In the chronicles of Czech American history the 24th of July, 1915, will be remembered forever as Black Saturday. It was a horrible day when tragedy struck our countrymen living under the star spangled flag of the United States, taking more Czech lives than any other mass disaster ever recorded in this country. It was the catastrophe on the Chicago River, the tragic end of the ship EASTLAND, in which 812 human lives were lost, of which over a fourth were Czech lives, casting despairing grief and endless sorrow upon so many Czech settlements in this renowned metropolis on the banks of Lake Michigan.

The horrors of this accident overshadowed those of the fire at the Iroquois Theater, which took 600 lives; it exceeded by far the gloom and the number of victims of the Chicago fire of 1871, even the San Francisco earthquake, or the 1913 tornado in Omaha. But to us Czechs living not only in America, but overseas back in the old country, the Chicago River accident is more painful, considering how many young Czech lives with promising futures were wasted on that fateful day, the 24^th of July, 1915, when the steamship, prepared for its departure on the day's outing with 3,000 passengers aboard, overturned at its river landing.

What an ocean of tears! What a tidal wave of sorrow and brokenhearted grief lay that day upon the heart and soul of every Czech-American in the metropolis – even all across America, wherever our countrymen live and the Czech language is spoken! And the painful memory of that terrible day will never vanish in our minds, and the name EASTLAND will remain forever in Czech-American history an expression of horror, terror, grief and sorrow! Merciful time which, it is said, can temper and mollify every pain, heal and make whole every wound and dry all tears, can hardly ever obscure the haunting memory of this event in the souls of those who grieve the loss of their loved ones. It is possible for one to be resigned to his fate, but it is impossible for him to forget it!

In all history, the great catastrophe on the Chicago River is unmatched by any other when we consider the circumstances. On a narrow quiet river, in the center of a modern metropolis, in the full view of thousands upon thousands of terror-stricken spectators hopelessly unable to assist in the rescue of the unfortunate drowning victims, the steamer EASTLAND overturned with all of its passengers, of whom one third drowned within the hulk.

How often do we read of a ship disaster, the reports of which shook up and resounded worldwide? Who can't recall the sinking of the liner Titanic in collision with an iceberg, thus becoming the tomb of about 1300 people? Also in our living memories are the sinking of the ships Volturna, Empress of Ireland and others. The sinking of the Lusitania with most of its passengers by a torpedo launched from a submerged submarine, was within a war zone. However, all of these incidents happened under conditions that were predictable - or expectable – risks.

The world read the reports about the Titanic in mute horror. But nevertheless, the huge loss of lives was understandable, since the trans-Atlantic giant transport had the accident far from land, on the high seas and off the normal course of steamships. However, nobody could have suspected that a similar catastrophe could happen at the wharf in the river between city streets, in calm weather, close to other ships in the presence of a huge audience of onlookers!

And it did happen nevertheless...! Merciless and unpredictable Fate played out its tragic role by this sinking, at the least expected time and place.

However, the sacrifice of the unfortunate ship EASTLAND was neither an act of raging natural forces, nor an act of war. No. Here it was negligence, public abuse, and greed for gold and profit, that were directly responsible for the Chicago catastrophe!

So terrible an accident would never have happened, if the ship's owner-firm showed more concern for the safety of its passengers than for its own risk and profit. That many lives would never have been criminally wasted if the responsible inspection officials and the ship's officers had carried out their responsibilities properly.

The EASTLAND was a death trap into which the unwitting, trusting passengers cheerfully and eagerly stepped aboard, expecting an enjoyable crossing of the clear blue waters of Lake Michigan. These people, after working all year within the congested city, expected to spend two days in open nature, devoted to entertainment and to intellectual and physical release from their daily routine work in the shops and offices of a large industrial company.

They were mostly employees of the large Chicago firm: Western Electric Company, which employs thousands and thousands of workers, most of them of Czech descent. The Western Electric Company organizes an employee outing once a year, which always enjoys a large attendance and was regarded as the best attended and most successful outing of the summer season.

It is no wonder then, that the outing on the fateful 24^th of July drew active public interest all around and that all Western Electric Company employees participated if possible. It was expected that more than 4,000 participants would cross the lake aboard the ships EASTLAND, Theodore Roosevelt, Racine and Rochester to Michigan City, the goal of this happy excursion. Among those who showed up for the trip were several hundred fellow countrymen, of whom many traveled with their families.

Instead of happiness and joy, the participants encountered a nightmare of horror, tears and death! Instead of funny plays, entertainment, song, dancing, contests, races and sport matches – they were stricken by a catastrophe, the like of which had never happened before in Chicago's history!

The ships were to depart from their mooring on the Chicago River near the Clark Street bridge. In spite of the rain that started before 7:00AM, the people arriving from all sides, especially from the western suburbs of Chicago: Cicero, Morton Park, Czech California, Hawthorn and elsewhere, were hastened aboard the ship that was to transport them to Michigan City, where they would spend a happy day.

The EASTLAND was the first ship in the convoy scheduled to depart and was soon filled up with passengers, male and female. All wore their Sunday best and all were in their rosiest mood. The ship was ceremoniously bedecked and the band was playing. The departure was scheduled for 8:00AM.

The ship was filled up to its maximum capacity and, as was subsequently discovered, even more passengers were admitted than she could hold and was officially allowed.

It was then noted that the ship was tipping and rolling appreciably, but nobody seemed to be particularily concerned. Everyone believed that there was no danger, that this is the normal roll and rocking of a ship loaded to capacity.

Then the EASTLAND began to tilt to one side, that is, away from the river bank toward the water. The thousands of spectators on shore were overtaken by fear that something terrible is about to happen, and among those aboard who derived enjoyment at first from the ship's motion and joked about it, a terrible panic started. Everyone now realized that the ship's roll is excessive and that they all feared for their lives. It was only a few seconds, but in that interval all aboard experienced fright and indescribable fear. The people on board were swept down the evermore tilting deck to one side and in that instant the EASTLAND rolled over on its side.

That was at 7:50AM…

All passengers on both decks found themselves in the water. It all happened so fast that nobody had time to think about his own rescue. About 2,000 people were swept into the river and those inside the ship in cabins, gambling rooms, etc., were imprisoned as in a horrible death trap.

There was a despairing fight for life. Those who could swim strove to reach the river banks, but even that was not so simple in that mass of human bodies, adults and children, of whom each was concerned only about self-preservation. Those who could not swim grasped the swimmers, and thus it happened that many a good swimmer, who otherwise could easily have reached the safety of the river banks, was dragged under by those who had hooked on to him, into the depths and drowned.

Innumerable scenes, full of ghastly horrors, played out within a few minutes of the ship's overturning. Let's hear the testimony of an eyewitness and participant in the catastrophe, fellow countryman Vincent Dubek from 5420 W. 26^th St. in Chicago's suburb Cicero. As an employee of Western Electric Co., he was aboard the EASTLAND with his wife Katherine, daughter Katherine and two sons, one 15, the other 9 years old. Mr. Dubek with his 9 year old son saved themselves, but his wife, daughter and older son drowned. Mr. Dubek states:

"It was about 7:00AM when we went aboard, anxiously anticipating the trip across the lake. About 7:45AM the boat had already filled up to where there was hardly standing room. After a while the boat tipped to one side slightly toward the shore and then leveled itself. We were seated by the very railing on the northwest side. It was 7:30 when the ship began to tilt toward the water. We suspected no trouble. However, when it seemed to be tipping too far and the people began to slip and fall out of their seats, I looked around and saw how high up the other side was. I shouted: "Jump into the water!" and already I was in the water. I spotted my younger son and swam to him. A wave of water passed over me for the second time, but by that time I was already holding the boy and we reached the overturned hull floating on the river on which we were saved. I looked all around to find others of my loved ones but found not one more. The river was carrying our hull toward the other ships where they hoisted us up on ladders. I didn't see my wife, daughter or son alive again…"

And such frightful tragedies were played simultaneously by the hundreds during the overturning of the EASTLAND! Although a line of larger boats, steamers and small dinghies were nearby, it was impossible for them to rescue those fighting for their lives in the water where there were so many unable to keep their heads above the surface that everybody could not be helped. Anxious cries for help, screams of fear and fright, crying and moaning rose forth out of the mass of human bodies, fighting a desperate battle of death around the upturned hull of the ship. And body after body vanished beneath the swirling surface of the Chicago River. Those who saved themselves by swimming, or were rescued by boats and dinghies comprised a relatively small group.

However, those who remained below deck during the catastrophe faired even worse. Very few of those escaped with their lives. Many were in cabins when the ship overturned, initiating despicable terror and deadly horrors.

Fellow countryman Bedrich Simonek, son of a renowned dentist in Chicago, who likewise was one of the passengers, described his frightful experiences which he will remember for the rest of his life thus: "We sat below inside the ship where everyone was in a cheerful mood, looking forward to a good time. There were over 200 of us. The ship started to dip and tilt to one side after about 20 minutes. We made fun of it at first, as we believed that this was the normal roll of the ship and was posing no danger. All at once it tossed us all to one side. The piano turned over and broke up killing about twenty people. Everyone screamed and sought safety. The water entered the ship. I am a good swimmer and strove to keep my head above the surface. It was difficult. About six people were holding on to me, but also dragged me down. In fear they dropped me and sought rescue elsewhere. As a result I was able to reach the surface again. I would gladly help others, but I couldn't, and I'm lucky to have saved my own life. I escaped through a window and swam to dockside where I was hoisted by rope to street level, about 15 feet."

Most of the victims of the catastrophe were women and children. There were several cases where the entire Czech family fell victim. A good third of the victims were of Czech descent. Sympathy and mourning overwhelmed everyone who read or heard about:

• The tragic end of the entire Sindelar family of seven.
• How the entire family of fellow countryman Novotny found its tomb in the waves of the Chicago River, leaving their frail, grandmother safe at home only to survive them with a broken-heart.
• About the family of fellow countryman Fenik, all of whom fell victim to the EASTLAND.

Perhaps the fate of the Sindelar family is the saddest of them all: Mr. George J. Sindelar of 4537 W. Jackson Blvd., a foreman at Western Electric Co., was aboard the ship with his wife Josephine and children: Adelle 15, Sylvia 13, George Jr. 9, Albert 7 and William 3. Not one of them returned from the excursion and all were retrieved from the river as cold corpses. It took several days to retrieve the bodies from the river and, on the third day following the catastrophe, the bodies of Mrs. Sindelar and little William were found.

The joint funeral service for the whole family, which was conducted on the 28^th of July in the Masonic Hall on Oakley Avenue, was one of the saddest and most touching. Thousands of people came to honor the three large caskets (for Mr. Sindelar's sister-in-law, Miss Regina Dolezal, who died with that family), and the five small caskets, mounted on mourning catacombs bedecked with waves of flowers, wreaths, ribbons and palms. Not a dry eye remained as caskets were bourne outside for transport to their final rest in the Bohemian National Cemetery.

Another Czech family, all members of which died in the overturning of the ship, was the family of fellow countryman James Fenik of 5526 W. 23^rd Place in Cicero. Mr. Fenik, his wife Marie and children William and Helen lost their lives.

A tragic end befell the family of fellow countryman James Novotny of 5527 W. 24^th Place. His wife Agnes, daughter Marie 10 and son William 7 drowned together with him. The whole city mourned in sympathy over the sad end of this unfortunate family and displayed interest everywhere, especially in little William, to the extent that it was the grandest and most beautiful funeral service of them all.

By singling out this family the City of Chicago and its official representatives and ordinary citizens symbolically paid their respects to the memory of all of the EASTLAND victims. Little William's funeral and that of his relatives was so imposing because his was recovered from the river very late and ir remained unclaimed in the Armory of the 2^nd Regiment for many days identified only as No. 396.

Nobody recognized this unknown drowned boy, although thousands passed by his body. It was known, however, that William Novotny drowned, and the bodies of his parents and sister Marie were found and identified.

All Chicago was asking: "Who is that boy No. 396?", until No. 396 was declared child of the entire city and it was decided, that the entire city would provide for him the grandest funeral. The Boy Scouts of America declared that they would enroll the unknown boy as their comrade and that they will attend his funeral en masse just as if he had been a member of theirs.

But meanwhile, on the 29^th of July, i.e. a week after the catastrophe, the body of No. 396 was identified by his schoolmates, Czech boys Walter Cech and Frank Rezabek. Also Miss Alice Cech identified William and likewise the boy's grandmother, Mrs. Martinek, who lived with the Novotny family. The Novotny family funeral was conducted on July 31, under the care of the Czech Assistance Committee and was one of the most beautiful Czech funerals of victims of the catastrophe. The funeral service was conducted in the Czech Freethought School Vojta Naprstek on Homan Avenue. It was attended not only by huge masses of Chicago citizens, but also by representatives of the city of Chicago headed by mayor Thompson and a long line of Czech and other nationality organizations. The coffins were mounted in front of the school on mourning-draped supports and alongside them, an abundance of wreaths, flowers and ribbons. All who desired could gaze upon the faces of the members of the unfortunate family members to express their last words of condolence. The funeral was attended by mayor Thompson, city, state even lodge officers, Sokol young adults of both sexes from District Fuegner Tyrs, the chorus of the National Sokol Organization, school children, Boy Scouts of America, member of various societies, the Czech Assistance Committee and thousands and thousands of Chicago citizens. A lecturer's platform was erected in front of the caskets from which spoke Mr. Zikmund Chobotsky, president of the Court Trocnov no. 15, C.A.L. and L., Mr. Janda for lodge Veselych Soused, Mr. Havranek, Dr. F. L. Smetanka and Chicago Mayor W. H. Thompson. The vocal chorus sang the Czech national anthem, Kde domov muj? (Where is my home?).

There was not one tearless eye and everybody felt deep sympathy for the surviving elderly grandmother, Mrs. Martinek as she wept bitterly over the caskets of her dearest ones. The streets were filled with people and all hearts surged with pulses of mourning and sadness… The caskets were loaded into two automobiles and the funeral procession started to move. Motorcycle police headed the procession, followed by the police, bailiffs, marching band music, Sokol Juniors, a long line of lodges and organizations, judges, Congressman Sabath, and all Czech leading citizens representing the city, county and others. Two automobiles loaded with wreaths and flowers preceded the caskets. The Novotny family with little William was laid to final rest in the Bohemian National Cemetery.

Fellow countryman Frank Dolezal of 2802 S. St. Louis Avenue was also brutally stricken by the catastrophe. He left for the excursion with his wife Josephine, daughters Mary and Ludmila, 3 year old son Frank Jr. and mother-in-law Mrs. Drnka. They all sat inside the ship. When the first wave of water rolled inside it hurled him aside against some kind of railing to which he clung. Mrs. Drnka likewise grasped the same railing and in so doing she saw her daughter, Mrs. Dolezal, disappear into the murky water with little Ludmila and Mary. At the same time Mr. Dolezal heard the cries of his son Frank Jr. and he successfully reached down and pulled him out of the water. Mrs. Dolezal with her two daughters drowned and Mr. Dolezal with Mrs. Drnka and his little son Frank were saved from the overturned boat, but with great difficulty, because of all kinds of threatening hazards. He found his wife and daughters later, in the morgue dead!

Hundreds of such terrible heart-rending scenes played out on the river and within the ship. These moments were so horrible, that even those who were saved, especially those who witnessed the drowning of other members of their family, behaved like madmen. Many wanted to throw themselves back into the water and had to be forcefully restrained. Many women were stricken with hysterical seizures and wanted to commit suicide. Those were moments which the participants will recall with horror for the rest of their lives!

As soon as the first reports of the incidents flashed, the police and fire departments undertook rescue work in feverish haste. Many passengers were pulled out of the river with the assistance of dinghies, ropes, lifesavers, or other means. From within the ship sounded agonized screams, crying and calls for help. The firemen immediately started to cut open the ship's hull with acetylene torches to reach those trapped inside. Pulmotors were brought up and first aid was administered to all rescued in the unconscious state. Most of them were transported to nearby hospitals.

More than 200 drowned bodies were recovered from the river by noon and the number kept rising steadily, ultimately reaching almost 1,000!

News of the terrible accident spread over the city with lightning speed and shortly after 8:00AM the sad news reached the Czech quarters on Chicago's West Side. Who can describe the horror, sorrow and mourning that was shared, in these Czech settlements, namely Cicero, Hawthorn, Czech California, Pilsen and Morton Park? At home, how many mothers' hearts stopped momentarily with an alarming premonition when they heard about the sinking of the EASTLAND, knowing only that her children might have been aboard? How many fathers shed tears as they reminisced about their children? And the longer the wait, the more horrible were the incoming reports and, alas, these were our fellow countrymen who were hit the hardest, and those terrible premonitions were not false. The pronouncement on the first day of the Chicago River disaster as "the worst catastrophe ever to strike the Chicago Czechs" was legally proper. Panic and excitement reigned over the Czech quarters that first day, escalating for days afterward. The eyes of them all revealed the pain of despair, boundless sadness and heartrending grief.

And by 9:00AM the first automobiles were arriving with their loads of rescued fellow countrymen. All were wrapped in heavy covers and were delivered to their homes. Their clothing was torn, muddy and soaking wet and most of them blood-stained, evidence of a terrible life and death struggle. By their anxiety, everyone showed evidence of the torture, fear and panic that they had experienced. The 24^th of July, 1915 was Black Saturday for the Chicago Czechs.

In addition to the above-mentioned Czech families, all members of whom died in the catastrophe, there were other families who mourned more than one member. These usually were families with several grown daughters participating in the excursion:

• The family Strakov, 4724 Throop St. lost 3 members.
• The family Riedl, 2806 S. Lawndale Ave. lost daughters Marie and Rose.
• The family Zastera, 4307 W. 25^th Place lost daughters Antonia, Marie and Julia.
• The family Dubek, 5420 W. 26^th St. lost Mrs. Katherine Dubek 36, and children Katherine 15 and Joseph 11.
• The family Dolejs of Morton Park bitterly suffered the loss of 3 daughters Rose, Marie and Anna. Anna was to have celebrated her 21^st birthday on the 26^th of July! Only the mother, Rose Dolejs and Bessie 12 survived. All three daughters were buried together.
• The family Kotovsky, 2437 Central Park Ave., lost daughters Johana and Rose.
• The family Streit, 2510 S. Millard Ave., lost 3 daughters.
• The family Turek, 2323 S. Kostner Ave., lost 3 members.
• The couple soon to be married. Ervin Nadenik of 1830 S. Hamiln Ave. and Miss Anna Rebout of 3159 S. Millard Ave., were buried together and thus united in death.
• The family Robert and Marie Jungwirth lost two daughters, Lillian 18 and Mayme 16. Son Fred 13 survived.
• The family John and Frances Salak suffered this touching fate: Mrs. Salak drowned and Mr. Salak who managed to save himself, committed suicide by gas inhalation on Tuesday, on the 27^th of July out of grief over the loss of his spouse.

The whole issue of Kalendar, if devoted entirely to this disaster, could not adequately contain a comprehensive coverage of the grief and pain of each and every Czech family and individually describe their tragic experiences in Chicago, particularly in the Czech quarters, in those days.

How sad those days were when the funerals of the catastrophe victims were underway! About 300 funerals were conducted within the Czech quarters, over the three days: July 26, 27 and 28 of 1915 and each of these was attended by thousands filled with sympathy and sadness. Meanwhile, more and more bodies were being retrieved from the river.

Who is to blame for the EASTLAND catastrophe? That was the question that surfaced in the mind of everyone as soon as the extent of the Chicago River accident was known. The universally accepted simple explanation was the criminal negligence, sloppy work and greed of those who permitted the overloading beyond the legal prescribed maximum number of passengers. This despite the fact that the EASTLAND was condemned long ago as being badly constructed, old and unsuitable for the transport of passengers. Various sources had predicted long ago, that a badly constructed ship, with improper weight distribution, and inadequate ballast, would some day suffer a great catastrophe.

But this advise and these warnings were ignored and only after so many hundreds of passengers perished was it admitted that the EASTLAND was a genuine death trap for its passengers. It was established that the government inspectors did not perform their responsibility when they issued the permit for the permissible number of passengers, that their decisions were biased by various aspects: politics and family nepotism, among others, with such a terrible outcome.

Of course the city, state and federal government agencies instituted their investigations into the disaster soon after it happened. These are still continuing, and they will take a long time. If only the catastrophe would serve as a warning memoir to the investigating agencies and at the same time, as the initiator of a fight against the criminal negligence and the official corruption which stains the clean shield of the United States!

As was generally conceded, the blame rested in part on the St. Joseph Transportation Co. to whom the ship belonged, on the government inspectors who evaluated the ship's suitability, and on the ship's captain and officers, who ignored the safety precautions prescribed by law. Thus, for example, the water ballast tanks were not filled at the time that the ship was loaded with passengers, and by this means the rolling and eventual overturning of the vessel happened. In the end it is said that the ballast tanks could not be filled because the pumps were inoperative. The water line was incorrectly computed and consequently the ship's balance was easily upset.

The ship EASTLAND was built at an expense of $205,000 in Port Huron, Mich., but in Cleveland it was soon excluded from passenger transport. After being used there for a while hauling freight, it was moved to Chicago, where again it was given a permit to transport passengers. The investigation currently under way is to reveal how that could happen.

It is hoped that the investigation findings will establish the truly guilty parties and also will seek their punishment for the wasting of so many hundreds of young, beautiful, gifted lives. It was mass murder. May the villains be punished accordingly.

The ship's captain, Harry Pederson, was arrested and charged immediately after the catastrophe, and with him all of the ship's crew. As they were being taken away, the thousands of people crowded around them with their anger growing. They were threatening to lynch the suspects had the police not intervened to prevent it. Pederson was publicly call a murderer and his crew was roughly assaulted.

In his testimony Pederson declared that there was a secret understanding between the ship's owner and the government inspectors in the sense that the ship will take more passengers than was legally allowed, although previously, on several occasions, the ship had been found unfit to sail, and that no repairs had been made.

Up to June, however, the firm had a permit from the government agencies allowing them to carry up to 2500 passengers. At that time Pederson was sent to Grand Rapids, Mich., where the government inspector Robert Reid handed him a new certificate for EASTLAND. Pederson further explained that shortly afterward, Reid's son-in-law, J. M. Erickson, was hired as chief engineer on the EASTLAND.

Walter K. Greenbaum, general manager of Indiana Transportation Co., which hired the EASTLAND, was imprisoned in the night of the 28^th of July, 1915. The ship's secretary, George W. Munger, who had been imprisoned with Martin Flatow, chief agent of St. Joseph-Chicago Stteamship Co., which owned the EASTLAND, and besides them, the ship's chief engineer, Joseph M. Erickson.

Charges of murder or of criminal negligence were lodged against each of them. Three weeks after the catastrophe, the hull of the EASTLAND was floated to the river surface and towed to South Chicago.

The sympathy that surged through every heart in Chicago following the catastrophe was not just platonic, it expressed itself quickly in offers of effective assistance. An Assistance Committee was formed on the first day. It initiated collections for the family survivors of the victims. That Committee operated under the presidency of mayor Thompson, who returned quickly from San Francisco where he was attending the Fair. The Committee collected almost $400,000 in the so-called Mayor's Fund.

The Czechs also realized the seriousness of the situation and their leading citizens organized the Czech Assistance Committee which collected donations for the family survivors of the victims, immediately helping those most in need. The president of the Czech Assistance Committee was chief bailiff Anton Cermak and the treasurer was Joseph Holpuch. They collected $8,824.25.