June 2, 2017
This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
Today’s story is about a steamboat by the name of “The
Western Call”. We had been aware that
boats were used on the Kansas River east of Junction City, but were unaware
that at least one vessel had traveled the waters of the Smoky Hill west of
here. Early in June of 1904, it was
announced that a steamboat had been sunk in the Smoky Hill River around
Enterprise, Kansas. It seems this boat,
which was named “The Western Call” made trips between Salina and Junction City
and had become fairly well known. The
vessel did not make regular trips
between the two cities, because it could not pass a dam site unless the river
was up.
On June 15,
1904, “The Western Call” went down with all on board. However, there were three occupants rescued by
the life-saving crew at the Enterprise Mill Dam. The boat had floundered while trying to fight
the high tide near the dam, but despite the efforts of the heroic pilot to
steer clear of the breakers, the noble craft lurched to leeward and was buried
in the billowy deep. The gallant crew
did not abandon the ship until it was fast sinking beneath them. It was then too late to lower the life boats
and the crew cast themselves bravely upon the mercy of the tempest-tossed ropes
hurled to them from shore. The loss of
the boat, which had recently been bought by Will Insley of Junction City, was estimated at about $200.
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