Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
1919 - 19 DROWN IN BOAT WRECK. Twelve Others Missing as Result of Accident in Alabama River. Weekly Boat Ride to Children of City Has Terrible Ending.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala., June 15. - Nineteen persons most of them children, are known to have been drowned, while rescue parties, aided by powerful searchlights tonight were dragging the Warrior river near Tuscaloosa for the bodies of 12 others missing from a pleasure party of 53 who were cast into the water late today when a gasoline launch was overturned in midstream near here.

The boat, the Mary Francis, was owned by SAM ALSTON, a Tuscaloosa capitalist, who had been giving weekly boat rides to children of the city. ALSTON was saved after he had exhausted himself endeavoring to save his guests.

Overcrowding is given as the cause of the accident, though the launch was supposed to have a passenger capacity of 60.

San Jose Mercury Herald
San Jose, California
June 16, 1919

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