Imperial Valley press., 1927-07-29
'S(;()RE()F
DEATHSIN
DISASTER
Chicago Tragedy Takes
Heavy Toll as Vessel
Sinks in Storm.
INQUIRY S T A r 7 S
Majority of Dead We're
Small Children Out for
Pleasure Trip.
BY EDWIN L. EECKLER
United Press Staff Correspondent

(Urited Press Staff Correspondent
CHICAGO, July 2a.-Twenty
seven bodies of victims of the ex-
ci.rsion tug Favorite had been re-
covered today as officials sought TO
fix responsibility for sinking of the
small steamer.
Fifteen of the dead were small
children. Ten were women and on"
man was drowned.
Divers searched the bottom o!
Lake Michigan near the place where
the vessel went down for additional
bodies.
The little boat on which some 75
persons embarked yesterday after
room had been raised early To-Day
by derrick crews who worked
throughout the night to bring it to
the surface.
The small steamer eapsized in
squall midway on its ''run' y of half
a dozen miles between the Chicago
municipal pier and Lincoln Park.
The crowd aboard was composed
almost entirely of children and their
mothers who had paid quarter for
the ride in the cooling lake breeze
"A brief respite from the intense
heat which gripped the city.
The putting little boat skirted
the shore line less than mile from
the beach, going smoothly. A sud
den cloudburst driven by q hard
wind hit the vessel. All of the crowd
on deck rushed to the side opposite
the direction of the wind to escape
the rain.
The boat dipped suddenly on that
side, shipped water, righted again
and sank.
Settles On Bottom
The smallest of the children were
thrown into the water. The older
ones and a few adults aboard jump
ed or entered the few lifeboats
available. 1t was only a minute
until the boat settled on the bottom,
0uieting the screams of those i'll
the cabin who had been unable to
reach the deck.
Two negro musicians who were
strumming banjos and singing about
"four leaf clovers continued their
tune a moment after the ship top
pied. Then they stopped. The laugh
ing and shouting of the children
was quiet for a second.
Then those on board sensed the
tragedy. Those nearest the railing
tried to get back, but We're thrown
overheard. Mothers screamed and
clung to their children. Some of the
Youngsters had become separat Z
from their parents. The latter re-
fused to leave the vessel until they
found the little ones.
When the boat settled on the bot
tom the water was "alive' with
humanity. Captain Arthur Olson
had rushed along the rail, cut the
life boats loose and thrown life
preservcrs in to the lake.
Recalls Other Tragedy
The women and children made for
these. Most of those who were for
tunate to find something to cling
to or who could swim at all were
rescued. Some of the smaller tots
were driven under by the rain.
The boat was in relatively shall
low water and the superstructure
protruded above the surface.
Sinking of the Favorite recalled
the i'll fated steamer Eastland which
tipped over in the Chicago river l.
years ago last Sunday, carrying
hundreds of cxcursionists to their
death. The accident yesterday was
the first major marine accident near
Chicago since the Eastland sank.
Oddly enough, sinking of the
Eastland was due to the same prim-
airy cause as the more recent tra-
gedy-trushing of passengers to one
side of the vessel and overbalanc.
ing it.