New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-25
Eastland, "Hoodoo Ship" Capsizes
at Pier While Loaded to
Capacity for Excursion.
SEARCH OF HULK GOES ON
UNDER ELECTRIC LIGHTS
Catastrophe Stops Picnic of the Western
Electric Employees, 1000 of Whom Were
Recently Sent West from New York.
(By Telegraph to The Tribune J

Chicago July 24-Neary 1000 persons the lowest esi
possibly 1900 of the hrong of $500 employees of the
Electric Company and their families who started this
morning picnic Lake Michigan drowned when
Easan the first Of five boats that the
crowd capsized at her pier in the Chicago River.
Coroner Hoffman II o'clock said that according to the in
hand he hoped that the total dead would exceed
1000 The number of bodies the morgue according to official
count While others added later there
duplication discovered The Coroner said that any bodies
addition the 842 the in the hull Of the
Eastland. These estimated at from 200 up.
1t believed that $500 of those board saved These
estimates do fit into the official statement which places the
2OO the legal capacity of the vessel Several
witnesses however declare that this number had been greatly
exceeded, some putting the total as high as 5000
Probably four out FIVE of the victims and
children The employees practically all accompanied by
their families while addition there hundreds of girl
workers.
All day long every available strained the work first of
rescung the living recovering the bodies and tonight
long stretched along the side
Easand enable remen and divers to continue their work
through the night
NO CHANCE TO ESCAPE
So sudden overturnng the boat that board
had escape Within FIVE minutes of the first notice
able list the vessel snapped the hawsers that held her the
dragged up piles which they fastened had dted
slowly yards the turned her beam ends and
settled to the bottom in twenty-five feet OF water
Panic seized passengers when the boat began to turn
The best that the steamer rolled slight
" twice then further and that hundreds Of screaming
STRUGGLING men, and children slid the slopng decks
fought for room cutched companions deck chairs
any other object that came to hand
Women and children by hundreds caught below decks
and the clothing and bruised bodies of the
dead bore mute evidence desperation with which they had
fought for life
Instantly the surface of the became OF bodies
the light dresses and children who nearly
four times as the making patches of tragedy
its murky surface.
MEN RUSH TO RESCUE.
Instantly too from still waiting the piers from
neghborng and buildings and from point where
were gathered volunteer heroes plunged to the rescue
When chopped and forced their way through the side
Of the hull of the they found bodies piled
another like many boxes of merchandise They began taking
them out placing them the Racine which stood along
side they placed stretchers and carried ashore
Eight divers equipped with underwater suits and helmets
searched holds of the vessel aided by dozen voun
eer who clad in bathing suits stripped their
derwear, dived time after time into the water.
quickly body located seized with hooks and
brought the surface There's one would be the and usu
ally this would be followed by the call: Its woman
Summer gowns and hner shed scratched faces and
clenched hands the rule.
The for several hours suffered from the heat OF the
foot then the other until sawdust buap bags and tapau
Inns were laid the hot steel plates. =.
Several taken alive from the CABINS OF the snip
after had lain side the river tor tour hou ou e W
dreds of others said be in the hulk are all dead .
There eventytwo men in the crew OF the aaha ana