{"product_id":"the-wreck-of-the-columbia-a-broken-boat-a-towns-sorrow-the-end-of-the-steamboat-era-on-the-illinois-river-paperback","title":"The Wreck of the Columbia: A Broken Boat, a Town's Sorrow \u0026 the End of the Steamboat Era on the Illinois River - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eKen Zurski\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePart of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library research collection, Springfield\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOn the night of July 5, 1918, a steamboat named \u003ci\u003eColumbia, \u003c\/i\u003e returning from a moonlight excursion, collapsed and sank in the middle of the Illinois River. Of the nearly 500 passengers on board that night, most were from the town of Pekin. Eighty-seven people lost their lives in the disaster. The rest were left to tell their stories of fortitude and survival. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe worst maritime accident in the history of the Illinois River, the wreck of the \u003ci\u003eColumbia\u003c\/i\u003e is a mostly forgotten tragedy today. Ken Zurski's gripping account follows the compelling true story from the moment the captain sensed a problem, to the horror of the cries and screams in the night, to the courageous actions of the rescue and recovery workers, and ultimately to the pursuit by law enforcement officials to find truth and justice. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOne town in particular found itself reeling from a sudden and devastating loss of life, an immense communal grief, and a frustrating search for answers that never truly came. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003eTHE WRECK OF THE COLUMBIA\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eDeWayne Bartels, \u003ci\u003eEast Peoria Times-Courier: \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e Ken Zurski captured the scene, the people and the events surrounding the wreck of the Columbia in a captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeoria Journal Star\u003c\/i\u003e and PJStar.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A stirring account of the tragedy.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"An authoritative source on the wreck.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"A solid job of stringing together narrative accounts of that fatal night.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Plenty of fascinating personal vignettes.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Both instructive and entertaining.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e50+ News and Views\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Grabs the reader by the life jacket and sweeps them along as the horrific night unfolds.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Played in my head almost as if I were witnessing the events and hearing the conversations.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Spot on...historical perfection.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"A literary buffet...Fascinating tidbits of facts and information.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"A hit!\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEast Peoria-Times Observer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"A broad-ranging and probing look at the disaster, vividly bringing it back to life.\"\u003cbr\u003e\"A great read!\"\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eKen Zurski is a longtime broadcaster and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Wreck of the Columbia.\u003c\/i\u003e A native of Chicagoland, where he was a radio personality for many years, Ken now works in Peoria and resides in Morton with his wife Connie and two children, Sam and Nora. \u003ci\u003ePeoria Stories\u003c\/i\u003e is his second book. Connect with Ken online at facebook.com\/kenzurskiauthor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 436\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.89 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 18, 2012\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42165246722183,"sku":"9781937484057","price":22.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/7d9cfe4eb099cc1c04d206162897a115.webp?v=1733312131","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/the-wreck-of-the-columbia-a-broken-boat-a-towns-sorrow-the-end-of-the-steamboat-era-on-the-illinois-river-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}