davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
VEGETABLE PEDDLER
WITNESSED DISASTER
MANY LIVES MIGHT HAVE BEE"
SAVED HAD WARNINGS BEE"
Needed.

Chicago.-NOt more than an noun
after the Eastland had turned on her
side in the river an aged vegetable
peddler rang the back door bell OF
Il North Side fiat.
Why, john" said the mistress OF
the apartment when she answered tEe
call, you look sick"
"Seeck." replied the old man. On,
now for days | will be seeck, | see
that boat fall over. All those poor
wOmens and chiIdrens-they cry who
was to help, and we could not Oh, all
my life | see Them and he stumbled
down the stairs blinded by tears.
Many lives might have been saved
had the warning by the peddler been
heeded. Mike Javanco, 11l9 Larrabee
street, was driving across the bridge
when he saw the Eastland begin to
keel over.
"Hey." he yellel to the throng III
I've DON vi lut Sltdiltl dIliioSl bChNith
him. Get off. O'boat's tippin'
over"
There was burst Of laughter
"Gwan,' shouted an eXcursionis--,
you're crazy"
Jayanco went on, but almost before
his wagon bad cleared the bridge the
Eastland was on her beam ends and
the peddler went back to aid in the
rescue work.
Policeman John Root told Of an
aged woman who, when he scrambled
on the upturned side of the steamer,
was clinging to beam in the interior
Of the ship. He could see her through
q port hole and called to her to hang
on He found rope and dropped the
end down.
Her head sank beneath the water"
said Root, but her hand grasped the
line. | dragged her up, but found to
my horror that the port was too small
to get her through. | encouraged her
to hang on while got help. but when
| returned with men and tools to en-
large the opening she was gone. A
half hour later when We had cut
through the steel walls we found her
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

divers in the heart of the sunken yes.
sci sent up an almost constant stream
Of corpses from the submerged decks
First it was a gaily dressed girl in her
teens who had bee caught between a
pile of chairs and a cabin wall. Next
it was boy gathered from the lifeless
arm of father who had chung to his
offspring even in death. Then follow
ed an old woman who had gone aboard
the ship to watch her grandchildren,
or a little girl with bare legs and
bootees with gay ribbons, sodden
against the lace Of her holiday gown.
A thrill passed through the crowd
as word came that a baby girl had
been found alive among the dead of
the ship. The child was discovered in
a starboard stateroom, where she had
been held from the water by a chair
damned against the berth. The baby
only half awakened as it was carried
to land. It's mother could not be
found.
300 Dead in Hold.
Two women were found alive in an
other stateroom on the protruding side
of the Eastland, but that ended the
hopes that any number had escaped
death in the steel trap. There were
still 300 persons in the hold when
these three persons were taken out
alive, and the explorers of the hull
said they all were dead.
Work of tagging the bodies of the
dead and placing them in accessible
places for Identification proceeded all
day and night. Tabulation became so
confusing it was decided to take Ill
bodies to the Second Regiment arm
DRY so that those who were LOOKING
for lost friends and relatives could
view all the victims in one place.
j Identification was slow. Scenes al
the morgues were affecting. Mother
fell across the biers of children whom
they had sent away a few hours b.
fore on what was expected to be :
DAY of pleasure. Men had to summon
all their stoical qualities to retair
composure as they made their wa,
through rows of corpses looking fol
| missing children or wives.
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

two or three instances. 1t was said
many injured would die.
Mayor william Hale Thompson was
in San Francisco and Chief Of Police
C. c. Healy was also out of town, but
Acting Mayor Moorhouse sent out a
request that the city display signs
of mourning. Flags on public build
ngs were placed at half mast and
many places were draped with mourn
ing. Baseball games were postponed
and festivities largely ceased.
While those on land were disposirs
of the dead, injured and rescued, the
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
CAUSE OF DISASTER
is NOT YET KNOWN
Investigation Is Being Conducted 20
Determine Whether the Ship Was
Top Heavy From Faulty Designing,
Improperly BalIasted, or Poorly
Handled in Warpng From the
Wharf.

Chicago.-More than 1000 persons,
possibly 1900 most of them women
and children. were drowned within a
few feet Of land by the CapSlzlng OF
the steel steamer EaStland, as 1t was
about to leave its wharf in the Chlca-
go river with $500 relatives ana
friends of employees OF the Western
Electric Company for an excursion
across Lake Michigan. The snip
rolled over on its side in 70 feet OIL
water within five minutes after 1t be-
gan to list.
Coroner's Physician Springer de-
clared that 1900 persons were killed.
while other estimates ran as high as
1000, but these did not agree with the
statement that not more than 2,50O
passengers were aboard the vessel.
During the day more than $40 bodies
were taken from the river and from
the hull of the overturned steamer,
whose sides were cut open with gas
flames to admit divers. Severed per-
sons were taken out alive from the
cabins of the ship, after it had lain on
its side in the river for four hours,
but the 300 other persons said to be
in the hull are all dead. Seventy-fve
per cent of the passengers were
women and children.
Under the glare of Searchlights.
scores of men worked in the hull of
the vessel to remove the bodies. The
steamer lay at the bottom OF the river,
one side protruding.
Cause of Disaster Not Decided.
The cause Of the capsizing has rot
been determined, but federal, city and
state officers were conducting inves,
legations to determine whether the
ship was top heavy from faulty de.
signing, improperly ballasted, or was
poorly handled in varying from the
wharf.
Marine architects asserted that the
Eastland was faulty in design, that
the top deck had been removed be
cause of the tendency of the ship tc
list, and also pointed to the POSSIBLE
fly that the ship had been unevenly
or insufficiently ballasted. The East
land used water ballast, so that il
could pump out some on entering shall
low lake harbors, and investigators
are working on theory that the bal
last tanks were not filled. and thu
rushing of passengers to one side O
the decks caused it to roll over.
1000 in Five Ships.
Under misty skies, 1000 men, WON
en- and children wended their way t.
the river wharf early to fill five larg
lake steamers with holiday mirth in
trip to Michigan City. The steame
Eastland, brought to Chicago from
Lake Erie. after an unsatisfactory ca
reer, was the first to be loaded.
Rain began to fall as the wharf sr
perintendents lifted the gang plank
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

and the carrying of corpses up the
river toward the canal locks.
Federal Judge Lands ordered a
and Jury empaneled to investigate
the catastrophe. City Attorney Hoyne
prepared county Grand Jury III
Quiry. Coroner Hoffman selected a
jury to look into the cause of the
deaths The police arrested all Off
GERS Of the Eastland and the health
commissioner arranged to purify the
river for fear disease might be spread
by the presence Of so many bodies in
the stream.
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

vers,v injured and these were taken
to tha Iroauois hospital, built in mem
DRY Of the 600 women, children and a
pou, man who were burned and crush
"a n death in the lroquois theater
New Years eve several years ago.
Efforts to resuscitate those from
tho river were unsuccessful except in
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

underwater suits. A bridge of boats
was formed between the pier and the
capsized ship.
TO the lroquois Hospital.
AS the divers gained entrance to toa
hull, the scene of distress moved for
the time being from the river tn tho
extemporized morgues. Scores of per.
sons taken from the water were So.
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
STEAMER EAST[AND Turns
TURTLE IN CHICAGO RIVER

left side Of the ship, as the ot'ei
steamers drew up the river toward
tho wharf, A tug was hitChed to the
F,astland, ropes were ordered cast or
and the steamer engines began 10
hum. The Eastland had not budged,
however. Instead. the heavily laden
chin wavered sidewise, leaning toward
the river. The lurch was so startling
that many passengers Joined the large
concourse already on the river side OF
the decks,
Ship Never Righted.
The ship never hceled back. II
turned slowly, but steadily toward us
mort side Children clutched the skirts
Of mothers The whole cargo was I'M
PEELED toward the sinking side. wa
ter began to enter lower port holes
The ropes snapped off the piles 10
which the vessel was tied.
For nearly five minutes the snip
turned before it finally dived under the
swift current. which, owing to the
drainage canal system, flows from the
lake. During the mighty turning or
the ship with its cargo of humanity,
lifeboats, chairs and other equipment
on the decks slipped down the slop'
ing decks, crushing the passengers to-
ward the rising waters.
Then there was plunge, with a
hiss of air escaping the hold, minglinS
with crying of children and shrieks of
women and the ship was on the bot
tom of the river.
Man Acts as Ladder.
One RAN was seen to cling to a
spike in the side Of the wharf while
two women and three children stepped
up his body as on a ladder to safety
He fell exhausted into the river as the
last one of the five reached the pier
Whether he was lost could not be dis
covered
Instances Of heroism were numer-
Gus. Boats took rescued passengers
to the wharf or to the steamer Theo-
dore Roosevelt. In an hour the water
was cleared. Those not taken to land
lad sunk or were swirling up the river
toward the drainage canal locks at
Lockport, ILL.,, many miles away. The
locks were raised to stop the current
and arrangements were made to take
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

from the Eastland, declaring that the
government limit Of $500 passengers
had been reached. While dresses
neeped from rain coats along the
shore rails, as those aboard waved
goodbye to friends on shore, waiting
ao hoard the steamer Theodore Roose-
welt and other vessels.
Then passengers swarmed to the
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

almost all of the day. He was seen
to leap suddenly into the air, scream
ing like mad, and it required the conf
bined efforts of dozen policemen to
subdue MIN. He was removed to
hospital.
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
CITY Qoea Not LAD.

Yet amid all the horror and heart
aches, officers OF the various city de-
partments attended to pressing duties
Of diSposing Of the dead and injured,
tracing the missing, inquiring into the
cause Of the disaster and guarding
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30

bodies from the river along it's course
through the southwest part of Chi
cago.
Shortly after the water was cleared
ship engineers and helpers were on
the exposed side of the Eastland's hull
cutting through its steel plates with
gas flames. Divers were hurried into
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
Siqht Drives Man Mad.

Chicago.-The strain of seeing hun.
dreds upon hundreds of the unfortu-
nate victims taken from the water
proved too much for poorly clad
man who had been watching from the
end Of the Clark street bridge during
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
Bar Pictures Of Tragedy.

Chicago. Exhibition of moving
pictures depicting the Eastland TRACE.
DIV in any photoplay theater in The
CITY was forbidden by acting Mayor
w. R. Moorhouse.
The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
1000 MAY BE
LIST OF DEAD

SEVERAL PERSONS WERE TAKEN
OUT ALIVE FROM THE CABINS
OF THE SHIP AFTER SHIP HAD
LAIN ON ITS SIDE FOR FOUR
HoURs-OTHERS IN HULL ARE
SAID TO BE DEAD.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
SUGAR BEETS.


decided that every acre must be guar
anteed by next Saturday night, at
which time the figures will be given.
to MFR. Nibley and combined with
those from the upper valley. These
figures must total the 5000 required.
and to make good on its portion OF
the amount. and to qualify Grants
Pass as an applicant for the factory.
1t win be necessary to sign up 1000
acres during the next seven days.
Saturday the committeeman remain
ed in the city at the sugar beet Of
fee" at the rear of the josephine
County bank. This ONCE was filed
with farmers all day. and numerous
contracts were signed up. Mr.. Bram-
well was kept busy from morning till
night explaining the points that the
farmers wanted information upon
Wednesday, at two O'Clock, it is
proposed to hold meeting in this
city to which every farmer within
the district who has signed up an
acre. and the ones who have not yet
signed, but who should, will be in
vited. At this meeting the situation
will be thoroughly canvassed and
plans made to do the things neces-
sary at that time to bring success
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
r. n. @. Club Entertained.


Mrs Anna Nixon entertained at
her home. 7Oi South Fifth street. the
Past Noble Grands club Of Etna
Rebekah lodge Friday afternoon.
Visiting. sewing for tho Grants Pass
endowment room at the Odd Fellows
home In Portland, readings and piano
selections. with plans for the next
months meeting served TO pass away
a most delightful afternoon. Re-
freshments were served at the close,
and the ladies' then went In a body
to the city hall and registered for the
coming city election. Those present
we're: President, Mrs. J. II. Williams;
vice-president. Mrs. June Terwilliger.
and Mrs. Viola Dickinson. Mrs. Carrie
Ryan, Mrs. Mary Hildreth. Mrs. N. r.
Clements. Mrs. Christina Good
enough. Mrs. Alice Thompson. Mrs.
Mary Smith. Mrs. June MsCracken.
Mrs. Gertrude Cunning, Mrs. Dora
Cleveland. Miss Anna Schmidt. Mrs.
Emma Perkey, Mrs. Davis and Mrs.
Minto. Everyone present voiced tha
sentiment that Mrs. Nixon is an ideal
hostess.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
New Auto for Williams IAne---

II. p. Egger and Sam Meas arrived
homo from Portland Friday night
driving a new i5oO-pound Interna-
tlonal truck purchased by Mr.. Egger
for the Grants Williams stage
line. This is the largest size OF that
make Of truck. The old Intcrnation-
al which Mr.. Eggcr has used the past
season on the Williams run has been
sold to Selma parties and will be
used as a passenger end express car
rier from that village. Mr. Egger
says that the run down from Port
land was made In 2s hours Of actual
running time. They ieft the north
ern city Wednesday morning, and
found some OF tho roads getting pret-
by muddy, the best road OF the entire
trip being in this county.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
Surveyors Complete Work

Two parties Of surveyors of the
United States geological survey, that
have been engaged on Typographical
maps In the upper Illinois and Silver
creek sections during the past sum
mer have completed their work for
the season and disbanded, Messrs,
G. p. Mckinley. A, l.. Bruklund and
A. ". Wilson left yesterday for San
Francisco, A. v. Morgan for Wash
ington. d. c.. A, ID. Snow to Portland
and will later 20 to the o. A. O., and
John McCombs and r. M, Wilson ia
Seattle, Alex Brown and VIM. Gil.
more remained at their homes al
Kerby, and Claud Martin and Ber,
Rule will drive their 20 head Of
horses to Roseburg, Donald Noyes Il
remaining In Grants Pass for q few
days.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14

bNAhirVh hPPNt<s DASsAssovSN
The appeal Of the case Of Ernest
d. Dennison, alias Hun. has been
dismissed by the supreme court OF
the state. the mandate OF the court
having been received by the county
clerk Saturday. Dennison appealed
the case from the circuit court OF
this county after being convicted up
on the complaint OF Oslin Jackson
OF attempted extortion. He was SEN
fenced to from six months to two
years in the penitentiary. but stayed
execution by the fling OF an appeal
bond OF $4,000. A surety company
provided the bond. The action OF
the supreme court was based upon
the fact that Dennisori's attorneys
had not filed brief in the case with.
In the required time OF six months
The case will now stand before the
circuit court just where 1t did be
fore the appeal was taken. and DEN.
nison will probably be called upon te
serve the sentence imposed or the
bond will be declared forfeited. Even
II the bond should be forfeited Den
nison could later be taken into Gus
tody and held on the sentence II ar
rested He is said to be now some
where in the east.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
COLFAx GIRL is
FATALLY BURNED

Colfax, WASH. Nov. 13.-Her
clothing taking fire from a stove. FL
mire Middaugh. 16 years old. was
probably fatally burned today. DR..
Charles vanschoick. in whose homo
the girl worked. was badly burned
about the hands in carrying her out
doors and rolling her in the snow in
an endeavor to extinguish the flames.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
LINER MINNESOTA
LIBEIiLID FOR $4,000
nv limited rrsk, Leased wire.)

,pv United rrsk, Leased Wire.)
Seattle. Nov 1S,--Libelled for
$4,000 by the Robert Dollar COM
pany, the liner Minnesota, which was
to have sailed Friday for Liverpool
was being detained In the harbor
here today by boiler trouble. The
libel 10 based on an alleged breach
Of contract by the refusal Of the com.
pany to carry 100000 teet Of lum.
Der TO Glasgow $685., '..aN',. n -''''.'
The Minnesota's owners gave bond
for the vessels release. She wal
expected to sail this afternoon.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14

torday from a visit OF several weeks
at Portland,
Al tho Palace hotel sunday, roast
duck dinner, zoe. sos
l., A. Cook, OF Modford. was In
the city Saturday on business.
n. A. liInshaw. general freight
agent OF the Southern Pacific lines,
spent Saturday in tho city.
Arrow collars at Bishops iOsuf
Miss Gladys swacker. teacher at
the Grave Greek school. near Leland,
came in town yesterday to spend Sun
day.
IIelmer's carry tho Haywood mat
tresses advertised In this issue. 693
Mrs. Geo. Riddle went to Crescent
City Friday. having been notified Of
the gerious illness OF an uncle.
A flno assortment OF ladles' wooden
underwear. Call and see Il, Mrs,
u. Rehkopf. 5g3tf
Mr.. and Mrs. Bert Barnes went 10
Portland Friday for few days on
business.
Heywood's mattresses at Eclmer'S.
Mrs. Lloyd Dyer returned Friday
night from trip to the exposition
and a visit with her sister. Mrs. Pill
grim. at Dunsmuir.
Rodney Marshall went TO Leland
Friday night to spend Sunday at
homo,
The Palace hotel will serve you an
excellent dinner. consulting OF roast
duck and all the fxins'. for only 26e.
Sunday. sos
A. u. Everton came down from
Portland Friday morning. returning
In the evening.
X. J. Khoerry came In from Selma
Friday afternoon and left In the
morning for the Rawleigh mise near
Trail.
Heywood's red. blue and gold label
mattresses at Helmer's. 593
Miss Minnie ireland returned FRI
day night from 4 visit with Ashland
friends.
l.. D. Burdick, OF Ashland. arrived
here Friday night from Ashland and
went into the Holland country to buy
cattle.
Rev. w. II. Gloeckner left yester-
day morning for a ten days drip In
the klamath section.
The latest knit caps and scarfs---
Just the thing for cold days. Mrs,
L. Rehkopf. 5s3ti
| ostermoor mattresses at Helmer's
Mr.. and Mira. J. NJ. Swan. who left
Provolt three months ago for Lane
county. arrived yesterday from Eu'
gene and win return to Provolt.
Seaiy mattresses at Helmer's.
Miss Francis Gilfilian. local man
ager OF the Oregon Gas and Electric
company. left Saturday afternoon fol
Fresno, where she will spend week
and will then visit the San Francisco
exposition.
II. Boyer arrived yesterday from
Spencer. Iowa. and viii spend sever
al weeks here. Mr.. Boyer and hi
wife, tho latter recently deceased
spent some months in Grants Pass
about six years ago. having propert,
interests here.
Mrs. Seymour valkenburg and
Mrs. Sadie Brown. OF Schenectady
N. Y, former neighbors OF Mr.. ant
Mrs. II. A. Wetterborg. stopped of
here Saturday to spend a few days
with the Wetterborgs. The ladies are
on their way to the San Francisco
exposition.
Dr., J. v. Milligan, Of Portland
stopped of a few minutes yesterday
being joined here by Rev. w. Franl
Gloeckner. the two going to klamath
Falls to install Rev. Charles T. Hurt
as pastor OF tie Presbyterian church
DR.. Milligan expects to visit Bethan!
church In Grants Pass Sunday earl!
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
AIl-stars lea, Central Point

The team composed OF former stars
OF the gridiron ran up score OF 40
to nothing against the Central Point
team upon the High School grounds
yesterday. The locals had the best
OF the contest at every stage. out
weighing and ont-playing the visitors.
A return game will be played at Cen
tral Point on Thanksgiving day.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14

FOR, SALE AT A BARGAlN--One
trusty family driving and work
mare, one surrey, one s h. p. Fair
banks & Morse gasoline engine,
one touring car with delivery body,
in good shape. and eight pigs.
George A. Hamilton. Phone
6OS-F-2. SOS
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
Examination for Postnnaster---

Tho United States civil service
commission announces that on De-
cember II an examination viii be
held at Grants Pass for candidates
for the Office OF postmaster OF Wilder
vile, Ore. During the last iiscal year
the compensation oi the Wllaeryiiie
postmaster was s1s2.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
Music club Tuesday Nlght--

All members of the Music club and
all who wish TO become members are
urgently requested to be present next
Tuesday evening at the Commercial
club room. The chorus practice at
s;15 will follow the, study section
In view OF the fact that the Christ
mas recital Is not far distant. Il be
hooves cash and every member tc
help make itsa success by beinl
prompt and faithful In attendance.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
TURKS SUSPECTED OF
POISONING MISSIONARY

(By United Press Leased Wire.)
Boston. Nov. 13.---The Rev. Francis
Leslie. a Michigan missionary In
Mesopotamia, is dead from poisoning,
the state department today informed
the American Board of Foreign Mis-
sions. Turks are suspected Of caas-
Ing his death.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14

Chas. Shattuck and AL Bacher left
last night for the San Francisco ex-
position and other points OF interest
In the south. They have recently
returned from the Preston Peak
country. where they have mining in
terests. and will be on the job again
as soon as spring opens.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
ClndercIla at the STAR

Cinderella at the Star
A novel attraction Is the current
feature at the Star Theater, which
presents Mary Pickford. the idol Of
the screen. in a novel and beautiful
Aim version Of the age-old story,
Cinderella" Famous Players
Paramount feature in four parts
This tender story, which gives screen
Immortality to tale already in
scribed on the hearts OF all the chill
dren Of all time, again proves thai
Mary Pickford Is unrivalled In YER
satility and artistic charm as an i'm
personator Of screen characterize
tions.
Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1915-11-14
Cen. Logan ". r. c. Inspecteti---

Gen. Logan w. II. c. Inspected
Mrs. Mary Hildreth. appointed de.
partment inspector for the southern
Oregon Jurisdiction OF the Woman's g
Relief corps. inspected General Logan
corps Saturday afternoon. A large
and interested membership was pre-
sent to greet Mrs. Hildreth In her
Official capacity. Refreshments were
served In honor OF the occasion. The
serving committee we're Mesdames
winetrout. westerheid, Ahlf. Alver-
son, Pratt and Brandt.