 |
  |
||||||||||||
|
 July 24, 1915 – It was a warm, but rainy summer day at the downtown Chicago dock where over 2,500 people were eagerly awaiting an excursion to Michigan City, Indiana aboard the Eastland. Few passengers paid attention to the lean of the ship as they boarded on the starboard side, or the ship's subsequent list to the port side. The crew, however, was working the ballast tanks to correct the side to side movements of the ship, but it was to no avail. The first warnings of the impending disaster appeared about an hour after boarding had begun. The ship's list to the port side became so severe that a refrigerator behind the bar toppled over with a crash. People were having a difficult time standing on the steep angle of the deck. Then, as the Eastland was being cast loose from its moorings, it slowly rolled on to its side. A large crowd on the dock watched in horror as the water filled with people struggling to stay alive. The tragedy continued below deck as well, as hundreds of people were trapped in the ship or were trampled to death in an effort to escape. Although the ship rolled in only 20 feet of water, it was enough to claim the lives of eight hundred forty one people. The capsizing of the Eastland was attributed to a number of reasons. Ironically, one factor was the addition of more life boats in response to the Titanic disaster. The lifeboats added an additional 10 to 12 tons to the already top heavy design of the ship. In addition, the Eastland's decks had just been loaded with several tons of concrete in an effort to repair its rotting wood. Although it is not nearly as well known as the Titanic, The Eastland disaster has the infamous distinction of causing the second greatest loss of life of any single accident in the United States. Learn more about this disaster in our links section.
|
|
||||||||||
|
Titanic Home | Treasures | Stroll the Deck | Stories | The Voyage | Technology | Chicago Connection | Links |
||||||||||||
Copyright ©2000 Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, 60637
(773) 684.1414 --- TDD (773) 684.3323
1-800-GO TO MSI
http://www.msichicago.org