East St. Louis (Packet/Excursion boat, 1895-1923)

Photographer

Stottlebower, Alene

Summary

• BOAT DESCRIPTION: Sternwheel
• BOAT TYPE: Packet
• BUILT: 1895 at Cincinnati as the Virginia
• FORMERLY: Virginia; Steel City
• BECAME: Island Belle
• FINAL DISPOSITION: Acquired by the Coney Island Company and renamed Island Belle (1923)
• OWNERS: St. Louis and New Orleans Navigation Company; J.C. Grant Chemical Company; Charles Roger and business associates of East St. Louis (1917); Streckfus Line (1917)
• OFFICERS & CREW: Captain John Flanigan (March 1917); Captain Sam G. Smith (master, May 1917); Captain James Robinson (May 1918); Jerome Short (pilot); Mary Hulett (pilot)
• RIVERS: Ohio River; Mississippi River
• OTHER INFORMATION: Ways - 1676; Named East St. Louis in December 1916 when purchased by the St. Louis and New Orleans Navigation Company. Her texas was extended to allow for more passengers and she entered the St. Louis-New Orleans trade. She was owned largely by the J.C. Grant Chemical Company which shipped baking powder south. Circa late April 1917, her return cargo from New Orleans was mostly sugar. While owned by the Streckfus Line, she carried freight and passengers in New Orleans. In the winter of 1917 she was transformed into an excursion boat at Keokuk and came out in May 1918 at St. Louis. The company name was retained, and officers in 1922 were Edward M. Cody, president and treasurer; Lester Robinson, vice-president; Oscar A. Moore, secretary. Captain Sam G. Smith was passenger agent located at 4006 N. Broadway, St. Louis. Following the destruction by fire of the Island Queen and the Morning Star at Cincinnati in 1922, she was acquired by the Coney Island Company and renamed Island Belle