Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-27
INSPECTORS BLAMED
FOR CHICAGO DISASTER
CONTINUED From Page ~

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Five eXcursionists were saved
through the activity Of Robert F. Sny.
der, 10 years old, a machinist appren-
tice, who had boarded the boat as a
member of the holiday party, in COM
pany with Miss Bessie STRAIN.
"We-%ere thrown under the boat
when she capsized," Snyder said. LAS
soon as I had come to the surface |
saw Bessie. | held her with my legs
and swan toward the boat with my
arms. It wasn't very far. Just as /
got started two women who were
struggling in the water saw me. They
grabbed me around the neck and held
me pretty tight. so tight that they
dragged me under the water I man.
aged to fight my way to the top and
came up close to the boat. | saw a
board and caught hold of It, With the
aid of this board | raised the three
girls to the top of the water and then
caught long piece of hose that ran
along the side of the deck. The girls
caught this, too After we rested for
a minute | raised them to the side of
the boat.
"Then I dived after one of Bessie's
friends but could not find her. don't
know whether she escaped or not. AS
me. They were under a projection of
the top deck of the boat which was
clear of the river caught one of
them by the waist and pulled her on
to the hull The other must have been
drowned. tried to find Bessie's sis
ter but could not locate her, but man
aged to raise one woman who was
struggling in the water to refuge on
the hull. BY that time my strength
was about gone and wrapped Bessie
in some paper and took her home"
Cicero Hard Hit.
The blow ON the Eastland disaster
probably is felt with more keenness
in the little suburb Of Cicero than in
any other part Of Chicago. Within its
confines is located the plant OF the
Western Electric Co. Blood ties bind
the Polish settlement into one huge
family. every member Of which felt
the death blow in greater or less de-
gree. Almost every block contributed
its quota of the dead and In some sec
lions almost every house shelters
mourners
Crowds have constantly thronged
the village streets waiting for reports
When telephone calls were received
they soon became common property.
It is estimated by the village Off
cials that the community contributed
$50 to the list of dead Two members
L t,,,,r, +nn 1Ncs r0ln M
Of their families. The trustees met
and appropriated $4,000 for immedi,
ate relief purposes. This was badly
needed as many victims of the disas-
ter have been working only one-half
or one-third time and some Of them
had been out of employment for
months up to the last few weeks. All
business houses are to be closed from
9 a. m. until p. m. on Wednesday
the day of the funeral. 1t is expected
that the ceremonies will be IN the ma
ture of one great funeral rather than
many separate ones.
One group OF Cicero girls is being
congratulated because one member
was late at the docks Saturday morn
ing. They had planned to take the
first boat, but tardy member prevent
ed their getting on board. Another
girl is said to have had an intimation
of disaster and refused to leave for the
early boat.
Two Federal Probes.
Washington, D. c., July ga
board OF civilians and naval officers
probably will be asked for by the de-
partment of commerce to investigate
the Eastland disaster, in addition to
the investigation by the board of FED.
eral steamboat inspectors. Acting
Secretary Sweet today prepared to
make a recommendation for such an
additional, investigation to Secretary
Redfield.
Missing Men Checked Off.
EMPLOYEES of the Western Electric
Co. took their usual places in the big
plant on the west side today and
silently, or talking only In whispers,
waited while the foremen of the vari'
GUS departments checked off the miss
ing.
All last night the payroll depart
ment of the factory worked preparing
a complete list of its employees, and
today copies of the list were distribut-
ed among the foremen and the door,
keepers to help in checking. 1t was
said that practically every employe
alive reported, so that absence from
his usual place meant worker lying
under a sheet in morgue or in the
hull of the Eastland.
Raising Relief Fund.
Relief work to meet the urgent
needs and distress caused by the East
land disaster was continued today un.
der the direction of Mayor Thompson S
advisory committee andHthe local chap.
ter of the Red Cross society.
Persons in every trade and indus
try are contributing to the fund. It