The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-07-30
EASTLAND SINKS
IN CHICAGO RIVER
Big Steamer Capsizes;; 1000
to 1900 People Die.
VESSELS BOILERS EXPLODE

gan City, Victims-2,500 Aboard YES
sel-Many TrampIed Under Foot as
Boat Tips Over.
CHICAGO - Between 1000 and
1900 men, women and children were
drowned and scalded to death shortly
after o'clock Saturday morning when
the excursion steamer Eastland, loaded
with Western Electric employees, start
ing on their annual picnic at Michigan
City, overturned in the Chicago
River at the Clark street dock.
Trapped in the saloon and on the
lower decks, hundreds went to their
death without warning. The boat
turned completely over, pinning the
victims on the bottom of the river.
The boilers exploded, scalding others
to death.
damned with the merry excursion
lists the Eastland was ready to sail
when she began to list. The docks
were lined with hundreds waving their
fareWells to relatives and friends.
$500 Persons on Board.
AS the great steamer began to
weave as she lay on the south bank of
the river the crowds rushed to the
other side of the vessel. Government
officers say $500 people were on the
boat. Realizing that the Eastland was
doomed the crowds became panic
stricken Maddened by their desire to
reach shore screaming women rushed
from the upper decks. Men tenn
porarily crazed by the thought of
death, raced wildly to the rails and
Ieaped into the river. Women and
children were recklessly trampled
under foot. For fully twenty minutes
the panic reigned.
The Chicago fireboats were the first
to go to the rescue, and scores were
picked up as they were making their
death fight in the river. Police am
balances from nearly every station in
the city rushed to the river bank.
Rushed to Hospitals.
The dead, injured and unconscious
were loaded into the wagons and TAX
en- to hospitals.
Thousands on their way to work
witnessed the rescue work from the
elevated and the Clark street bridge.
Hundreds of volunteers soon began to
aid in the rescue.
The Clark street bridge, damned
with sightseers began to totter and
another tragedy was narrowly averted
as the police drove the crowds into
the street
Friends and relatives of the excur-
siOnists fought to reach the doomed
vessel which lay between LaSalle and
Clark on the south side Of the river
with bottom up. Rats and tugs sur
rounded the stricken ship.
Call 100 in Boat Quiz.
CHICAGO, ILL. = Investigation of
the Eastland disaster assumed def
mite form with the arrival of Secretary
OF Commerce William c. Redfield,
President Wilson's Cabinet officer, and
other government officials, and the
calling of 100 witnesses before the
county grand jury by States Attorney
Hoyne
Despite the fact that Mr. Redfield
and government inspectors are under
a bitter fire of accusation from mem
bers of the Seamen's Union, who
charge that Redfield had been told
the Eastland was unsafe, they pro-
pose to prosecute a sweeping investi-
cation.
May Cause Federal Shake-up.
The government probe is expected
to result in a big shake-up and reor-
ganization of the federal steamboat
inspection service. Other government
representatives expected in Chicago
are George Uhler, supervising inspec-
tor general of the service, who is on
his way from San Francisco, and AL
bert T. Thurman, solicitor general Of
the Commerce Department; Eugene
T. Chamberlain, commissioner of nav
igation, is expected from Washington.
Because of the suspicion directed
IOWdFu the government Inspectors, Iuc
investigation of States Attorney
Hoyne is assuming added Importance.
Charges Collision to Overload Ship.
Owners of the Eastland and federal
inspectors were made parties to a
conspiracy to frame up" a privilege
for the boat to carry $500 passengers
instead of 1000, according to a charge
made by Captain Harry Petersen Of
the Eastland to States Attorney
Hoyne, Coroner Hoffman and Michael
Sullivan of HOynes staff. Men from
the states attorneys and coroner's
Offices are working along lines laid
down by the captain.
Before God, if any jury of men or
women would hold me responsible for
this, I'd want to hang" was the East
and captains preface to his story.
which involved owners of the death
ship and federal officials.
f@1I IN $50 70