The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-07-25
ARRESTS

31zn0t uGG0 W8IeT 0A11aSts 10 tu14bs II ~
icould pump out some on entering
shallow lake harborB, so some tnxest
tigators are working on a theory thasi
the ballast tanks were not dlIed anc
the rushing of passengers to one side
of the deck caused It to roll over
Steamers Career bad.
Under misty skies 600 men, wCH-
len and children wendell their way to
the Clark street docks early today TO
iii i've large lake steamers with hoe
fday mirth in a trip to Michigan City
THE steamer. Eastland, Drought TO
Chicago from Lake Erie. after an un-
satisfactory career, was the hrst to be
loaded.
Rain began to fall as the wharf
superintendent lifted the gangplan1
from the Eastland, declaring that the
government limit of $500 passengers
had been reached
/ White dresses peeped from rain
icoats along the shore rails as those
Iaboard waved goodbye TO friends OF
shore waiting to board the steamer.
Theodore Roosevelt. and other yes
lsels.
Steamer Suddenly Lurches.
Then the passengerms swarmed to
| the left side of the ship asTthe other
steames drew up the river toward the
wharf. A tug was hitched to the
E.astland, ropes were ordered cast Oh
land the steamers engines began to
mum. Til Eastland had not budgec,
however. Instead the heavily laden
ship wayered sidewise leaning first
toward the river bank The lurch was
so startling that many passenger
Joined the large concourse already or
the river side of the decks.
The ship never heeled back a
i Fd
left side. Children clutched the skirts
! of mothers and sisters to keep them
from falling. The whole cargo was
limpelled toward the falling side or
I the ship. Water began to enter low
| er portfolios and the hawsers tore out
the piles to which the vessel was t1ed.
Passengers Scream.
Screams from passengers attracted
the attention of fellow excursionlsts
on the docks awaiting the next steam
er. Wharfmen and pfcnickers soon
leaned to the edge OF the emnankm en-.
reaching out helplessly toward the
wavering steamer.
For nearly five minutes the ship
turned before it finally dfved under
the swift current of the river. which,
owing to the drainage canal system,
flows from the lake. During the
mighty turning of the ship with its
cargo of humanity, lifeboats, chair,
and other loose appurtenances on the
decks, slipped down the slopins
floors, crushing the passengers to-
ward the rising waters.
Then there was a plunge with
sigh of air escaping from the holG.
mingled with crying of children and
shriaks OF women and the ship Wa
on the. bottom of the river, castinS
hundreds of living creatures to the
water.
Futile Attempts to Rescue.
Many sank entang led with clothing
and bundles and: did not rise. bus
hundreds came to the surface, seized
floating chairs an other objects: Those
onzshore threw out ropes and dragged
| in those who could hold these lire
lines. Employees OF commission firms
along the river threw crates, chicken
coops and other fioatable things into
the current, but most Of these We're
swept away by the stream. which runs
five miles an hour
Boats put out, tugs rushed to the
scene with shriekiug whistles and
many men snatchced OF coats and
shoes and sprang into the river to aid
the drowning. With thousands of
spectators ready to aid and the whar>
Within grasp, hundreds went to death
one mother grasped her two chill
dren In her arms as she slipped from
the steamer into the water. One chHu
was torn from her, but she and the
other were saved. Fathers wero
drowned after aiding their wives and
children to safety.
one man was seen to cling to
spike in the side of the wharf while
two women and three children stepp-
ed on his body, as on ladder, to safe
ty. He fell exhausted into the river
as the last one of the five reached
the pier.
as Numerous as the mum her of per-
sons on the scene. Boats, soon full,
took rescued passengers to the whars
or to the steamer. Theodore Roosc-
welt, which was tied up opposite the
Eastland.
In an hou rthe water was cleared of
excursionIsts. Those who had no:
been taken to land had sunk or were
swirIing down the river toward the
drainage canal locks at LocKport, H..
many miles away. The locks We're
raised TO stop the current and ar
rangements were made to take BODIES
from the river along It's course
through the southwest part OF Chi
cago Shortly after the water was
cleared city f1remen, ship engineers
and helpers were on the exposed slice
of the Eastland's hull. cutting
through its steel plates with gas
flames. Divers were hurried into ur-
derwater suits. A tug was moored as.
bridge between the pier and the cap
sized ship.
Warehouses Are Morgues.
AS the divers gained entrance to
the hun the scene of distress moved
for the time being from the river to-
the extemporized morgue. Ware
houses of wholesale companies alons
the river were thrown open and bod,