Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-26
Money Greed and Negligence Held Responsible for CHICAGO Houo,

the public for the burial Of whatever
dead may remain unidentified City
officials with one voice declared that al
dead should have proper burial.
In churches and homes Throughout,
the city prayers were offered for the
thousands whose hearts have beer
pierced by grief The day was one Of
gloom. The sky was cloudy and g
mist hung in the air There was more
than the usual Sabbath quiet every
where. and the crowds of outdoor pleas
ure seekers were thin. AS was the case
yesterday. baseball games were post
poned.
Various theories to what caused
the Eastland to turn over were dis
cussed. but without prospect of def
mite explanation being reached until
the official inquiries to he taken up to-
morrow are finished. The most dis
cussed theories are four: that the boat
was overloaded: that she was not prop
erly ballasted; that tug that made
fast to warp the Eastland from the
dock started pulling too soon; that con-
gestion Of passengers rushing to the
port side attracted by some passing
sensation tipped the steamer over.
Exploration Of the wrecked steamer
continued all last night, throughout to-
day and tonight by divers searching
for bodies. The steamer lay on her
side close to the south bank of the
river like some giant fish that had
stranded in shallow waters.
Watchers who thronged the bridges
at nearby streets saw that the boats
IL dur i,r
night. due to the reduction Of the river
current by CLOSING gates in the drain
age canal dam. This also prevented the
drifting away OF bodies still in the ship
or pinned down in the mud underneath
the port side.
SCENE Is KEPT FREE
FROM CURIOUS CROWDS
Police lines we're tightly drawn near
the scene of the catastrophe. so that
the bridge at Clark Street, near which
the steamer turned over. was kept free
of curious crowds and those whose
duties called them there had unham-
pered freedom. Consequently the days
work moved rapidly
Seven divers had brought up before
10 o'clock this morning forty-two
bodies Then came an interval Of five
hours before the search was rewarded
by discovery of two more corpses
Eieh, other bodies were found in the
river several blocks from the scene OF
the disa ster.
One Of the divers, Louis Kruger, said
that he thought several score bodies
were still pinned under the boat. which,
ne said. was resting in about four feet
of stiff mud. These bodies cannot be
moved until after the coroner's inquest.
when efforts will be made TO right the
vessel.
The steamer Theodore Roosevelt, OF
the Indiana Transportation Company
Line. to-day made its regular trip to
Michigan City. and the steamer City OF
Grand Rapids, of the Graham & Morton
Line, sailed as usual for st. Joseph.
Mich. Both boats had comparatively
small passenger lists.
STORIES OF HORROR,
PATIIOS AND HEROISM
With the assembling to-day OF stories
of witnesses and survivors, more and
more incidents OF horror. pathos and
heroisn, came to light. All of the East :
lands passengers save 200 or 500 who
clung TO the starboard rail or climbed
out of starboard portfolios, were thrown
into the river, crushed into the Shiny
tween decks when the steamer turned
over.
Some sudden signs Of terror had
driven smiles from gay faces several
minutes before the waters swallow cd
the throng, but generally the women
and girls IN white summer attire. and
the men and boys dressed for n jovial
outing, were laughing and shouting
farcwells when death swept upon them.
The listing OF the boat TO port was
noticed. some said. fifteen minutes be-
fore she turned over Captain Pcdcr-
sen said 1--WE minutes Some women
clutched their tSiildsei hut decided the
slope OF tho detlt must be something
necessary 10 warpne from the dock
When the full realization came the
slow list had become an overturn
Girls. women and men. deck gear and
furniture slid into the water in con-
glomerate mass. In thirty minutes the
survivors had been put safely ashore
and the fishers for the dead started the
work that was 10 continue in Il long
monotony throughout the day ana
night.
LINE OF BI;RFASED
PASSES THROUGH AKNIORY
Beginning late last nigh, the line Of
hereaved PASSED ,hrouRa the armory
They came al! through the night and
al! day today. identihcauons were
made with great rapdity, so that the
unidentified bodies had tp-n'gh, dwin-
died 10 less than :; hundred
Tension and repression were the out
standing qualities shown in iI,, identi.
ficatton line, Those who walked in /,
to-day had long since gwen up hope
Wit