Chicago, Illinois
Eastland Disaster
July
1915
Steamer Filled to Capacity.
The steamer was filled to capacity and
hundreds were turned to other boats, ac-
cording to S. G. Hall of the Western
Electric picnickers.
“I got to the dock,” said Hall, “and
was told to go to the other boats, as
the Eastland was too crowded. There
were fifteen or twenty people behind me
and more coming fast.
“I was told that 7,000 tickets had been
distributed among the company’s employes [sic], and that there were to
be six boat loads. The only boats that
I heard wee to be used, however, were
the Eastland and the Theodore Roosevelt.
“I had scarcely gone ten feet toward the
Theodore Roosevelt when the Eastland
began to list. Hundreds ran to the rail,
and many climbed over its sides as it
turned over. All were thrown into the
water.”
W. K. Greenbaum, manager of the
Indiana Transportation Company, who is
in charge of the excursion, said:
“We had chartered five steamers for the
excursion of the Western Electric Company’s employes [sic] to Michigan City, Ind. today.
We had the steamers Eastland, Petoskey,
Theodore Roosevelt, Racine and Maywood.
“The Eastland was the first boat to load and
the docks were crowded with passengers who
were to be taken on the other boats near by. One
United States steamship inspector and two
assistants watched the Eastland load. They
stood at the gang plank and counted the
passengers as they went aboard. Their reports
show there were 2,500 passengers on the
Eastland, its full capacity under the United
States steamboat regulations. I have no idea
how the accident occurred.”
CLEBURNE MAN WAS SAVED.
Mr. and Mrs. Q.C. Templeton Get
Telegrams From Son, Saying He Is
Safe.
Special to The News.
Cleburne, Texas, July 24—Mr. and Mrs. Q.C.
Templeton received a telegram today from their son,
Bryce Templeton, announcing that he was a passenger on the Eastland,
which was overturned in Chicago River, but had escaped without injury. The
telegram relieved them of great stress of mind as they thought he had been
drowned.
Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 25 Jul 1915
PAPER PUBLISHED FOR TRIP
Western Electric Picnic Party
Described in Jokes Printed in
“July Jubilator.”
Chicago, Ill., July 24—The “July Jubilator,”
The official newspaper of employes [sic] of
the Western Electric Company, advertising
the picnic, was filled with jokes and cartoons
of what might have taken place on the excursion.
Copies of the paper were found on many of the
victims. Introducing the front-page cartoon was
the caption:
“What, ho!
“Readers of the Jubilator, be jubilant! Last time
it was a submarine. Long ago Jonah took a trip in
a submarine. There is no Jonah about this. But it
will be a whale of a success.”
The fifth annual picnic of the employes [sic] was to have been the largest ever
held. A great parade in Michigan City, with movie men recording every event,
athletic contests and every amusement that goes with a summer resort, had been
planned. Prizes had been offered for the novel costumes in the parade, and this
accounted for the gorgeous attire found on many of the bodies taken from the
river.
Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 25 Jul 1915
CHARLOTTE MAN AT
BIG CHICAGO DISASTER
Mr. C.E. Barker Was on Scene of
Eastland Tragedy Within Few
Minutes After Occurrence.
One of the most harrowing experiences that
could possibly be vouched-safed an individual
was that which befell Mr. C.E. Barker, Southern
agent for Marshall Field & Co., who has just
returned from Chicago where he went to attend
the funeral of his father, Mr. Charles R. Barker,
whose death occurred last week.
Mr. Barker was
almost an eyewitness of the sinking of the steamship
Eastland which occurred early Saturday morning in
the Chicago River, Mr. Barker thus tells of his
experience:
“I was on my way down town on the elevated
railway to attend to a business engagement and
our train was on the bridge corssing [sic] the
Chicago River. I heard a great shouting just a
block away and I saw throngs rushing to the
river dock. I could not see what was transpiring
owing to the lofty building that shut off the view
but I knew that it was something very extraordinary
to create such a commotion. I jumped out of the car
at the next street station and hurried to the scene of
the disaster. Of course I had heard what had happened
even before I could leave the elevated. The great
steamer with its happy party of Western Electric
employes [sic] off for an outing across the lake
had tilteed [sic] over and hundreds and perhaps thousands had been drowned like
rats in a trap. I pushed ahead but could not get within a block of the dock. The
traffic squad and mounted officers had arrived within a few moments and had
taken charge of the situation. I ran down a block however and got within sight
of the river. I could even see the big boat which was then on its side in the
murky stream. Bodies were floating on the water by the score and all sorts of
paraphernalia littered the surface. There were baskets, garments of all kinds,
steamer chairs and baggage of every description on the surface. And more
harrowing still was there were constant accessions to the objects upon the face
of the waters. Of course there were men doing everything in the world possible
to gather those who came up while others were working with fury unabated to
rescue those still imprisoned in the hull of the big vessel. I arrived on the
scene probably 20 minutes after the vessel tilted and I shall not soon erase
from my memory the fearfulness of the picture that unfolded itself before my
eyes. I remained only a short time for the scene was entirely too gruesome. To
see those sights and hear those cries and observe the fury of the energy of
those working to rescue the perishing was something that will remain with me for
some time to come. It was something that I count myself most unfortunate to have
witnessed.”
Charlotte Daily Observer, Charlotte, NC 7 Jul 1915
Articles transcribed by
Patty. Thank you,
Patty!
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