The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-24

/ tne2r way through the SIDE OF the nun
of the overturned boat, they found
bodies piled upon one another like
! so many boxes of merchandise. They
| began taking them out and placing
them on the tug Racine, which stood
alongside, and from there they were
placed on stretchers and carried
ashore.
AS fast as bodies were taken on the
piers, they were carried to the steamer
Theodore Roosevelt or into nearby
buildings or the stretcherS were set
down on the streets, where scores OF
physicians and volunteer rescuers be-
gan attempts at resuscitation-
The last annual inspection of the
Eastland was made in ST. Joe, Mich,
May Z, 1915.
/ Bridge Ttenders Save Fifty.
Patrolmen Fred Fisher and John 5.
Lescher, who were on duty at the
Clark street bridge when the accident
occurred, led in the rescue work They
obtained a row boat and life preserv-
erS, went to the steamer and succeeded
in saving fifty passengers. Among
those who were rescued was W. ].
Plamondon, an electrical engineer,
formerly of Topeka, Kan, and a
cousin of Charles A. Plamondon, who
with his wife lost his life in the Lusi
spectors were working on the docks
when the Eastland turned over. They
were in charge of Inspector r. H Nc
Curry.
Nail Saves Mans Life.
1.-TWO inspectors were assigned to
the Eastland," McCurry said, ito see
that the boat was not overcrowded.
The ship had taken on all that she
would hold and the two inspectors had
turned many others away. She was
ready to sail when the accident oc-
cured
Joe Brozak related how he was
saved from death because his coat
caught on nail 81 was with party
of four and they were all drowned,
said Brozak. My coat caught on
nail and when the boat went over, l
was held above the water. If it had
not been for the nail l would now be
at the bottom of the river, L suppose,
with the others of my party
Ship Filled to Capacity.
The steamer was filled to capacity
and hundreds were turned to other
boats. according to S. c.. Hall, one of
the Western Electric picnickers. He
estimated that 1000 tickets had been
distributed to the employees and that
more than $500 were crowded on the
Eastland.
Il got to the dock" said Hall, land
was told to so to the other boats.
as the Eastland was already too
crowded. There were fifteen or TWEEN
ty persons behind me and more were
coming fast.
Il was told that 1000 tickets had
been distributed among the company's
employees and that there were to be
six boatloads. The only boats that 1
heard were to be used, however, were
the Eastland and the Theodore ROose-
welt.
Il had gone scarcely ten feet toward
the Theodore Roosevelt when the
Eastland began to list. Hundreds ran
to the rail and many climbed over
its sides as it turned over.
"All were thrown into the water"
Sister Ship a Morgue.
The steamer Theodore Roosevelt
was turned into a temporary morgue.
Bodies of women and children lined
the cabin waiting for Identification.
Newspa permen were denied permits
sion to go aboard the Roosevelt and
policemen who guafced its gangways
declined to say how many bodies We're
aboard the ship, but rows of cOrpses
could be seen on the decks. Frantic
efforts were being made to revive vic
Tins. a score of pulmotors were
brought into use, AID when life was
found to be extinct the bodies were
carried into another part of the ship
and placed in rows
Saved by Boys Hair.
George Michalec, an eXcursionist,
was thrown into the water and grasp
ed the hair of a boy whose name he
did not learn and swan to the docks
with him.
Il was standing at the rail when the
boat began to tip and caught hold of
Frank Cerney, my companion. We
went under twice. When l came up
the side of me. 1 thought it was
Frank. I grabbed him and swan
ashore, but it was strange boy
Captain Petersen, of the Eastland
tons of water the left side of the
vessel, which is now lying on her side
in the middle of the river.
Scores of men, women and children
mediately to the 1roquois hospital
after first aid had been given some
on the rescue boats and along the
shore.
Among the passengers who put the
death list at a high figure was Theo-
dOre SoderstrOm, who was pulled out
unconscious. He declared that he held
his wife up for what seemed hours
and then she was torn from his grasp
by two women who struggled to hold
themselves up on his shoulders. She
was drowned.
Soderstrom said he did not believe
it was a broken air chute that
caused the ship to turn over.
Passengers Crowded on Rail.
1.-The passengers were crowded on
the outer rail from ten to thirty deep
in places. L noticed the boat begin
ming to careen slightly but at first it
gave me no uneasiness. Then. just
before we pulled out several hundred
passengers who had been waving to
persons on the dock came over to the
outer rail. Almost instantly the boat
1urched drunkenly, righted itself and
then pitched once more.
by this time passengers knew
there was something wrong. 1t all
happened so quickly. The third time
the boat lurched there were screams
and everyone tried at once to get to
the side nearest to the dock.
MANY were beaten down to the
deck unconscious in this mad rush.
Probab bly, a dozen persons--it may
have been more-jumped into the wa
ter. Several were women. They
were crushed under the side of the
boat before they had a chance to
swim away. The boat turned part