The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1915-07-29
CORONER BEGINS
WRECK INQUIRY
Probe Under Way Of Capsizing
Of the East|and.
.REOF|ELO .|ASPECTS VESSEL

Secretary of Commerce Arrives at Chi.
cago and Watches Divers Recover
Three More Bodies-OverIoading
UnderbaIIasting and Grounding Are
Given as Reasons Why Boat Top.
pied Over.
Chicago, July 2S.-Overloading, I'm.
derballasting and grounding on the
river bottom were cited in testimony
at the first session of the coroner's
inquest by two experts as reasons
why the steamer Eastland toppled
over Saturday at it's wharf and drown
ed hundreds Of excursionists.
Adam F. Weckler, harbor master,
and Joseph R. Lynn, assistant harbor
master, both of whom were present
when the steamer capsized, in ascrib-
ing the accident to these causes, told
the coroner's jury that the boat was
"cranky' and should never have been
permitted by government inspectors
to carry more than 1900 persons. It
was entitled under it's license to
transport $500
While the coroner's jury was hear
ing testimony Secretary of Commerce
Redfield inspected the boat and
watched divers recover three more
bodies. He made statements that
government supervision had not been
lax and that the Eastland had safely
carried many more passengers than
were aboard when the ship rolled
over. He said federal officers would
do everything possible to fix the
blame.
The harbor master, Mr.. Weckler,
testified that he arrived at the East
lands wharf twenty minutes before
the steamer was due to start and saw
that the boat was listing to port. He
said he called to Captain Petersen
of the Eastland to trim the vessel,
shouting to the captain that he would
not open the Clark street bridge until
the boat was righted.
Captain Tried to Right Ship.
Mr.. Weckler said the captain tried
to right the ship, but seemed unable
to take water into the ballast tanks
fast enough. The harbor master said
he had 10 doubt the tanks had been
pumped dry, but that the captain
should have been able to fill them in
from three to six minutes if nothing
had been wrong with the ballast tank
valves.
II never saw the Eastland loaded so
heavily as it was Saturday morning
said Mr.. Weckler, "and I have seen
it depart many times. The boat first
listed about seven degrees, then came
back slightly and again started over
and kept on going. A boat that is diff
ficult to handle under all circum-
stances is known as cranky boat and
have noticed the Eastland to be
cranky constantly.
Il don't think that the Eastland
should have been allowed to carry
more than 1900 passengers, because
it did not have enough draft and
stability to carry a larger load.
after the wreck I heard Captain
Petersen say he had tried for seven
teen minutes to trim the steamer, but
could not get water into the ballast
tanks fast enough. l don't believe
that Captain Petersen realized the
danger until the final plunge came
Captain John H. O'Meara of the tug
Kenosha, which was hitched to the
Eastland to tow the ship out of the
river, testified he did not take hold of
the Eastland. until after 1925, several
minutes after the ship had begun to
list, according to other witnesses.
Even then he, said he waited for word
to go ahead, but before the tow line
was taut the Eastland listed danger
ously and he stopped, but the ship
never righted. He had towed the
Eastland four times and it always
listed, he said.