Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-28
! ,sSTLAND DISASTER
PROBABLY CAUSED
BY NEW ENGINEER
nan Controlling Ballast
Admits He Could Not Re-
move Water Quickly
Enough-At Post Only
Two Days.

Two Days.
carcAeo, July 2s.-The assistant engi-
wbose duty It was to keep the water
tanks of the Eastland filled, ac-
.o MS the emergencies required, had
mat position two days when the boat
and no one had ever bothered CIV
Aim instructions as to the manipula-
n the levers controlling these tanks.
~ Admission, brought out at the Cor
!. inauest when It reopened today,
,ha most startling testimony yet Of
~ IN evidence. The assistant engineer
v snow, and I'm answer to questions
Assistant States Attorney NJ j.
et,on said that he knew nothing about
\. ,.tanks nor how long It took to fill them.
y oniv knew that to let water In one
80 vas pulled, and to let 1t out another
p,.yious to the opening of the inquest
..ssraI Manager w. X. Greenbaum, of
X. indian transportation Company,
-s,h chartered the Bastland from the
!. roeeph- Chicago Line; Martin Flatow,
..,sral agent of the St. Joseph-Chicago
,,ss the horror ships owner, and George
Munger. the Eastand's purser were
,sred under arrest. More arrests of
ssh oficials are expected at any mo-
..snl Captain Peterson, Chief Engineer
ss,snn and w. G. Steele, secretary
'..snrer of the St Joseph Chicago Line,
~, been under arrest since Saturday.
n.adea these, almost all the members of
\. rastlands crew are in custody.
~ Cook County Grand Jury is ex-
..,aa 10 return 10 indictments charging
.snslaughter and conspiracy to over
rsua the Eastland tonight.
n the same time that the inquest
ssncd this morning COO victims of the
anster Saturday were being borne to
aelr graves. The rain was falling in tor
rnls ana made tho sight of draped coal
turons and haycarts hastily converted
hio hearses even more gruesome.
HAD DIFFICULTY WITH TANKS.
wben Snow took the stand, States At
|bney Sullivan asked him:
sfsn't II a fact that the Eastlands
|sater-ballast tanks were emptied so she
.,s,ld get to her dock; that when she
|n,ted TO starboard, that is, toward the
.1ock. the port tanks were filled, but
|nst when the crowd got on and she
p.ted to port. that is. toward the river.
you we're unable to empty those port
i|dn ballast tuIhS 10 leI the WaeSi Ous
hat enough?"
Snow hesitated long over the question,
tnd had It repeated.
aThat is n fact" he finally said.
How long were you employed on the
Eastland before you were put in charge
d the water-ballast machinery"
Two days"
ADid you ever ask or receive any in
rractions how to run themT
NO" said Snow
REDFIELD CLEARS INSPECTORS.
While Snow was being questioned. Sec
relary Of Commerce Redfeld gave the
Federal Steamboat Inspectors who were
on the Eastland a clean bill of health
following an examination conducted by
him into last Saturdays disaster.
The secretary questioned the inspectors
detailed on the boat with great care. He
asked them, specifically, as to the num-
Der Of penons permitted on board on the
Mfafai morning, They answered that
3@ PERSONS were checked in on their
riomatic counters, and stated that each
" in arms was counted as one per-
see no reason why any fault for the
ilster should be placed on these men,"
y the secretary. "I hold them blame
3 from their own testimony"
he Cook County Grand Jury continued
b hearings all day. and there were ru-
E1B that indictments to the number of
{ would be returned by night, and that
Hests might be expected
Coroner Peter Hoffman was particu-
aly anxious to haye more light thrown
d conditions which prevailed for the II
anutes that the boat was listing. He
alnned to dig deeply into the question
Hrrhs ,At Il
b least 10 minutes before the great ship
inally toppled over. carrying more than
Es to death.
ALL FRICTION REMOVED.
feasibility of friction between State
nd Federal authorities, fear of which
lweoped yesterday was eliminated to-
hy when the Federal Justice Depart
aint officials and county authorities
ached an agreement regarding wit
,ases and evidence, especially that OF
B aocumentary nature. II was learned
hat high Federal officials. after a con-
Aenee with Hoyne. told him they would
tge him access to all their evidence.
The special Federal Grand Jury ordered
G Federal judge Landis is ready to be-
"a It's part of the Eastland investiga-
a'n tomorrow morning. With Secretary
n Commerce Redfield in personal charge
n ne Governments inquiry, and with the
aanty Grand Jury pledged to turn all
2 Evidence over to the Federal authors
a Important results are predicted
A revision OF the list OF missing COM
Yea by the Western Electric Company
day, showed that 5O6 persons We're still
Naeeounted for. There were S25 idenu-
bodies listed at the I'd Regiment
tmory Morgue, and Ave undermined
sle remained In the armory. The total
nbeF OF possible dead. today, was 1856
he body OF William Holz was taken
b the river a short distance below
3 zunken hull Of the vessel BY the
~ Of a police motorboat.
NREcKERs COMMENCE WORK.
tas hunt OF the divers working on the
q the Eastland was interrupted to-
N ehile the crew OF the wrecking ship
alqFlle. of Cleveland. came alongside
made preliminary arrangements 10
ai the overturned ship. Wreckers esu-
a'sd that It would take many days pos
two weeks. before the Eastland
Be turned far enough to permit
oagh search for the dead who are pe-
e4 70 be held inside the hull.
afeh OF the Eastland hull and the
nearby all day yesterday yielded
four additional bodies.