On August 10, 1905, while enroute up the Ohio River, she struck a snag at Sister's Island, below Golconda and near Bay City, Illinois and tore a hole 40 feet long in her hull, causing the boat to sink in shallow water. Three towboats went to the rescue of the wreck - the Fulton, Ranger and Wash Honshell - assisted in raising the Williams. She was then placed on the ways for repairs; damage estimated at $25,000.
Photographed on board the QUEEN CITY some 60 years ago. The negative ws found in a second-hand book store in Cincinnati, Ohio with no clue as to who took it, The roof bell showing on the right today is doing service on the DELTA QUEEN. In Disneyland, in California, today there is a full -siz operating river steamboat named MARK TWAIN, which has a fancy spreader-bar between its smokestacks copied from the one you see in this picture. A section of the wire railing with its fanciful rosettes is used on the little steamer LADY GRACE. One of the gilded acorns surmounting the hogchain posts today is in the River Museum, Marietta, Ohio.
We don't know the identity of the lady with the nice white shawl thrown over her shoulders, nor of her companions, but they are having a nice time sailing down the Ohio somewhere between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. They seem to be saying "Wish you were here." Too late: too late. But not too late for Grace and me to wish you and yours a Happy Voyage through 1961. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The Ways.