The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1915-07-29
EASTLAND SINKS
At CHICAGO DOCK:
1000 MEET DEATH
'v6osHL TURNS OVER IN RIVER
As IT LEAVES WHARF-MA.
JORITY OF VICTIMS WON.
EN AND CHILDREN,
800 BODIES Recovered,
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
Resouors Cut Holes In Hull and Con.
tInue Removing Bodies from Boat
Feared List Of Dead May Reach
1'60o-Tragedy Over In Less
Than Five Minutes.


1'6oo-Tragedy Over In Less
Than Five Minutes.
Chicago, July 28.-The death ship
IGastland has given up the bodies
OF 800 Of it's dead, The esti-
mated total number Of those who
were drowned in the Chicago river
when the steel steamer bearing 24OS
exours1onists rolled over at her dock,
femair at approximately 1000. OF the
Total Of 2408 persons on board at the
ume OF the catastrophe, 1912 including
the crew of ~, have been reported safe.
OF the 65S thus remaining unaocounted
tor 1t Is believed 400 are still alive
'fn4 have failed to report and that 1919
bodies still are in the river.
Ono Of Greatest Marine Disasters,
The Eastland lies on her side in the
ftver with divers still dounder1ng
through her shastly interior and bur.
rowing in tho death search while Chi.
cago, appalled,, is Just beginning to
realize the real and terrible signifi-
canoe Of one Of the greatest of marine
disasters.
While the aggrieved thousands who
lost their dear ones are walking
through the morgue in the Second
heglment armory gazing into the
faces OF the dead, half in hope, half
IN despair, Chicago citizens and Off
oials have turned their attention to
the investigations that must bring
!orth some explanation Of the catas.
trophe and to the work of providing
1el1ef for those left destitute.
NO Families Made Dependent.
Walle no families were made wholly
dependent by the disaster, as might
% the case in a flood or great fire.
1t was said the victims, EMPLOYEES Of;
tne Western Electric company, had.
oeen working only half time or less in
recent months. Several men who.
maoe this report, in asking for aid.,
were asked why they started on the
excursion while in poor financial cir.
cumstances. They replied that an or;
ean1zation Of employees gave the picnic
ana that experience had taught them
tnat 1t was best to buy tickets if thew
oes1red preferment for work. They
SAID said the company had nothing tn
40 with this condition or the giving
OF the excursion, but that al mambare
Pf the employees organization purchase
OF tickets for the lake trip, an annual
enalr' was almost compulsory.
Evidence Of Desperation.
Panic Of the worst kind struck the
passengers when tho boat began to
turn over. Best accounts Of w.t.
pesses said the steamer rolled slight
ly twice, then turned further, and
that hundreds Of screaming, strug.
cling men, women and children slid
across the sloping decks, fought for
room on the companionways and
clutohed at deck chairs or any other
object that came to hand.
Women and children by the hum
4rsds were caught below decks and
the scratched faces, torn clothing and
bruised bodies of the dead bore mute
evidence Of the desperation with
which they had fought for a chance
for life.
The whole tragedy occupied less
than five minutes. Members of the
crew shouted warnings as the steam
or first tilted and Captain Petersen
ordered lower deck ports opened and
Oil passengers shore. There was,
however, no chance Of suoh a MEAS
ure TO succeed.
Five Steamers Chartered.
Some 1000 tickets had been dis
tributed for the excursion and five
steamers chartered by the company.
Tke Eastland was first to receive its
quota, and when it's chartered capao-
isy was reached federal inspectors or
dersd that no more be taken aboard.
The boat was docked on the south
side Of the river and when tho hun.
dreds hurrying to the boat were
turned back from it they streamed
across the Clark street bridge to the
steamer Theodore Roosevelt, which
was to take the second boat load.
Screams Of tho Dastland victims
halted this rush and the bridge was
aammsd with people until police, fear
1oe that the structure would collapse.
ordered it cleared.
City Turns 70 Rescue Work.
Every resource Of the citv wa