Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-07-25
RUSH TO WATCH
film MAN MADE
EASTLAND UPSET
Eye-Witnesses Tell Police Movie
Operator in Launch Attracts
Attention of the Pas
sengers.
ALL SWEEP OVER TO SEE HIN
Gauge Tender Describes His Expert
ences Escaping from the
Steamer.
FRANTIC WORK AT THE PUMPS

CHICAGO. July 24.--That a sud
den rush of persons on the deck OF
the Eastland to port side to look at
a speeding launch caused the catas-
trophe, was the assertion Of Jack
Elbert, gauge tender of the steamer.
He said he and ]. NJ. Erickson,
chief engineer, escaped drowning by
wading through water in the hatch
and crawling out of portfolio into
the river.
Tho steamer. Eastland, was kept
stable by means of water ballast sys-
tenn" Elbert said. Water is pumped
into the chambers in the ship until it be-
comes steady. This was done before even
freight Is taken on board. The first thing
/ heard this morning was that the East
land began to lean to starboard. Erica-
son, the chief engineer, was in charge OF
the pumps used to pump water into the
chambers.
Jump Into Water.
HE said, Boys, steady her up little
and then we pumped water into the other
side until Il was up even and all right
We had just evened 1t up when launch
came down the river and past the East
land. and the crowd rushed to port side
TO look at It. The weight on one side ap-
parently proved too much, and the East
land began to list badly.
I'VE worked frantically at the pumps
TO try to bring it back
Eyewitness informed the police that
there was a man in the launch operating
q moving picture camera, and that this
attracted the attention OF passengers on
the Eastland. who rushed to one side Of
the boat
shortly after 8 p. m. the temporary Red
Cross station at Reid, Murdoch & Co
was, filled to capacity with bodies, the
total there being estimated at COO. The
Second Regiment armory ct Washington
and Curtis streets was then thrown open
as a morgue, and 1t was announced that
~ necessary the coliseum on South Wa
bash avenue would also be used
A baby less than i year old was taken
alive from the hull of the boat by res
cuers at 9 o'clock this morning. specta-
tors on the Clark street bridge cheered
as the infant was raised from the steam
er's hoIA. 1t was said the child would
live.
All Bodies Above Water Line Out
At 2:SO p. m. DR.. N. X. Little of the
Red Cross service announced that all the
bodies above the water line and within
easy reaching distance had been brought
out and that divers were searching the
wreckage and staterooms on the side OF
the vessel nearest the bottom.
The Red Cross station, which for a
time was used as an emergency hos
pital, now has been turned into a morguS
and attempts TO revive those brought out
practically were abandoned.
The work OF rescue went on with mo-
notonous precision. Eight divers equipped
with underwater suits and helmets
searched the holds of the vessel, aided
by a dozen or more volunteer swimmers,
who. clad in bathing suits or tripped to
their underwear, dived time after time
into the murky water.
As quickly as a body was located 1t
was seized with graphing hooks and
brought to the surface. There's one"
would be the cry and usually this would
be followed by the call ITS a woman" e"
Summer gowns and fiery torn to
shreds, scratched faces and clenched
hands were the rule. The rescuers for
several hours suffered from the heat OF
the hull caused by the furnaces Of the
boat.
As fast as the bodies were brought out
Of the hull they were Hsid on stretchers
and covered with blankets. A tug moored
between the wreck and the dock formed
a bridge. The stretcher bearers passed be-
TWEEN two priests one OF whom gave alb
Continued on Page Two, Column Three.(