[Keith Norrington]

In one of Capt. Roy Barkhau's old river scrapbooks of crumbling clippings, I found a number of newspaper ads for excursions out of Madison, Indiana and Carrollton, Kentucky aboard the Streckfus Str. J.S. DeLUXE in 1934 and 1935. An accompanying clipping notes that 1,500 persons rode the boat. which was commanded by Capt. Verne Streckfus. Other crew members listed are Chief Mate H. McEwen, Chief Engineer Gus Hale, Chief Steward Edward Daily and purser, Miss Mary Ackerman, who later became the wife of Capt. Bill Otte, who was a pilot. Mrs. Otte now resides at Quincy, Illinois and, although in her 90's and vision impaired, loves to attend Midwest Riverboat Buffs meetings. Judy has been her houseguest and they talked "Streckfus" for hours on end! Mrs. Otte and Bill Torner, now of Knoxville, are among those few former crew members from the older Streckfus boats still with us.

Get a load of this description of the boat by a newspaper reporter:

The steamer J.S. DeLUXE, often called "The Garden Steamer" because of its fairyland furnishings and decorations, will again stop at Madison and Carrollton on its cruise of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The huge 300 foot long steamboat of the Streckfus Line is a sensation wherever she lands, for it resembles a big summer garden with its wicker furniture, palms, electric fountain, canopied ceiling, lawn swings and steamer chairs, in addition to a mammoth dance floor and a classy orchestra, Piron's "Cotton Pickers", a twelve piece novelty band from New Orleans.

(1) Newspaper Clipping for 1934 excursion aboard J.S. Deluxe.
(2) J.S. Deluxe photos from newspaper promotion.
(3) Ad for J.S. Deluxe, even includes the number of fans, dining tables and light bulbs!