Eastland Memorial Society - The Photographers

In 1915, there were seven daily newspapers operating in the city of Chicago. Photographers were among the first to arrive at the docks where the Eastland lay on her side. Their cameras recorded the tragedy with a vividness that gave it added horror in the eyes of newspaper readers unused to the carnage with which they were to become acquainted with during World War I over the next few years. Their cameras also preserved moments in time for us to reflect on and ponder, even today.

Among the photographers at the disaster were Lyman Atwell of the Herald, Fred Eckhardt of the Daily News, Jun Fujita of the Evening Post, Robert Hollihan Sr. of the American and Godfrey Lundberg of The Tribune.

Lyman Atwell took this photograph of the bow of the Eastland. Ashes from the fireboxes of tug boats were spread onto the side of the ship to aid in traction. In the foreground, four men carry the body of a victim to the attached tug boat which formed a floating bridge to the dock.

Godfrey Lundberg of The Tribune had been assigned the night before to take pictures aboard one of the five boats comprising the excursion flotilla and had said he'd be on the first one, which was the Eastland. He was a little late, and as he came down the steps from a Loop "L" station, he saw people running toward the river and shouting about the disaster. Lundberg rushed to the scene and spent several hours behind the camera. When he returned to The Tribune offices, his fellow workers were surprised to see him, as they thought he had been on board the Eastland.

Fred Eckhardt captured this survivor, an unidentified woman, standing on board a another vessel, watching the on-going rescue activities in shock.

Fred Eckhardt had crossed the river shortly after 7:00am, on his way from his north side home to the offices of the Daily News and had noted casually that the Eastland, already thronged with excursionists, seemed to be listing slightly. He hadn't been at work very long when somebody mentioned that a tug had turned over in the river. Thinking it might be the Eastland, and not a tug, he grabbed his camera, plates, and left the offices running on foot. Eckhardt worked until 10:30pm, then returned the next morning to the Second Regiment armory to take pictures of the long lines of relatives looking for their loved ones amid the rows of the bodies of victims.

Jun Fujita caught the essence of the moment with this picture. The look of grief on the fireman's face as he holds a lifeless child is reminiscent of the Oklahoma City bombing photographs.

Jun Fujita, who was the Post's only photographer, was at work early that morning when he heard the report. After taking pictures for a time, he climbed on the hull of the Eastland and captured the image of a fireman coming out of the hull with a dead child in his arms. To learn more about Jun Fujita, read his biography, poetry and view his artwork.

Fred Eckhardt stood on the starboard railings to witness the extrication of a female victim by rescuers in the between deck area.

Lyman Atwell and everybody else on the Herald staff got a call at home to hurry down to the river. Atwell shot pictures at the river and pictures at the morgue. He slept on a bench in the office and didn't get home for days.

Lundberg worked for The Tribune through the 1950's. Atwell came to The Tribune as news photo chief in 1919, retiring in 1954. Eckhardt joined The Tribune photographic staff in 1922, also retiring in 1954. Fujita became a published poet, artist and later worked as a commercial photographer with studios on the near north side of Chicago.

Fred Eckhardt witnessed this scene as he arrived at the docks after running the entire distance from the Daily News offices. Rescue of survivors is underway.