The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-07-29

Chicago, July 27.-One thousand per-
sons were drowned or crushed to
death when the steamer Eastland,
crowded with 2,40S employees of the
Western Electric company. capsized in
the Chicago river.
The crowding of passengers to n
side of the boat is supposed to have
caused the tragedy, but the authori-
ties, not satisfied with this explana-
ton, ordered the arrest of the officers
of the boat, and Captain Harry Ped
ersen and Dell Fisher, first mate,
were taken to police headquarters.
Death Ship Gives Up Bodies
Chicago, July 27.-The death ship
Eastland has given up the bodies
of 500 of it's dead. The esti-
mated total number of those who
were drowned in the Chicago river
when the steel steamer bearing 24OS
excursionists rolled over at her dock,
remains at approximately 1000. OF the
total of 240S persons on board at the
time of the catastrophe, 1912 including
the crew of 72, have been reported safe.
OF the 558 thus remaining u~naccounted
for It is believed 400 are still alive
and have failed to report and that 1e9
bodies still are in the river.
Evidence Of Desperation.
Panic of the worst kind struck the
passengers when the boat began to
turn over. Best accounts Of wit
nesses 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
clutched at deck chairs or any other
object that came to hand.
Women and children by the hun.
dreds 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
err first tilted and Captain Petersen
ordered lower deck ports opened and
all passengers shore. There was,
however, no chance Of such 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.
The Eastland was first to receive its
quota, and when it's chartered capac-
ity was reached federal inspectors or
dered that no more be taken aboard.
The boat was locked on the south
side of the river and when the hun
dreds hurrying to the boat were
turned back from 1t they streamed
across the Clark street bridge to the
steamer Theodore Roosevelt, which
was to take the second boat load.
Screams of the Eastland victims
halted this rush and the bridge was
| TANNED with people until police, fear
ing that the structure would collapse.
ordered it cleared.
City Turns to Rescue Work.
Every Of the city was
turned to the rescue work. Remem-
bering the Iroquois theatre disaster,
mercantile concerns In the vicinity
hurried motor trucks to the scene
laden with blankets 20 warm the liv-
ing or cover the dead. Pulmoters by
the score were sent to the dock. ply
sicians. police, fremens government
life savers and nurses were sum-
moned aad all hospitals and morgues
notified to prepare for patients or
ec0rpses.
The steamer foated on IT. side into
midstream and tugAs motor-boats and