The Prairie State Explosion

On April 25, 1852, the first great maritime disaster on the Illinois River in the Peoria area occurred when the steam ship "Prairie State" exploded near Pekin.

Two steamers, the Prairie State and the Avalanche. barreled south towards Pekin on that April morning and arrived at the wharf at about the same time.  Details vary slightly among sources regarding the particulars of the accident, but it is clear that both ships were moving very fast and that the Prairie State's boilers exploded.

The carnage was immense, and many on land rushed to help those in need.  As for the number of casualties, figures vary widely depending on the source.  Fatalities of up to 110 people have been claimed, but the actual number was likely much lower, probably closer to 20, and maybe even less than that.  The Chicago Journal and New York Times articles from the time listed only 8 fatalities.  Injuries, however, were probably very high.

Washingtonian John W. Palmer was on the boat at the time of the explosion, according to an 1881 article in the Semi-Weekly Peorian.  It was reported that Palmer was sitting on the side of the boat with his feet dangling over when he was blown into the air and landed in the river.  He swam to shore and, besides losing a boot, had no discernible injuries.  The article goes on to say that "Since that awful event John has built almost every water tank, station house and bridge on the line of the old T, P, & W railroad, and despite that fearful blowing up he got thirty years ago, is today a hale and active man, who tips the beam at 240 strong."

Aside from a brief venture to Nebraska in the mid-1880s, which so many others did as well, drawn by cheap land and improved farming techniques, Palmer would spend the remainder of his life in Washington.  He died in 1902, and he and his wife Lenora are buried in Old City Cemetery.

The Prairie State was built in 1850 in Griggsville, Illinois, and remained active until July 4, 1855, when it burned while tied to another boat, The Kentucky, in the Rock Island boat yard.  The Kentucky caught fire, and both boats succumbed.

Recorded fatalities of the Pekin explosion:

B. Wilson, Assistant Engineer
Unknown deck passenger
Mr. Goddard, merchant, Peru
Three unknown persons, drowned
W. Rover Antoine, fireman
D.K. Williams, deckhand