The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-07-26
THE EAsTLAND DISASTER.

IN HE catastrophe in Chicago Saturday if the reports
OF the number Of dead and injured be true takes
first place among the recorded steamship disasters
Of the world. Reports from the scene OF the accident
place tne number Of dead at from 1900 to 1000
When the great Titanic on maiden voyage across
the Atlantic ocean, struck iceberg and 1885 souls were
lost the world stood dumbfounded and shocked by the
gieantc loss Of human life but is possible that
even greater number of lives snued out Saturday
1t Chicago than were sacrificed when the Titanic went
DOWN.
The Lusitania, sunk by German submarine took
Town to the bottom Of the ocean with her LOO PERSONS
md ranks next the Titanic accident in the number OF
lives lost The Empress OF Ireland disaster took death
toll Of o24 and the General slocu, which was burned
on June IS 1904 in the East River, New York resulted
in the death Of $50 PERSONS mostly women and children
The General Socum catastrophe in some respects re-
senbes the terrible Chicago The General Slo-
cum. laden with happy excursonists from St Marks
Church, New York, steaming maJestca!y up the
East River when she caught fire and before the Inflated
boat could be beached on Brother island almost
1000 Of the passengers had been lost either being burned
death or crushed death the mad panic that ensued
The Eastand was laden with happy excurSonsts already
to start out on day Of recreation and enjoyment Whe
they thronged the decks OF the steamer she suddenly
started to roll side and IN less time taan II
takes to te big boat had turned turtle and hundreds
OF lives had been sacrificed
It was originally faulty design and that the top deck
had bean removed in order to the tendency
the ship had to list side is further stated that
the ship came close to turning over with heavy load OF
human freight and that only the prompt
ae4oee the officers at that time saved the day II Is
said t the Eastland had been brought TO Chicago from
Lake Erie where it had given unsatisfactory service
II these things be the public may well ask the
owners Of the boat: Why it used at all?
hytt was the first boat loaded OF the five lake steam
ers chartered for the day?
Did the company not know that the boat was in bad
condition? Did they that the steamer had bad
record?
Did they not know that the first boat loaded would
likely be the heaviest laden, because everyone makes
rush for the first boat occasion OF that kind?
Three separate probes have been started IN Chicago
IA order to place the blame the disaster What good
ISL probe after the accident has happened? An ounce OF
prevention is worth pound OF cure.
Are there no rules concerning when and when not
boat TT for service? Are the steamers which transport
human souls from place to place on the Great Lakes
never inspected tested. never proven tit for ser
Wee Must we wait until $500 lives have been snuned
ont in the tinkling an eye before knowing whether or
not . boat Is fit for service?
II the Easand unfit for service, even II there was
the slightest possibility that it was not entirely SAFE
some one should be made for negecng to detect
this weakness the boat IT. as has ben stated the East
land had not given satisfaction on Lake Erie was faulty
in design had given many systems OF listing without
due cause thatts top deck had been removed had given
any grounds whatever for believing it TO be unit for
seryicesafe servcethen the Indiana Transportation
Company will have hard time trying get an abb lot
allowing the boat to be used on Saturday
As to the post-mortem investigations, they may locate
the trouble but like locking the stable after the
horse has been stolen.
Provision should be made for careful inspection Of all
vessels used as passenger ships (aud merchant vessels
tool every so often order to insure the public that they
ere At for service.
Always after great calamity like the one on saturday
there Is an excess used Then the shock Of the
rstas4ronhe wears of and things get back in the old
mt until another disaster shakes public sentiment again