Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-07-30
BOAT TURNS OVER:
1908 LIVES LOST
EASTLAND WITH $500 ABOARD
WAS JUST LEAVING THE
CHICAGO WHARF.
CAUSE NOT MADE KNOWN
Excursion Party of 1000 Employees and
Excursion Party of 1000 Employees and
Friends of Western Electric Co.,
in Terrible Accident.

the scene with shrieking whistles, and
many men snatched off their coats
and sprang into the river to aid the
drowning. With thousands of spec
tators ready to aid and the wharf
within grasp, hundreds went to death
despite every effort to rescue.
Captain Petersen in Command.
Captain Harry Petersen, 81 years
old, of Boston Harbor, Mich, in COM
mand of the Eastland, said
81 was on the bridge and was about
ready to pull out when l noticed the
boat began to list | shouted orders
to open the inside doors nearest the
dock and give the people a chance to
get out. The boat continued to roll
and shortly afterward the hawsers
broke, the steamer turned over on its
side ard was drifting toward the mid
die of the river.
When she went over l jumped and
held on to the upper side. 1t all hap
pened in two minutes.
THE cause is a mystery to me- |
have sailed the lakes 25 years. Pre-
vious to that sailed on salt water II
years, and this is the first serious ac-
cident l ever had. do not know how
it happened"
EastIand Known for Speed.
The steamer Eastland was built in
1903, and owned by the Eastland Navi-
cation company of Cleveland. 1t was
265 feet long, 3S feet wide, and had a
draft of 23 feet, with net tonnage of
1918. 1t was brought to Chicago in
1904, and was used in the excursion
business to South Haven, Mich, for
several years. Later it was taken to
Cleveland, Ohio, and placed in the ex-
cursion service there. This spring the
boat was remodeled. 1t was then
brought to Chicago and put on the run
to st. Joseph, Mich. 1t had a steel
hull, and was known as one of the
fastest excursion boats on the Great
Lakes, having a speed of 81 miles an
hour.
Later Report.
The death ship Eastland Sunday
night had given up the bodies of $40
of its dead. OF the estimated total
number of those who went down to
death in the Chicago river when the
steamer bearing 2408 persons at the
time of the catastrophe, 1000, not in
Guiding the crew, have reported as
safe. OF the 5SS thus remaining un-
accounted for it is believed 400 are
alive and failed to report, and that
1873 bodies still are in the river. The
total death list is thus 1908.
About three score bodies were re-
covered Sunday. By noon divers had
concluded that all bodies had been re-
moved save those that may have been
crushed into the mud under the East
lands port side and those that had
gone down the river with the current.
The Eastland lies on her side in the
river, with divers still Laundering
fin and burrowing under her, while
Chicago, appalled,, is just beginning to
realize the significance of one of the
greatest marine disasters.
Wilson Sends Sympathy.
Acting Mayor Moorhouse Sunday re-
ceived the following telegram from
President Wilson, who is at Windsor,
VT:
81 am sure l speak the universal
feeling of the people of the coun-
try in expressing my profound sym
pathy and sorrow in the presence of
the great disaster which saddened so
many homes"
Noted Ship Disasters.
Lives Lost.
1,595-Titanic, April Ia, 1912; off New
foundland banks.
1,100-Lusitania, May Z, 1915; Atlantic
ocean.
1,O24-Empress of Ireland, May 90
1914; ST. Lawrence river.
959-General Slocum, June Is, 1904;
East river, New York
Burgoyne, July 2, 1898; off New
foundland banks.
700-Princess Alice, September g.
1878; in Thames river, near
Woolwich.
574-Utopia, March II, 1891; off
Gibraltar.
300-Matsu Maru, March %, 1908;
off coast Japan.
2S9-Ship Kahunda, March 20, 1897;
off coast of Brazil.
2S7-Lady Elgin, September 8, 1860;
Lake Michigan.
200-Excursion steamer, April "a
1909 Long Island sound.
135-Volturno, October IL, 1913; At
lantic ocean.
128-State of Florida, April IS, 1884
off Canadian coast.
600-Norge, June 20, 1894; lost off
Rockall reefs.