The midland journal., 1915-07-30
cHIcAoo,s GREAT CALAMITY.


S92 bodies have been recovered,
and that 1000 of the remaining
1883 passengers have registered
with the Western Electric Com
pany as saved OF the SIG unac-
counted for, it was thought that
about 400 were alive and 1873 still
in the river, making the total dead
approximately 1000.
A considerable portion of the
blame for the Eastland disaster
rests upon the United States In
spection Bureau" said Maclay
Hoyne, states attorney, in a state
ment in Chicago regarding his in
yestigation of the wreck. "If the
Inspectors had done their duty the
accident could not have occurred.
We know the ship was considered
unsafe by them, because I have
copies of letters sent to Washing
ton which predicted this occur
renee. may introduce these let
tiers at the inquest"
The states attorney will submit
to the grand jury letter written
in 1913 by John d. York, naval
architect of Chicago, to the steam
boat inspector warning him that
the Eastland was not safe boat.
Colonel Hannah, secretary to
Senator La Toilette, puts the
blame on faulty laws and lax in,
spection- He says a representa-
tive of the Seamen's Union had
called the attention of the inspec-
tion service to the danger of al
lowing large crowds on boats of
the Eastland type.
Acting Mayor Moorhouse de-
cided to raise a relief fund of
100000. to be distributed under
the direction of the National Red
Cross. In addition to this the
Western Electric Company, whose
employees formed the majority of
the ill-fated excursion party, an
nounced that 500, 900 from its EN-
ployes insurance funds was avail
able for relief.
The most discussed theories of
the disaster are four: That the
boat was overloaded; that she was
not properly ballasted; that tug
that made fast to warp the East
land from the docks started pull
ing too soon; that congestion of
passengers rushing to the port
side, attracted by some passing
sensation, tipped the steamer
over.
Chicago-More than 1000 persons
most of them women and children
we're drowned Saturday within few
feet of land by the capsizing of th'
steel steamer Eastland as it was abou
to leave It's wharf in the Chicago rive
with $500 relatives and friends of EN-
ployes of the Western Electric Com
pany for an excursion across Lake
Michigan. The ship rolled over oil
its side in 25 feet Of water within f1v,
after it began to list.
Three Investigations Under Way.
The cause of the capsizing has no
been determined, but Federal, city ant
State officers are conducting investi
cations to determine whether the shil
was top heavy from faulty designing
was Improperly ballasted or was poor
" handled in warping from the wharf
Marine architects asserted that tn,
Eastland was faulty in design, tha
the top deck had been removed be
cause of the tendency of the ship t,
list and also pointed to the possibility
that the ship had been uneyenly or in
sufficiently ballasted. The Eastlant
used water ballast, so that it coulG
pump out some on entering shallow
AXE harbors, so some investigator
are working on theory that the bal
last tanks were not filled and thu
of passengers to one side o
the deck caused it to roll over.
1000 Were Out For Merry Day.
Under misty skies 1000 men, womeI
and children wended their way to th'
Clark street dock to fill. FIVE large LAKE
steamers with holiday mirth in a triI
10 Michigan City. The steamer East
and, brought to Chicago from Lake
Erie after an unsatisfactory career
was the first to be loaded.
Rain began to fall as the whar
lifted the gangplankI
from the Eastland. declaring that the
limit of $500 passenger
mad been reached. White dresses
peeped from raincoats along the shore
rails as those aboard waved good-b.
70 friends on shore waiting to boart
The steamer Theodore Roosevelt ant
1ther vessels.
Then the passengers swarmed tC
The left side OF the ship, as the othel
steamers drew up the river toward
The wharf. A tug was hitched to the
Eastland, ropes were ordered cast OF
and the steamers engines began tc
aum. The Eastland had not budged
however. Instead, the heavily lader
ship wayered sidewise, leaning first
coward the river bank. The lurch was