Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-24

company's employees to Michigan City,
Ind, today We had the steamers
Eastland, PetOskey, Theodore Roose-
welt, Racine and haywood.
THE Eastland was the first boat to
lead and the decks were crowded with
passengers who were to be taken on
the other boats nearby. One United
States steamboat inspector and two
assistants watched the Eastland load
They stood at the gang plank and
counted the passengers as they went
aboard. Their report shows there were
$500 passengers on the Eastland, its
full capacity under the United States
steamboat regulations"
Is Strange Sight.
The big steamer lying on its side
was a strange sight On its curved
side stood hundreds Of passengers who
had climbed over the ratings and
stood awaiting rescue
In the depths below and in the inner
compartments of the steamship they
said there were scores. maybe two or
three hundred, whose fate was un-
known.
The steamer Theodore Roosevelt was
turned into a temporary morgue.
Bodies of women and children lined the
cabin waiting for Identification.
Newspaper men were denied permits
sion to go aboard the Roosevelt Rows
of corpses could be seen on the decks.
Frantic efforts were being made 10
revive victims. A score Of pulmotOTs
were brought into use.
The steamer was filed I'd capacity
and hundreds were turned TO other
boats, according TO S. 6 Hail. one Of
the Western Electric picHickers. He
estimated that seven thousand tickets
had been distributed 10 The employees.
Il got to the dock" said Hall. and
was told to go to the other boats as
the Eastland was already crowded.
There were fifteen OF twenty people
behind me ana more coming fast
Z had scarcely gone ten feet toward
the Theodore Roosevelt when the
Eastland began 10 list. Hundreds ran
to the rail and many climbed over its
ctAEE9 Ga9 II LA4t AAEA gfEi f@AA H'--iE
thrown into the water
Inspectors on Docks.
Six government inspectors were
working on the docks when the East
land turned over. They were in charge
Of Inspector r. H McCurry.
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 10 sail when the accident oe-
CURED.
The sinking of the ship came to me
like a streak Of lightning It all hap
pened so suddenly"
Scenes similar to those that follow
ed the Ir0quois theatre disaster cast
gloom over the city. Along South
Water street, Chicago's great produce
center, commission firms practically
business and threw open
the doors Of their establishments as
temporary morgues and hospitals.
Department Stores Aid.
All the big downtown department
stores hurried truck loads OF blankets
to cover the dead and the drenched
women and children who were huddled
in shivering groups.
George Michalec, an excursionist.
was thrown into the river and grasped
the hair Of a boy and swan 70 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 and when I came up
the second time there was a boy by my
side, I thought it was Frank /
grabbed him and swan ashore bat it
was the strange boy"
Nine girls and were in state room
having a party when all OF a sudden
we felt the boat going over. 20 said Miss
-ottie Anderson, one Of the survivors. i
We all fell into heap The screams
and shrieks Of the women in other
state rooms we're maddening. I fell
nto the water and did not see my sis
Ter or any OF the eight others after
hat"
900 Doctors on Scene.
There we're more than 200 doctors
working over the victims IN the tenn /
1orarv hnzritafa nv IN afctoualr