The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-05-26
ONLY ONE MAN LOST
LIFE IN DISASTER
Guards Patrol the Wrecked
Pier and Protect Evidence
for Inquisitorial Body
City Attorney Asserts
That as No Admission
Was Charged Munich
pality Is Not Responsible


damage suits. aggregating probably
s1.o0o,000 or more, and grand jury
investigation engaged the attention of
city officials today as the most immi-
nent outcome OF the disaster yesterday
when s6 persons lost their lives in the
collapse of a portion of the municipal
pier just after the close of the Brit
ish empire day pageant.
The list of dead, which numbered SO
last night, was increased by the deaths
today Of:
Mrs. E. c. Bush, 70. Long Beach.
Miss Ethel WyveI, 16. Los Angeles.
Mrs. VI. p. Mcdonald, Compton. Cal.
The list is expected to be further
increased tomorrow by the death of
Miss Marguerite Reed. II years old, of
Long Beach, whose back was broken,
and of William Cooper of Pasadena.
one of the two veterans of the Crimean
war, who were in the van of the en-
pire day parade.
CORRECTIONS IN LIST
Recufcat ton OF errors yesterday IN
the list of dead brought out the fol-
Z flowing names among the killed who
AaYe been positively identified:
Miss Frances Harriet Newell, Ke-
nosha. Wis.
Miss MolHe Gates, Oak Park. Ill
Miss Lilly VI. HoIme, Denver.
Ernest 6. Eales, Los Angeles.
Mrs. Ealcs, his wife.
Eales was the only man killed and
his body remained unidentified until
late today. as well as that of his wife.
Both were dead when taken from the
death pile.
While city Attorney Stephen Long
was occupied with the legal phase of
the disasters aftermath, Mayor Hatch.
members of the city council and of the
board of public works conferred with
District Attorney John D. Fredericlzs
with reference to the grand jury in
quiry which will be started either be-
fore or just after the eoroner's in
guest Tuesday.
GRAND JURY GUARDS PATROL
The object Of the inquiry is to fix
responsibility for the condition OF the
pier, a section of which, in front of
the municipal auditorium, went down
under weight of human beings which
has been estimated at less than 759
tons i
On the order of the district attor-
ney two officers were placed on guard |
this morning over the ruined section /
Of the pier They were instructed to /
keep watch constantly, in II hour /
shifts until relieved by the grand |
jury, and allow no tampering with any
part Of the structure that collapsed I
and dropped several hundred merry |
makers down a funnel of Jagged tim
hers and boards to the strand within
few feet of the ocean tides.
w Several broken timbers, which are
Expected to show the general condition /
Of the pier and thus aid in developing |
evidence of negligence If there be any, /
were taken out of the pier today and |
locked up under official seal.
DECAYED TIMERS SUSPECTED
The weakness of the pier. which was |
built eight years ago and never re- |,
paired in that particular portion, is be- |
feVed to have been due to decay
caused by the action of salt air on t
wood and it's iron fasteners and sup I
ports. However, it was declared that I
much stronger structure might have /
been wrecked in the same circum- I
stances, as the participants in the big
parade marched upon the pier in step /
Engineers pointed out that the rhyth- |
mic vibration created by the measured |
tread of thousands Of feet caused a I
tremendous strain upon the supports I
which already had been heavily bur-
dened by the crowd thronged about /
the auditorium doors awaiting admit
tance, and they recalled that military
columns comprising large numbers of /
men always broke step when crossing /
even iron bridges in order to avoid /
causing collapse or serious damage
The grand jury investigation was /
demanded by the officers Of the United 7
Societies OF British born residents and /
visitors whose celebration OF Victor I
in's birthday anniversary was inter- /
rupted by the tragedy.
city Attorney Long answered re-
ports OF the prospective damage s,,fts
with the statement that In his opinion /
for the deaths and injuries, because no
charge had been made by the oity for |
the use Of the municipal amusement /
property. The celebrators, he said. had
used the pier and auditorium at their /
own risk
All except the most seriously injured I
were removed 70 their homes In Los I
5 SsIes and neighboring cities today. /
TIE total number Of injured prob |
ably Will never be known accurately.
About e5 were seriously hurt, most OF /
them being still in hospitals here and |
an Los Angeles.