South Bend news-times., 1915-07-26

CHICAGO. July 26.-With the
bodies of more than 500 victims ol
the steamer Eastland accounted Iof
earIv today. the full horror of the cap
sizing of the big lake liner with It's
cargo of merry picnlckers ia the IN
cago river, was still unlolu- M ne
were still missing more than 400 men,
women and children. whose fate IS
unknown. Coroner HofIman laleS1
estimate on the local dead placed the
nuub Der at between 1000 and 1,2OO
Under the glare of more than 100
electric arc lights, the greWsome work
of removing bodies from the over
turned hull of the sunken steamer
went on throughout the night ana to-
day crews of divers worked IN relays
searching the under side OF the boat
while police. tiremen and coroner ;
deputies waited in boats 10 relieve the
underwater workers of their burdens
and took them 10 the second regiment
armOry.
Workers Faint
When day dawned, a raw summer
day without sun, a fresh crew OF
searchers took up the task OF remoF-
ing bodies from the submerged lower
decks and the mold Of the vessel
Nearly a score Of workers tainted
from exhaustion and the strain OF
seeing and handling one horrible flnd
after another.
Divers from other lake ports ar
rived in Chicago last night and more
reported that they were on their
way here today 10 help in the work
of retrieving bodies. Eight chicago
divers worked from Saturday morn
ing until last night without intermis
sion. Several Of these men were Ill
today as the result OF their labor.
1t was planned to start the work Of
raising the overturned steamer later
today. This work. il was figured
would require at least three days, and
until this is done, and the Chicago
river has been dragged it's full length
no bodies that have hOated away
from the scene Of tho disaster the
complete death list viii not be known.
Life nets that were suspended from
every bridge are known TO contain
scores of bodies An electric flash
on each bridge shows every time an
object strikes these nets. Bridge ten
ders today declared that these lights
have flashed scores Of times.
These nets were TO be raised later
today and they were expected To give
up many of the missing victims OF the
disaster.
Raise Relief Fund.
While the work OF rescuing bodies
extending their best efforts TO raising
an enormous relief fund. Aided by
the newspapers a fund Of nearly
$500. 900 had been subscribed this
morning with the prospect OF the
total exceeding S1,OOO.0O0 before all
the bodies OF the victims were buried.
A committee of nearly 100 citizens.
working under The direction of Acting
Mayor MoorehOuse was in charge Of
the work OF raising the fund Sub
scriptions OF $1,000 each were an
nounced by the owners OF three morn
ing newspapers 10 start the fund a
cablegram received from Sir Thomas
Upton pledging another $1,000 was
received today.
The exact number OF dead was still
indefinite today. Although. 1.2Oo ap-
peared 10 some officials in charge Of
the work Of retrieving bodies 10 be
the nearest correct estimate. other
officials insisted that the death list
would approach $4,000.
Coroner Talks.
At his office this morning Coroner
Hoffman made the following state
ment 10 a representative Of the IN
ternational News Service.
Il am positive that there are stll
at least 700 bodies on the Eastland
and in the river. We are making
every effort today 10 have those
CCONTTNTrFp OK PACE TWO