The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1915-07-29
LIVES LOST
IN ship DISASTER
Excursion Steamer With $500
Aboard Turns Over
COUNTLESS HOMES MOURN
Pail of Gloom EnVeloping City Of
Chicago - Corpses Taken Off
Death Ship Number 9o1-Many
Bodies Still in River.

Chicago, Ill.-At least 900 per-
sons. most of them women and chill
dren, were drowned with few feet
of land by the capsizing of the steel
steamer Eastland. as it was about to
leave its wharf in the Chicago river,
with $500 relatives and friends Of
employees Of the Western Electric
Company, for an excursion across
Lake Michigan. The ship rolled over
on its side in % feet OF water, with
in five minuts after it began to list
Bodies of sol persons were recov-
cred after 40 hours OF searching BY
divers.
The total dead as a result of the
turning over of the ship remained at
approximately 1000, according to est-i
mates made by Coroner Hoffman,
whose reports incidated that possibly
100 bodies were held in the mud of
the river by the superstructure of the
boat.
While only 1902 of the 2.4OS pas
sengers of the Eastland have regis
tered as saved, it was thought that
about AIS survivors, including the
crew of 70. had failed to report
The Eastland lies on her side in
the river, with divers still fioundering
through her CHASTITY interior and bur-
rowing under her in a death search.
while Chicago, appalled,, is just begin
ming to realize the real significance of
one of the greatest of marine disas
ters. While the grieving thousands
who lost dear ones walked through
the morgue in the Second Armory.
gazing into the faces of the dead half
in hope. half in despair, Chicago citi
zens and city, State and Federal Of
fcials turned their attention to inves-
LEGATIONS that must bring forth some
explanation of the catastrophe and to
the work of providing relief for those
left destitute.
Various theories as to what caused
the Eastland to turn over were dis
cussed but without prospect of
definite explanation being reached I'M
til the officials inquiries to be taken
up are finished The most discussed
theories are four: That the boat
was overloaded; that a tug that made
fast to warp the Eastland from the
docks started pulling too soon; that
congestion of passengers rushing to
the port side attracted by some pass
ing sensation tipped the steamer over
With the assembling of additional
facts from stories of witnesses and
survivors details of the catastrophe
and the events Immediately preced-
ing and following it became more
clear. More and more incidents of
horror, pathos and of heroism came to
light.
Some sudden signs of terror had
driven smiles from gay faces several
minutes before the water swallowed
that throng, but generally the women
and girls, in white summer attire, and
the men and boys dressed for a jovial
outing, were laughing and shouting
farewells when death swept upon
them
The listing of the boat to port was
noticed, some said 10 minutes before
she turned over. Captain Peterson
said five minutes. Some women
ciutched their children, but decided
the slope of the deck must be some
thing necesessary in warping from the
dock. When the full realization came
the slow list had become an over
turn. Babies, girls, boys, women and
men, deck gear and furniture slid in
to the water in a conglomerate mass
In 30 minutes the survivors had been
put safely ashore and the fishers for
the dead started the work.