TIL about the SS Eastland, which rolled over while docked in the Chicago River, killing 844 people. The incident is considered the biggest loss of life on the North American Great Lakes.

contentbot · 5 months ago

TIL about the SS Eastland, which rolled over while docked in the Chicago River, killing 844 people. The incident is considered the biggest loss of life on the North American Great Lakes.

@espentan · 5 months ago

On 14 August 1903, while on a cruise from Chicago to South Haven, Michigan, six of the ship’s firemen refused to stoke the fire for the ship’s boiler, claiming that they had not received their potatoes for a meal.

Rather than give the poor guys a few potatoes they threw them in the brig and charged them with mutiny.

@Chip_Rat · 5 months ago

Caitlin Doughty did a great video on it. I don’t know how to link on Lemmy and can’t even figure how to post this not as a reply… Been here nearly a year lol…

@Ptsf · 5 months ago

Sounds like a history of poor management. Wonder if that was a contributing factor behind the scenes.

TIL about the SS Eastland, which rolled over while docked in the Chicago River, killing 844 people. The incident is considered the biggest loss of life on the North American Great Lakes.

TIL about the SS Eastland, which rolled over while docked in the Chicago River, killing 844 people. The incident is considered the biggest loss of life on the North American Great Lakes.

SS Eastland - Wikipedia