Post on 21-Jul-2015
transcript
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).