Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-07-29
WAS ALSO GROUNDED
Testimony Given to Effect That
Captain EndeavOred to Right
the Ship but She Seemed I'm
able to Take Water in Ballast
Tanks Fast Enough.

Chicago, july E.-OVeroading, UNDER
ballasting and grounding on the river bot
tom to-day were cited in testimony NJ
the coroner's inquest as reasons why the
steamer Eastland topped over SATURDAY
at its wharf and drowned hundreds OF
excursionsts Adam +. Weckler, haroor
master and Joseph r. Lynn, assistant
arbOr Master, both of whom were pres
ent when the steamer capsized with 2'ooo
persons, its licensed capacity aboard, IN
ascribing the accident to these causes
told the coroncrs jury that the boat was
l"cranky' and should never have been per-
mitted by government inspectors to carry
more than l,2no persons.
While the coroncr's jury was hearing
this and other testimony, Secretary OF
Commerce Redfed looked over the upset
boat and watched divers combing the
I wreck and surrounding waters recover
three more bodies. He stated formally
that government supervision had not
been lax and that the Eastland had
safely carried many more passengers
THAN Were aboard when the ship rolled
over He said that federal officers would
! do everything possible to fix the blame.
| if there was any, let it rest where it
might.
| Harbor Master Weckler testified that
he arrived at the Eastland's wharf 20
minutes before the steamer was due to
start and saw that the boat was listing
to port He said he called to Captain
| Petersen of the Eastland to trim the YES
sci. shouting that he would not open the
Clark street bridge until the boat was
righted.
toll tta n
right the snip, but seemed unable to take
water into the ballast tanks fast enough.
The harbor master said he had no doubt
the tanks had been pumped dry, but
that the captain should have been able
to fill them in from three to six minutes
III nothing had been wrong with valves.
| II never saw the Eastland loaded so
heavily as it was Saturday morning
said Mr.. Weckler, and I have seen her
depart many times The boat first listed
about scven degrees, then came back
slightly. and again started over, and kept
on going. A boat that is difficult to
handle under all circumstances is known
as crank boat and / have noticed the
Eastland to he cranky constantly
| IT don't think the F.astland should
| have been allowed To carry more than
! 200 pa ssengers, because 1t did not have
enough draft and stability TO carry a
larger load, Only last Tuesday I told
Captain Petersen that his boat needed
trimming as it was constantly travelling
on it's ears, He said that the twin screws
kept the Eastland on an even keel while
| under way
After his arrest | heard Captain
| Petersen say that he tried for seven
teen minutes to trim the steamer but
could not get water into the ballast tanks
fas enough | don't believe that Captain
Petersen realized the danger until the
final plunge came"
Mr. Lynn. assistant harbor master,
testified that he arrived Just as the
! Eastlard was due to start He saw the
dangerous list of the steamship and
called the police and fire departments
returning to the wharf to passengers
leaping from the decks to the river.
"r believe" said Mr. Lynn, that the
ship was on the bottom aft of midship
II she lay on a bank slopinG towards
the middle Of the river and was being
damned down against this bank, she
would naturally tin towards the rivers
center If tho captain tried for II minutes
to right the boat without attempting Ia
! get on those on board, there was the
! negligence"
Mr.. LINN said that he saw many
the crew leap on the wharf side while
the ship was careennE.
Captain John O'Mara OF the TUG
kenosha. testified that he towed the
Eastland four times, and she always
listed. he said
l.. {. Wheeler. assistant division SUI
perintendent of the department of JUS
tice, submitted government inspection
certificates. including the latest one
issued by Robert Reid July ., 1915, a,
the request of Captain Petersen that
the carrying capacity be increased
This certificate allowed the EastlanC
to take on 2,57o passengers, an increase
or fiNe hundred over previous permits
Efforts to check up the total deac
made no progress to-day. The officia
list of Identified again totaled s24
While the list of missing grew, only
! three bodies were recovered and divers
said that probably not more than
score Of victims remained in the ship
, DIVERS walked the river bed. hand ir
, hand to-day, but found no corpses.