Parkersburg Sentinel
Search Continues For Victims Of The Steamer Kanawha Sinking
Fourteen Missing Persons Still Unaccounted For Off Steamer
January 7, 1916
At Least Three More Are Unaccounted For, According To Second Clerk Hoyt
Report Of Disaster Made To Government Engineer At Wheeling
Bert Wolfe, Purser, Given Up For Dead – Other Stories Of Survivors
The search for the bodies at the scene of the wreck of the steamer Kanawha continued, with many reports arising as to the recovery of bodies, none of which were verified. It was reported that the body of Bert Wolfe had been found, but this proved to be erroneous. The body of Miss Anna Campbell, the chambermaid, colored, was brought to this city and taken in charge by the Leavitt Undertaking Company. The body of Mrs. Ollie Fitzpatrick was reported to have been found, but this was denied in some quarters. The information was from reliable sources that it had been recovered.
The list of the unaccounted for as given in the Sentinel Thursday, remains the same. Second Clerk Fred M. Hoyt, when seen here, stated that he thought there were not over twenty-four passengers, which, with the crew of deck hands and officers, amounted to the total of sixty-two persons on the boat. This leave[s], according to his estimate, three persons yet to be named, besides those known to be missing.
The list of known missing is as follows:
Anna Campbell, colored, chambermaid, Pomeroy, Ohio. Body recovered.
Mrs. Ollie Fitzpatrick, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
___ Fitzpatrick, aged three, Johnstown, Pa.
Bert Wolfe, purser, Rockland, Ohio.
Arthur Beaver, watchman, Dorcas, Ohio.
Lloyd Gee, steward, Gallipolis, Ohio.
W. L. Hoblitzell, Sr., Washington, D. C.
Mrs. W. L. Hoblitzell, Sr., Washington, D. C.
W. L. Hoblitzell, Jr., Washington, D. C.
Mrs. W. L. Hoblitzell, Jr., Washington, D. C.
Hoblitzell infant.
J. D. Hoblitzell, Washington, D. C.
Mrs. Ulysses Beagle, Racine, Ohio.
Mrs. E. C. Atkinson, Racine, Ohio.
E. E. Winters, of the Public Service Commission, was expected to arrive today for an investigation of the accident.
Capt. W. E. Roe was still undecided this morning at to what course he would pursue. The pos[s]ibility of there still being bodies in the cabins has rendered the making of plans difficult with regard to removing the boat. The owner of the boat is more concerned about the loss of life than the loss of the boat, and is using every means possible to ascertain the number of lost. The fall in the river stage, if it continues as there is now every indication, will aid in the work of recovery.
One of the saddest persons to be rescued is Mrs. J. D. Hoblitzell, who lost her husband and many dear friends, his family. Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Hoblitzell were married about four months ag. Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Edgarton, who were rescued, were married some days ago. The party was making a trip down the river and decided to go by water and took passage on the Kanawha. Mr. and Mrs. Edgarton and Mrs. Hoblitzell will remain at a local hotel till something more definite can be learned. It is the opinion that the other members of the party are lost.
The death of Bert Wolfe is a sad blow to Captain Roe and officers of the boat. He was widely known and had served on the boat for fifteen years.
J. M. Sears, who was taken to the hospital on arrival here, is much better and will recover. He took chills on the special train. He was treated by Dr. Herbert Gaynor.
On every side there is praise for the Baltimore and Ohio for running the special train to the scene of the wreck. Supt. Hobbs and the others connected with the company who are responsible for arranging for running the special, are coming in for their just share of the credit for bringing the forty-five survivors to the city, whom they picked up at Meldahl’s and at point along the river.
Another man who was out in the river all of Wednesday night, and who kept a close watch along the shore for possible victims, was B. W. Randolph, of Hockingport
Chief Engineer J. L. Pettitt, of Parkersburg, was able to be out Thursday, but was badly used up as a result of being in the river and floating down, for five or six miles before being rescued and brought to the shore, where he was gradually thawed out, after being almost frozen to death.
Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 7 – Mrs. Luther Dickey, of 1113 Broadway, Stowe township, tossing nervously in her bed yesterday afternoon and unaware of the sinking of the Kanawha, insisted that something had happened to her mother and father. Mr. Dickey had kept the news of the sinking of the boat, aboard which her parents had sailed, from his wife. Mrs. Dickey had been well when her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Atkinson, of Racine, Ohio, were visiting her. They had come from their Ohio home to spend the holidays with her, their only child. After a trip by rail, they expressed a desire to return by water. Mrs. Dickey protested.
“You ought not to go back by water,” she told her mother. “Something tells me that you should not. Please do not go back by that boat.” She referred to the Kanawha.
“Oh, pshaw,” her mother replied, “there is no reason to be so nervous about it, I am sure. We shall enjoy the river trip and no harm will befall us.”
But Mrs. Dickey had make [sic] her parents promise to drop postcards back to her at way points. Mr. Dickey said that his wife had taken to her bed on account of worry.
The husband went to the postoffice to get some word by mail from Mr. Atkinson, who was not reported among the missing, although Mrs. Atkinson was. He received two postal cards, each addressed to Mrs. Dickey and each reading, “All is well on board the Kanawha. Do not worry. Papa.” But one was dated Marietta, Ohio, and the other New Martinsville, W. Va. Each had been mailed before the tragedy, as the boat passed those points.
Mr. Atkinson is an architect at Racine. He and his wife had been planning the trip to Stowe township for a long time. They reached Pittsburg on Christmas eve. Mr. Dickey is employed at the Pressed Steel Car Works at McKees Rocks.