Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

Eight Eastland Survivors—On the Record, Off the Radar

• Natalie Zett • Season 4 • Episode 162

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A faded, barely readable newspaper scan kept the Eastland Disaster survivor stories tucked away for decades, hiding them in plain sight. When a clearer copy finally surfaced, it was like prying open a sealed time capsule. We dive into two interviews from 1935, marking twenty years since the SS Eastland tragedy in Chicago. What leaps from the page is vivid and unfiltered: a heated argument at the gangplank, the sharpest screams, the moment the deck lurches, and the heart-stopping decisions that separate survival from loss.

We immerse ourselves in the voices of Western Electric workers and passengers—Rose Smoller, Walter H. Flinn, Lisle (Lysle) Goyette, Ethel Stephenson, Jennie Turbov, William Kaunt, Frank Terdina, and Charles Borovansky. Their memories shrink the disaster to the scale of white-knuckled hands clutching rails, bodies squeezing through cabin windows, and floating debris that transforms into lifelines. The trauma lingers, echoing for decades as nightmares and a lasting fear of water. The Berwyn Life account adds unforgettable color: Terdina pausing at the edge, reluctant to ruin his new suit, only to be ensnared by ropes underwater as the Eastland crashes down.

Then we pause to face a sobering truth about the Eastland Disaster’s history: so many names have faded from the digital record, or appear without stories or sources, making them nearly impossible to trace. We share what we’ve uncovered, what still slips through our fingers, and how this podcast is becoming a living archive for the Eastland’s forgotten voices. If the Eastland Disaster, Chicago history, survivor stories, or the craft of family storytelling resonate with you, subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review to help keep these memories alive.

Resources:

  • “The Eastland Disaster—20 Years Ago Next Wednesday: Survivors Recall the Deeds of Heroism,” by Joseph J. Dugan, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), July 21, 1935, p. 3.
  • “Recount Harrowing Scenes: Twenty Years Ago Today-Horror of Eastland Disaster,” Berwyn Life (Berwyn, Illinois), July 24, 1935, p. 1

Welcome And Why These Articles Matter

Natalie Zett

Hello, I'm Natalie Zett, and welcome to Flower in the River. This podcast, inspired by my book of the same name, explores the 1915 Eastland disaster in Chicago and its enduring impact, particularly on my family's history. We'll explore the intertwining narratives of others impacted by this tragedy as well. And we'll dive into writing and genealogy and uncover the surprising supernatural elements that surface in family history research. Come along with me on this journey of discovery. Hey, this is Natalie, and welcome to Flower in the River Podcast. This is episode 162, and I hope you're doing well. This episode is approximately two years in the making because I first discovered this newspaper article around that time. This article contained several survivors accounts published in 1935. However, this copy of this digitized newspaper was so badly smudged that most of it was illegible. So I just filed it away and hoped that I could get a legible copy at some point. So talk about a gift. And I can't wait to share these two newspaper articles with you. And I know I say this a lot, but I need to say it again. These people's names and their stories were at risk of being lost for a long time, if not forever, because none of these accounts have been picked up and shared in any book or on any online platform that I could locate. The first one is from the Chicago Daily Tribune. The second is from the Berwin Life. Berwin is a suburb of Chicago. And as an extra bonus, the Berwin Life has a gorgeous photo of the seven survivors of the Eastland disaster. Of course, I'll share the source with you so you can look at it for yourself. But you can also take a look at my poster and the promo video for this episode to see what these folks look like 20 years after the Eastland disaster. And I've never seen this photograph any place else, by the way. This is from the Chicago Sunday Tribune, July 21, 1935. Headline The Eastland Disaster Twenty Years Ago Next Wednesday. Survivors recall the deeds of heroism. This was written by Joseph U. Dugan. Twenty years ago next Wednesday, Chicago was the scene of a major disaster. The Lake Passengers steamship Eastland overturned in the Chicago River at the Clark Street Bridge. More than 2,400 men, women, and children were aboard, and 812 of them lost their lives. Survivors of the catastrophe, as well as all other Chicagoans, need no reminder of the horrors of that terrible accident. What most prefer to remember twenty years after is the record of heroism, sacrifice, and human sympathy which that day brought forth. The Eastland had been chartered by employees of the Western Electric Company to take them on an excursion to Michigan City, Indiana. Many of the living survivors still are employees or are relatives of employees of the same company. A reporter talked the other day with a group of Western Electric workers, all of whom were aboard the Eastland when it overturned. Their stories are typical of those told by all of the men and women who were saved. Headline Escapes by Fraction of a Second The names of the survivors in the group and their stories below. Miss Rose Smaller 1453 Addison Street Quote I was in charge of a group of young girls, and we got to the docks after the Eastland had almost completed loading passengers. I got on the boat with only a few of the girls, and the man taking the tickets told the rest of my party they couldn't get on. I decided, in that case, that I and the girls with me would get off, rather than separate the party. I had an argument with officials at the gangplank, but we pushed ourselves through and got back to the dock. It seemed only a moment later that we heard the most piercing screams I have ever heard in my life. I couldn't believe my eyes. And I guess my mind just went numb as the big boat rolled over into the river. It seemed like several minutes before anyone on the dock had completely realized what had happened. But I guess it only was a few moments. After that, the confusion was terrible. The details of the next few hours are jumbled in my mind. I remember trying to be of help on the dock, and later in a warehouse where they took unconscious victims. I am quite sure that if we had known anything about artificial respiration, we could have saved many of them. Headline Finds Pleasure on Trip to Alaska. Walter H. Flynn, 3332 Home Avenue, Irwin. Quote For 19 years after our experience on the eastland, my wife and I kept away from boats. Then, last year, after a great deal of persuasion on my part, we took a trip to Alaska. I'll admit we got aboard the ship with misgivings, but that feeling wore off and we enjoyed the voyage immensely. The day of the Eastland accident, we were on the forward boat deck, near the captain's cabin, and, fortunately, on the dockside. As the boat started to go over, we were able to scramble over the dockside railing and hang on. We were dangling there with water right below us. I knew we couldn't hang on long. I was somewhat of an athlete in those days and decided to try to swing myself over the railing. On the first try, I lost my hold and fell down into the captain's cabin. One leg went through a window, and I was straddling the top of the cabin. By that time I was getting exhausted, but I managed to get up again and could just reach the rail. On the next try, I pulled myself over it. I was then in a secure position to pull my wife up to safety, but she had such a strong hold on the rail that I couldn't break it. We were both crazed, I guess. Nothing I could say or do would make her loosen her grip on the rail. I beat on her knuckles and pleaded with her, but it was no use. Finally, another man came to my assistance, and between us we managed to break her hold and pull her up. Both of us had been badly cut and bruised, and our clothing was torn to shreds. My wife did not recover from the shock for many weeks. Next story. Lyle Goyet, 1835 South Grove Avenue, Berwin. Quote, when I boarded ship to go to France a couple of years after the Eastland disaster, I guess I was the most scared guy in my outfit. All the way across I had the jitters every minute. Then, one night I was on guard on deck. Another ship in our convoy got off course and was headed straight for us. I saw the bow of the other ship headed right into the side of our ship. I let out a yell you could have heard a mile. Then the other ship veered away and a crash was avoided by inches. But my nerves were completely shot, and I was twice as jittery as I had been before. Yes, I was thinking all the time of my experience on the Eastland. My father, two brothers, and I were on the Eastland when it went over. My youngest brother was drowned. I was in the baggage room below decks when the boat capsized. It seemed to me the boat went over all of a sudden. I didn't realize what had happened. Somehow I managed to get up to the side that was out of the water and was pulled out. Next story. Miss Ethel Stevenson, 5416 Camerling Avenue. Quote, I was only a little girl at the time of the Eastland disaster, but I remember it vividly. I was on the Eastland with my father. We were sitting on the riverside outside of the cabin deck. My father's chair was right in front of a cabin window. When the boat went over, I grabbed his shoulders, and we both went up through the cabin window in the water. We came to the surface instead of a big cabin, and my father realized the object clinging to his back was me. He made his way to a rail or something that he could hang on to, and after a while we were pulled up. Next story. Frank Terdina three seven two seven Wesley Avenue, Berwin quote I was on the second deck on the riverside when the eastland went over. When it lurched, I jumped into the water. For a moment or two I was under the overturned deck. But in those days I was a good swimmer and I managed to get out from under. When I came to the surface I thought I could make it to the other side of the river, but after a few strokes, I was so exhausted, I knew I couldn't. I turned back and grabbed at some floating wood. By that time, the river was filled with floating debris and people struggling in the water. I managed to hang on to a chair until I was picked up and pulled aboard a small boat. Next story. Miss Jenny Turbov, 1939 Grove Avenue, Berwin. Three other girls and myself went aboard the Eastland together. We found seats on the riverside of an outside deck. When the boat first started to chip, the only thing I noticed was that a man sitting behind us seemed to be pushing his chair against the back of mine. I was annoyed, not realizing he couldn't help it. Then, without warning, we were all thrown against the rail and knew that the boat was going over. Without thinking, I stood up and jumped into the water. I remember one of the girls screamed at me, Jenny, don't jump. I guess I lost consciousness as soon as I was in the water. The next thing I remember was holding on with all my strength to a man's feet. I was underwater and the man tried to kick me loose, but I didn't let go. Then I lost my senses again, and I don't remember anything else until I was ashore, with a blanket wrapped around me. I was taken to the Iroquois hospital and later driven home. One of the other girls in my party was saved, but two of them were lost. Next story. William H. Count, 337 North Brainerd Avenue, LaGrange. Quote, I had horrible nightmares for months after the Eastland disaster, and it wasn't until about a year ago that I felt equal to braving a boat trip. I finally decided to take a trip on the Hudson River, and I'll admit it took me a while to get up enough courage to go aboard the boat. I enjoyed the trip though, and I don't think I will ever have the old fear of traveling on water again. The day of the Eastland tragedy is very clear in my mind. When I got on the boat, the decks and inside rooms were crowded. I went up a stairway and out onto the open part of the deck at the stern. I remember two other men were standing near me. When the boat started to turn over, we all three grabbed an iron post. I knew we were in a dangerous place and decided to get away from there. I managed to reach the stairway, but was thrown down the stairs into the inside cabin. The water was coming in fast, but I managed to climb back along the stair railing out into the open again. By that time I was in the water, but I managed to keep my head above the surface and to hang to the railing until someone pulled me up to the side of the boat that was out of the water. My clothes were in rags, and blood was streaming down my face from several jagged cuts. I was dazed, but managed to walk along the side of the boat to a tug, which took a group of us to the dock. I don't remember how I got there, but I was taken to one of the Big Loop hotels nearby. I wanted to telephone my wife, but there were long lines of people waiting for each telephone. A man told me to sit down and he would stand in line for me. And we will continue with a similar article that appeared during the same time. And it just shows that perseverance pays off because that initial copy that I had of this newspaper was mostly not legible. However, I was able to locate a newly scanned version of this, at least it appears to be that way, and it was very much worth waiting for, not only to be able to finally read this newspaper, but to see where it differs from the account that I just shared. This article is from Berwin Life, Wednesday, July 24, 1935. Headline 20 years ago today, horror of Eastland Disaster. Survivors tell of scene when Eastland sank. What would you do if you had on a brand new suit and someone told you to jump in the water? Just like Frank Terdina, a survivor of the Eastland disaster, you'd probably hem and haw until the last moment. Thinking over the day, said Terdina yesterday to a life reporter, I laugh now at my refusing to jump in the water because I had on a new suit. Charles Borovansky, 2529 South Kenilworth Avenue, and myself were aboard the boat for a grand spree. Our wives were at home and we figured on a gay law day. As soon as we boarded the Eastland, we went to the second deck near the masts. The very first thing we noticed was the boat lurching slightly, and Charlie laughingly commented that if a boat was going to rock in the river it would certainly bounce around once we were out in the lake. I replied in a kidding manner and said we could get life preservers. Then we heard screams and saw that the boat was slowly toppling over toward the riverside. Both Charlie and I went to the rail there, and Charlie yelled for me to jump. While I was demuring because of my new suit, he had already jumped in. Headline forgets about suit. I realized that I had better get going, so I soon forgot about the new suit and jumped in. The boat came down after me, and while underwater I was tangled up with some of the ropes around the mast. I struggled around for a moment and finally came clear. I caught on to some debris and was picked up by the tug Stuart. One of the most vivid impressions I have of the whole affair was when I was underwater, I recall saying to myself, Frank, you're in a hell of a place. How are you going to get out? While on the tug I looked down and saw Charlie on some pilings. I yelled at him and he answered in between retchings of his stomach. I then turned my attention to the scene of horror, and I assure you that I had nightmares for a long time afterward, seeing these people trapped like rats inside the boat. They were burning holes in the steel plate with acetylene torches and were carrying out the people. The dead were lining the river in windows so that they could be identified. Headline Wife gave him up. The reporter stopped Terdina long enough to ask him about his homecoming. Did your wife know about the disaster? Terdina was asked, and he chuckled and said, My wife had given me up for gone because I was a long time in coming home to Berwin. After leaving the scene of the catastrophe, I boarded a streetcar. I got off in my bedraggled clothes, rather what was left of them, and taken into Birkhoff's old place, where somebody set me up to some drinks. I was penniless as I had lost my coat and money. I then went to the CBQ station where they took one look at me and put me on a train. Needless to say, my wife and family were overjoyed when they saw that I was alive and in one piece. The reporter then sought out Borovansky to hear his side of the story. He told another tale of horror. As soon as I heard the screaming and saw that the boat was listing, I jumped. I yelled at Frank, but he was still on deck when I hit the water. I think one of the cabins was about a foot above me while I was swimming in the water, but I didn't get tangled up in anything. Thinking I could swim the distance to the dock, I set out, but my clothes and rubber soled shoes were Were too heavy for me, so I grabbed a raft. I pulled myself on and then caught hold of a girl and pulled her on the raft. She was sobbing and I tried to quiet her, telling her that everything was alright and that she was safe. I looked up to see Frank on a tug, pulling people up from the water, and then he yelled at me. Meanwhile, the reaction had set in on me and I became sick. Headline Noise was terrific. While on the raft the screaming and noise was terrific. There was a great noise as water was rushing in the funnels, and the suction was drawing the raft near the boat. Someone shouted that the boilers would blow up, and I remember preparing to duck into the water in case it did blow so that I couldn't be hit by fragments. You want to know how I was received when I got home? Well, I left the scene, and after someone bought me a few drinks, I started home on the streetcar. When I arrived home, my wife looked at me, dripping water, and wondered what had happened. She hadn't heard a thing about the capsizing of the boat, and neither had anyone else in the neighborhood. I changed my clothes and went back to the scene. My wife didn't go originally because she is afraid of the water. When I got back to the river, a great mob had collected. I saw the rescue work going on and saw bodies of fellow employees at the Western Electric Company waiting to be identified. In my department, the woodworking department, we lost 30 people. Headline Afraid of typhoid. Of course I had some nightmares, but one of my biggest scares was that I had typhoid fever. All those who were in the disaster were warned to get injections to prevent typhoid. And after I had them, I came down with the chills and fever for several hours. But fortunately, nothing happened. Some of those who didn't take the injections did get typhoid. It's all over now. But if you want the sensation of your life, get on a boat, feel it rock, and then watch it settle on one side. It's an experience you'll not want again in your lifetime. That's the end of this second article. It was from the Berwin Life newspaper. The date was Wednesday, July 24th, 1935. So exactly 20 years after the Eastland disaster, and you got to hear some more first hand accounts. And next week I'll share the biographies of these people because I know you wonder what happened to them after these interviews. But right now I want to tell you what I found, or what I didn't find, when I went looking for them online. These survivors' accounts were recorded in 1935. They surely had to be someplace besides these old newspapers. Long story short, these stories only appear to have been shared in 1935 when they appeared in those newspapers. They were not picked up by any past or current platform that features the Eastland disaster. And also I did an individual search. In other words, I looked for each person who was mentioned in both of these articles to see what was available or what is not available, either in a book or online about them in regards to their experience of the Eastland disaster. We'll start with Lyle Goyet. There is a story out there attached with his name on one of the sites, but as you know, if there's no source citation, I can't use it because, well, I can't prove it. And unfortunately, this is a very common thing when it comes to the histories of these individual people of the Eastland disaster. Ethel Stevenson, her name appears on at least one of the online platforms, but nothing more. No status, no biography. Jenny Turbov, again, a story exists, but no source citations, so it can't be used. Frank Terdina. Frank does not appear anywhere in association with the Eastland disaster, so I will be adding him to my list to make sure he is always accounted for. William Kaunt. His name is spelled two different ways, C-A-U-N-T and C-A-W-N-T. I searched for both surnames, but nothing turned up in connection with the Eastland disaster. So he's missing from this history, even though he was part of it. Rose Smoller. Rose's name is on one of the Eastland Disaster platforms, but there's no biography. Charles Borovansky also is not listed anywhere, so he is one of the lost folks, lost and found of the Eastland disaster. So, next steps, I will share biographies for each one of these people next week. And in tandem, I will make sure that they are acknowledged and these survivor accounts are part of their biographies. There are a lot, and I continue to find them. You heard several more this week, and I'm sure that there are even others available. As more things are digitized and come online, that means that that world will be even more open to all of us. But here's the thing the research can never stop. It has to continue. And by the way, this podcast serves a dual purpose. Well, it's a podcast, yes, but it's also a record for the many lost or undertold stories of the people of the Eastland disaster. And I'm grateful that you're here and that you're interested in all of this. And you come from all over the world, and that just continues to blow my mind. So, everyone, please take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Stay safe, and I will talk to you next week. Hey, that's it for this episode, and thanks for coming along for the ride. Please subscribe or follow so you can keep up with all the episodes. And for more information, please go to my website. That's www.flowerintheriver.com. I hope you'll consider buying my book available as audiobook, ebook, paperback, and hardcover because I still owe people money. And that's my running joke. But the one thing I'm serious about is that this podcast and my book are dedicated to the memory of all who experienced the Eastland disaster of 1915. Goodbye for now.

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Natalie Zett

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