Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-29
ASK WILSON TO PROBE
EASTLAND DISASTER

Continued from Page One
to Chicago at once to aid in the Federal
Investigation.
Two boat line officials, two Government
inspectors and two officers Of the East
land were held responsible for the sinking
Of that boat. with the possible loss of
1853 lives, in the verdict of the Coroner's
jury made public today The six men
were charged with manslaughter and
such other offenses as the facts may
warrant"
! The mortality statistics of the Eastland
disaster today showed:
Identified dead, s2s
Unidentified dead. 3.
Missing. 522
Total. 1853
The six men held by the Coroner's jury
were:
Robert Reid. United States steamboat
inspector, st. Joseph, Mich. who certi-
fled the Eastland was capable of carry
ing 2570 persons safely.
Joseph NJ. Ericsson, chief engineer of
the Eastland, and son-in-law of Inspector
Reid.
C. c. Ecliff, United States inspector
Of steamship boilers, st. Joseph, Mich.
William NJ. Hull, vice president and
general manager of the St Joseph-chl-
cago Transportation Company. owner
of the Eastland.
w. X. Greenbaum, general manager
OF the Indiana Transportation Company,
who chartered the boat for the West
ern Electric picnic.
Harry Petersen. captain of the East
land
The report Of the coroner's Jury stood
out in holder relief than other investiga-
tions that were under way. Coroner
Hoffman said. in handing down the YER
and the descriptions of jury would be
sent to the County and Federal Grand
Juries this afternoon.
INSPECTORS cENsURED.
The six men who acted with the Cor
oner determined that nothing in the acts
of the passengers on board the Eastland
was In any way responsible for the over
turning of the vessel; that the boat was
improperly loaded. improperly con-
stTucted for the service employed and
that It was improperly operated The
jury expressed the opinion that the Fed
eral inspection, which permits the con-
struction of ships like the Eastland, is
unscientine and menace to public
safety, and that the methods OF deter
mining the passenger-carrying capacity
of the vessel are not founded on any
proper DHsls
WILL TAKE IA DAYS TO RAISE SHIP.
After working 10 hours on the actual
task of Raising the sunken hull OF the
Eastlnnd, Captain Cummings, OF the
wrecklng tug Favorlte. said today at
least Il days would be required for the
work.
Divers went to work today. sealing all
the openings in the hull OF the ship
below the waterllne. Others began cut
ting away the superstructure OF the boat.
As soon as this is completed tunnels
will be bored under the ship. and giant
chains will be fastened about her. She
Will be lifted 10 an upright position, and
the interior of the hull will be chopped
nut and lifted from the craft.
Most OF the remaining bodies OF the
Eastland victims were buried today
While the funerals were being held
States Attorney Hoyne was directing
rigid investigation OF evidence presented
to his ONCE that while victims of the
Eastland disaster were struggling IN the
water about the overturned ship, Moses
Greenbaum, brother of the head OF the
Indiana Transportation Company. oh
tanned tickets from the locker OF w. u. !
Craig. purser OF the Theodore Roosevelt
and attempted TO induce Craig to sign
q statement that there were only 2Ila |
tickets.
The unidentified s-year-oid boy wboss
body stin lies AT the morgue. will |
be buried by a company OF Boy Scouts |
tomorrow. No. s96. as he Is ohieially |
known, will have a funeral with all mill
taFy honors Permission was granted by |
Coroner Hoffman today.