Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-24

with the aid of ropes and poles pulled
dozens from the stream.
Divers Explore the Hull.
For the first two hours attempts were
made to revive every person taken
from the wreck. Then, as the hope
lessness of resuscitating later victims
became apparent, divers were sum
moned to explore the depths Of the
boat. Equipped with ropes. they
groped their way into the innermost
recesses of the hull. Every other min
ute their assistants were signaled to
pull" and another victim was added
to the numbered dead. 1t was the re-
suits of the divers work that caused
the coroner and police estimates to
mount above 1000
Police and fire tugs organized the river
craft into rescue fleet Boats were
watch for bodies. and the sanitary canal
trustees were asked to close the dam at
Lockport, ILL.,, thus shutting off the cur
rent of the river, in order to aid in this
work
Rumors of the disaster spread rapidly
It's full significance was realized when
motor trucks, piled high with blanketed
forms, rolled through the loop district to
morgues and undertaking establishments
Grand Jury to Investigate.
A grand jury investigation was fore
cast when Walter K. Greenhut. general
manager of the Indiana Transportation
Company. which chartered the East
land for the outing, was summoned to
the states attorneys office and ques-
toned by States Attorney Hoyne.
Mr.. Hoyne was at his home when
informed of the disaster. He immedi-
- n Ire
the inquiry.
Among those rescued was W. ].
Plamondon. an electrical engineer and
cousin of Charles a. Plamondon, who,
with his wife, lost his life in the Lusi-
tania disaster.
Patrolmen Fred Fisher and John s
Lescher, who were on duty at the
Clark street bridge when the accident
occurred. led in the rescue work. 1ney
obtained a rowboat and life preservers
went to the steamer and succeeded in
saving fifty persons.
Found Bodies in Piles,
When hremen chopped and forced
their way through the side of tho hull
Of the overturned boat they found
bodies piled on one another like sc
many boxes of merchandise. They be.
gan taking them out and placing them
on the tug Racine. which stood along
side. There they were placed or
stretchers and carried ashore
AS fast as bodies were taken on the
wharfs they were carried to the steam.
er Theodore Roosevelt or into nearby
buildings or the stretchers were Sc,
down on the streets. where scores OF
physicians and volunteer rescuers be.
gan attempts at resuscitation. Fifty
Catholic priests summoned hurriedlY
from various churches reached the
| scene shortly after 10 o'clock
Some of the priests went aboard the
steamer Theodore Roosevelt, which
was turned into a temporary morgue
but most of them devoted their atten.
tion to the dying and injured.
Crew Reported All Safe.
There were seventy-two men in the
| crew of the Eastland, and all of them
were reported to have escaped by
swimming to the wharf Later they
aided in the rescue work
Bodies We're removed to downtown
morgues in wagonloads, where cloth
| ing of the victims was examined in an
| attempt to identify them. Sixty per
| cent of the dead were women, dep
| uty coroner said
| Faces OF the women bore the appear
ance OF a desperate struggle for life
| Some were scratched and cIawed, their
clothing was torn and their faces were
bruised.
| Scenes similar to those that followed
the 1roquois Theater disaster in 1905
IContinued on Fiffh Pe01