By Jared Olar
Library Assistant
In prior posts here at “From the History Room” we have recalled the three riverboat disasters that are noted in Pekin’s history, and have expounded at length on the wreck of the Prairie State on 25 April 1852 and the sinking of the Columbia on 5 July 1918.
We also mentioned briefly the wreck of the Frankie Folsom, a Pekin-based steamboat named after President Grover Cleveland’s wife. The Frankie Folsom, captained by John C. Losch, sank during a storm in Peoria Lake on 12 July 1892, killing at least 12 people, all or nearly all from Pekin. This was the first steamboat wreck to affect Pekin since the Prairie State 40 years prior. Since we have not told the Frankie Folsom’s story in full, we will do that today, relying on contemporary news accounts of the tragedy. News of the disaster was printed in papers across the Midwest.
This is how the Goshen Daily News of Goshen, Ind., reported the wreck the day after:
“Tuesday evening was one of the prettiest ever seen, and the Illinois river and the little lake were fairly alive with boats of every description. At 10 o’clock a cyclone swept over the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The most serious and appalling disaster of the night was caused by the capsizing of the pleasure steamer Frankie Folsom at the foot of Caroline street.
“Those Known to Be Drowned.
“The following is a list of the unfortunates who are known to have lost their lives by the swamping of the steamer. All were residents of Pekin, Ill.:
“John Ahrens,
Mrs. Duesdecker and
two unknown lady companions,
Mrs. Fred Fisher,
Miss Cora Fisher,
Miss Mary Flath,
Misses Anna and
Mary Poebel,
William Ripberger and
Mrs. William Wiles.“The Disaster.
“At Lake View park, a mile above the city, a representation of Pompeii was given [Note: other papers call this ‘Pain’s Last Days of Pompeii’]. For this occasion, the Folsom, a Pekin boat, came up with forty people. A landing was made here and two or three couples joined the party. Fifteen others also got on the boat at the park, so that the passenger list reached fully sixty. As the boat came out of the landing and started down to the city it was struck by the cyclone and turned over. It was about midway in the river and sank rapidly. Owing to the tempest the cries of the passengers could not be heard. The Longfellow with seventy-five passengers from Kingston passed by and ran to the foot of the next street, its passengers were driven off and the boat made ready to go to the aid of the Folsom when the Kingston’s (sic – the Longfellow’s) wheels broke and it was left helpless.
“Word was conveyed to the police station, and Mayor Warner ordered every man to the scene. The Rock Island road sent a special train to the scene of the disaster, and small boats were put off to the Folsom, the hull of which could be seen when the lake was illuminated by the vivid lightning. Four persons were taken off it by the first boat out.
“Caught in the Cabin.
“It is known that there are over a dozen in the cabin of the ill-fated steamer. When the boat careened over every one rushed to the sinking side to escape the steam, and many of them were washed overboard. One man says he saw several women fastened down under the wreck and they were cooked to death by the steam. Every time the boat careened some of the poor unfortunates clinging to the rails would release their hold and disappear in the waves. Some persons who were out in small boats and managed to reach the shore say they saw several bodies floating on the water.
“Some thrilling stories are told by the men who have been brought off the boat. Samuel Sutton missed his wife when the cyclone struck the boat and he heard her calling for him as the cabin filled with water. He dived into the hole to what seemed certain death and managed to bring her to the surface. For an hour they clung to the rail and were both saved. William Hart also went into the cabin and brought up the unconscious form of his wife. It is thought she will die.
“Bodies Float Away.
“At 2 a. m. the storm is still so terrific that no search can be made, as small boats cannot be used in the rough water. There are eighteen dead in the Folsom according to the count just made. Only about one-half of these will be found in the cabin of the boat, for the others were swept off the rail into the river. Two bodies have been sighted floating through the lower bridge nearly 2 miles from the scene of the disaster. Whether those are from the Folsom or the bodies of persons from overturned boats cannot be stated. It is thought they are the latter. There is a large number of carriages at the wreck, and as fast as a party is brought ashore they are put in carriages and hurried away to where they can be clothed. Everyone in the vicinity has thrown the houses open and the work of rescue is going rapidly on. The cries of those on the sinking hulk of the steamer are growing weaker every minute, and those brought ashore say there are some whose strength will not last them until they can be taken off.
“Many Small Boats Out.
“When the storm struck the lake and river the water was covered with small row beats loaded with merrymakers. The fury of the gale lashed the water into foam, and the frail shells bobbed up and down in the heavy sea like corks. Most of the boatmen were inexperienced, and as soon as the gale burst upon them they lost control of the boats, which were driven along before the wind. Many of the boats filled with water and were swamped, their occupants having to take to the water and swim for the shore. Some of the boats were overturned. The women and children were the greatest sufferers. People who were on the shore rescued many of these from watery graves. It is believed that not a few have perished . . . .”
Although the Goshen Daily News listed 11 victims, two days after the disaster the Algona Republican of Algona, Iowa, included several additional names:
“John H. Arends, Pekin.
Mrs. Kate Beebe, Duluth, Minn. (or Pekin)
Mrs. Henry Duisdecker, Pekin.
Mrs. Fred Fisher, Pekin.
Miss Cora Fisher, Pekin.
Miss Mary Flatt, Pekin.
Miss Mollie Hepler, Pekin. (sic – Munson)
Grant Hepler, Eureka, Ills. (or Streator).
Rev. J. H. McMeen, Pekin (or Benson).
Miss Lottie Rutler (sic – Reutler), Pekin.
Miss Lottie Shade, Shelbyville, Ills.
Mrs. W. G. Willis, Pekin.
Unknown man and woman, Pekin.”
The unknown man in this list is thought to be a man named Metcalf, whose body reportedly was recovered some days after the wreck. Similarly, Mrs. Kate Beebe’s body was recovered two days after the wreck, and the four bodies of the Heplers, Rev. McMeen, and Reutler were also recovered. The total number of victims of the Frankie Folsom is uncertain, with some reports saying only 11 died, but others said it was as many as 20. The best estimate appears to be that it was no less than 12. God only knows the exact number – but whatever the total, it was nowhere near the number of lives lost in the wreck of the Columbia 26 years later.
