South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-24
MANY PEOPLE ARE
TRAPPED IN HOLD
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Eighty-one bodies had been recovered
up 20 1918 a. m.
With acetylene torches. electric
drills and steel saws. a large force OF
men worked untiringly 20 open wider
the vents In the steel hull Of the
vessel Meanwhile others were work
ing inside the hull OF the vessel. -fas-
tening bodies 10 ropes which were
drawn through the port holes and
jagged opening cut By the saws.
The first two bodies identified were
those Of Mrs Charles +. Campbell
found submerged in her state room,
and Miss Pauline Zantak. taken from
the hold.
People Pack Bridge.
A second tragedy was narrowly
averted. when the police discovered
that the crowds of spectators or tho
accident had crowded the Clark ~
bridge beyond the safety point. The
bridge was sagging. when a squad
OF police made the crowd move on.
Capt. Denman and his policemen
had a terrific struggle with friends and
relatives Of the victims OF the disaster,
who surged about the narrow land
ing. frantic to reach tile capsized boat.
The policemen beat the craZed mob
back with clubs. Every time a new
group was rescued from the water
there was fresh rush OF the mad
dened crowd on the Clark 81. bridge
and boat landing. Many persons suf-
fered bruised heads in the battle with
the police.
Every police and hospital aynbu-
lance within n radius OF more than a
mile was rushed 10 the Clark 81.
bridge AS fast as tug boats and
small craft in the neighborhOod could
bring up a boatload. they were load
ed into the ambulances and patrol
wagons and rushed 10 the nearest hos
pitfalls
Turned Quickly.
So quickly did the Eastland turn
over that many Of the passengers re-
manned in their seats until they were
flung into the water. As soon as the
accident happened, calls for help i'm
mediately crammed al! telephone
wires in the down town district.
The river was dotted for city
block with the bObbing heads OF pas
sengers. From the upturned hull.
turned so far that IL showed the keel.
came the shrieking and waiting or
men, women and children.
Girls clung 10 the side Of the boat
tearing their clothing of in prepara-
ton for desperate effort to swim TO
shore.
Twenty policemen early on the
scene, were dispatched on a trip or
confiscatiOn to take possession OF
every steel saw. electric drill and other
tool that could be used to pierce the
steel plates of the ship and release
the passengers held prisoners in the
hold
The first party OF rescuers who
reached the hold took out so bodies.
They said there was not "A chance of
finding any Of the hundreds OF men
women and children alive in the hold
While the work OF delving into the
hold was going on with as much rap
idity as was possible, every possible
effort was being made TO bring TO
, shore those who were clinging to the
hull OF the overturned steamer. and
the other hundreds who were in the
water.
Policemen on the docks tossed hun
dreds of life preservers into the water
and threw out life lines onto the ship.
succeeding in dragging scores 10 safe
/ ~.
: AS spectators on shore watched. they
saw three young boys lose their hold
on the perilous place and slip into
the water They appeared on the
surface for minute and then dis
appeared
City firemen worked for an hour
before they reached the hold
Those on shore saw them bring out
the first bodies, those of "a man ana a
little child. Several women i'm me
crowd tainted. The fremen handed
these over TO a tugboat crew and dis
appeared into the dangerous trap to
attempt to bring up other victims.