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Eastland’s end July 24 marks the 100th anniversary of the worst tragedy in Great Lakes history. Even though the vessel was just 20 feet from the dock, 844 people were lost when she rolled over in 1915. Built in 1902 by the Jenks Ship Building Company of Port Huron, Mich., the Eastland was owned Di the St. eens ye cise Steamship Co. a the cam ef the ent she and two other Great ad been chartered to take employees Fs IHEWeeamekcne ca irillnglsto a iis in Michigan City, In a It is believed a rush of passengers to the side of the steamer farthest from the dock m Eastland unstable, causing her to tip Gide The Mies loss of life barrie despite the ae ee by the crew of a nearby vessel that the hull to all the capsized Eastland to leap to safety. Ironically, it was Ay that may neve been responsible for the accident. In 1915, the new federal Seamen's Act had been passed because of the Titanic disaster. This eae retrofitting of a compl set of iaeate ‘on the Eastland and many other passenger vessels. This additional weight on an upper deck may have made the Eastland more dangerous and eats a preexisting problem of being ice Following the disaster the Eastland was raised, elicit! and sold to the U.S. Navy. After USS Wilmette. She was used primarily asa Sone vessel on the Great Lakes and was a tei World War Il. Eastland at Cleveland in happier times. (Peter B. Worden Collection)