Show an TO I 1 P ENDS IN T STEAMER OVERTURNS IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER SCORES OF passengers DROWNED boat ran into shore in n fog backed away and began sinking immediately dia tely excursionists being unable to t 0 escape peoria Ie orla III the excursion steamer Coluin columbia blit overturned in ili the illinois river live five nilles miles bouth of here friday night scores of people who were returning lionie home after at a clays celebration here being drowned the number lost Is not lot absolutely known own being estimated mated by some as high ns as the boat against tile alie pearla side of the river in ili it fog and tore it lauge hole hii u the bow of the boat bolit it sank almost immediately there were excursionists on board tile the boat when it left alfresco park peoria ou oil the return trip to pekin the boat ran into the leorla shore in it to fog that wits iii pye prevailing it backed awny away and began sinking fiume immediately dia dla tely anter rushing tit in through a large tole liole in the bow the boat instantly began sending out signals of distress and several cruft craft front from this city rushed to the scene of the tragedy loss of life I 1 is said to have resulted largely from the flip panic billat illat eliat follo followed wed I 1 immediately on thi the p boat as it began to sink doctors mid and purses were rushed to the scene from peoria one of 0 the survivors f said tile the steamer had three docks decks I 1 was on the upper tipper one on oil that flint below dancing dancin 9 was going on the bottom wits was oce occupied u principally by men who were talking and smoking 1 I do not belleve believe many of tile the persons on oil the first two decks who constituted by fur far the larger portion of the crowd could have escaped 1 I was chatting friends friend we felt the bont boat rise out of the river it was clouded with fog there was 11 crash for a moment no one moved and then almost everybody rus rushed to one side of the boat the crew and the officers ns its soon as they realized what was happening cried for tile the passengers to even the load but it was too late the columbia tilted fitted and then suddenly loverti overturned arned I 1 was thrown into into the water when I 1 cuine came to the surface people were swimming about too lazed to know what direction to follow the mist hung filing low above the overturned boat from which came a horrifying confusion of cries for aid |