The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1915-07-29
GREATEST SHIP CALAMITY IN
HISTORY TAKES TOLL OF 1900
Men, Women and Children Taken by Sudden Death Wnen tne
Steamer EasIand Overturns in the Chicago River When
About to Start Out With Picnic Party.
Sweeping Investigation Is Started by Federal State and City A'
thorites to Fix the Blame for the DSaster-Error or
Oversight Is Believed to Be Responsible

Chicago. July 26,-Fifteen hun
bred lives were lost Saturday morn
ing in the greatest ship calamity in
history.
The steamship Eastland turned on
its side at its dock in the Chicago
river near Clark street at 7.4O In the
morning. Aboard were $500 holiday
makers, bent on the annual excursion
to Michigan City given by the West
ern Electric company to its employees.
AS the boat capsized hundreds on
the upper deck we're thrown in masses
into the water where many were lost.
Most of the other passengers caught
below in the cabins or on the lower
decks persisted without chance OF es-
cape They were swallowed up IN
watery graves in the sight of other
thousands who were crowding the
Clark street bridge, the wharves and
the adjoining streets on their way to
other boats. for five vessels had been
chartered for the excursion.
TERROR FOLLOWS GAYETY.
The disaster was a matter of only
a few minutes Many were surging TO
the gangplank, anxious to embark.
AS the gangplank was pulled in and
preparations were made to cast on
the steamer listed to port, or toward
the river The passengers were crowd
ing on that side to get the view. The
sway at first occasoned little alarm.
The Joking and laughter continued,
but as the great hull continued To
swing over terror suddenly gripped tho
passengers.
There was a mad scramble, panic
fought for places Of safety. Shrieks
and cries wrung the hearts Of those
on shore. A minute or two more and
the ship was fat on its side like
dead fish. and those caught beneath
and within were enIombed by the in
rushing water
RIVER THICK WITH BODIES.
The surface of the river was thick
with struggling forms. Babies per
ished in sight Of those on the docks
and bridges. The witnesses say 1t
was all over in between four and six
minutes. One instant the boat was
filled with laughing picnickers in their
holiday flnery. The next instant forms
of men and women in frenzied fight
for life churned the water, then sank.
On the side ui the boat were numbers
who had clambered over the rail- mr.
the boat settled on its side. Some
escaped without even wetting their
feet.
The whistles of tugs and excursion
boats shrieked the alarm. Boats put
off to the rescue. Hundreds of per
sons were dragged from the river to
safety. South Water street men tossed
barrels and crates and chicken boxes
into the river, where they were seized
by the drowning Forty miles away
at Lockport the bear trap dam in the
drainage canal was closed TO stop the
river current Fire boats and tugs
spread out like a fan around the
death ship and then began the work
of taking out the bodies,
MORGUES IN WAREHOUSES
The nearby streets and warehouses
were turned into morgues. Bodies
were piled In rows. Ambulances and
vans and delivery trucks were pressed
into service as death carts, while as
fast as the bodies were taken out hun
dreds Of physicians strove to bring
back life.
At the south approach 20 the Clark
street bridge respiration machines
were operated on the sidewalk. Vic
Tins were worked over the moment
they reached shore. Emergency hos
pitfalls we're established within a few
feet Of the disaster.
MORGUE ON STEAMER.
The Theodore Roosevelt, one Of the
fy> boats chartered for the excursion.
which was moored on the opposite side
~ the Clark street bridge. was turned
into a morguo and hospital
As soon as the calamity became
known doctors and nurses by ne
hundreds volunteered their services,
ana for hours they stroyo In the worn
Of resusc!taton Few were revived,
however as the bodies had been in
the water TOO long
As the gray day wore along and tho
bodies came forth sti1 In the riRor Of
death, the resp.rators were retired
The physicians administered mice.
tions Of strychnuc, aud occasionally
when the powerful drug seemed to re-.
kindle a spark Of life the lung motors
were called into rcQusitIon Doctor
Springer, coroner's physician, exam