The Sinking of the EastlandAuthor: Jay Bonansinga

By: Carlie Brown

The Eastland

• Launched on May 6, 1903• Overall length – 275’ 0”• Beam (width) – 38’ 0”• Water compartments filled carry 800 tons of ballast• Twin screws, driven by 2 powerful triple expansion

engines, supplied with steam from four Scotch boilers

The Eastland

• St. Joseph-Chicago Steamship Company was the ship owner in 1915

• Purchased vessel simply to generate profit

• Issues of safety and seaworthiness played minor role in company decisions

Eastland Dangers

• Top heavy due to the increased amount of life preservers, rafts, and boats the ship carried

• Ship burned 5 tons of coal per hour

• Renovations of the forward dining room – addition of concrete

• No keel

3 Maritime DisastersTitanic in 1912

Luistiana in May 1915

Eastland in July 1915

Western Electric Company

• Western Electric Company invited all of its employees and their families to the annual picnic on July 24, 1915

• Implied that it was highly encouraged to attend • Large amount of women employees during this time

period

Sinking of the Eastland

• July 24, 1915

• 2500 passengers

• 70 crew members

• Death count: 844

Local Response• Divers sent in to

rescue bodies dead and alive

• Facility established at a local company to house fatalities

• Increased law enforcement to secure site and reduce thieves

• American Red Cross and other health officials assisted

William Moorhouse• Chicago’s Commissioner

of Public Works• Stand in Mayor at time

the Eastland sank• Immediately released

relief funds and closed city

• Arranged a command post

• Took charge in emergency relief for Eastland disaster

Indictments

• Recovery – blame needed to be placed

• Investigation was ordered• Federal Grand Jury

Indictments – 10 different individuals

• Charges – “conspiracy to defraud the federal government by preventing the execution of marine laws, and for criminal carelessness”

• Jury returned verdict placing blame on 6 men

• William Hull• Captain Harry Pederson • J.M. Erickson• Robert Reed• J.C. Eckliff• W.K. Greenbaum

Shaping Future Emergency Management Planning

• The Eastland, Titanic, and Luistania were the basis for maritime laws and regulations

• Importance of supplies and readiness plans• The Eastland was purchased and was used for future testing for

ship safety

• The importance of integrated emergency management instead of different levels of government working against each other

References• Bell System Memorial. (n.d.). Eastland Disaster.

www.beatriceco.com/bti/porticus/bell/eastland.html• Bonansinga, Jay. (2004). The Sinking of the Eastland: America’s Forgotten Tragedy. New

York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corps.• Chicago Tribune. (2012, June 10). The Eastland Disaster. Retrieved from

galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-0720-eastland-disaster-pictures-pg/• Eastland Memorial Society. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2013 from www.eastlandmemorial.org• Hilton, George W. (1995). Eastland: Legacy of the Titanic. Stanford, California: Stanford

University Press).