HUNDREDS DIED, TRAPPED AS SHIP CAPSIZED AT CHICAGO RIVER DOCK

Disaster struck Chicago's waterfront when the excursion ship SS Eastland rolled over at its berth, drowning 844 passengers and crew - many trapped below deck.

The death toll rivaled that of the RMS Titanic.

The vessel, which regularly cruised Lake Michigan, boarded more than 2,500 passengers, above limit, even though it had a reputation for being top heavy - and a less-than-sterling safety record.

"I didn’t know much about the boat except that we got it at a bargain," a representative of the shipowner said. "All I do is sign blank checks."

Boarding began at 6:30 a.m. at the berth between Clark and LaSalle streets. Shortly after 7 a.m., the ship started tilting toward the Chicago River bottom. The crew struggled to stabilize it by filing ballast tanks - but it was too late. 

Onlookers rushed to help. Rescuers arrived. Coast Guardsmen “let themselves down through the air vents into the water between decks," an official said. "Practically all of those whom they found still alive they were able to pass up through the narrow ports."

The Eastland's cruises drew singles and families with small children - and most of the dead were younger than 25 when disaster struck just feet from shore on July 24, 1915. 

[Photos: Public Domain]