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Postscript Sultana – Conclusion

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Postscript Sultana

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

* * *

The following is a postscript to the article "Who (or What) Really Dunnit?" That article addressed the possible coverup or incomplete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the explosion and fire of the steamboat SS Sultana on April 27, 1865 which took the lives of over 1700 citizens and returning Union Army former pow's following the supposed end of the Civil War. You can review that article. Parts One through Four are (1)here, (2)here, (3)here and (4)here.

* * *

Part Five of Five
(Part One is HERE , Part Two is HERE
Part Three is HERE , Part Four is HERE)

* * *

The actual, formal end to the Civil War never really took place. At least, not in the sense you might envision, say, by virtue of a formal surrender or proclamation. Insofar as the Union never recognized the South as any form of government and nothing more than a literal insurgency, it's not assumed the Union really expected a formal, all encompassing surrender. But, they (the Union) acted in many respects as if they had one.The end started to develop when Lee surrendered the Northern Virginia Army to Grant on April 9, 1865. It is important to remember that Lee was only surrendering the army in his command. Not on behalf of the entire Confederacy. Jefferson Davis was captured on the run on May 10, 1865 and charged with various crimes of treason, etc. The Confederate Congress was at that time too scattered and disrupted to have entertained or issued terms or offered surrender.

While various Generals of the Confederate forces followed suit over the days following Lee's surrender and surrender continued, no one single moment, event or document exists which encompassed the surrender of the South to the North. Thus, the battles and the sentiments understandably continued throughout the country, albeit dwindling in many respects.

General Lee Surrenders to General Grant

So then, while the North 'hoorah'd' the end with the surrender of Lee, there were still fighting factions of the Confederate forces who wouldn't give up so easy. Including the Confederate Secret Service, and, for purposes of our interest in the bombing of Sultana, the boat burners. And, Robert Louden was by his own admission, the Official Records of both the Union AND Confederate Armies, and by comprehensive, though circumstantial evidence, the likely preeminent boat burner responsible for the destruction of Sultana.

The rest of the story. Robert Louden was clearly an active, long standing associate through the Liberty Fire Company 6 with John M. Wimer. Thomas E. Courtenay was the pinnacle of the Confederate Secret Service and the inventor and manufacturer of the 'coal torpedo'. Courtenay was also a former Sheriff of St. Louis County and as importantly, was an investor/business partner of John M. Wimer.

Thomas Courtenay, Inventer
of the Coal Torpedo

Prior to the explosion of Sultana, Louden was known to be in the deep south somewhere along the river, possibly New Orleans. The balance of this story, I will leave to you, gentle reader, to write. I present below actual transcripts of the various remaining Official Records of the Union Army and of the Confederate Army and the Union Provost Martial in St. Louis. These records indicate the nature of documentation retained following the war and represent pertinent, but not all documents referring to these men. Bearing in mind Louden's two confessions of bombing the Sultana, I leave the conclusiveness of the admittedly circumstantial (but for Loudens background and confessions) evidence as to whether to posthumously convict Mr. Louden.

Given all of the circumstances surrounding the country, Missouri and the very nature of the drawn out ending of this war, were these various players acting as unabated killers unwilling to stop, or were they doing nothing more than continuing the fight for the South and their values? I leave it to you.

Was the investigation into the Sultana disaster by the Union authorities just incompetent and bungling? Or was it a purposeful way to avoid ripping the scab off of a war which was supposed to be over, a scab which would and could so painfully reignite the war? I leave that to you also.

Finis

………. Tom Parquette

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Posted by on August 24, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Postscript Sultana – Part Four

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Postscript Sultana

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

* * *

The following is a postscript to the article "Who (or What) Really Dunnit?" That article addressed the possible coverup or incomplete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the explosion and fire of the steamboat SS Sultana on April 27, 1865 which took the lives of over 1700 citizens and returning Union Army former pow's following the supposed end of the Civil War. You can review that article. Parts One through Four are (1)here, (2)here, (3)here and (4)here.

* * *

Part Four of Five
(Part One is HERE , Part Two is HERE
Part Three is HERE )

* * *

3rd Street, St. Louis 1854

One of John Wimer's first acts upon entering the mayor's office for the second term in 1857 was the renewed updating of fire protection in St. Louis. Wimer must have had great misgivings about his decision to abolish the volunteer fire service and institute a full time paid fire service. Having organized Liberty Fire Company himself some sixteen years prior, Wimer had no choice but to accede to the political and public pressure which was mounting. The volunteers had become too rowdy, too unlawful and too much of a blemish on the populace which was rapidly becoming more proper and dignified. Wimer announced his intention to disband the volunteer system, acquire all of the volunteer property and start the St. Louis Fire Department and that's just what he did. However, the members of Liberty Fire Company did not take kindly to John or the idea at this point. In February of 1858 on the eve of the assignment of the Liberty Fire Company #6 firehouse and equipment to the City of St. Louis, the Liberty 6 firehouse and all of it's equipment burned to the ground, rendering it all useless and returning the vacant lot back to it's original grantor, the City of St. Louis. Arson was the cause with the intent to prevent the paid regulars from ever using the Liberty property. No one was ever caught or directly accused of this arson.

The paid full-time St. Louis Department was organized into, initially, three companies with H. Clay Sexton as the 'Engineer' (Chief at that time). As the department expanded under Sexton with city resources, the fourth engine company was named John M. Wimer Engine Company and of course, as years went on, simply to Engine Company 4.

During this very difficult period, President Lincoln was struggling with the secessionist movement taking place throughout the country and particularly in Missouri, as Missouri was a 'border state' of the issue. Ultimately, history states Missouri did not secede from the Union, at least in any officially recognized sense. A newly formed Missouri government at one point did vote to secede though. The Union has never acknowledged that vote. Lincoln allowed General John C. Fremont to declare martial law in August of 1861, first in St. Louis, then statewide. The appointment of the Provost Martial was to enforce military law on the citizenry and to ensure loyalty. The Provost Martial essentially had the unlimited power to issue orders, passes, paroles, oaths of allegiance to the United States, transportation permits, and claims for compensation for property used or destroyed by military forces. Citizens could be arrested simply on suspicion; charges could be initiated by anyone, civilian or military. Statements by accusers or witnesses were taken down as evidence.

Not long after martial law was imposed, John Wimer and, separately, H. Clay Sexton were arrested for their southern leanings and imprisoned in the Gratiot Prison. Wimer, because of his long public record of supporting secession and the southern mandate (except slavery) and Sexton, because of recorded complaints to the Provost Martial by disgruntled fire personnel in St. Louis who claimed he had used the southern cause as intimidation. This was never proven and Sexton was later freed from Gratiot on a $5,000 bond and upon signing a loyalty oath to the Union. He return to and retained his position with the City of St. Louis for many years.

Henry Clay Sexton

John Wimer was transferred to Alton Penitentiary in Illinois though, also on the river. In December of 1862, Wimer managed to escape from Alton by hiding in a water tanker as it was moved from the prison grounds.

Alton Penitentiary  1862-1865

Certain historians have suggested over time that Wimer headed for Canada for a time following his escape from Alton. While this would be a technical possibility due to the existence of the Underground Railroad operated secretly by abolitionists which moved thousands of slaves north, the timing dictates it would be extremely unlikely Wimer ever made that trip. Wimer next appears in history organizing a Confederate troop in northwest Arkansas in very early January of 1863.

John Wimer made his way to northwest Arkansas where he quickly joined forces, formally, with the Confederate effort under Maj. General Thomas C. Hindman, commander of the Confederate force in northwest Arkansas. Hindman issued orders to Brigadier General John Sappington Marmaduke to head off the Union forces approaching northwest Arkansas under direction of Union Brigadier General James G. Blunt. Blunt was known to be approaching Arkansas with 8,000 troops and 30 pieces of artillery. Marmaduke assembled his command into two columns. One led by himself, one under the command of Col. Joseph C. Porter. Marmaduke would head north, ultimately losing a battle at Springfield, Missouri, before turning east toward Hartville, the original destination, to rejoin Porter. Porter left Pocahontas, Arkansas on January 2, 1863 and reached Hartville January 9. Porter's column captured Hartville without firing a shot and captured 40 militiamen and 200 weapons.

Battle of Hartville Monument

Porter sent his vanguard detail of Lt. Col. John M. Wimer further north to clear the way for Marmaduke and at Hazelwood, Wimer captured and burned all fortifications there. Marmaduke had ordered Porter to return to Hartville to await his arrival. In doing so, a battle ensued with additional Union forces. In the lengthy Union ambush St. Louis native Col. Emmet McDonald and Lt. Col. John M. Wimer were killed on January 11, 1863. McDonald's history was one of outstanding commitment and valor. You now know much of John M. Wimer's history.

Marmaduke, who following the war in 1884, would be elected Governor of Missouri, ordered McDonald and Wimer's bodies to be transported to St. Louis and turned over to their respective families for proper funeral arrangements befitting the heroes they were. Later, while the families conducted final services in their respective homes for each dead hero, the Union Provost Martial, one Franklin Dick (no,…really) broke into each home with an armed contingent and stole the bodies. Dick had them spirited away and buried in unmarked graves the whereabouts of which were unknown to the families. Dick allegedly did this to prevent public sentiment from boiling over and making the dead men the martyrs they were. The families later learned of the locations and exhumed the bodies for proper burial. John Wimer is appropriately buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Grave of John Wimer

Tomorrow in our conclusion, we'll assemble the likely connections of John Wimer to the possible sabotage of the SS Sultana. Though, as shown, he died valiantly over two years before the Sultana incident, the groundwork had already been laid in place either knowingly or unknowingly, for the murder of hundreds.

Friday – Conclusion

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Posted by on August 22, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Postscript Sultana – Part Three

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Postscript Sultana

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

* * *

The following is a postscript to the article "Who (or What) Really Dunnit?" That article addressed the possible coverup or incomplete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the explosion and fire of the steamboat SS Sultana on April 27, 1865 which took the lives of over 1700 citizens and returning Union Army former pow's following the supposed end of the Civil War. You can review that article. Parts One through Four are (1)here, (2)here, (3)here and (4)here.

* * *

Part Three of Five
(Part One is HERE , Part Two is HERE )

*  *  *

John Wimer was a busy man following his first term as mayor of St. Louis. In addition to the requirements of his office as president of Liberty Fire Company #6, Wimer was installed as St. Louis postmaster. This allowed Wimer a great deal of freedom to mold the 'local' service in his design as post offices and districts were far more autonomous in that era than they might be considered today. One of Wimer's accomplishments as postmaster was to design and issue his own stamps. These were called Postmaster Provisionals and were common throughout the country. The postmaster could design and print these stamps in various denominations and then sell them at a markup to cover the cost of printing, etc. Thus, one dollar might get you eight of the 10 cent Provisionals, and so on. John Wimer created the "Bear Provisonals" in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 cents. They were notable for the pair of bears standing as they held a plaque stating, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" and bore the name of the St. Louis Post Office. Stamp collectors, today, highly value the Wimer Provisionals and though rare, many have sold on the collector market for as much as $170,000.

The Wimmer "Bear Provisionals"

And, as one of the forefathers of multitasking, Wimer was busy raising financing for his second love next to firefighting. John was one of the original founders of the Pacific Railroad Company in 1851 and as such, fought and politicked with the best for the massive support the new transportation technology would receive.

Construction of the Gasconade River Bridge

As construction took place with the clearing and bridge building to create the rail lines needed for the Pacific Railroad, Wimer was also soon to be named as president of the Commercial Insurance Company of St. Louis. By late 1855, the Pacific line was completed on the first leg of 125 miles to the capital at Jefferson City. As a victory send-off, the Pacific road brought in dignitaries, business people and movers and shakers from all walks to participate in the first ride of this railroad they felt destined to be the first link west to San Francisco. November 1, 1855, in a falling rain, the bands played and drinks flowed as over 600 boarded the 14 car train and rolled out of St. Louis to Jeff City. A car was added full of uniformed soldiers and a band of musicians to play as they traveled. Little did they all know, they had been invited to the worst rail disaster to ever take place in Missouri history.

The Locomotive Assigned to the Inaugural Run

When the train reached the trestle bridge spanning the Gasconade River, the train was supposed to stop for the passengers to admire the beauty of the view. But, the engineer was a little behind time and felt he had to be on time for the festivities in Jefferson City, so he poured on the coal skipping the stop and heading onto the trestle bridge. As the train rolled onto the bridge at fair speed, the eastern most pier collapsed sending the train 36 feet down into the Gasconade River. The engine and seven cars rolled right off the track into the river with the remaining cars tumbling down an embankment.

View of the Crash Site From Today's Bridge

Over 30 were killed outright and hundreds were injured. Among them, critically injured, was John Wimer. The entire region was stunned by the accident. Investigations following the disaster discovered that the contractor that built the bridge simply didn't finish the collapsed portion and instead left a simple scaffolding arrangement instead, and nobody knew. They say if the train had crawled across, it might have made it. Might have.

Remains of the Gasconade Locomotive

This major calamity slowed things down a bit for the Pacific Railroad but it didn't stop it. Nothing could stop the railroads in the 1850's and they still can't. The Pacific Railroad would survive future bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions and under different names, survives today. John Wimer recovered from his injuries and continued.

During this period, Liberty Fire Company continued as well with John Wimer at the helm or very close by. Wimer never missed a fire and it's said he possessed the ability to calmly and accurately size up a fire ground and the form of attack. But, the ongoing public rowdiness of the firefighters and the volunteer fire companies as a whole were wearing thin on the nerves of the rapid sophistication of the public.

Throughout this period of existence of the Liberty Fire Company, one Robert Louden was an active member along with Arthur McCoy, his brother-in-law. Louden had married a woman he met through the Liberty Fire Company. A woman whose husband had been killed in the Gasconade Bridge event in 1855. McCoy married her sister. Louden had used his alias, for many reasons, even in his activity with the Liberty Fire Company. Charlie Deal was his name of choice and he, or he as Charlie Deal, appears in the original membership roster of Liberty. Louden's use of an alias was known by many but went unquestioned, at least, historically.

The times, they were 'a changing.' They were changing fast. John Wimer knew it. The times were becoming extremely turbulent politically on both the national and the local level. The people wanted John Wimer back as mayor of St. Louis. Wimer felt called. The year was 1857. Yes, the times were changing fast.

Wednesday – Part Four

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Posted by on August 20, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette

Postscript Sultana – Part Two

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Postscript Sultana

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

*  *  *

The following is a postscript to the article "Who (or What) Really Dunnit?" That article addressed the possible coverup or incomplete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the explosion and fire of the steamboat SS Sultana on April 27, 1865 which took the lives of over 1700 citizens and returning Union Army former pow's following the supposed end of the Civil War. You can review that article. Parts One through Four are (1)here, (2)here, (3)here and (4)here.

*  *  *

Part Two of Five
(Part One is HERE)

John Wimer was born May 8, 1810 in Amherst County, Virginia. A significantly high percentage of notable figures in the region of Missouri had their origins in Virginia. Wimer migrated west to Missouri in 1828 at the age of 18 and became a blacksmith by trade, then opened his own shop in 1833. It didn't take long for John's public spirited energy to surface and, while laboring as a blacksmith, he was elected Constable of St. Louis. Very quickly he assumed more positions and responsibility and was named one of the earliest Superintendents of the Waterworks followed by his election as Sheriff and later as a judge. Throughout John's career in early St. Louis, firefighting was clearly one of his greatest interests.

John Wimer

As 1840-41 rolled around, John Wimer was one of the original organizers of Liberty Fire Company #6 as part of the volunteer fire services protecting St. Louis. Liberty 6 was organized in 1841 and formally incorporated in 1843. The original members which made up the entire group, founding and otherwise, were largely employees of the Gaty, McCune and Co. foundry in St. Louis. Volunteer fire companies in St. Louis, of which there were 12 at the peak, were very powerful in the community and quickly developed and took advantage of political connections. The funding for the companies, Liberty 6 in particular, came from a multitude of sources. The city donated land for a firehouse and the balance was raised continually through contributions from citizens and, of course, payments from insurance companies for services. The name 'Liberty' was suggested by Mr. J. McDonough, Esq. who was later to become Chief of Police in St. Louis. Mr. McDonough had originated in Baltimore and took the name from that city's Liberty #6 of which he had been a member. The fire company wasted no time in acquiring what was then the best of equipment. The first pumper was built by none other than the Gaty, McCune & Co. foundry to be followed by a first class engine built by Agnew Company of Philadelphia under the express condition that it had to be better than an engine named "Emperor" delivered by Agnew to 'competing' St. Louis company Union Fire Company #2. The engine desired by Liberty had to include every ounce of the creativity of the Agnew builders and it was delivered on August 10, 1848. Liberty immediately challenged the Union apparatus to a contest which took place September 11, 1848 as a very public affair. Unfortunately, for Liberty, the new engine lost to Union's Emperor which had pumped water 246 feet.

The fire companies in St. Louis, as elsewhere, were extremely competitive and run more like businesses, or even gangs, than a public facility. Liberty stayed with the Agnew Company for their third and last apparatus. Agnew created a beautiful, second class pumper which was delivered in October of 1857 and proudly named "August Philiburr" after one of their past presidents. It was decorated with a very accurate likeness of Philiburr on the side panels.

John Wimer's fire hat

While the organizers of the various fire companies were generally considered to be connected men of political and financial strength, the members of the companies were overwhelmingly not. Many, especially many of the Liberty Company, were considered as east coast riff raff of Irish origins from the docks of the east. Whether true or not, the Liberty members, as well as the other companies in St. Louis loved to drink, compete, and they would go out of their way for a fight. Brawls were not uncommon, and in fact, several times took precedence over actually fighting the fire at hand. You see, when a fire alarm was called, usually more than one company would respond and it turned into a fight over who got to the fire first, and then who got the best fire plug access. In large part, both their individual pay and certainly their self pride depended on beating the competition.

As he both formed and continued to participate in the operation of Liberty Fire Company #6, John Wimer was an even busier man than you might expect. At the age of 33, just following the organization of the Liberty Fire Company, Wimer was elected as the seventh mayor of St. Louis for the period of 1843-1844. John was elected again as mayor of St. Louis for 1857-1858 and became, in both terms, one of the most popular mayors the city has ever had. Wimer was dedicated to the good and safety of the city and it's residents, a goal which would soon enough become fruitless for him. No man before, or probably since, has had the warm recognition and public support in politics as did John Wimer. Prior to his mayoral ambitions, John held the office of alderman for three terms and held the fifth ward in the palm of his hand for years.

As mayor in 1843 John Wimer instituted some of the first municipal fire codes in the country. Chimney and stove fires, always a serious problem of the day, were addressed with a list of specifications and requirements spelled out in detail. Wimer had the city inspectors cruise the city monthly with orders that any nonconforming installations be reported to a judge who would have the City Marshal pull them down. Wimer restructured the pay for city offices and spelled out in detail the responsibilities of each. The new pay structure had the City Engineer as it's highest paid at $1500 yearly with the mayor, register, auditor, judge and water works superintendent at $1200. A sweeping reform of city codes, ordinances and criminal codes followed.

Following his first term as mayor and continuing through the late 1840's and early 1850's, John was to continue his active involvement with the Liberty Fire Company, serving as it's president for over five years. But, having left blacksmithing behind for politics and public service, John became the Postmaster of St. Louis for several years, but not just any postmaster. I doubt John Wimer could envision how history might view his days with the post office. We'll continue following John Wimer's career in Part Three.

Monday, Part Three

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Posted by on August 17, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Postscript Sultana

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Postscript Sultana

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

*  *  *

The following is a postscript to the article "Who (or What) Really Dunnit?" That article addressed the possible coverup or incomplete investigation of the circumstances surrounding the explosion and fire of the steamboat SS Sultana on April 27, 1865 which took the lives of over 1700 citizens and returning Union Army former pow's following the supposed end of the Civil War. You can review that article. Parts One through Four are (1)here, (2)here, (3)here and (4)here.

Part One of Five

The Trans-Mississippi Theater, or essentially the entire western front of the Civil War produced some of the most intense wartime action of all. The Mississippi was a key factor of the war due to it's ability to move supplies and troops more efficiently than any other option available. The River quickly came under the effective 'control' of the Union, but that didn't stop the Confederate Army from doing everything in their power to disrupt the advantage it offered to the North. In fact, though the surrenders of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee did take place in April of 1865, serious fighting and skirmishes continued. The last credited battle of the War took place at Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, Texas on the north side of the Rio Grande River May 12-13, 1865. There are serious historians who maintain that the Civil War did not end until the end of the James and Younger Gang era in the 1880's. The Confederate spies and guerillas didn't accept the surrender readily and continued their work unabated. This was very much the case along the Mississippi from St. Louis to New Orleans.

Jesse James (dec'd.)

In the main articles of "Who (or What) Really Dunnit" this author makes it clear that in his opinion, and the opinions of other historians and journalists, that the explosion and deaths caused in the Sultana disaster were not accidental, by any cause. The key player in this sabotage is believed to have been one Robert Louden, a longtime member of the Liberty Fire Company #6 in St. Louis and a confessed smuggler, terrorist and boat burner of the day. The original four part article fully makes the case against Louden for his likely involvement in the Sultana disaster in addition to which, he is recorded as confessing twice at two different times to being the bomber of Sultana. The last of these confessions was upon his death bed.

This postscript article takes the reader further along in anecdotal, factual, associative and documented evidence which more fully not only makes the case of boat burning, but looks at the connections between some very interesting players for the Confederate cause and their beliefs and the contradictions of their beliefs as well.

During and leading up to the start of the Civil War, Missouri was a hotbed of divisiveness both politically and socially regarding the elements of North vs. South. Slavery was commonplace and hotly debated. The northern tier states attempted in many ways to impose what ultimately became a Union doctrine and the State of Missouri, though split, resisted that imposition. Lincoln tread softly for a time but in August of 1861 General John C. Fremont declared martial law first in St. Louis then statewide. Fremont did so with Lincolns full blessings. Martial law meant that military law would be the order of the day and it would be enforced under the full discretion of the Provost Martial appointed for each county. The Provost Martial had essentially unlimited power to arrest, detain, imprison or execute anyone he felt was a threat to the Union. This could have been one of Lincolns biggest mistakes as he led into the dreaded war. Provost Martial's enforced law but soon turned into, some say, nothing more than thugs and thieves. This caused a resistance which led to the formation of organized rebel groups, guerillas and smugglers working against the Union effort.

Robert Louden

As to Robert Louden and his various associates, our postscript will examine the life of a man who by any other definition must be termed remarkable. A man who was an original organizer of Liberty Fire Co. 6 and his leanings. We'll look at his determination, what some say was his brilliance, at his climb to the pillars of society and his untimely death for all he believed. We'll examine the life of Lt. Col. John M. Wimer and his influence on the efforts which led to the Sultana explosion and we'll look at his significant contribution to the modern fire service today. Stay tuned!

Friday, Part Two

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Posted by on August 15, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit? – Part Five

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Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Five of Five

Firegeezer notes: This has been a reprise of Tom Parquette's previous posting under this same title on June 19 – 22. While you may read them previously, we are repeating them here for those who missed them or to be used as reminders  leading into a sequel of five additional parts that will present additional information and a more complete account of the SS Sultana explosion in the Mississippi River in April 1865. A mystery that is still not settled.

The Questions Remain

Loudens wife, Mary, had also been arrested and confined for aiding the enemy. Along with 20 or so other women of the resistence, the authorities didn't know what to do with them so they uprooted them and put them on a boat headed south to Louisiana to rid St. Louis of them. Investigation much later proved that Captain James C. Mason was the pilot of the river boat that hauled Mary Louden to exile and from her children. She was allowed to return following the capture of her husband.

Robert Louden

Louden returned to St. Louis after the Sultana disaster, but chose to do so under cover of an alias. Early history relates that Charles Dale was Louden's alias of choice but we have proof that the true alias Louden used was Charley Deal. Early reporters and transcriptionists carried an error forward and the Charles Dale name stuck in much of history.

This alias is significant. Sgt. Major William C. Streetor of St. Louis was the key records clerk of Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis and knew Louden and his associates very well. Following Loudens escape and his later return to St. Louis as Charley Deal, Streetor actually worked with Louden in the painting business along the river for a time.

Louden was known to like to drink and Streetor, in 1888, related how Louden had previously confessed to him that he had sunk several Union river boats including the Sultana. Louden claimed to use a device known then as a 'coal torpedo'. A coal torpedo was simply a round metal ball hollowed out inside and filled with explosives. Then, coal was applied to disguise it as, well, coal. The coal torpedo was invented by Capt. Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay of the Confederate Secret Service. Louden was well acquainted with Capt. Courtenay and had ready access to him. The coal torpedo, once inserted into the bulk coal pile from which the boilers were fed, would guarantee a massive explosion of the boilers. The 'when' was not controllable but the result was guaranteed. Louden had openly stated to many in St. Louis, especially during the war, that it was far too risky trying to board a boat, set it on fire and then escape fast enough to get away safely. The coal torpedo solved that problem, lessening the risk.

Thomas Courtenay, inventor
of the coal torpedo (below)

Another Gratiot Prison alumnus, Ab Grimes knew and worked with Louden. Grimes himself was a spy/smuggler of great repute and was noted as a very prolific jail break aritst. Grimes lived some time longer than Louden and apparently was aware of the statements Streetor attributed to Louden. Grimes never raised an objection or disputed the claims made by Streetor in reference to his old friend, Louden. Each of these players is worthy of a book of material in their own right.

A. C. "Ab" Grimes

Louden had eventually located to Louisiana following the end of the war and the receipt of his Presidential pardon. He died in the yellow fever epidemic but not until he again made the same confession of bombing the Sultana the night of April 26, 1865, from his death bed.

Arthur McCoy

Arther McCoy, well known then as 'the Wild Irishman', deepened his efforts with Quantrills Raiders from Missouri and as the effects of the end of the war faded somewhat, he grew bored with a farm type life and headed to Texas to try his hand at raising cattle. He was widely reported to be associated with the infamous James Gang taking part in several train robberies and ultimately shooting a Pinkerton officer to protect the James Gang. Questions exist on the extent of that affiliation, however. His connection to the James gang is validated though through the relation of his wife to a wife of one of the James boys and more strongly by McCoy's membership with Quantrill as were the James boys and the Younger gang. An exact date of death for McCoy isn't known but it is reliably believed he died in Texas about 1880. That too, is when he wife first recorded herself as a widow.

Well, if you've never heard of the SS Sultana and the largest maritime disaster in US history, you have now. If you have heard of it, maybe this presents a question in your mind as it has mine. The Sultana did sink by virtue of an explosion at about 2:00 AM April 27, 1865, that much is known, for sure. It was clearly overloaded over six times it's rating. That too, is known. Boiler repairs were alleged to be insufficient. That too, is perhaps likely. Did Robert Louden of St. Louis fame as a fireman with Liberty Fire Company #6, the same Robert Louden known as a reputed spy, smuggler, secessionist, Minute Man, confidant of bomb makers, braggart, and brother in law of a Quantrill Raider turned probable outlaw, commit one of the final strikes against the North? Perhaps a strike against the notorious St. Louis captain who hauled his wife away and broke up his family? Did he see it as a final curtain call to take out over 1700 broken Union ex-pows AND Captain Mason,……..the final revenge as time was 'running out'? Or, was Louden just a rabel rouser who went wrong and wanted to claim 'the big one' as a legacy? We may never know.

Was the Maritime Commission investigation another Warren Commission report that left as many questions as answers? I've read micofilmed digital copies of the hand written transcript from 1865 and, given even adjustments for the times and the technologies involved, I think so. Is this a 'conspiracy theory'? I don't believe so. I believe many historians have been left with the same questions I have. But too, there are those who align with the 'official version'. Go figure.

The SS Sultana did sink to the bottom of the Mississippi about seven miles north of Memphis very near Marion, Arkansas on the west side of the river. Since 1865 the Mississippi has gradually changed course a bit and the spot where Sultana sank is now the middle of an actively farmed soybean field residing some 32 feet below ground level. It is considered hallowed ground. The City of Marion is making efforts to create a formal museum dedicated to the Sultana disaster. Following the disaster in 1865 extensive and repeated efforts were made to induce the US Government to construct a fitting memorial to those lost in the Sultana explosion. Those efforts were unsuccessful to this day. Since most of the victims of the disaster were from various states, it fell upon many local towns and villages to construct monuments to both the Sultana and the local victims involved. Therefore, there are many 'monuments' to this event. In spite of our bipartisan incompetence in DC.

Memphis Sultana Marker

The next time someone mentions, oh, the Titanic, perhaps, you may give a pause for a moment to the 2000+ lives lost in the Sultana disaster too. Many endured four years of confinement, torture, starvation and abuse only to live and see freedom long enough to meet their end on the river. A dark river.

Finis

Wednesday – Part One, Postscript Sultana

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Posted by on August 14, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit? – Part Four

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Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Four of Five
(Part One is HERE, Part Two is Here.
Part Three is HERE.)

Firegeezer notes: This is an expanded sequel to Tom Parquette's previous posting under this same title on June 19 – 22. While you may recognize that the first few parts are repetitive, he is adding five additional parts to present more information and a more complete account of the SS Sultana explosion in the Mississippi River in April 1865. A mystery that is still not settled.  Note: There are two 5-part sections to this presentation.

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Prior to 1858, St. Louis, Missouri's organized fire protection was limited to at most 12 various volunteer fire companies. Each is a book volume in and of itself but our focus is on Liberty Fire Company #6. Most of these volunteer companies were noted as being rough and tumble, rowdy and very competitive but still, for the time, very good firemen. The mantra, or motto of Liberty #6 was "We Conquer To Save". Liberty Fire Company #6 existed formally from 1841 to 1858. Throughout much of the life of Liberty, one Robert Louden and one Arthur McCoy were very active members. In fact, the final muster records of Liberty #6 list Louden under an alias. Not only were these two brothers of the fire company, but they soon became brothers-in-law as they married sisters from a wealthy, very social St. Louis family. Bear in mind that the photo of the Louden family which accompanies this article was taken in March of 1863 and it does show Louden in his Liberty Fire Company #6 uniform. It is the only photo of Louden known to exist.

The Louden Family

 

The rowdyism and fighting of the volunteer fire companies in St. Louis was extreme. These guys conducted fire engine races, fought over hydrants, drove engines and teams on the sidewalks and dissed the mayor. They even resorted to false alarms, theft of other companies equipment and near riots at fires. They weren't as 'bad' as Baltimore, San Francisco and some others but they were bad enough actors in the 1850's that the public and the pols turned against them and declared the intention of organizing a paid full time fire department in 1858. No matter. Just prior to turning Liberty 6 over to the full timers, the station house burnt to the ground on February 11,1858 with all of the equipment as well. The cause was determined to be arson with the intent that nothing of Liberty #6 would be taken over by the new 'department'.

Louden and McCoy were both noted secessionists and soon, when the war officially began, both became raiders, spys, and rabble rousers behind the scenes for the South. McCoy formed a group named the Minute Men and was and is known by historians as a very accomplished member of Quontrill's Raiders performing sabotage and assasinations behind the lines for the South. It must have been some Thanksgiving Dinner conversation when these guys got together. Their wives were also very sympathetic to the cause and did engage in sabotage as well. Louden partnered in a boat and general painting company in St. Louis. McCoy was known to work with him as well. Painting the river boats and generally doing business on the river brought Louden a certain notoriety in St. Louis and on the water, not to mention some political pull through his association with the Liberty Fire Company as well.

As the early years of the war tore on, Robert Louden became increasingly adept at smuggling mail from the south to the sympathizers and organized rebels in the State of Missouri. Over time, Louden would 'confess' to others that he sank many of the 26 river boats on the Mississippi for the South. History would tell us that Arthur McCoy was probably the brighter of the two.Over a period of time during the war in the early 1860's, Louden was arrested and detained by the Union Army police at least 5 or 6 times for smuggling and sabotage. History does not yet show us whether Louden was ever charged or convicted of boatburning but on the last of these arrests he was sentenced to death and kept, as usual, in Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis. It could be assumed the tribunal which last sentenced him knew or suspected his complicity in the bombings and sentenced accordingly. Toward the end of the war, Lincoln had issued an executive order halting all executions until or unless his personal signatorial approval was issued first. It was during this period that Louden escaped from army confinement and headed south.

Gratiot Street Prison  (MHM Collection)

It has been reported and at various times attributed to Louden that following his escape and his planned trip down the river to Confederate territory, he needed a foolproof way to avoid the Union patrols on the Mississippi north of Memphis. Louden allegedly acquired a casket and thoroughly caulked the box before setting sail on the river. As the ghastly craft would float near any Union troops, they would shun investigating it. When it would bump up against a Union vessel, Louden would stick his arm out and simply push it off again. Take that as you wish. No verification of this anecdote is possible.

Monday, Part Five - The Questions Remain

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Posted by on August 10, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit? – Part Three

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Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three of Five
(Part One is HERE, Part Two is Here.)

The Backstory

Firegeezer notes: This is an expanded sequel to Tom Parquette's previous posting under this same title on June 19 – 22. While you may recognize some of the paragraphs in Parts One and Two as being partly repetitive, he has used the extra space to add more information and present a more complete account of the SS Sultana explosion in the Mississippi River in April 1865. A mystery that is still not settled.

The times were tough. They were brutal, deadly, painful and,…..well,….horrific! There is no other way to describe the history which was occurring in April of 1865,..period! The country had been divided for some years, then Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, Lincoln was shot April 14, Johnson surrendered an army of 7500 to Sherman on April 26, and on the same day Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth was cornered/captured and shot, and then Jefferson Davis was finally captured on May 10 in Georgia. The country, the people and the press had a lot on it's plate to digest. The war was (supposed to be) over. A river boat going down in the Mississippi didn't make news in many places. At least 26 of them had been sunk during the war, one more on top of all the other news wasn't really news.

A rushed maritime investigation begun on April 27 which was literally inundated with piles of paper work and documents (which by all records were not even reviewed) needed an answer and needed to put the disaster to rest. And they did. Overloaded boat. Boiler leak. Rushed repairs. 2400+ soldiers wanted to go home. Then, boom! Case closed. And the case is still closed on the Sultana. Officially, that is. But a growing number of historians and investigative journalists (myself included) can't get some unexplored 'facts' out of their minds. See if it affects you the same way. Captain Frederic Speed, the Union Army officer who volunteered to organize the mustering out of the prisoners, was charged under military law and following a six month trial was convicted of "neglect of duty pertaining to the good order of the military" and discharged. He was the only person charged in the disaster. The charges were later dropped against him.

Sultana marker – Marion, Arkansas

Leading up to the Civil War a growing group of people, secessionists, were campaigning in their various states to leave the union and survive on their own. When Lincoln was elected in 1860, the last straw was down and over a period of six months from December 20, 1860 to June 8, 1861, 11 states seceded from the union. South Carolina led the way followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. Of note here is that Missouri was not a seceding state.

Though not seceding from the union, Missouri was a hotbed of sympathizers and underground activity in support of the Confederate States, and as any good sympathizer type landscape might do, it produced a certain ongoing hell for the yankee efforts in the Civil War. Many secessionists relocated to Missouri from the Confederate States purely to conduct operations from a central and key geographical point. This very pointed element of history lends itself to a lifelong study and believe me, it is loaded with some of the most fascinating details you never knew before. But, as always we are confined in the time we have so we'll focus on two or three key players and what they might have meant to the fate of the Sultana.

Tomorrow – Part Four

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Posted by on August 8, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit? – Part Two

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Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two of Five
(Part One is HERE)

Into the Darkness

Firegeezer notes: This is an expanded sequel to Tom Parquette's previous posting under this same title on June 19 – 22. While you may recognize some of the paragraphs in Parts One and Two as being partly repetitive, he has used the extra space to add more information and present a more complete account of the SS Sultana explosion in the Mississippi River in April 1865. A mystery that is still not settled.

While the Sultana was in port at Vicksburg undergoing the repairs, men on the docks fought, connived and tried bribing their way onto the Sultana for the trip north. Following the week earlier surrender of the Confederate Army, the rushed exchange of Union troops who had been held captive in Confederate prisons was almost immediate. The notorious prisons of Andersonville and Cahawba kicked loose their captives and the men, virtually all emaciated, weak and struggling, made their way to both Vicksburg and some to Memphis to try to board any northbound vessel. The Sultana was licensed to carry at capacity of 376 passengers. The Union Army had contracted with Captain Mason to pay him five dollars per head for enlisted passengers and ten dollars a head for officers for the trip back to St. Louis and their homes. So Mason allowed the passengers to virtually stack up on the decks and all empty spaces of the Sultana so much so that it was reported by a survivor that he couldn't sit or lay down but rather had to lean into the person next to him. But Mason, as part owner of the Sultana together with Merchant And People Lines, was positioned to grab the big bucks quickly so he loaded the boat to the gunwales. It is reliably estimated that the Sultana carried over 2400 passengers as it embarked Vicksburg and then Memphis. There were other river boats racing to Vicksburg to collect troops and in fact there were empty boats docked at Vicksburg the night Sultana cast off, but the military chose not to use them.

 

The Sultana was packed with
over 2,400 passengers

Captain Mason was generally very highly regarded as a seaman of excellent repute. However, historical records indicate sufficient evidence to support the allegation that Mason was paying off the key military officers involved in troop transport to get all the business he wanted. He just had to be there.

The Sultana made a critical port across from Memphis on the Arkansas side of the river to take on fuel (coal). And then, it would be up river on it's voyage to St. Louis, stopping first in Cairo, Il.

An interesting sidenote. The crew of the Sultana kept a live alligator on board as a mascot. This is not further explained in history.

The Sultana left the Memphis area late on the evening of April 26, 1865 steaming up river into the oncoming spring river currents of the flooded river. Approxiamately 9 miles north, at about 2:00 AM April 27th, a massive explosion seemingly from the boiler room area, tore the Sultana apart and sprayed hot, burning coal and embers through the sky like fireworks. The explosion was heard and some say seen as far away as Memphis to the south and up river to the north. Bodies and body parts were blown into the night air as those who weren't killed outright tried to escape. Anything which would float was thrown overboard into the river and the exhausted and weak ex-pows dove in to cling to the debris. The Sultana was equipped with only one life boat. Over 100 victims tried to cling somehow to the lifeboat but were unsuccessful as it sank. The Sultana, such as it remained, burnt to the waterline and sank. The exact death toll that fateful morning is questionable but the best historical documents put it at 1754 dead the night of the explosion and several hundred more dying within days from their injuries. 

The Sultana in flames.

A maritime commission was impaneled to investigate this disaster almost immediately. While Captain Mason did not survive the conflagration, another, historically unnamed pilot aboard the Sultana, did. Part of his testimony related to "their pride in the one lifeboat" aboard Sultana and claiming the boat was fully equipped with cork life jackets, all 76 of them. The commission investigation might well have been the precursor to the Warren Commission investigation and report regarding the assassination of Jack Kennedy. It might have for all it's thoroughness and pomp and circumstance. Substance? That's another matter altogether. In some level of fairness though, one must remember that the country had just 'ended' the war, it's President had been assassinated AND the very day of this explosion, that same assassin had been also killed by agents. Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby come to mind for some reason, but, hey, that's another story.

The Sultana as well as other steamships of that day were operating, supposedly, under governance of the Steamship Act of 1852 (10 Stat. 61) which, on paper anyway, did revise and improve safety regulations of vessels. The years prior to 1852 had seen many several shipping disasters which encouraged political action. But the war in all it's glory, put enforcement on the back burner. The conclusion reached by this maritime commission might, just might have been dictated from the mouth of Mr. R.G. Taylor. Mr. Taylor was the boiler repair man who performed the hurried repairs to the boiler of Sultana in Vicksburg. He stated that Mason didn't want to take the time needed to perform the repairs correctly. The Steamship Act of 1852 would survive as time and history progressed and it did become the foundation at least for what we consider modern Coast Guard regulations in effect today.

To this day, the position of the 'Maritime Administration' report is just that. Sultana was overloaded. Yes it was. Mason was in a hurry to reach St. Louis and the Union Army cash. Yes he was. The Sultana was steaming under heavy headwind and currents which, in addition to her extreme weight, caused the boilers to be taxed to their limits. Well, maybe. That the Sultana, due to the overloaded condition was 'careening' in the river, from side to side. This caused the water in the married boilers to flow from starboard to port and back, a sort of sloshing effect. The water in the boilers must have been low. Maybe, maybe and maybe again. As the water sloshed from a low boiler that left extreme heat firing an empty boiler and a steam overload. Maybe. And that caused one helluva boom! Well, something sure did. Something,…………someplace,………..or,…………..maybe,…..someone! We'll look at what else history tells us about the greatest maritime disaster in US history as our whodunnit continues next with the Backstory.

Tomorrow:  Part Three – The Backstory

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Posted by on August 7, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit? – Part One

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Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part One of Five

Firegeezer notes:  This is an expanded sequel to Tom Parquette's previous posting under this same title on June 19 – 22.  While you may recognize some of the paragraphs in Parts One and Two as being partly repetitive, he has used the extra space to add more information and present a more complete account of the SS Sultana explosion in the Mississippi River in April 1865.  A mystery that is still not settled.

As April 15 came and went this year, it seems none of us were able to miss the acknowledgement of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Memorial events took place far and wide both within the US and other parts of the world as we remembered the tragedy which began when the 'World's Greatest Ship' collided with an iceberg about 375 miles south of Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean.

RMS Titanic

Actually, Titanic was one of three nearly identical Olympic Class ships constructed for the White Star Lines between 1908 and 1912. The others were the RMS Olympic and HMHS Brittanic. Though the Brittanic was originally named, albeit briefly, the Gigantic. They thought that might have been just a little presumptuous so they renamed it. They were probably correct.

The disaster of the Titanic that fateful night is well documented throughout history. She ultimately sank in 12,415 feet of ocean water. Cold ocean water. 1514 souls perished that night and some 710 survived. History buffs can easily locate a multitude of information on the Titanic disaster, especially so since they have located the wreckage. In addition to the video, print and literary records of Titanic and the souls lost, there are at least two very credible museums dedicated to Titanic. Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee host two Titanic Museums which are both very well managed and both maintain excellent artifact and informational displays of the event. There are others, I'm sure. While Titanic is fully deserving of it's place in history and the massive layers of media and other attention given to it, it's not at the top of the list of maritime disasters in history. Not at all.

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On December 27, 1987 the Phillipine passenger ferry MV Dona Paz collided with the oil transport, Vector and burst into flames. The sinking of the Dona Paz took an estimated 4,341 souls to a watery grave. The top ten list of maritime disasters of all recorded history will show the Dona Paz as the worst (lives lost) and Titanic comes in seventh on that list.

MV Dona Paz

The US has had it's share of sea going tragedy but in the top ten, we only have one, number 5. Numbers and rankings don't mean a thing to those lost and mean less to the loved one's they left behind, of course. But since we are a society of rankings of all kinds, and since our inspired readers probably know everything they thought they could know about the Titanic, let's look at that number 5 from a purely US perspective.

In 1863 the John Litherbury Shipyard in Cincinnati completed construction of the SS Sultana, a 1719 ton registered, 260 foot wooden paddle wheeler destined for the lower Mississippi River cotton trade. For about the first two years of it's existence the Sultana operated on a steady route between St. Louis and New Orleans. The cargo was anything from cotton to livestock to troops for the Civil War effort. The Sultana was piloted by a most distinguished gentleman, Captain James C. Mason based in St. Louis.

SS Sultana prior to sailing

April 21, 1865 seemed like any other day in the life of Mason and the Sultana. The boat was loaded with 75 to 100 passengers plus it's normal crew staffing of 85. It left New Orleans with a normal yet fairly light cargo of livestock bound for St. Louis. Since Mason and the Sultana worked under the auspices of the Union and the Union Army, the end of the Civil War, at least formally and publicly, had been fresh and exciting in their minds. The boat headed north on the somewhat flooded Mississippi and put in at Vicksburg, Mississippi for repairs to a boiler. As the very scant records would seem to indicate later, a small leak had developed in one of the four boilers of the Sultana. The boat, just two years old at best, was equipped with four, essentially identical boilers which were interconnected. That is, the water from one boiler was free to travel to the other boilers and vice versa, depending upon the water levels in the boiler(s) and the listing angle, or as the government investigators would state later, the careening factor. If the boat lists or rolls to the starboard (right) then the boiler water force would travel towards the right bank of boilers. If it listed left, then the water could ship to the port side. Allegedly, if the boiler water level was sufficient, it didn't matter.

Captain Mason was faced with a dilemma of sorts. He could tie up in Vicksburg and have a boiler fitter repair the leaking boiler by riveting a plate over the leaking area, a procedure which would take a day. Or, he could have the entire boiler replaced which would take at least 3 days. Mason chose the former and had a patch riveted over the leaking boiler.

Vicksburg 1865

While all of this frantic repair work was taking place in the engine room of the Sultana, history was being made and readied ashore. Remember now, on April 14, just a week or so before the Sultana docked in Vicksburg, John Wilkes Booth visited the Ford Theater and shot President Abraham Lincoln dead. In fact, the news was delivered to Vicksburg by the Sultana due to telegraph sabotage still occurring at the hands of the surrendered Confederate Army. Only five days before Lincoln was murdered, Lee had surrendered to Grant at the Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, officially or at least figuratively ending the War.

This much of the history of the SS Sultana is known. From the time she left Vicksburg, things get a bit more dicey. In fact, they get very dicey.

Tomorrow:  Part Two – Into the Darkness.

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Posted by on August 6, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged:

Proof! Size Doesn’t Matter! – Conclusion

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Proof! Size Doesn't Matter!

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Four of Four
(Part One is HERE. Part Two is HERE.
Part Three is HERE. )

 About 530 miles southwest of Detroit City Hall lies the City Hall of Kinloch, Missouri.

The total land area of Kinloch is 0.7 square miles. Kinloch lies just northwest of St. Louis and just northeast of the intersections of I-70 and I -170 in St. Louis County. To Kinlochs west, just across I-170 is Lambert-St.Louis International Airport. Kinloch evolved over time from a community named Kinloch Park and became the first, thus oldest incorporated African-American community in Missouri.

At it's peak, Kinloch boasted a population of between 10,000 to 15,000 in a neat little community enjoying all of the services one could expect in any similarly sized suburban community. In the 1980's, Lambert Airport attempted to acquire large blocks of property in Kinloch for an anticipated runway expansion. Lambert made offers to buy and those offers were accepted by most property owners. It is claimed that Kinloch lost some 75% of it's population as a result of Lambert's expansion plans. The expansion didn't happen. The houses were torn down which did leave Kinloch with more of a rural feel than that of a bustling suburban area but it still boasted full services and was a place where folks could raise their kids in relative safety and security.

The mayoral election of 1999 brought into office one Keith Conway as a write in candidate for mayor. Conway, a wanna be singer and nightclub entrepreneur quickly assumed total control of the community as his own kingdom. Vacant houses were sold to Lambert, bought back by the City of Kinloch and then resold at ridiculous prices to Conway’s cronies and fellow politicians. Conway established an unknown (?) bank account for the City of Kinloch at US Bank which only he had access to. All city funds and receipts were ordered to cross Conway’s desk conceivably to be deposited in City accounts by Conway. It seems they weren't so deposited.

Mayor Conway

Conway ruled with a heavy hand and blocked the police department from arresting his fellow crooks. A 'family' member operated a night club in Kinloch, the Boom Boom Room which Conway ruled off limits to the police! The Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis owned a decent property in Kinloch and agreed to give it to the city as long as it was used as a community learning center. Conway accepted the property for the city and then immediately installed his cronies to operate and front for him in a dive called the Cotton Club II. Screw the Diocese! The club most recently was still operating. Conway went a step further with the Cotton Club II deal and arranged for the city to pay $200,000 to repave a parking lot for the joint.

Cotton Club II

Conway hustled up grants for such projects as the "historical center." Some $200,000 later all the city had was a "walk of fame" sidewalk with brass plaques embedded in it. Conway and the other city movers and shakers were first to be commemorated along with native U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Currently under investigation for ethics violations, Waters is listed among Congress's most corrupt members. As these issues continued, the police department in Kinloch was taken over some 7 times by the St. Louis County Sheriffs office and several Kinloch cops were prosecuted for corruption. The ones that weren't corrupt, were screwed into the ground by Conway and those who were. As recently as 2007, Kinloch police captain and pastor Everett James shot a suspect after a fight that left James with facial and head injuries. Following his release from the hospital he was informed by Conway that he had to pay the $3,000 bill himself! The city has been charged repeatedly with failure to carry the mandated workmans compensation insurance. James paid the bills, then formed a blue flu walk out which lasted a few hours and culminated in Conway firing him in writing. When confronted, Conway denied he had been fired. It seems there was no unemployment insurance in the city either.

 

Mayor Conway and Maxine Waters
at the "Walk of Fame"

The Kinloch Fire Protection District has had it's share of fallout from the corruption going on inside city hall as well. In 2009 the Fire Protection District, allegedly under separate administrative control, was forced to sell it's back up fire apparatus as scrap just to pay it's light bill. Afterwards, the District qualified for a 90% grant from FEMA to purchase a new apparatus, a new Rosenbauer side mount pumper, but the District had to borrow the additional 10% to acquire the engine. A condition of that loan was that they keep full insurance on the vehicle during the life of the loan. Unable to pay the required $4,400 premium for coverage, the District was repeatedly on the verge of repossession of the apparatus by the bank. The electric utility continues to limit service to the firehouse due to nonpayment. Chief Darran Kelly states that the utility only allows one 15-amp service to the building which is only enough to power the radio system and some lights. 

Kinloch Fire Protection District Station

In May of 2011, Keith Conway was arrested and handcuffed in Kinloch City Hall charged with federal offenses in the use of city credit cards to fleece city accounts of thousands of dollars to pay for the mortgage on his Palm Beach Shores, Fl. condo, plane tickets to Florida and Las Vegas, a Carribean cruise, his personal income taxes and even his own light bill. As with so many of these public corruption cases, that is likely the tip of the iceberg. They still haven't gotten to the bottom of the private bank account and some one million plus dollars in funky money that seems to be missing. 

The Kinloch Fire Protection District is an all volunteer group made up of 16 to 20 volunteers making due with crappy equipment and crappy facilities. The door to the firehouse for a long period of time was nothing more than a large blue tarp due to broken overhead doors. 

Fire Chief Darren Kelly

The City of Kinloch has been taken over by miscreants, drug dealers, drug users, prostitutes and bums. But that didn't stop Keith Conway from being re-elected, again, in 2010. He received a 90% margin of the 14, yes 14, votes cast. Oh, the population of Kinloch in the 2010 census was at 298. Various city council members aren't totally above reproach and exhibited shock when Conway’s arrest came up, although more than one, including the then-interim mayor, were living in city owned property or actually running businesses from city owned homes. 

Kinloch Street Scene

Kinloch stands largely bankrupt today. Bankrupt financially, morally and socially. It is offered that the only solution left is to vote to dissolve the city and incorporate it into St. Louis County but that outcome remains to be seen. 

A recent mayoral election brought in former Alderman Darren Small who is also the assistant fire chief behind Chief Darren Kelly. The City moved to hire a city manager following that election and did so in the person of Eric Mason, a convicted felon currently on probation. 

The City of Kinloch is a barren wasteland now. A reminder in microcosm of Detroit? I certainly see the parallels. Did Detroit fall due to the decline of the US auto industry or the unions which tooled it? Or, perhaps it was racism or natural suburban evolution, how about just an 'upwardly mobile society? Or was it all of these saturated with corruption, self interest, moral decay and disregard for fellow man and society as a whole? 713,777 (Detroit) to 298 (Kinloch). Does size really matter to the relatively few decent hard working concerned citizens who for whatever reason are still residents of these communities? Does size really matter to the understaffed, overworked, ill equipped yet dedicated firefighters trying their damndest to fulfill their calling?

Do the excuses and blame laying of the past really matter past the legal responsibility and the butt covering at all levels? Or does the only thing that really matters remain the future and what we can do about it? You decide. 

………. Tom Parquette

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Posted by on July 20, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Proof! Size Doesn’t Matter! – Part Three

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Proof! Size Doesn't Matter!

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three of Four
(Part One is HERE.  Part Two is HERE.)

In 1973 Coleman Young was soundly elected mayor of Detroit. Young had a history of activism. In the 1930's Young was to become a union organizer/activist while employed at Ford Motor Company. He was fired. Later, Young was a member and activist for various leftist organizations which led him into politics in the 1960's. He was elected five times to the office of Mayor of Detroit, all as the city shrank in population, finance and respect. One of Young's favorite mantras in office when introducing himself was, "I am the MFIC!" The 'IC' part meant 'In Charge' I'll let you figure out the 'MF' part. Young took over the city and by his actions made it clear the old order was over. Graft, corruption, favoritism were all endemic to Detroit.

Mayor Coleman Young

Following the twenty years of Young, Dennis Archer tried his hand at stabilizing what was already in free fall. Archer was largely regarded as a good, principled man but his two terms in office were enough to convince him that he couldn't or wouldn't be able to turn the ship that was Detroit around. The graft and corruption which Young introduced to Detroit or perhaps expanded upon, was too entrenched.

Mayor Kwami Kilpatrick

And following Archer, the election produced none other than now-felon Kwame Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick only expanded on and created new twists on the fleecing of Detroit which Young had initiated. From a scandelous affair with a staffer to crooked contracts and skim, Kilpatrick was convicted and sentenced to jail of some initial charges. The 'other shoe' is still waiting to drop on him and though released from his original sentence, there is a strong liklihood he will return to the graybar hotel. And now we have Detroit Mayor Dave Bing. Basketball Hall of Famer from the Detroit Pistons. Bing retired from the Pistons and formed an auto parts manufacturing business. He moved to Detroit with the sole purpose in mind of running for mayor. Well, be careful what you wish for, Dave.

Mayor David Bing

Detroit's population has fallen to 713,777 as of the 2010 census. That represents a loss of 25% just since 2000. That is the lowest population level for Detroit since 1910. Once great Detroit is fading fast. Dave Bing is calling for a recount. It seems if he can conjure up another 40,000 or so people, Detroit can get more federal funds. Good luck with that, Dave. Detroit is a city littered with the shells of some 80,000 abandoned houses. Some blocks have only one occupied dwelling with the rest vacant. Arson is the pastime of choice for many of the residents as the city can and has experienced some 20-25 arsons daily! If you need a picture of what Afghanistan looks like, simply drive through Detroit. If you've seen the movie 'Escape From New York', you've seen Detroit.

Detroit neighborhood  (Google Satellite view)

So, "What's this got to do with the fire service," you ask? Plenty. The ongoing saga of the Detroit Fire Department is part and parcel to this decline, as is the Police Department and all city services. Layoffs, brownouts, equipment failures, all are epidemic to Detroit and are certainly festering elsewhere today as well. One recent example of the corruption factor in the city relates to Detroit east side company Ladder 19 house. The firefighters can't park their trucks inside the house because the floor is caving in and structurally unsound. Back in 2004, the city allegedly set aside $400,000 for a new floor. It hasn't been repaired. The city staff posited that perhaps there was a clerical error and the floor was meant for Engine 19 instead. The problem remains that there is no 'Engine 19' in Detroit. But wait! Engine 19 received $210,000 for a new floor as well. The officials can't explain what happened to the $610,000. Engine 22 'received' $400,000 for a new floor as well. Oops! Engine 22, located on Michigan Avenue was decommissioned 30 years ago. 'Ladder 22' didn't get a floor either. But it did 'get' $75,000 for a feasibility study.

Engine 22 House (missing the new floor)

Dave Statter has done a formidable job of following the stress and trauma of the Detroit Fire Department. I highly suggest following his continuing series on this debacle that was Detroit. Detroit firefighters are a determined and hard working group. Bluntly put, they are screwed over at every turn and still keep trying to do the job they feel called to do. Oh, problems exist within, they do everywhere to some degree. Drinking on the job is a serious problem in the DFD. Many if not the majority of firefighters reject and despise the occurrence. Detroit's Executive Fire Commisioner Donald Austin, a transplant from LA, threw down the gauntlet against drinking on the job and demanded to impose a zero tolerance policy. The union quickly reminded him there was a 'tolerance policy' in their contract but it wasn't 'zero.' Austin is, as is his superior Dave Bing, clearly over his head with Detroit. Follow the Detroit coverage here with Firegeezer and Statter as well. The subject is clearly worthy of a volume of books when incorporating fact, history and the anecdotal issues effecting this once great, now decayed city.

 

Fire Commissioner Austin

Detroit FD Headquarters  (scheduled to be replaced)

Okay. Okay. What has any of this got to do with the kitschy title Proof! Size Doesn't Matter, anyway? As honorable Shaolin monk, Kwai Chang Caine once said on TV's Kung Foo, "Patience, Grasshopper, Patience."

IF Detroit is the 'large' (once fourth largest US city, etc. etc.) then what would be the 'small' in fair comparison?

Tomorrow, join us again as we motor away from the "Motor City" er,…."The Aresenal of Democracy", err,……."Hitsville", oh, you get it. Follow us along to see if 'size' really matters in the conclusion of 'Proof! Size Doesn't Matter.'

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Posted by on July 19, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Proof! Size Doesn’t Matter! – Part Two

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Proof! Size Doesn't Matter!

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two of Four
(Part One is HERE)

Motor City, Motown, Hitsville, City of the Straits, Paris of the Midwest, City of Trees, Hockeytown, City of Trees. All of these monikers, and more have been used to describe Detroit. It has also been called the Renaissance City as well as "The Arsenal of Democracy." That last tag is perhaps the one that sadly, chokes so many today. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in one of his 30 Fireside Chats, referred to Detroit as an "Arsenal of Democracy" in recognition of the rapid transistion of the Detroit auto industry from domestic production to war production for World War II. Roosevelt was correct then to recognize the greatness of the industry and it's geographic base in southeast Michigan. Detroit and the automotive industry were at their peak then and it seemed, regardless of the union issues and other quasi-normal societal issues, the city was pulling in the same direction. The city was the true melting pot of America with stable neighborhoods, consistent employment at a very living wage and growing bigger all the time. Jews, Italians, Irish and blacks worked side by side in the industry though the neighborhoods were distinctly separate in the city.

Detroit's population experienced doubledigit growth throughout most of the first half the the century, softening a bit during the depression years and then climbing right back after the war, at least until 1950. Once the fourth-largest city in the US, Detroit’s population reached over 1.8 million about 1950 and then began the decline. But the decline which started in 1950 was no different than the declines experienced by so many other major metro areas. The migration to the 'burbs had begun.

If we fast forward to today for a moment, we find the City of Detroit has become virtually an economic, social and geographic waste land. Rather than the above mentioned nicknames or terms of endearment used to describe Detroit in the past, we now often hear the terms, 'Arson Capital of the US', 'Murder Capital of the US' and 'Bankrupt City'. Sometimes all in the same breath. The pictures attached to this article only begin to touch on the real savagery which has befallen Detroit.

Abandoned house in Detroit's east side

Every writer seems to follow a path of laying blame for the 'problems'. One of the latest excuses I've heard is the near collapse of the automotive industry in Detroit. Sorry, but that one doesn't cut it. Detroit's reversal of fortune began during the peak of the industry, not in the last few years.

Some blame it on the riots which took place in 1967. Police vice officers raided an after hours club in Detroit known as a "blind pig" in a mostly black neighborhood at Twelfth Street and Clairmount. The police attempted to arrest some 82 people in the club. Tensions advanced and looting, fires and vandalism soon spread from northwest Detroit to the East Side. The riots lasted five days and were increased as the police and the 82 Airborne were called in to diffuse the problem. The riots concluded as the worst civil uprising in the nation’s history claiming some 43 dead, 1,189 injured and over 7,000 arrested. The property damage was enormous and Detroit set the stage for further rioting to follow in LA, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Boston,and others.

Detroit riot zone, 1967

Tomorrow we'll look past the riots and the decline of the auto industry as Proof! Size Doesn't Matter continues–

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Posted by on July 18, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Proof! Size Doesn’t Matter!

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Proof! Size Doesn't Matter!

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part One of Four

 It seems as though an almost overbearing preoccupation with 'size' has been afflicting society since whenever the real beginning of time was. In Medieval times man, for survival sake, obsessed about the size of any available rock or club laying around so that he could knock dinner over the head or not become dinner himself for some Mastedon. Then, of course, the Roman Empires were worried about – you guessed it! – the size of their empires.

As man and civilization progressed (?) we obsessed about the size of our armies, our horses, our herds (of whatever) or our acreage. Then our bank accounts, our homes, our automobiles, our families, even our dogs.

In the fire service, well, size matters too. Beginning with the 'size' of the fire (how many alarms) to the size of the department, the apparatus, etc. etc. etc (you thought I was going to say 'hose', didn't you?). There aren't too many areas of society present or past which escape the moniker of 'size'. When you rolled out this morning, you inadvertantly became aware of the 'size' of your caffeine fix or your bowl of cereal. If you drove in, there is the 'size' of the coffee to go or the Big Gulp. Maybe you 'Supersized' it. You've got to know what I'm talking about here. You just can't escape it. Men obsess about the size of their,…..well,… their size. Women obsess about the size of their own various body parts (God bless em') and though they often deny it, about the 'size' of their men. It seems inescapable.

When crisis hits, we refer to 'big problems', when disasters hit, we refer to 'large, devastating floods', or fires,or hurricanes or tornados. I mean, really, were the tornados in Missouri and Indiana small? They might have been in comparison to Hurricane Katrina but try telling that to the Joplin, Missouri Fire Chief.

Politicians tell us we, as a country, have large problems. Problems that can only be solved by a sizeable increase in spending of our tax money, by them. That of course, means larger taxes, larger government with larger payrolls. All the while, giving those same politicians larger powers (over us).

Okay, Okay. You get the picture. This article is about size and whether it matters or not. As we progress, let's turn this topic on it's head and look at two very different ends of the size spectrum and prove that size really doesn't matter. No, when it comes to effective, fair, safe and productive environments, size doesn't matter a bit. It doesn't matter when it comes to greed, bias, power and abuse either.

Hang on! Tomorrow we'll motor off on a trip. A trip which may make Kurt Russell's film, Escape From New York seem like child’s play, or a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 Part Two:  Tomorrow

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Posted by on July 17, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette

Felix Was Only A Dog …. “Only” A Dog – Part Three

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Felix Was Only A Dog ….. "Only" A Dog

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three of Three
(Part One is HERE  Part Two is HERE)

The Community Recognizes Their Hero!

When Felix, the dog, wasn't busy saving babies or his fellow firefighters, he was the defacto public information officer for Engine Company 25, at least with all of the children in the neighborhood. The kids loved him, and Felix loved them and the attention they gave him.

But, the time Felix would spend with the fire service was to be limited. The versions of the passing of Felix are many. One has him dying of excess consumption of the rich firehouse food. Not likely. Another has him the victim of a poisoning. Also not likely, thanks to our sort of 'eye witness'. No, it seems Felix rode the engine to a fire one day in 1926 and in his excitement to get to work, he jumped from the engine berth and into the path of a car. Felix was dead on the scene. A terrible loss to the fire company and to the community for Felix was not an ordinary dog by any measure.

Deputy District Chief Richard Wirtz of the CFD noted that his father worked at Engine Company 25 as a fireman sometime after Felix died and that the firemen were still talking about what a great animal Felix was.

The neighborhood schools were closed the day of Felix funeral. The funeral took place in the Engine Co. 25 firehouse. Felix was laid out for the wake in a specially constructed mahogany casket hand made by a local furniture company and donated for Felix. All the school kids in the area attended and the firemen picked out six of them, three boys and three girls that held a special place for Felix and appointed them pall bearers.

The district chief at that time, wanted Felix buried somewhere on his route home to his family's place so they chose a spot which is now a forest preserve area in Palos Hills. The funeral procession was well attended and the firemen arranged for a headstone for Felix which simply said, "Felix  No. 25  CFD". Felix the Fire Dog was buried with full honors befitting a professional firefighter. No mention that he was a dog. He wasn't, to them.

And then, with the passing of time, while the lore often remained, the memory of Felix faded over the years. It faded until 1986 when Darlene Filis, a Palos Hills librarian was handed a picture and a cut out article about the funeral of Felix along with a sort of map. The lady who handed her this information was none other than Karen Golema the granddaughter of the owner of Molis Coal Company, who started it all. Darlene realized that the grave of Felix was only hundreds of feet from the library in Palos Hills. Darlene became obsessed with learning more about Felix and his history and the more she learned, the more she became determined that this remarkable animal deserved a fitting monument. Over the next twelve years Darlene and her daughter would raise money by sending out flyers and having fund raisers for Felix and his monument. Finally in 1998, The monument to Felix, the Heroic Chicago Fire Dog, was complete. Cast by Gurneee, Illinois artist, Michael Froding at a cost of $10,260 the monument was finally in place.

Felix the Fire Dog. The half breed mongrel who adopted (or was adopted by) Engine Company 25 long ago. The same Felix who Barnum & Bailey Circus traveled to Chicago to see. That Felix. The dog that worked in a different city, now buried in a different town. The dog that never met Darlene Filis. Yes, that Felix, the four legged firefighter with the nerves of steel and the heart of gold will live on in the hearts of many and enter the hearts of the curious through his monument to heroic fame. "Here, boy!"

……….Tom Parquette

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Posted by on June 29, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Felix Was Only A Dog …. “Only” A Dog – Part Two

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Felix Was Only A Dog ….. "Only" A Dog

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two of Three
(Part One is HERE)

Felix  Joins the Fire Service

Just like every other firefighter, Felix didn't start out as a hero. In fact, Felix was a bit of a bum when you get right down to it. In fact, he didn't even start out as 'Felix'. One day sometime in 1919 Felix walked into the Molis Coal Company office near Canalport Avenue and 22 Street in Chicago. Mr. Molis, the owner, kind of liked the dog but he couldn't keep him. So he leashed him with a rope and walked him to the nearby fire house of Engine Company 25 and talked the firefighters into adopting the half breed, sort of Boxer sort of Terrier, or something, hound. The dog took to the fire house and especially followed one of the firefighters around all the time. The firefighter's name was Felix so all of the other firemen took to calling both the dog, and Felix, well, Felix. And it stuck.

Felix (the dog) quickly figured out he had a good thing going with these sort of wacky firemen. They weren't chasing him out. They were feeding him good food. And they seemed to like him. He knew he had a good gig. So, Felix, like any smart dog, figured he better learn the ropes if he was going to keep this 'job'. After all, every dog needs a 'job'.

Felix quickly learned the alarm bells in the station and what the fire fighters did in response to each set of rings. Pretty soon, when an alarm sounded, Felix was on the engine even before the first firefighter got down the pole. And, every alarm, any time of day, saw Felix front and center ready to go to work! And work he did.

As with any 'lore', there is often, over time, exaggerations and coloring. Think of Paul Bunyon as an example. And there are some exaggerations in fire dog lore too. Sometimes. What you read here comes from a discussion with a 92 year old brother of a deceased gentleman who worked at 25 Company at the time Felix was in residence. The information is deemed legitimate and uncolored. The CFD has not documented the history of Felix and has very little on him.

Felix soon taught himself how to climb the company ladders at a fire. Rung after rung, quickly and steadily until he got to a window or entrance. Then, with the help of one of his human comrades, he'd jump on the back of a firefighter for a ride down the ladder when the time came. Felix soon was credited with repeatedly entering the fire scene (via ladder) and searching for survivors, room by room along with his human associates. Often as not, Felix found the victims before the firefighters could through the smoke and haze. Once when the crew from Engine 25 fought a fire in a three story and thought they had the residents all accounted for, Felix refused to leave the burning, smoke filled apartment and with his paws up on the window ledge, kept barking and raising, well, hell. The fire crew knew something was wrong so they re-entered the third floor and Felix led them through the smoke to a baby laying on the floor. A baby soon to die from inhalation, if not rescued. The baby, along with Felix, made it out and all survived that inferno. Thanks to Felix. Repeatedly at fires, Felix would show the firefighters the way to safety.

In one multi alarm fire, 5 members of Engine 25 were trapped on the second floor of the dwelling. The heat and smoke was so intense they had become disoriented and blinded. Felix was on the job. As he snooped and sniffed his way through the fire scene, Felix apparently realized his fellow fire fighters were trapped and lost. With the piercing bark and aggressive behavior he had come to exhibit, Felix led all five of the firefighters to a safe window exit and was credited with saving all five.

Part Three:  The Community Recognizes Their Hero! is HERE.

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Posted by on June 28, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged: , , ,

Felix Was Only A Dog …… “Only” A Dog

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Felix Was Only A Dog ….. "Only" A Dog

 

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part One of Three

History tells us, with some specificity, that fire dogs first came on the fire service scene sometime in the 1830's. First as mascots and fire house pals, then later the true value of our canine buddies became more apparent. Today, we have specially trained and conditioned dogs who are specialized in arson investigation as well as search and rescue. These fine furry staff members are so well regarded nationally that many, if not most of our court systems will allow the behavior and training of the four legged squad member to be used as prosecutorial testimony in criminal trials. But it didn't start out that way.

That same history gives us many examples of unexplainable heroism on the part of these animals over the years. First, in the recorded beginning, firehouse dogs were just that. Only dogs. Usually mongrels shilling for some love and food until a kind hearted bunch of firefighters took them in. Later it took on a more useful proportion when the Dalmatian was introduced. The Dalmatians came to us from Europe where they were coach dogs as well as hunters. Early fire companies found them aggressive and useful, especially on alarm calls, in transit. There are many stories of the Dalmatians running with the horse drawn pumpers and engines and in fact, running right between the horses legs without fear. The Dalmatians would bark and carry on when needed and chase off anyone or any other dog which got in the path of the equipment. So, our spotted canine buddies got their reputation as "fire dog" and got that rep honorably as well. But not all houses could afford to acquire a Dalmatian in those days of meager pay. They just as often just 'adopted' some energetic pooch and passed some time with them.

In Chicago, for example, there was a survey done by an interested reporter for the Chicago Tribune which revealed that of the entire CFD system, 65% of the houses had at least one, often more, but at least one station dog. At one point, a CFD commander, (whom I will not name only in the interest of not naming the putz) decided that since a Dalmatian had taken to biting a citizen once, that all fire house dogs had to be muzzled and chained up at all times. More brilliant management coming forth. But his dictate only lasted shortly before an uprising in the ranks forced him to back off of the command. You see, this brilliant, unnamed moron should have remembered Felix. No, not Felix the Cat. Felix the Hero of Engine Company 25. And Felix was a hero!

Tomorrow:  Felix Joins the Fire Service

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Posted by on June 27, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit – Conclusion

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Who (or What) Really Dunnit?

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Conclusion: The Questions Remain

(Part One is HERE. Part Two is HERE.
Part Three is HERE.)

Loudens wife, Mary, had also been arrested and confined for aiding the enemy. Along with 20 or so other women of the resistence, the authorities didn't know what to do with them so they uprooted them and put them on a boat headed south to Louisiana to rid St. Louis of them. Investigation much later proved that Captain James C. Mason was the pilot of the river boat that hauled Mary Louden to exile and from her children. She was allowed to return following the capture of her husband.

Robert Louden

Louden returned to St. Louis after the Sultana disaster, but chose to do so under cover of an alias. Early history relates that Charles Dale was Louden's alias of choice but we have proof that the true alias Louden used was Charley Deal. Early reporters and transcriptionists carried an error forward and the Charles Dale name stuck in much of history.

This alias is significant. Sgt. Major William C. Streetor of St. Louis was the key records clerk of Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis and knew Louden and his associates very well. Following Loudens escape and his later return to St. Louis as Charley Deal, Streetor actually worked with Louden in the painting business along the river for a time.

Louden was known to like to drink and Streetor, in 1888, related how Louden had previously confessed to him that he had sunk several Union river boats including the Sultana. Louden claimed to use a device known then as a 'coal torpedo'. A coal torpedo was simply a round metal ball hollowed out inside and filled with explosives. Then, coal was applied to disguise it as, well, coal. The coal torpedo was invented by Capt. Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay of the Confederate Secret Service. Louden was well acquainted with Capt. Courtenay and had ready access to him. The coal torpedo, once inserted into the bulk coal pile from which the boilers were fed, would guarantee a massive explosion of the boilers. The 'when' was not controllable but the result was guaranteed. Louden had openly stated to many in St. Louis, especially during the war, that it was far too risky trying to board a boat, set it on fire and then escape fast enough to get away safely. The coal torpedo solved that problem, lessening the risk.

Thomas Courtenay, inventor
of the coal torpedo (below)

Another Gratiot Prison alumnist, Ab Grimes knew and worked with Louden. Grimes himself was a spy/smuggler of great repute and was noted as a very prolific jail break aritst. Grimes lived some time longer than Louden and apparently was aware of the statements Streetor attributed to Louden. Grimes never raised an objection or disputed the claims made by Streetor in reference to his old friend, Louden. Each of these players is worthy of a book of material in their own right.

A. C. "Ab" Grimes

Louden had eventually located to Louisiana following the end of the war and the receipt of his Presidential pardon. He died in the yellow fever epidemic but not until he again made the same confession of bombing the Sultana the night of April 26, 1865, from his death bed.

Arthur McCoy

Arther McCoy, well known then as 'the Wild Irishman', deepened his efforts with Quantrills Raiders from Missouri and as the effects of the end of the war faded somewhat, he grew bored with a farm type life and headed to Texas to try his hand at raising cattle. He was widely reported to be associated with the infamous James Gang taking part in several train robberies and ultimately shooting a Pinkerton officer to protect the James Gang. Questions exist on the extent of that affiliation, however. His connection to the James gang is validated though through the relation of his wife to a wife of one of the James boys and more strongly by McCoy's membership with Quantrill as were the James boys and the Younger gang. An exact date of death for McCoy isn't known but it is reliably believed he died in Texas about 1880. That too, is when his wife first recorded herself as a widow.

Well, if you've never heard of the SS Sultana and the largest maritime disaster in US history, you have now. If you have heard of it, maybe this presents a question in your mind as it has mine. The Sultana did sink by virtue of an explosion at about 2:00 AM April 27, 1865, that much is known, for sure. It was clearly overloaded over six times it's rating. That too, is known. Boiler repairs were alleged to be insufficient. That too, is perhaps likely. Did Robert Louden of St. Louis fame as a fireman with Liberty Fire Company #6, the same Robert Louden known as a reputed spy, smuggler, secessionist, Minute Man, confidant of bomb makers, braggart, and brother in law of a Quantrill Raider turned probable outlaw, commit one of the final strikes against the North? Perhaps a strike against the notorious St. Louis captain who hauled his wife away and broke up his family? Did he see it as a final curtain call to take out over 1700 broken Union ex-pows AND Captain Mason,……..the final revenge as time was 'running out'? Or, was Louden just a rabble rouser who went wrong and wanted to claim 'the big one' as a legacy? We may never know.

Was the Maritime Commission investigation another Warren Commission report that left as many questions as answers? I've read micofilmed digital copies of the hand written transcript from 1865 and, given even adjustments for the times and the technologies involved, I think so. Is this a 'conspiracy theory'? I don't believe so. I believe many historians have been left with the same questions I have. But too, there are those who align with the 'official version'. Go figure.

The SS Sultana did sink to the bottom of the Mississippi about seven miles north of Memphis very near Marion, Arkansas on the west side of the river. Since 1865 the Mississippi has gradually changed course a bit and the spot where Sultana sank is now the middle of an actively farmed soybean field residing some 32 feet below ground level. It is considered hallowed ground. The City of Marion is making efforts to create a formal museum dedicated to the Sultana disaster. Following the disaster in 1865 extensive and repeated efforts were made to induce the US Government to construct a fitting memorial to those lost in the Sultana explosion. Those efforts were unsuccessful to this day. Since most of the victims of the disaster were from various states, it fell upon many local towns and villages to construct monuments to both the Sultana and the local victims involved. Therefore, there are many 'monuments' to this event. In spite of our bipartisan incompetence in DC.

Memphis Sultana marker

The next time someone mentions, oh, the Titanic, perhaps, you may give a pause for a moment to the 2000+ lives lost in the Sultana disaster too. Many endured four years of confinement, torture, starvation and abuse only to live and see freedom long enough to meet their end on the river. A dark river.

Finis

…… Tom Parquette

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Posted by on June 22, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged: ,

Who (or What) Really Dunnit? – Part Three

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Who (or What) Really Dunnit?

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three: The Backstory

(Part One is HERE.  Part Two is HERE.)

The times were tough! They were brutal, deadly, painful and,…..well,….horrific! There is no other way to describe the history which was occurring in April of 1865,..period! The country had been divided for some years, then Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, Lincoln was shot April 14, Johnson surrendered an army of 7500 to Sherman on April 26, and on the same day Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth was cornered/captured and shot, and then Jefferson Davis was finally captured on May 10 in Georgia. The country, the people and the press had a lot on it's plate to digest. The war was (supposed to be) over. A river boat going down in the Mississippi didn't make news in many places. At least 26 of them had been sunk during the war, one more on top of all the other news wasn't really news.

A rushed maritime investigation begun on April 27 which was literally inundated with piles of paper work and documents (which by all records were not even reviewed) needed an answer and needed to put the disaster to rest. And they did. Overloaded boat. Boiler leak. Rushed repairs. 2400+ soldiers wanted to go home. Then, boom! Case closed. And the case is still closed on the Sultana. Officially, that is. But a growing number of historians and investigative journalists (myself included) can't get some unexplored 'facts' out of their minds. See if it affects you the same way. Captain Frederic Speed, the Union Army officer who volunteered to organize the mustering out of the prisoners, was charged under military law and following a six month trial was convicted of "neglect of duty pertaining to the good order of the military" and discharged. He was the only person charged in the disaster. The charges were later dropped against him.

Sultana marker – Marion, Arkansas

Leading up to the Civil War a growing group of people, secessionists, were campaigning in their various states to leave the union and survive on their own. When Lincoln was elected in 1860, the last straw was down and over a period of six months from December 20, 1860 to June 8, 1861, 11 states seceded from the union. South Carolina led the way followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. Of note here is that Missouri was not a seceding state.

Though not seceding from the union, Missouri was a hotbed of sympathizers and underground activity in support of the Confederate States, and as any good sympathizer type landscape might do, it produced a certain ongoing hell for the yankee efforts in the Civil War. Many secessionists relocated to Missouri from the Confederate States purely to conduct operations from a central and key geographical point. This very pointed element of history lends itself to a lifelong study and believe me, it is loaded with some of the most fascinating details you never knew before. But, as always we are confined in the time we have so we'll focus in a two or three key players and what they might have meant to the fate of the Sultana.

Prior to 1858, St. Louis, Missouri's organized fire protection was limited to at most 12 various volunteer fire companies. Each is a book volume in and of itself but our focus is on Liberty Fire Company #6. Most of these volunteer companies were noted as being rough and tumble, rowdy and very competitive but still, for the time, very good firemen. The mantra, or motto of Liberty #6 was "We Conquer To Save". Liberty Fire Company #6 existed formally from 1841 to 1858. Throughout much of the life of Liberty, one Robert Louden and one Arthur McCoy were very active members. In fact, the final muster records of Liberty #6 list Louden under an alias. Not only were these two brothers of the fire company, but they soon became brothers-in-law as they married sisters from a wealthy, very social St. Louis family. Bear in mind that the photo of the Louden family which accompanies this article was taken in March of 1863 and it does show Louden in his Liberty Fire Company uniform. It is the only photo of Louden known to exist.

The Louden Family

The rowdyism and fighting of the volunteer fire companies in St. Louis was extreme. These guys conducted fire engine races, fought over hydrants, drove engines and teams on the sidewalks and dissed the mayor. They even resorted to false alarms, theft of other companies equipment and near riots at fires. They weren't as 'bad' as Baltimore, San Francisco and some others but they were bad enough actors in the 1850's that the public and the pols turned against them and declared the intention of organizing a paid full time fire department in 1858. No matter. Just prior to turning Liberty 6 over to the full timers, the station house burnt to the ground on February 11,1858 with all of the equipment as well. The cause was determined to be arson with the intent that nothing of Liberty #6 would be taken over by the new 'department.'

Louden and McCoy were both noted secessionists and soon, when the war officially began, both became raiders, spys, and rabble rousers behind the scenes for the South. McCoy formed a group named the Minute Men and was and is known by historians as a very accomplished member of Quontrill's Raiders performing sabotage and assasinations behind the lines for the South. It must have been some Thanksgiving Dinner conversation when these guys got together. Their wives were also very sympathetic to the cause and did engage in sabotage as well. Louden partnered in a boat and general painting company in St. Louis. McCoy was known to work with him as well. Painting the river boats and generally doing business on the river brought Louden a certain notoriety in St. Louis and on the water, not to mention some political pull through his association with the Liberty Fire Company as well.

Arthur McCoy

As the early years of the war tore on, Robert Louden became increasingly adept at smuggling mail from the south to the sympathizers and organized rebels in the State of Missouri. Over time, Louden would 'confess' to others that he sank many of the 26 river boats on the Mississippi for the South. History would tell us that Arthur McCoy was probably the brighter of the two. Over a period of time during the war in the early 1860's, Louden was arrested and detained by the Union Army police at least 5 or 6 times for smuggling and sabotage. History does not yet show us whether Louden was ever charged or convicted of boatburning but on the last of these arrests he was sentenced to death and kept, as usual, in Gratiot Street Prison in St. Louis. It could be assumed the tribunal which last sentenced him knew or suspected his complicity in the bombings and sentenced accordingly. Toward the end of the war, Lincoln had issued an executive order halting all executions until or unless his personal signatorial approval was issued first. It was during this period that Louden escaped from army confinement and headed south.

Gratiot Street Prison  (MHM Collection)

It has been reported and at various times attributed to Louden that following his escape and his planned trip down the river to Confederate territory, he needed a foolproof way to avoid the Union patrols on the Mississippi north of Memphis. Louden allegedly acquired a casket and thoroughly caulked the box before setting sail on the river. As the ghastly craft would float near any Union troops, they would shun investigating it. When it would bump up against a Union vessel, Louden would stick his arm out and simply push it off again. Take that as you wish. No verification of this anecdote is possible.

 Tomorrow, the conclusion of the Sultana disaster – The Questions Remain

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Posted by on June 21, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Who (Or What) Really Dunnit?

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Who (or What) Really Dunnit?

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two:  Into the Darkness

While the Sultana was in port at Vicksburg undergoing the repairs, men on the docks fought, connived and tried bribing their way onto the Sultana for the trip north. Following the week-earlier surrender of the Confederate Army, the rushed exchange of Union troops who had been held captive in Confederate prisons was almost immediate. The notorious prisons of Andersonville and Cahawba kicked loose their captives and the men, virtually all emaciated, weak and struggling, made their way to both Vicksburg and some to Memphis to try to board any northbound vessel. The Sultana was licensed to carry at capacity of 376 passengers. The Union Army had contracted with Captain Mason to pay him five dollars per head for enlisted passengers and ten dollars a head for officers for the trip back to St. Louis and their homes. So Mason allowed the passengers to virtually stack up on the decks and all empty spaces of the Sultana so much so that it was reported by a survivor that he couldn't sit or lay down but rather had to lean into the person next to him. But Mason, as part owner of the Sultana together with Merchant And People Lines, was positioned to grab the big bucks quickly so he loaded the boat to the gunwales. It is reliably estimated that the Sultana carried over 2,400 passengers as it embarked Vicksburg and then Memphis. There were other river boats racing to Vicksburg to collect troops and in fact there were empty boats docked at Vicksburg the night Sultana cast off, but the military chose not to use them.

The Sultana was packed with
over 2,400 passengers

Captain Mason was generally very highly regarded as a seaman of excellent repute. However, historical records indicate sufficient evidence to support the allegation that Mason was paying off the key military officers involved in troop transport to get all the business he wanted. He just had to be there.

The Sultana made a critical port across from Memphis on the Arkansas side of the river to take on fuel (coal). And then, it would be up river on it's voyage to St. Louis, stopping first in Cairo, Il.

An interesting sidenote: The crew of the Sultana kept a live alligator on board as a mascot. This is not further explained in history.

The Sultana left the Memphis area late on the evening of April 26, 1865 steaming upriver into the oncoming spring river currents of the flooded river. Approxiamately 9 miles north, at about 2:00 AM April 27th, a massive explosion seemingly from the boiler room area, tore the Sultana apart and sprayed hot, burning coal and embers through the sky like fireworks. The explosion was heard and some say seen as far away as Memphis to the south and up river to the north. Bodies and body parts were blown into the night air as those who weren't killed outright tried to escape. Anything which would float was thrown overboard into the river and the exhausted and weak ex-pows dove in to cling to the debris. The Sultana was equipped with only one life boat. Over 100 victims tried to cling somehow to the lifeboat but were unsuccessful as it sank. The Sultana, such as it remained, burnt to the waterline and sank. The exact death toll that fateful morning is questionable but the best historical documents put it at 1,754 dead the night of the explosion and several hundred more dying within days from their injuries.

The Sultana in flames

A maritime commission was impaneled to investigate this disaster almost immediately. While Captain Mason did not survive the explosion, another, historically unnamed pilot aboard the Sultana, did. Part of his testimony related to "their pride in the one lifeboat" aboard Sultana and claiming the boat was fully equipped with cork life jackets, all 76 of them. The commission investigation might well have been the precursor to the Warren Commission investigation and report regarding the assassination of Jack Kennedy. It might have for all its thoroughness and pomp and circumstance. Substance? That's another matter altogether. In some level of fairness though, one must remember that the country had just 'ended' the war, its President had been assassinated AND the very day of this explosion, that same assassin had been also killed by agents. Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby come to mind for some reason, but, hey, that's another story.

The Sultana as well as other steamships of that day were operating, supposedly, under governance of the Steamship Act of 1852 (10 Stat. 61) which, on paper anyway, did revise and improve safety regulations of vessels. The years prior to 1852 had seen many several shipping disasters which encouraged political action. But the war in all it's glory, put enforcement on the back burner. The conclusion reached by this maritime commission might, just might have been dictated from the mouth of Mr. R.G. Taylor. Mr. Taylor was the boiler repair man who performed the hurried repairs to the boiler of Sultana in Vicksburg. He stated that Mason didn't want to take the time needed to perform the repairs correctly. The Steamship Act of 1852 would survive as time and history progressed and it did become the foundation at least for what we consider modern Coast Guard regulations in effect today.

To this day, the position of the 'Maritime Administration' report is just that. Sultana was overloaded. Yes it was. Mason was in a hurry to reach St. Louis and the Union Army cash. Yes he was. The Sultana was steaming under heavy headwind and currents which, in addition to her extreme weight, caused the boilers to be taxed to their limits. Well, maybe. That the Sultana, due to the overloaded condition was 'careening' in the river, from side to side. This caused the water in the married boilers to flow from starboard to port and back, a sort of sloshing effect. The water in the boilers must have been low. Maybe, maybe and maybe again. As the water sloshed from a low boiler that left extreme heat firing an empty boiler and a steam overload. Maybe. And that caused one helluva boom! Well, something sure did. Something,…………someplace,………..or,…………..maybe,…..someone! We'll look at what else history tells us about the greatest maritime disaster in US history as our whodunnit continues next with The Backstory.

Read Part Three – The Backstory HERE

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Posted by on June 20, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged: ,

Who (or What) Really Dunnit?

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Who (or What) Really Dunnit?

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part One of Four

As April 15 came and went this year, it seems none of us were able to miss the acknowledgement of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Memorial events took place far and wide both within the US and other parts of the world as we remembered the tragedy which began when the 'World's Greatest Ship' collided with an iceberg about 375 miles south of Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean.

RMS Titanic

Actually, Titanic was one of three nearly identical Olympic Class ships constructed for the White Star Lines between 1908 and 1912. The others were the RMS Olympic and HMHS Brittanic. Though the Brittanic was originally named, albeit briefly, the Gigantic. They thought that might have been just a little presumptuous so they renamed it. They were probably correct.

The disaster of the Titanic that fateful night is well documented throughout history. She ultimately sank in 12,415 feet of ocean water. Cold ocean water. 1,514 souls perished that night and some 710 survived. History buffs can easily locate a multitude of information on the Titanic disaster, especially so since they have located the wreckage. In addition to the video, print and literary records of Titanic and the souls lost, there are at least two very credible museums dedicated to Titanic. Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee host two Titanic Museums which are both very well managed and both maintain excellent artifact and informational displays of the event. There are others, I'm sure. While Titanic is fully deserving of it's place in history and the massive layers of media and other attention given to it, it's not at the top of the list of maritime disasters in history. Not at all.

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On December 27, 1987 the Philippine passenger ferry MV Dona Paz collided with the oil transport, Vector and burst into flames. The sinking of the Dona Paz took an estimated 4,341 souls to a watery grave. The top ten list of maritime disasters of all recorded history will show the Dona Paz as the worst (lives lost) and Titanic comes in seventh on that list.

MV Dona Paz

The US has had its share of seagoing tragedy but in the top ten, we only have one. At number 5. Numbers and rankings don't mean a thing to those lost and mean less to the loved one's they left behind, of course. But since we are a society of rankings of all kinds, and since our inspired readers probably know everything they thought they could know about the Titanic, let's look at that number 5 from a purely US perspective.

In 1863 the John Litherbury Shipyard in Cincinnati completed construction of the SS Sultana, a 1719 ton registered, 260 foot wooden paddle wheeler destined for the lower Mississippi River cotton trade. For about the first two years of it's existence the Sultana operated on a steady route between St. Louis and New Orleans. The cargo was anything from cotton to livestock to troops for the Civil War effort. The Sultana was piloted by a most distinguished gentleman, Captain James C. Mason based in St. Louis.

SS Sultana

April 21, 1865 seemed like any other day in the life of Mason and the Sultana. The boat was loaded with 75 to 100 passengers plus it's normal crew staffing of 85. It left New Orleans with a normal yet fairly light cargo of livestock bound for St. Louis. Since Mason and the Sultana worked under the auspices of the Union and the Union Army, the end of the Civil War, at least formally and publicly, had beeen fresh and exciting in their minds. The boat headed north on the somewhat flooded Mississippi and put in at Vicksburg, Mississippi for repairs to a boiler. As the very scant records would seem to indicate later, a small leak had developed in one of the four boilers of the Sultana. The boat, just two years old at best, was equipped with four, essentially identical boilers which were interconnected. That is, the water from one boiler was free to travel to the other boilers and vice versa, depending upon the water levels in the boiler(s) and the listing angle, or as the government investigators would state later, the careening factor. If the boat lists or rolls to the starboard (right) then the boiler water force would travel towards the right bank of boilers. If it listed left, then the water could ship to the port side. Allegedly, if the boiler water level was sufficient, it didn't matter.

Captain Mason was faced with a dilemma of sorts. He could tie up in Vicksburg and have a boiler fitter repair the leaking boiler by riveting a plate over the leaking area, a procedure which would take a day. Or, he could have the entire boiler replaced which would take at least 3 days. Mason chose the former and had a patch riveted over the leaking boiler.

Vicksburg, 1865

While all of this frantic repair work was taking place in the engine room of the Sultana, history was being made and readied ashore. Remember now, on April 14, just a week or so before the Sultana docked in Vicksburg, John Wilkes Booth visited the Ford Theater and shot President Abraham Lincoln dead. In fact, the news was delivered to Vicksburg by the Sultana due to telegraph sabotage still occurring at the hands of the surrendered Confederate Army. Only five days before Lincoln was murdered, Lee had surrendered to Grant at the Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, officially or at least figuratively ending the War.

This much of the history of the SS Sultana is known. From the time she left Vicksburg though, things got a bit more dicey. In fact, they got very dicey.

Read Part Two -  Into the Darkness HERE

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Posted by on June 19, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, Parquette • Tagged:

Phelim O’Toole – Bravest of the Brave

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Phelim O'Toole
"…. Bravest of the Brave?"

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

 Throughout the history of the fire service, from it's rudimentary beginnings up to and including the moment you may read this, we have been blessed with dedicated, courageous, seemingly fearless and honorable men and women who answer the call to serve their fellow man in this profession. It's time we recognize some of those notable warriors.

A young man was born in 1848 in County Wicklow (near Dublin) Ireland. Named Phelim O'Toole (pronounced Fail- Im) by his parents he went off to sea at about the age of twelve to become a cabin boy. Phelim served on the seas for a few years but managed to arrive in St. Louis, Missouri in the US in 1866. The St. Louis Fire Department was really in it's infancy then having been officially formed as full time paid regulars in 1858. Phelim O'Toole was hired on as a regular firefighter at the age of 18.

The records intact with the St. Louis Fire Department (and Museum) indicate by all accounts that Phelim O'Toole was an outstanding member of the department and served with the highest distinction. But this was a different sort of fireman. Just something about O'Toole told those around him he was uniquely different and even more so uniquely suited for his chosen profession.

On April 11, 1877, a noted luxury hotel in then-downtown St. Louis was the scene of a devastating fire. The Southern Hotel was a six-story hotel building which, that night at least, held over three hundred guests. The fire broke out in the basement of the hotel but the flames and heat soon exploded up the elevator shaft to the upper levels, trapping those on the top floors. The guests in the lower floors were all, with minor exception, able to escape on their own.

The Southern Hotel fire

Phelim O'Toole arrived first on the scene aboard what was called a "Skinner Escape Truck" which was an early version of the hook and ladder powered by horses. The unit was known to be difficult to set up and control and the ladder capacity was only to the fifth floor at best. O'Toole saw the trapped people on the sixth floor and raised the ladders to the fifth. He then shouted to the terrified guests to tie bed sheets to a bed post and drop them out the window, which they did. O'Toole then swung on a rope from the top of the ladder, grabbed the sheets and climbed up to the smoke filled rooms. He lowered each individual down to the ladder and waiting firefighters continually repeating the process until the last guest was saved just moments before the walls of the entire building collapsed into the basement. 21 people did die in the Southern Hotel fire that night. O'Toole saved at least twelve.  A young lady whom O'Toole rescued, Joanna Halpin, would later comment that O'Toole, "dropped into the window like an angel".

To honor O'Toole the City of St. Louis awarded him a check for $500.00. O'Toole donated every dime to help orphans. A moving gesture for a man making a $75 monthly salary.

Sometime later, a devastating fire would break out in the domed St. Louis County Courthouse. Here comes O'Toole. He scaled the courthouse dome on a rope with an ax and a hose, chopped a hole through the dome and fought the fire hanging on the rope from above.

The Old St. Louis Court House

All of the bravery and selfless actions of Phelim O'Toole will not be forgotten. Neither will the startling contrast of the death of this heroic man. You see, it was on July 6, 1880 when O'Toole was called to extinguish a relatively small fire in the basement of a vacant house in St. Louis. He approached the fire scene, surveyed it, and entered the basement with a single hand-carried extinguisher. As he triggered the extinguisher, it exploded with such force as to rip open O'Toole's chest. He was said to exclaim to an associate, "Oh God, I am killed!". Dead at 32. Phelim O'Toole was buried with honors from St. Louis Cathedral to Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. It was estimated that some 20,000 attended his memorial.

Phelim O'Toole  (courtesy St. Louis Historical Society)

H.C. Sexton, St. Louis Fire Chief in 1880 is reported to have obseved, quote, " He was one of the bravest men who ever lived,….bravest of the brave!"

To honor this local fallen hero, The St. Louis Fire Department named a 32 foot twin engine Fire Marine Rescue Unit boat the "Phelim O'Toole". It is based at Engine House 11 at the foot of S. Seventh St. and Pestalozzi St. Phelim O'Toole has descendants living in the vicinity of St. Louis as this is written.

Assistant Chief Lindsay, commenting on O'Toole in 1881 said, "He was a hero, the true stuff, and St. Louis ought to be proud that he was one of her own. But I will venture to say that there are many who have never heard of the brave deeds of the brave Phelim O'Toole." Now you have.

References:
Information provided by,
Frank C. Schaper, Deputy Fire Chief, City of St. Louis

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Posted by on June 13, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette

Race to the Bottom – Conclusion

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Race to the Bottom

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Four of Four
(Part One is HERE, Part Two is HERE,
Part Three is HERE)

The timeless parallels of Triangle and Kader exceed the record keeping of deaths, injuries and destruction. Certainly Triangle held the 'record' as the worst (fatalities) industrial fire accident through decades until the Kader incident. But the parallels far exceed fatalities, flames and rubble. They exceed the record books and the lunch room discussions of technique or international comparisons.

 

Triangle, as noted earlier, raised the consciousness of the nation, our nation, as to worker safety and the fledgling subject of corporate responsibility. Regardless of the nefarious dealings of Blanck and Harris, the partners in Triangle, and their ability to scam the system (or buy it off), the repercussions due to the Triangle Fire continued for decades and it became the mantra of all concerned with public and with employee safety. The American Society of Safety Engineers was founded as a result on October 14, 1911. The Women's Trade Organizations, the ILGWU and other unions used Triangle heavily as justification for organizing. NFPA undertook the writing and rewriting of codes and directives. Legislatures reacted quickly regardless of their collective bipartisan incompetence. Enforcement of these issues was clearly ratcheted up over the ensuing years, not only in New York but nationally as well. We have had other horrific fires. We have had large portions of entire cities go up in flame and we have had large loss of life. But no other fire, regardless of it's type, origin or consequence has had the collective impact on our society than the collective impact of Triangle.

 

And then, 82 years hence, there is Kader in Thailand. Eerily similar to Triangle in origin, substance, loss of life and aftermath. Yet the national conscious, the world conscious, in either the US or Thailand, was hardly tweaked. Thailand has laws. Many are modeled precisely to follow NFPA guidelines from our own country. Yet firm inspection, citation or possible closure in the face of violation was barely scratched just as it was barely scratched in 1911 in New York.

At this point you are likely to still be wondering where the title of this article came from. The Race To The Bottom. Four words strung together can mean many things but this time, they are specific. As countries and economies change over time the regulatory and socio-economic changes and legislations governing those changes tend to, and in fact do increase. As these burdens, if you will, of added legislative requirements and social welfare changes are implemented the cost of doing business within the boundaries of that country or political unit also increase.

 

We, now in our modern time, are rightly or wrongly heavily involved in a world economy.And the costs and underlying requirement of doing business are impacted by the aforementioned changes and legislation (rules, codes, policies, inspections, permits, wages, etc. etc. etc.) imposed on business operating within those same boundaries.

"Back in the Day' the sweatshop operators could, for a time, get away with basically slave labor conditions. After all, the US as well as Europe were not that far removed in 1911, for instance, from a society of slavery itself. As unscrupulous operators ignored or bent the rules for profit, disaster often followed. As the socio-economic changes developed here, countries and political subdivisions without those changes looked pretty inviting to the barons of the times.

This has caused the Race To The Bottom. The bottom rung of operating costs and the attendant legislative requirements leading to or impacting those costs. This phenomena, if you will, largely is what has led to the exportation of much of the US labor market to the underdeveloped (read unimpacted) geographies and certainly if not underdeveloped or unimpacted then those geographies which readily lend themselves to graft, bribery and corruption to circumvent those socio-economic changes and rule implementations.

 

The Kader facility in total was only owned by Thai citizens to the extent of .4% of it's stock holding. The balance was owned by Hong Kong, US and European investors. The social responsibility didn't exist. And as or if Thailand tightens the screws, the next country of choice, Bangladesh perhaps, becomes the next rung down on the cost of doing business ladder in the world economy, and so on.

 

This article makes no attempt to become a political dissertation in any way. The author exacts no specific condemnation on any country or society. It is alleged though, that China for instance, has made some effort to impose fire and worker safety regulations on it's manufacturing base. The same manufacturing base that is undermining the economies of countless nations, ours included. And, it is also alleged for instance, that Walmart, one of the worlds largest buyers from Chinese manufacturing, is lobbying heavily to curtail those same regulations. This is the same Walmart that claims it didn't know tens of millions of dollars were paid to bribe the Mexican officials for store locations. Being the skeptic that I am, I challenge any Walmart employee to spend tens of millions of dollars without Walmart knowing where its going.

That's it. The Race To The Bottom continues as it has for decades. It sadly may continue for decades more until true corporate responsibility is legitimately imposed from within, not by regulation. And it will continue for as long as we have bi-partisan incompetence in our political subdivisions, here and abroad. And, still sadly, all this may continue for as long as 'we' find it desireable to save a buck on some cheaply made crap at the local discount mavens cave. Yes it may continue. And too, the Triangles and the Kaders will continue as well. Oh, the location may change. The numbers may change. But the Race To The Bottom won't. The race to build substandard facilities, temporary facilities really, will continue. Until the political heat gets too hot or too expensive or the bribes don't work. Then the scoundrels will fold up the temporary operation and move on.

 

It sadly makes the terrible, deadly lessons learned all the more terrible and deadly. But wait! I did say this story wouldn't turn in to a commentary or opinion piece, didn't I? Well, steam has to vent somewhere, sometime. Maybe George Santayana was right after all.

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Posted by on May 18, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette

Race To The Bottom – Part Three

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Race to the Bottom

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three of Four
(Part One is HERE, Part Two is HERE)

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The workers and security personnel labored quickly and diligently to snuff the blaze but they were no match for the rapidly spreading conditions. At 4:21 pm the local police fire brigade was called. The same local authorities report calls also received at 4:30 and 4:31. This triggered the Thai version of mutual aid and the fire companies from Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom Province also responded. The first apparatus arrived at 4:40 and firefighters found Building One totally engulfed with the top floors untenable and already beginning to collapse.

Royal Thai Police and Fire Brigade, Danthai Group

There are conflicting reports as to exactly how many employees were on the site or in which building when all this began. When the fire began, it was reported that there were 1146 workers in Building One alone. Thirty Six on the first floor, 10 on the second, 500 on the third and 600 on the fourth. There were a reported 405 workers in Building Two with 60 on the first floor, 5 on the second, 300 on the third and 40 on the fourth. Building three, still under renewal from the February fire was uncounted. Each of these buildings carried a full fuel load, varying, but composed of polyester, cotton and plastics.

Kader Toy Co. victims  (Bangkok Police Fire Brigade photo)

Building One collapsed completely at 5:14 pm. High winds made the struggle worse as the fire brigades fought on. Building Two collapsed at 5:30 pm and Building Three followed at 6:05pm. Building Four was saved along with other accessory structures. Some 50 pieces of fire apparatus were engaged in the effort and declared the inferno under control at 7:45 pm.

No firefighters were killed in this fire attack. Only 1 was injured. The Bangkok Police Fire Brigade reports officially that 188 souls perished in the blaze while another 469 were seriously injured jumping from the second, third and fourth floors.

Representative diorama from ILGWU archives

The walkways which connected the buildings were either fully locked or used as storage areas. Despite the increasing smoke, it was reported that security personnel ordered the workers to stay on their assigned stations. As the fire continued to spread rapidly in Building One, the fire blocked the one stairwell at the south end of the building so most of the workers rushed the north stairwell. That left 1100 frantic people trying to exit through one stairwell.

Hugh Williamson photo

Post fire efforts to determine the true cause of the fire were largely inconclusive due to the total destruction of the point of origin areas. It was at first thought and reported to have been electrical in origin but that was later discounted in favor of a cigarette butt as the culprit. The large loss of life and injury counts were and are attributable to insufficient, inadequate and blocked exits and stairwells, lack of a fire supression system, a non working alarm system in Building One, the height and type of building construction, the lack of any fire proofing, the excessive number of workers allowed in the facility and lack of any fire separation walls throughout the structure(s).

Spontaneous Employees Memorial
(Wall Street Journal)

The similarity which exists between Triangle and Kader cannot and should not be discounted both from a historical and modern day lessons perspective. The parallels are quite astounding when one thoroughly investigates even the information currently in accessible reach. Triangle reached it's severity level in less than 30 minutes. NYFD performed well and quelled the Triangle blaze in short order. Still record setting deaths were involved. Kader, not in a metropolitan area, still was under control in less than three hours. And, yes, still new records of death and injury.

So, what makes these two fires, which occurred in similar industries yet some 82 years apart and over 8,000 miles distant, so similar? What includes them as examples of the Race To The Bottom? We'll discuss that next.

Tomorrow, Part Four – Conclusion

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Posted by on May 17, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette • Tagged: ,

Race to the Bottom – Part Two

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Race to the Bottom

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two of Four
(Part One is HERE)

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 was significant not only for the horror and devastation caused to 146 young people and certainly their families, but Triangle has been matched in many respects in terms of sadness and loss. Triangle became the 1911 poster child of what were concerted efforts to not only improve fire safety, but working conditions and wages as well. The event was in many respects the genesis of, or better stated, the flux of, union efforts already under way at that point in history. The employees of Triangle had gone out on strike only a year prior to the disaster. That strike and the fire itself led to codes and regulations but these were largely ignored, side stepped or bought off altogether for many years following.

The parallels to the Triangle Fire continue, essentially unabated. "What's that?" you say. I know and I don't ignore that we have some of the most progressive and well thought fire codes and regulations known world wide to mankind. It would be too easy for me to turn this article into a commentary or opinion piece but that is not what this article is. This article is rightly titled, "The Race To The Bottom" and we will get to the bottom of that as the article continues.

(Bangkok Police Fire Brigade photo)

As the Race To The Bottom continues, you, gentle reader, are asked to fast forward with me to 1993. Monday May 10, 1993, at approximately 4:00 pm while concluding a normal workday shift, a small fire was discovered by an employee of the Kader Toy Company factory. The Kader factory was a facility of Kader Industrial Co. Ltd., a multinational company. This particular plant was located in the Sam Phran District of Nakhon Pathom Province just outside of Bangkok, Thailand near the site of the famous World War II railroad bridge over the River Kwai.

Thai Tourist Board

The company was first registered to do business in Thailand on January 27, 1989 but that registration was suspended after a fire on August 16, 1989 destroyed the then-new plant. The 1989 fire was blamed on the combustion of polyester fiber used to make dolls. Following the reconstruction of the facility, Kader was allowed to continue to conduct business in Thailand.

In May of 1993, the Kader facility was under contract to Mattel, Tyco and Kenner to produce items to their specifications. Bart Simpson was just reaching full tilt success in the US and this was one product on the assembly line on May 10th. The US and European toy companies mentioned would fax their orders and specifications to Kader in Thailand and expect products made to their exacting specifications. These also multinational firms didn't inspect the property or inquire or care under what conditions their orders were filled, just that they were.

The Kader facility was made up of four buildings and were numbered accordingly. Actually, they were all parts of the same large structure and were fully connected. Building One largely contained sewing machines, dolls of wool, handicraft and raw materials. A separate Building Two was largely toy assembly and plastics while Building Three was finished storage, more sewing and fabric storage. Building Four, while connected, was not connected in the same fashion and was largely office and storage.

International Labour Organization images

The buildings were all four story constructed of concrete slabs supported by a structural steel frame which was not fireproofed. The buildings were equipped with fire alarms, portable extinguishers and hose stations on the outside walls and stairwells. There was no sprinkler system.

After the certificate of registration was reissued following the 1989 fire, Kader experienced several more fires at the same facility. The latest one, in February of 1993 destroyed much of Building 3 and started in the middle of the night in waste cotton and polyester materials. At that time the Ministry of Industry issued a warning that the plant needed safety officers, safety equipment and emergency planning. It was ignored.

(Bangkok Police Fire Brigade photo)

Since the Kader facility was just beyond the jurisdiction of Bangkok, security officers and workers tried to put out the small fire as they had tried so many times before. Oh, how they tried.

Tomorrow, Part Three

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Posted by on May 16, 2012 • Filed under: commentary, history, Parquette