America's Fortgotten Tragedy

While on my normal routine here at work I was taught a little bit about my Chicago history by one of my older customers. She is a very interesting lady, Esther is her name. I don't forget it because that was what my mother was going to name me when I was born but her and my father agreed to my name now "chicagloe" ha ha Im kidding, but yeah it was supposed to be my name because one of my older sister's name is Ruth. Hence,Ruth and Esther for those of you who know the books. Anyway, Im never too cool for school so I let my friend/customer go off on a tangent of the Chicago River tragedy or what is called The Eastland Tragedy. It is one of the most down played and overlooked tragedies in American History. It happened on the Chicago River while the boat had not yet left the dock. There were a couple thousand passengers on board on their way to go to a company picnic. There were families and employees of Western Electric on board. The boat was headed to Michigan City Indiana to where the annual company picnic was being held. Many of these employees were immigrant workers. And to this day it is hardly remembered or spoken of. I am surprised that our homegirl Oprah has never made a show of this because these bodies were all lined up for identification around what is now the Harpo Studios. I never knew about this and I was a bit perplexed. Thanks to Esther now I do.I have yet to really dig into more information on this subject but it is definitely something I never knew about. The Titanic had happened three years prior and this tragedy was the biggest in America up until 9/11. Next time Im on the Clark street bridge I will try to remember, July 24, 1915.