The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-24
aken to police Headquarters.


and Captain Harry Petersen Al
taken to police headquarters.
Deputy Coroner David Jones and
Sheriff John Traeger, OF Cook county,
who were directing the work OF re-
moving bodies from the null. stated
that from reports of bodies still within
the hull they feared the list OF DEAD
would reach 1900 and mignt reach
], 500.
when hremen chopped and forced
their way through the side of the hull
they found bodies piled on one an
other like so many boxes OF merchan-
disc They began taking them out ana
placing them on the tug, Racine, which
placed on stretchers and carried
ashore. AS fast as bodies were taken
on the wharf they were carried to the
steamer, Theodore Roosevelt, or into
nearby steamers or the stretchers
were set down on the streets wnere
scores of physicians and volunteer
rescuers began attempts to resusctta-
ton.
Priests Rush TO Scene.
Fifty Catholic priests, summoned
hurriedly. reached the scene OF as
aster shortly after 20 o'clock. Some
of them went aboard the Theodore
roosevelt, which was turned into a
temporary morgue, but most of them
devoted their attention to the dying
and injured.
There was seventy-two men in the
crew of the Eastland and all OF them
were reported to have escaped by
swimming to the wharf.
Bodies were removed to downtown
morgues in wagon loads where cloth
ing OF the victims were examined In
an attempt to identify them. Sixty
per cent Of the dead were women.
Faces of the women bore the appear
ance of a desperate struggle for life
Some were scratched and clawed, their
clothing was torn and their faces
bruised.
Acetylene blow pipes were rushed
to the boat and the task of melting a
hole through the upturned steel side
of the steamer was cheered on by
hundreds of anxious relatives and
friends. many of whom made attempts
to force their way through the police
lines.
Divers are Summoned.
For the first two hours attempts
were made to revive every person TAX
en- from the wreck. Then as the hope
lessness of resusticating later VIC
Tins became apparent divers We're
summoned to explore the depths of the
u.
CROPPED their way into the innermost
recesses of the hull. Every other min
ute their assistants were signalled to
quill" and another body was added
to the number OF dead. 1t was the
result OF the divers work that caused
the coroner and police estimates to
mount above 1000.
Police and fire tugs organized the
river craft into a rescue fleet. Boats
were directed to cruise down the river
and watch for bodies and the sanitary
canal trustees were asked to close the
dam at Lockport. Ill, thus shutting on
the current of the river in order to
aid in this work.
Rumors of the disaster spread rap
idly. Its full significance was realized
when motor trucks, piled high with
blanketed forms, rolled through the
Loop district to morgues and under
taking establishments
Praying for the Dead.
The American and Federal League
baseball games were called on, many
theaters announced that their doors
would be closed tonight and churches
summoned their members to pray for
the dead.
Flags were lowered to half mast
and mourning symbols were draped
on many business houses.
Gray, laden clouds that overhung
the city early in the day grew heavier
and a steady drizzle turned into rain.
watchers at the wreck held their
places despite the discomforting con-
ditions and searchers for missing per
sons continued their wearytng rounds
of the morgues.
Identifications of victims offered
comparatively few difficulties, nearly
All having been drowned. Measures
were taken by the police and the cleo
trio company to systematic the work
of Identification and these were IN
full operation later in the day.
Special Jury Ordered.
Federal Judge K. M. Lands or
dered a special grand jury empanelled
to make an investigation of the dtsas-
ter The jury will meet next Thurs
day.
olas is Investigating a report thas
water ballast was pumped from tns
hold of the East1and as the passer-
gers boarded so that the boat wou1c
rise and that more passengers might
be carried.
turning ofRhe HesseliA that the steam
er had stuck in the mud and had
failed to free iself when the engines
were started, causing the outer side
Of the steamer to list. The weight
Of the large crowd aboard augmented
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