The Eastland Disaster: A Tragedy Unfolds (1915) - Part 5
Before the SS Eastland became infamous for the 1915 disaster in Chicago, it had a complex and troubled history. This blog post explores the early life of the Eastland, from its construction to the years leading up to the tragedy.
ACCURACY: New findings may make some of this information obsolete and/or inaccurate.
NOTE: This account is adapted from information originally published by the Eastland Memorial Society, whose website is no longer active but can be accessed through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. They did a great job and deserve recognition for their early work.
Generative art combined traces of the Chicago Fire with the Eastland Disaster. ©2024 Natalie Zett
The Fateful Morning: July 24, 1915
On a partly cloudy Saturday morning, thousands of Western Electric Company employees and their families gathered along the Chicago River for their annual company picnic. The Eastland, moored on the south side of the river just west of the Clark Street bridge, was one of several ships chartered for the event.
The Scene:
7,000 tickets distributed at 75 cents each (half-price for youth, free for children)
Destination: Washington Park in Michigan City, Indiana
Other ships involved: Theodore Roosevelt, Petoskey, Maywood, Racine, and Rochester
Eastland scheduled for the first departure at 7:30 a.m.
Countdown to Disaster
6:30 a.m. - 7:10 a.m.:
5,000 people already waiting to board
Passengers began boarding at 6:40 a.m.
Ship experienced initial list to starboard, corrected by ballast adjustment
By 7:10 a.m., the ship reached its capacity of 2,500 passengers
7:10 a.m. - 7:28 a.m.
Ship began listing to port
Attempts made to correct the list by adjusting ballast
Water started entering through port-side gangway openings
Passengers initially unconcerned, some even amused by the swaying
7:28 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
List reached 45 degrees
Panic set in as furnishings and equipment crashed across decks
Passengers scrambled to escape through starboard openings
At 7:30 a.m., the Eastland settled on its port side in the river
The Aftermath
Immediate Rescue Efforts:
Nearby boats and bystanders rushed to help
People threw planks and crates to help keep victims afloat
By 8:00 a.m., all survivors had been pulled from the water
Recovery Operations:
Rescue workers used the Eastland's starboard hull to access victims
Cutting torches used to create openings in the hull
Divers retrieved bodies from within the submerged portions
The Grim Toll
Morgues and Identification:
Multiple temporary morgues established, including the Second Regiment Armory
Identification process complicated by lack of passenger lists
Many entire families perished, making identification more challenging
Funerals:
Cemeteries and mortuaries overwhelmed
Churches held mass funeral services
St. Mary's of Czestochowa Catholic Church in Cicero held one ceremony for 29 victims
Final Death Count:
Total deaths: over 800
The Aftermath
The Eastland disaster stands as one of the worst maritime tragedies in American history. Its death toll of passengers exceeded even that of the Titanic. The tragedy sparked immediate public outcry and demands for answers, setting the stage for investigations and legal proceedings that would follow.
