The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-25

ting their feet.
houses. were slipping down the deck.
In another instant II wa sail over with
the Fastland
7 waited Until the port rail- was in
the water and then climbed out onto
the upturned starboerd side, calling
to others 10 follow me. A few did,
II noticed. but nv cry was drowned IN
The crorus OF screams that went up
as the Esstland Topped over.
Apparently realizing what was COM
ing the captain of the Kenoeha had
0 backed up until hts stern was close TO
the FAstlands how. The tug was still
a few feet away when I jumped. but
made it's deck and number OF others
came after me. Out of the whole party
from my department ! saw only one
alive Afteward. and that was one OF
/ the BOYS who had followed me"
\ start 10 FIX Responsibility.
/ within an hour of two OF the dis
aster the authorities had started the
task Of hxinE the responsibility. States
4 Attorney Hoyne took the matter In
charge and sent out grand jury sub.
poenas for witnesses.
Was the Eastland crowded beyond
j capacity?" This was the gravest c@es-
ton into whics1 inquiry will he made.
Eye witnesses assert that the boat was
carving from lNH 10 1st8p uipft PFt
sons than the 2. 500 for which she wSs
/ licensed Some of the holiday makers
who got as far as the gangplank and
then decided 10 take another boat
fearing the crowds on the Eastland,
say that between g. 900 and 3.50o per-
, sons were aboard and that the ticket
takers kept admitting excursionlsts
up 10 within a few minutes of the
capsizing,
This is denied by the government:
inspectors. Robert II. McCreary. chief
If the marine bureau, says an exac Ct
, check OF the passengers WAS taken
and that as soon as 2,500 had gone
aboard no more were allowed admis-
sion.
!, Among the first to appear before
r states Attorney Hoyne was W. X
, Greenbaum, general manager of the
a Indiana Transportation Company
, which had chartered the Eastlsnd for
! tae day from the st, Joseph Chicago
a Steamship Company. He said that
! as soon az the listing began he started
! the work of rescue.
Another Story Is Told.
I IA 1920 A. M he testified, Il was
, standing al the docks watching the
Al Theodore Roosevelt loading wher
: shouts warned lis that something wat
: / to rne street level ne saw she wal
, listing to port Returning TO the
4 Roosevelt ordered the captain tC
blow the emergency whistle. 1oweI
> | the Hfeboats and sent the crew among
, the passengers begging them 10 throw
1 fife preservers and life RATS overheard
to drift down the river into the mex
+ block, where the Eastland was turn
This assistance from the Roose
0 Welt saved many people. One boat re
I turned with thirty-five / did not SCI
= Inc Eastiand go over, because / wa
= occupied with rescue work on tn
l. Roosevelt. | am informed government
2 inspectors were present and when tn
= Eastiand had been loaded to capacity
a further admission was denied"
q Captain Harry Peterson and FRS
q Mate Dell Fisher, OF the Eastland
n were placed on the freboat Graem
Q Stewart by Assistant Chief Schuettleg
and were kept under arrest.
Boat Always "Hoodoo."
S Two general thories of the listing
K are advanced In addition to the aues
= ton of overcrowdtng. The boat ha
. always been deemed IL "hoodoo" by LAX
h captains The shape OF the hull Il
= such that inaring experts have regarde,
G the boat with suspicion. II careene'
once before In Cleveland harbor. an,
when in the Southhavsn sxcursio,
G trade IL often listed as IT left the rive
r at Southhaven with the crowds flock
G ing to the rail on one side. The tw'
h theories were;
Ballast was taken out TO ena BILE tn
:. boar TO navigate tire river IN the TURN
X In basin above the La Sale stree
d tunnel. This made II topheavy, am
/ when the listing began: there was n,
r counterweight TO prevent a capeige.
e The lines were not cast OF and tn
& tug was pulling the vessel toward tn
= river. which destroyed Its equilibrium.
n This second theory ia advanced h,
n william Flanagan, lfneman on tn
r boat. who says the tug was pulling
|. at the Eastland. although its line
had not been cast off, This was de
= MED by Arthur Mcdonald. engineer o
: the tug. who says that when the East
= land topped over the tow tine had no
c been attached.
: The police officer whe was on dut
at the dock SAYS when the listing be
r gan the strain on the moorings wa
a SO great that the post over which tn
: bowline was thrown began to break
q He at once sent in an emergency cal
Some of the witnesses say the listin
was first noticed at least fifteen min
N utes before the capsiEe and befor
q the RRnRpIAnk waA taken In.
naiiRsf Was Removed.
a The theory Of decreased ballast
= im founded reports from mem
a hers of the crew who say that 10
get up the river part of the ballast
. was removed 80 avotd all danger
4 of scraptng the roof Of the tun-
mel. when the paasengers crowded
' TO the river side of the vessel and
the listing began. the ballast was
not mufffcsent tn counteract II.
Heartrending scenes were exacte
: al the morgues. Parents who ha'
! been torn from their children, mother
. and fathers whose boys and girls ha
left home in the early morning 1
' high spirits for a~day on the lak'
y men women and children who ha
a relatives and friends on the ship c
i death, foeked TO the temporary NOR
q tuaries Such dense throngs coilecte
n that the sidewalk in front of Gayi'
D & Sons morgue. in North Clark Street
- / collapsed and twenty men and womei
$ were precipitated into the basement
several being injured.
: News Of the catastrophe travefej
. rapidly. Half an hour after the East
I land had overturned the elevate,
= trains as far north as Evanston, wer
a bringing persons downtown who wer
Z anxious over the safety of friends an,
= I relatives From all directions the