Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THREE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF DISASTER PRESENTED Hie Overloading:, rnderbal lasting or Grounding on River Bottom Responsible for Eastland Horror. OT \jmcago, jui> n.?uvcmwumg, underballasting and grounding on the river bottom were cited in today's testimony at the coroner's inquest as reasons why the steamer Eastland turned over Saturday and drowned hundreds of excursionists. Adam (A. Weckler, tiarbor master, and Joseph R. Lynn, -?t- --1- 1 ?^ vt/\4-v? rvwo^oanf assistant u<truui mcwici, uuui ^wtuii "when the steamer capsized with. 2,500 ( persons aboard, ascribed tfce accident to these causes and told the coroner that the boat was "crankly" and never should have carried more than 1,200 passengers. W. K. Greenebaum, general manager of the Indiana Transportation company, whicfr' had leased the Eastland for use last Saturday, was taken into custody tonight. While the coroner was hearing testimony, Secretary Redfield watched divers recover three more bodies. He stated formally that government supervision had not been lax and tfcat the Eastland had carried many more passengers than were aboard when the ship rolled over. He said that federal Ar\ QiraMT+rtlnor TlACeihlp i UUIWld ?UU1U uv to fix ti:e blame, let it rest where It might. Saw Her Listing. Harbor Master Weckler testified that lie arrived at the Eastland's wharf 20 minutes before the steamer was to start and saw that tfce boat was listing. He said he called to Capt. Pederson to trim tfce vessel, shouting that he would not open the Clark street bridge until the boat was righted. "I never saw the Eastland loaded so foeavily as it was Saturday," said fWeckler, "and I have seen her depart many times. A Doat {limcuit to nanaie under all circumstances is known as s, cranky boat, and I have noticed tfoe Eastland to be cranky constantly. I don't think the Eastland should have been allowed to carry more than 1,200 passengers. Didnt See Danger. "After his arrest, I heard Capt Petersen say he tried for seven minutes to trim tfte steam, but could not get "water into tie ballast tanks fast enough. I don't believe Capt. Pedersen tealized the danger until the final plunge came." Lynn, the assistant harbor master, testified that he arrived just as the Eastland was due to start and saw tfce list. "I believe," said. Lynn, "that the ship "was on the bottom aft of midship. If she lay on a bank sloping towards the middle of the river and "was being jammed down against this bank, sfce would naturally tip towards the river's cenier. n me ca.yuun uieu im seven minutes to right the boat without attempting to get off those on board there was negligence." * Lynn added tnat fee saw many of the crew leap on the wharf side while the ship was careening. John H. OlMeara, captain of the tug Kenosha, wfoich was hitched on the Eastland to tow the ship out of the river, testified that he did not take hold of the Eastland until several minutes after other witnesses said the sbip had begun to list. Even then he waited for the order to go ahead, and the captain of the Eastland was not working out the stern as was desirable to protect tfbe screws. Had Always Listed. Capt O'Meara said he got tue word to go ahead, but before the tow line was taut the Eastland listed dangerously and he stopped. He had towed the Eastland four times and she always listed, fce said. L. S. Wheeler, assistant dkisiou superintendent of the department of justice, submitted government inspection first as rvnp nprmiftine' fho "East land's carrying capacity to be increased to 2,500 passengers, 500 over previous permits. William J. Wood, a naval architect, submitted -to the coroner's jury a statement condemning various measurements and arrangements of the ship. Coroner Peter Hoffman then took the jurors to the wrecked steamboat, so that Wood could explain technicalities. Secretary Redfield tonight issued a second statement asserting there was t no truth in reports of friction between /I r> mfV A^TT X\TU^JL<AX emu an; UUU V cioc, He. said lie had arranged to cooper- < ate fully "with. State's Attorney Hoyne in trying to place blame for tfce acei- . dent. The statement-said that the law ; required the steamboat inspection ser- ' vice to make an investigation,- but < that such an inquiry should be made ; by inspectors other than 'tifcose concerned in certifying the steamer. It was purposed therefore to call" on the 1 Mjiwattjie?-. ooara.. to wke inquiry ; v< ** in Cfeicago. The statetoen.t-?i>ntaMies: To Miaie It SSorougii. ; - * "in order that the seriousness of this particular acjcidept.mav be given due weight, we shall arrange with the lo- ( ca.1 board; of inspectors to have Mr. I Thurman of tlbe department of justice! and myself conduct the inquiry, with | the assistance of the commanding officers of the steamboat inspection service. It seems right to us, however, that something more should be done than that, therefore I have asked Harvt A whoolor viVa nrpsiripnt nf thp I J XI.. TV 1AVVXVA) t *vv r - V.K/--.V?V ? Union Trust company, and Martin B. Pool of Butler Bros at act as unofficial observers or partakers in the inquiry. It is my purpose to ask that ti'ce Western Electric company select some technical member of its staff as a third representative. "It is hoped to begin the inquiry Thursday. The supervising inspector general of the steamboat inspection service, George Uhler, will arrive from San Francisco tomorrow. Tliese hearings are informal in the sense that legal restrictions as to testimony are waived." Moving picture censors today refused permits to four concerns which wanted to display pictures of the Eastland disaster on the ground that the companies wanted to "commercialize a calamity." Efforts to check up tJ-e total dead made no progress today. The official list remained at 824. While State's Attorney Hoyne said he had evidence that some 2,700 were on the ship, government checkers said tJiat they were positive no more than 2,500 went aboard. TO rKOKJE UMltAtKi JtlUKKUit, Flans For Inquiry Go Forward?Death List Will Probably Beach 1,200 Mark. Chicago, July 26.?Plans for federal, State and city investigations to place the blame for the Eastland disaster were completed tonight. 'A coroner's jury will start an inquest tomorrw, while federal department officers, Iteaded by Secretary Redfield, and officers from the city police department and the office of the State's attorney will gather evidence, holding formal inquiry in abeyance until the inquest bas progressed as far as possible. Efforts continued- today to remove victims from the wrecked sbip and to tabulate the dead to determine Aether the total death list would remain around 1,000, as many believed, or creep up to 1,200 or more. Registration of employes by the Western Electric company showed' nearly 400 missing, but many of the names of these were included in the list of 826 bodies identified. It was said that probably a goodly number fcad not reported at the plant, though safe. More Tickets Found. Probability of swelling the list above 1,000 was suggested by the announcement of detectives that they had seized tickets taken from passengers boarding the Eastland for the excursion to Michigan City. They asserted that these tickets numbered 2,550 and did not account for children, musicians and the crew of 72. Taey estimated that the total number of persons aboard the steamer might have been 2,800 or more, instead of 2,480 as previously announced by officers of tfce Indiana Transportation company. Lessees of the ship asserted1 that 2,408 passenger tickets had been collected. Robert H. McCreary, deputy collector of customs, who with, two inspectors counted the passengers as they boarded the Eastland, after rearing Mr. Hoyne's statement declared it was impossible tfcat 2,800 or more persons boarded the ship. He also said it was "false and ridiculous" for Hoyne to state that children were not counted. McCreary said that the 2,550 ticket stubs seized by State's Attorney Hoyne included some of the tickets j taken from passenges intended for the steamer Petosky, another excursion snip. State Attorney Hoyne, in pursuing his investigation, tonight seized the correspondence which had passed between officers of the Westinghouse Electric employes' organization whida gave the picnic and the Indiana Trans- J portation company, operating the Eastland and four other steamers set aside tn Mrrv mnw than 7 000 np.rsons across the lake. The State's attorney said that correspondence showed tfcat the steamer company had advised that the more tickets sold the greater would be the rebate paid to the employes' organization. Tickets were to be sold to tine electrict company employes for 75 cents at the'factory or $1 at the wharf. According to the State's attorney, the letters showed there would be a rebate of one-third on all tickets over A AAA' ' J nr T r\r\ a r\ r> *,VUU ami avnrcuuiiig, icso uu. ujlujoc above 2,500. Compelled to Go. Complaint already Ibad been made by some employes of the electric company that they -had been, almost compelled to purchase tickets for the excursion by fear tfcat officers of the employes* organization who sold them would discriminate against those "who did not go on the excursion. Tfie picnic has been -an- annual affair and I tbese men said that employes who tad refused to buy tickets in previous years had been given less remunerative work or discharged, although probably without the sanction of executives of ti e company. To ti':e confusion of determining the total number of lives lost there was added much wrangling among officials of different jurisdiction over tentative plans to right the Eastland, which still lies on its port side. Despite an all day search of the j.ulk by divers and a constant dragging of the river bed between the wreck and a net stretched across the river a block down the current, only a dozen bodies were found. Estimates of the number still held under water ! varied widely from 150 to 500. Marine engineers said it would take from 10 to SO days to put the Eastland on its I keep, and it was said that until the s!hip was removed, it would not be determined how many bodies had' been caught under the hull and superstructure. Coroner Hoffman, the State's attor- j ney and city officers today reiteratedj their assertion that part of the blame; for the disaster could be charged to! failure of federal officers to enforce! marine laws. A Queer Connection. The last inspection of the Eastland' was made by Robert Keid, government i inspector at St. Joseph, Mich., who this I spring found the steamer fit and procured a position as chief engineer on the boat for I-is son-in-law, J. M. Ericksen. Secretary Redfield will be in Chicago tomorrow to take charge of the government end of the investigation. He had been directed by President Wilson to do everything possible to disclose responsibility for the upset-1 ting of the Eastland and to discover! ways of preventing a repetition of 1 such an accident. To make sure tftat none of the crew would avoid the inquest and other inquiries more members of the -ship's company were arrested. Nearly all the 72 men employed on the ship are now held, in addition to Walter C. Steele, secretary of the company owning the boat. Tie county grand jury was ordered held in session to take cognizance of any evidence of criminal negligence in connection with the disaster. The j grand jurymen went over the wreck, I hut it wac fchpv nnnlr? nothing I further at present. Members of the coroner's jury, six business and six professional men, wiih Dr. W. A. Evans, formerly i:ealth commissioner of Chicago, as foreman, also inspected the steamer and made personal investigations of conditions at morgues. Identification of bodies recovered was all but completed tonight. Checking against duplications in the 'various lists proceeded steadily. Funerals were held for a few of the dead, and manj I mor-p wprp nlanneri for tomorrow, but most of the burials will take place Wednesday. Bishop McDowell of tLe Methodist church and Bishop Samuel Fallows of the Reformed Episcopal church took charge of the funeral ceremony anangements and gathered volunteer clergymen to officiate at the services of those who had not other arrangements. i The public relief fund of $300,000 was two-thirds completed tonight. All classes contributed. MORE INCOME NEEDED. Washington, July 22.?The interstate commerce commission decided today that the revenue of the principal express companies of the United States are inadequate and modified its former orders to provide additional income. The present rates are based on three factors?an allowance of 20 cents for collection and delivery of each shipment, which does not vary with weight or distance, a rail terminal allowance of 25 cents per hundred pounds which varies with the weight, but not the distance and the rail transportation rate per 100 pounds whicib varies with the weight, the distance and the zone. In accordance with the companies' petition, the commission modified its I order to permit transportation of the first and second factors, increasing the collection and delivery allowance 5 cents for each shipment and reducing fcbe rail terminal allowance at the rate of 1-20 of 1 cent a pound. As the j weight increases the 5 cent increase is . gradually reduced, so that on ship- , ~ . A n 1 AA rv/\ur\/?n a f hit:iiis ui iiiui c li.kj.jli iw uuuuua iuc i v adjustment will make no change. Sub- < stantially no commodity rates will be , affected. j The companies are expected to in- < crease their gross revenues about 2.86 ( per cent. The commission's report .j shows that the net operating revenues ] of the four big companies have de- < clined to a deficit of $1,132,811 in the j year 1914-15, and in the same period | operating income decreased $2,449,863. < "While the financial condition of ] certain of the petitioners is more fa- ? vorable than that of others," says trie ] report, "it clearly appears tihat as a 1 .whole they are operating at a loss. ; U ?? ??? "Thedford's Black-Draught iS 4^ i I is the best aJl-round medicine f? ISUelman, of Pattonvil!e,Texas. BjS JHgNl "1 suffered terribly with liver H JBBgur troubles, and could get no relief. H C^? IB LACK* I Lon2 Distance I radius of severa DRAUGHT I In less tha Plinuaill | of flour at a tot and to my surprise, 1 got better, Hj . , and am to-day as well as any H oince tnen | man." Thedford's Black- H Bell Telephone Draught is a general, cathartic, ffl most profitable [ vegetable liver medicine, that fflf _ I . , . rates are reasoi I has been regulating irregulan- M _ I ties of the liver, stomach and in ?Fie i^ong D I bowels, for over 70 years. Get H & doZCfl letters' I a package today. Insist on the I I genuine?Thedford's. E-70 fl ! SOUTHERN I HHHBb AND TELEG1 AiiinniiA?i*n A lfeil l A CHIUntS I tK 5 NLLS no e"-" T1IE DIAMOND BRAND. A Ladles! Ask your Drurjlot for A\ Cbl-?be?-ter a Diamond Braad/WS I*1I1? in Red and Gold metal h'c\^^/ boxes, sealed with Blue Ribbon. \/ MBanHMBBgnHMsoagB Take no other. Buy of yonr ? Dracfint. A sic for CIII.C1IE8.TER 8 DIAMOND JtRAND PILLS, for 2C years known as Best, Safest, Always Reliable OLD BY DRUGGISTS EVERYWHESF API STOP SCRATCHING USE ZEMERINE j It makes no difference how long I W\ you have suffered with eczema, itch I I 2111/111131 or any oflner skin disease, Zremenne i ? will help you as it has helped others. I Zemerine stops suffering where other I remedies have failed and restores the | skin to a healthy condition. The first application of Zemerine E brings relief, stops the burning and j mCUI A itching, the desire to scratch passes' t away, and healing becomes possible.j I j|/ Read wfcat others have to say about! Zemerine: "Send me another box ofi Zemerine. It has done me lot of good." "I (have used Zemerine and it gave me more relief than anything. I VARIABl Zemerine is sold in two sizes 50c and $1, by druggists everywhere and Newberry Drug Company. Sample free upon request to Zemerine Chemical Company, Orangeburg, S. C. To Drive Out Malaria If en wrifp And Build Up The System 11 bU> WrJLe Take the Old Standard GROVE'S for^c fnlrtarc or TASTELESS chill TONIC. You know luiueib dl what you are taking, as the formula is TTvpiircinn printed on every label, showing it is IjXCUrSlOIl Quinine and Iron in a tasteless form. ? The Quinine drives out malaiia, the faniOUSJy QXtYcli Iroi Guilds up the system. 50 cents EXIT CALOMEL ? J General Pas No More Nasty, Disagreeable . * % Effects Alia I The Sta It is just as effective, cleansing tihe system thoroughly Of bile, toning up. tihe liver and making that sluggish XVTTTA / feeling disappear like magic. Yet it *V/J. 11^^ is pleasant to take, and has none of the disagreeable after effects that A ?fmt2*arZt Collt\ make us dread calomel so much. Mr. Dennis Tells His Experience. The following Drief account of an x ... v , ? ply ask for a kidney interview with a Newberry man three , ;+ >, Doan s Kidney Pills?th S?ears ago, and its sequel, will be read . , ? ... , . . , . ... Mr. Dennis had. Foster with kean interest by every citizen. - NT. Y. Dennis, prop, of store Player pr?Ps- Y. St., NeWberry; says: "My kidneys pARKER >. C? MAN tvere weak and caused me a lot of an- ' (JETS QUj loyance. I used Doan's Kidney Pills ;nd they greatly relieved me.. Others ^ R Davenport Bettei .f tha 'omilv w'nn cnff^rA^ from wpal\ _ . ? "7~\7 """ nose 01 iteme* 3ack and disordered kidneys, used [>oan's Kidney Pills with good results." (Statement given March 21, ^avenPor^> ?' ^ ) - long suffered from a pec Over three years later Mr: Dennis ?* :^e stomacil- sou? aid: "I think as highly of Dean's relief. Sidney Pills now as ever I always seemed thai he "would ha idvise my cu-stomers to use Doan'a Sidney Pills, when tfcey are troubled He took Mayr's "Wondf iv w^air "kidnevs." and found immediate ' ; Price o&c, at all dealers. Doc-V sim-j wrote: y / JlSr Experience V Convinced Mp of its Value j^nf "One of our sale*Hp men demonstrated the value of the Long Di?r\ToSonliAn* fA ita kauww A vivpuvuv IV IMI He was at Hantsville, Ala., and upon his own responsibility put in ' calls for fifteen merchants within A 1 hundred miles. a .. 4 A. A. . I 1 n one hour he ft ad sold 2iW Barren -i al cost to us of less than six dollars. we have applied the Long Distance : to every feature of our business with : results. The service is fine, tho lable and there is more satisfaction irfinoa ' ' ' q i ar\Vir\j> ? fo tdiaucv a tairw kiio.ii ah itau i SELL TELEPHONE j RAPH COMPANY WW ' Y ICQ mT TTTUTDT ACT A VVUUJUXILA, O. \j>? IBflnHDMHQHBBBBDBBHBBBBflBHUHBHHHV % ? YOU GOING to the -Pacific Expositions [ ' at rancisco and San r- 1:1: rgu, v^uuuiiuci | by one of the many LE PREDIRECT ROUTES 1 9 . . 4 i the undersigned for low excursion id ali particulars regarding your trip. tickets permit stopovers at many ctive and scenic points and resorts. ' < . C. WHITE, c^nrror* A nronf XVilminrrtnTi "NJ P, OVllgV/1 i. Xg VII Uy Tf AAilAlAig Alt v/ kntic Coast Line ndard Railroad of the South. ALLEGE FOR WOMEN5* of 5Rrfbm*mtf, Biatinrtion smh <?ijararirr tj Schools of Ai% Expression and remedy?get "For years I have suffered from a e same that disease which puzzled doctors. They ^ {Milburn Co., termed it catarrh' of the stomacfc, saying the only hope would be a change ?? of climate, and that in all probability I would never get well. ITnen I heard rCK RELIEF 0f your remedy. One bottle gave me instant relief. It made me feel like 4 After First a new man> Your full course of treatmo SovAral nt m u-i^jLico xiao auvjui vui vu mv* v*? * v* my friends nave also been cured." 'arker, N. C., Mayr's Wonderful Remedy gives per:uliar malady manent results for stomach, liver and. fat treatment intestinal ailments. Eat as mucfa and At times it whatever you like. No more distress ve to give up after eating, pressure of gas in the stomach and around the heart. Get one tfful Remedy bottle of your druggist now and try it benefit. He on an absolute guarantee?if not satisfactory money wiM be returned.