The EASTLAND Disaster

Forget the Titanic!  Here's a maritime disaster from the 20th Century involving Americans that happened in our own waters.

On this day in 1914, the Western Electric Company of Chicago rented some boats for an excursion on the Chicago River; one of those boats was the steamer known as the Eastland.  Unfortunately she was a "tender" ship as she had no keel, was top-heavy, rode high in the water, and had a tendancy to list.  To make matters worse, in the aftermath of the Titanic sinking, more lifeboats were added the Eastland making her even more top-heavy than she had been previously.

There were so many passengers who boarded the ship that day that the Eastland suddenly capsized onto her port side.  845 people drowned in the river. 

Frankly, this is much more interesting than the Titanic disaster.  There were ordinary working people involved and not the rich and famous, and this was even more preventable than the iceberg incident.  Also the Eastland was still tied to the dock when she capsized.