with Germany. All of those events
were major news in Peoria and Pekin, Illinois, I can tell you that. But let’s go back to July 5, 1918 and talk
about a tragedy that to this very day conjures up terror the likes of which the
little town of Pekin, Illinois will never forget. That was the date when the beautiful river
queen The Columbia sank with over 500 people on board, and brought a
devastating end to the lives of eighty-seven people, many of them from Pekin,
Illinois. Historically, it helped bring
the end to the romantic era of the steamboat that first made its appearance
here in Peoria, Illinois in 1828. The
steamboat played an important part in developing all of Illinois but as for
Peoria, Illinois it was the key element…well…that and whiskey of course.
The incredible story of the Columbia was the most
important newsworthy event in this area and all of it was captured in a new
book that is available as we speak. The Wreck Of
The Columbia , written by KEN ZURSKI, traffic reporter
here in Peoria , Illinois
Actually there are numerous accounts of the sinking of
the Columbia, but I feel pretty certain that you have never read the account of
John C. Kriegsman of Pekin, Illinois. “I
was six-years-old on this warm Sunday morning July5, 1918. We were having
breakfast and getting ready for church when our barn man Bill Hohimer called
out. ‘Phillip! Phillip! The Columbia
sank near Wessley Crossing and lots of people drowned!’ It was like an electric shock. We all rushed
to the foot of the Court Street Landing.
The river was full of rowboats loaded with sightseers.
I saw fishing boats with gas powered engines bringing in the drowned victims
who were then placed on the shore. The bodies were put into small trucks that
carried them to Kuecks Funeral Home which was located next to the Empire
Theater. I walked over there and I could see rows and rows of bodies on the
floor. The Lakeside Cemetery had just opened a new section and about eighty
bodies from the sinking of The Columbia were the first to be buried in that new
section.”
John goes on to tell of the terrible influenza
epidemic that killed dozens of People in the Pekin area during 1918 as
well. Here in Peoria, the city was
simply shut down with hundreds of victims resulting in the death of over forty
Peorians.
Kriegsman reported that the Corn Products Plant
exploded. “Forty-five men were killed
in that explosion plus maiming many others. The other victims that lived had
severe scars to show for their bout with the flames.” John tells us that those
45 men were buried in the new section of the cemetery as well.
The war to end all wars ended on November 11, 1918 and
soon, according to John’s account, those men from Pekin that had been killed in
the war were returned to their hometown. “Though this was a sad period in our
history of Pekin it caused many new friendships with a common cause to
flourish.”
Major John C. Kriegsman was the subject of an article
I wrote in the December issue of ADVENTURE SPORTS OUTDOORS relating his heroic
flying of the small warplane called the L4 observation airplane. If your group
would like to view this incredible DVD call Kenny Crawford at 309-606-4254 for
a presentation.
Editor’s Note:
Norm is a Peoria historian and author.
He welcomes your comments. norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net
No comments:
Post a Comment