The eastland disaster historical society tells the story of. Employees of western electric and their families began boarding the first ship, the s. The eastland disaster is the worst disaster chicago has ever experienced. The port and starboard ballast tanks are completely filled with water to provide rolling weight while righting the eastland. Bettmanncorbis an estimated 500,000 people arrived to view the disaster scene, crowding onto bridges and the rivers edge. On a chilly, drizzly morning in july 1915, 2,500 people boarded the eastland, a ship its a ship not a boat, these are things ive learned headed to indiana for a picnic. In 1915, when the eastland capsized in the chicago river, killing more than 800 people, it was the worst tragedy in chicago history. Just seven minutes after being struck by the torpedo, the ship sank, killing almost all of the passengers and crew aboard, either inside the ship, or outside by drowning and hypothermia in the icy waters. The mud which has gathered in the hull also hinders the righting. Chicagos worst disaster to date was the capsizing of the ss eastland on july 24, 1915. Rather, we believe the eastland capsized due to the cumulative affects of many events, including. Hundreds drown in eastland disaster on this day in 1915, the steamer eastland overturns in the chicago river, drowning between 800 and 850 of its passengers who were heading to a picnic. On july 24, 1915, the ship rolled over onto her side while tied to a dock in the chicago river. The eastlandwilmette steamed a wide wake on the great lakes southaven lighthouse the eastland, renamed the wilmette, hauled freight and passengers, served as a navy training ship, sank a uboat in lake michigan, and listed to the right.
A graduate student has found the firstknown film clips of the ss eastland ship disaster that left 844 people dead in 1915. The eastland capsized in the chicago river on july 24, 1915 killing 844 people. The eastland disaster took more passenger lives than the titanic and stands today as the. Not just an accident but one of the great injustices of the 20th century posted by mick dumke on 04. Children of the ss eastland and general slocum disaster precious angels duration. Additional gift options are available when buying one ebook at a time. The eastland was a breathtaking steamship and many came to watch as the ship loaded the excited and happy employees and families. The eastlandwilmette steamed a wide wake on the great.
Resurrection mary and the eastland disaster mysterious. It was a terrible day in the history of western electric and chicago. Footage of 1915 chicago ship disaster that killed 844 found watch. Legacy of the titanic is much more technically oriented including the naval architecture concepts concerning the ship itself. Eastland ship disaster forest home cemetery overview. The dead had come from all over the city, though most came from the west side, and the most notablylarge chunk were of bohemian descent though suggesting that resurrection mary may not have been polish tends to generate some pretty odd hate mail. Rare eastland disaster photos discovered in tribune basement. My fatherharry bolt was a survivor of the eastland disaster. Passengers are rescued as they stand atop the eastland passenger ship after the vessel capsized in the chicago river in downtown chicago, july. The most deadly shipwreck in great lakes historya calamity that would.
Capsized the forgotten story of the ss eastland disaster kindle. The event, which claimed at least 844 lives, ranks as one of the worst maritime disasters in american history. Most everyone has heard of the titanic disaster, but few people have heard of this ship disaster that took the lives of 840 people. The eastland disaster on the morning of july 24, 1915, more than 2,500 western electric employees and their families boarded the ss eastland for a companysponsored picnic. But the merriment quickly turned into panic when the ship capsized just 20 feet from the wharf. Legacy of the titanic 1995 puts the shipwreck in historic. For the ss eastland, this meant the weight of five additional lifeboats, 37 life rafts at 1,100. The ship was headed to a company picnic when it capsized in the chicago river. So it really was not a matter of if the eastland would capsize, it was simply a matter of when. The ss eastland disaster living history of illinois. Costa concordia captain gets 16 years in prison the eastland ship being righted after the eastland disaster on. This book takes the reader on two parallel journeys, one with erickson, the chief engineer of the doomed vessel and the other with the eastland itself, from the moment of its design all the way through the sinking, the trial and with a brief coda about its. The forgotten story of the ss eastland disaster posted by jane simon ammeson on august 2, 2018 the ss eastland was still tied to the pier about to take 2500 passengers and 70 crew members on an excursion across the southern edge of lake michigan to michigan city and the dancing in the ballroom had already begun.
The eastland disaster is primarily a collection of relevant photographs which augment the other two books. Websites the fall of the eastland at alan bellows website the eastland disaster historical society the eastland memorial society the ss eastland wikipedia page oprahs connection to the ss eastland books lost passenger steamships of lake michigan, ted st. Grad student finds footage of 1915 chicago ship disaster. New footage sheds light on eastland disaster cbs news. On the morning of the eastland disaster, many of the bodies of the victims were taken to the second regiment national guard armory. Woodford witnessed the eastland disaster where the steamer ship rolled over in the chicago river and killed 845 people. Now, 100 years later, recently unearthed photos from the chicago. Eastland was gone, but her story has continued to linger for years. Eastland disaster historical society home facebook. Wacker drive between clark and lasalle street bridges. Eastland disaster, capsizing of the passenger liner ss eastland on the chicago river in chicago on july 24, 1915. S eastland, one of the deadliest maritime disasters on u. The eastland disaster, july 23, 1915, chicago river.
Chicago has been known for disasters, loss of life and violence in the past. Eastland disaster historical society righting the eastland. It was the thirdworst ship disaster, exceeded only by the titanic and the sultana worst. Eastland had been chartered by chicagos western electric company to transport the companys employees and their families, to their annual picnic in michigan city, indiana. Though the ss eastland had some design flaws and had experienced close calls in the past, the 1915 disaster was largely caused by the seamens act. Eastland capsized in the chicago river on july 24, 1915. This new federal rule, enacted after the titanic disaster, mandated that every passenger vessel must be retrofitted with a complete set of lifeboats. The eastland as you will find out within the book, was never a very stable feeling ship rolled over in the chicago river. The ss eastland was a passenger ship based in chicago and used for tours.
The shifting of the coal to the port side when the eastland capsized also delays the efforts to right the ship. A lot of the focus on the eastland as an example of regulation with a disastrous outcome seems to come from a 1997 book by george w. The eastland, docked at the clark street bridge, never left the chicago river. His sister, marie,who is now 98,recalls that he traveled home from the scene by streetcar and came into the house with his clothes soaking wet. He gave a firsthand account to the chicago newspaper the heraldexaminer and described the event in chapter 21 of his autobiography. Eastland ship disaster a lake passenger steamer, the s.
Capsized the forgotten story of the ss eastland disaster. Grewsome scene in temporary morgue, second regiment armory, where over 700 bodies were removed to, immediately after being recovered, is written on the back of this photograph. The event happened one day before my fathers 19th birthday. After the disaster, eastland was salvaged and sold to the united states navy. The eastland disaster eastland, disasters, chicago history.
Sinking of the eastland by jay bonansinga goodreads. More than 2,500 passengers and crew members were on board that day and 844 people lost their lives, including 22 entire families. A collection of glass plate negatives found in the chicago tribune archives shows the rescue and anguish of victims in the 1915 eastland ship disaster. Ss eastland news newspapers books scholar jstor july 2017. The eastland disaster took more passenger lives than the titanic and stands today as the greatest loss of life on the great lakes. This book takes the reader on two parallel journeys, one with erickson, the chief engineer of the doomed vessel and the other with the eastland itself, from the moment of its design all the way through the sinking, the trial and with a brief coda about its postdisaster career. Tragedy struck as the ship rolled over into the river at the wharfs edge.
As the ship was being cast loose from its moorings on the south bank of the. Many more photographs of the events surrounding the ship, the sinking and the aftermath. Eastland disaster historical society, arlington heights, il. The book comments on the fact that ships that load from one side have to be water ballasted by crew down below, and errors in this procedure caused the roll over. Chicago ii chicago river chicago illinois us history family history american history great lakes ships ghost ship chicago river chicago illinois us history family history american history great lakes ships ghost ship. The eastland sank on july 24, 1915, while moored to a dock on the chicago river with more than 2,500 passengers and crew members aboard, according to the eastland disaster. Bettmanncorbis an estimated 500,000 people arrived to view the disaster scene, crowding onto. When the gangplank closed, most of the passengers settled themselves on the port side of. He managed to climb up onto the side of the ship after it turned over.
On july 24, 1915, more than 800 people died in chicagos deadliest disaster when the ss eastland rolled onto its side in the chicago river, only 20 feet from shore. The history of the deadliest shipwreck on the great. The ship was chartered to take laborers from western. The tugboat kenosha served as a floating bridge to let survivors reach safety after the eastland steamship disaster.
As the disaster unfolded, the best and worst of human nature was. Victims of the eastland disaster were laid out in temporary morgues in buildings along the chicago river. My 100th book of the year finished on the 100th anniversary of the eastland disaster. The eastland disaster killed more passengers than the. This disaster is largely believed to be the secondworst in.
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