New Britain herald., 1915-07-24

to Human Avalanche Plungtns to
 It's Death-Tues and Other Craft
 Rush to Rescue--An Members of Crew Swim Ashore.
 Chicago, July 24.--Hundreds of per- sons were drowned today when the steamer Eastland, crowded with 2,5oo cmpIoyes of the sWestern Electric com rany capsized in the Chicago river. -Four hours after the accident res cuers were still taking bodies from the boat through holes chopped in its hull and estimates Of the death list ran from 1,200 to 1,500.
 At o'clock 67s bodies had been found.
 The crowding of passengers to one side of the boat is supposed to have caused the tragedy, but the authori- ties. not satisfied with the explana- ton ordered the arres, of officers of the boat and Captain Harry Peder- sen and Dell Fisher, first mate, were taken to police heaaauarters.
 Panic Among Passengers.
 Panic struck the passengers when Inc boat began. to turn over. Best ac- counts Of Witnesses said the steamer | rolled siiehtly twic.s then turned further and that hui4dr&ds of screexn- i ing. struggli1t men. ~of1<n and chtl- dren slid across tho sloping deck. fcnght for room ana clutched at companions, deck chairs or any other object that came to hand
 Caught Below Decks
 Women and children by the hum tdreds were caught below decks and lhe scratched faces, torn clothes and bruised bodies of the dead bore evidence of the struggle. W The steamer turned over in less than five minutes Members of the crew shouted warnings as the steamer first tilted and endeavored to drive the passengers to the upper side of the deck, but the incline was already too steep.
 Hulk Turns Bottom Up.
 4 0fOWly, SO dS lo d8OnlZ6 the SpeCtd- tcrs drawn to the scene. by the shouts of warning and fear, the great steel hulk turned bottom up, pouring It's passengers into the river
 Some 1000 tickets had been dis tributed for the excursion and five steamers were chartered by the com rany The Eastland was first to re- ceive its quota, and when its licensed capacity was reached federal inspec- tors ordered that no more be taken aboard The boat was docked on the south side of the river and when the hundreds hurrying 10 tho boat were turned back from it they streamed across Clark street bridge to the steamer Theodore Roosevelt, which was to take the second load.
 Scores or Pulmotors. to the dock. Physicians, police, fire- men, government life savers and nur- ses were summ oned.
 The steamer when relieved of it's passengers foated on it's side into mid stream. and tugs, motor boats and other river. craft swarmed about 1t. Men climbed into the hull, forcing openings in the hull and searched the CaDIHSf TOT QOSciDtE tflItlflS fkQDt>It H. McCreary. Chief of the Marine Bu- reau, of the customs officers, was pres ent at the dock fro 6:15 this morn ing with two of his steam boat navf- gation inspectors. He declared that the exact number of the passengers .l on the boat was 2.5o0 that the boat was not over loaded; and that the passengers could not have been more accurately counted If they had known there would be an accident.
 Flags at Half Mast.
 Flags were lowered to half mast and many business establishments were draped n black Identification of victims offered com paratively no difficulties. Measure ments were taken by the police and electrical company to systematize the 1 work of Identification and these were in full operation later in the day
 Investigation Started. Investigations were started by the I federal steamship inspectors. the city | police. county coroner and state att torney. The activity of this last of { ficial hinted at possible submission of the results of his Investigation to grand jury.
 Mayor Thompson and -Governor Dunne were in San Francisco and | Chief of Police Healy and the chief