Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

Honeymoon Interrupted: The Groom Says "I Do" to Disaster

• Natalie Zett • Season 4 • Episode 129

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Hidden stories have a way of finding the light. In this fascinating deep dive, we uncover two previously unknown documents that reshape our understanding of the 1915 Eastland disaster that claimed over 800 lives in the Chicago River.

The first discovery reveals how the tragedy transformed American journalism. Through a December 1915 Associated Press Service Bulletin, we glimpse the behind-the-scenes response of the nation's leading news agency and hear the voices of newspaper editors across the Midwest praising the AP's "remarkable" coverage for its "promptness and accuracy." These testimonials from Kentucky to South Dakota demonstrate how thoroughly this Chicago disaster reverberated nationwide.

Even more compelling is the eyewitness account of the Burns brothers - Luke, an attorney visiting Chicago on his honeymoon, and his physician brother Peter who responded to the disaster scene. Their harrowing story, published in a small Minnesota newspaper but never incorporated into mainstream Eastland narratives, provides chilling details: a woman swimmer killed by a barrel thrown from the overturned ship, a Polish survivor who saved 25 people through a porthole, and grieving mothers who lost multiple children. Luke Burns minced no words, calling it "criminal negligence" and describing the Eastland as "not seaworthy" and "top-heavy."

This pattern of finding crucial historical evidence in overlooked sources raises profound questions about historical preservation. As with many neglected chapters of history, it's often independent researchers, genealogists, podcasters, and dedicated volunteers who step up to document stories that might otherwise vanish forever. The truth, as they say, has a way of surfacing - even if it takes a century and everyday citizens to bring it to light.

Want to help preserve these important stories? Subscribe to the podcast, visit flowerintheriver.com, and consider picking up the book that started this journey of historical recovery.

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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 I want to welcome you to episode 129 of Flower in the River. I hope you're doing well. This week we will take a detour not much of one, but a small one because I want to share yet another document that I found guess where? Yes, on Google Books. I will share that with you and then share a long lost story that resulted from this initial find, and I hope you'll enjoy the process and the discovery. So for the last several weeks we have discussed aspects of Dwight Boyer's book Great Tales of the Great Lakes and specifically the chapter in that book on the Eastland disaster, which is chapter two. Who speaks for the little feller? By now I think I have it memorized Not quite, but it's really compelling and I do recommend reading it for yourself. And that brings me to the press and how the disaster was covered back then. It was very well covered, by the way, all over the world, and I'll talk more about that. But as I was doing research this week, I found another publication, another trade publication called the Service Bulletin from the Associated Press, december 17th 1915. This was Bulletin no 38, issued just a few months after the Eastland disaster, which occurred on July 24, 1915. This particular bulletin includes General Order no 359 with new instructions for AP staff on how to handle what they call advance matter, essentially embargoed news stories that were prepared ahead of time but held for release until a specific moment or event. The timing is significant because the Eastland disaster had caught many news organizations off guard, to say the least news organizations off guard, to say the least and this bulletin likely reflects lessons learned about managing sensitive breaking news coverage. What's remarkable about this document is that it gives us a window into how one of America's most important news organizations operated in 1915, over a century ago, showing the careful protocols they developed for handling time-sensitive and potentially explosive stories. Here's what the AP told its staff in 1915. What the AP told its staff in 1915. Headline Comment on the Eastland Disaster Report From the Louisville Kentucky Evening Post.

Natalie Zett:

The work of the Associated Press in the handling of the Eastland disaster in the Chicago River was remarkable both for its promptness and accuracy. The disaster was neither magnified nor minimized and every feature received its proper share of attention. Next item from the Clinton Iowa Herald. Three minutes after the steamer Eastland overturned in the Chicago River with the resultant loss of hundreds and hundreds of lives, as rapidly as telephones could transmit the bulletin and later ones, they were posted on bulletin boards at the Herald office, bulletin boards at the Herald office. Every few minutes bulletins were being flashed over the Herald wire and posted, and Clinton people were given a running story of the developments in the terrible disaster as they were brought out by the Associated Press representatives on the scene, by the Associated Press representatives on the scene. At noon an edition of the Herald appeared on the streets with a complete story of the catastrophe, including a partial list of the known dead and missing so far as they had been learned by the Chicago authorities, the stories of survivors rescued and witnesses, interviews with the ship's captain and other officers and the latest estimate of the number of dead Register Gazette. The Associated Press did a great piece of work in covering the Eastland disaster promptly, completely and accurately. It had 15 reporters at work on this news in Chicago, securing every possible detail. It gave the Register Gazette over 10 columns of wire matter on the disaster, including the names of many of the recovered dead. From the Clinton Iowa Herald. Congratulations on the splendid manner in which the Eastland disaster was handled by Least Wire and by the way, least is L-E-A-S-E-D, just so you're not confused. From the St Paul Minnesota Dispatch and Pioneer Press.

Natalie Zett:

The Associated Press did itself proud on the Eastland disaster story. The opposition was whipped to a standstill on this story. The Associated Press story was earlier better and more complete and accurate than the story handled by the opposition. From the Virginia Minnesota Enterprise. Thanks fine service From the Winona Minnesota Independent. The Eastland story was handled splendidly.

Natalie Zett:

From the managing editor of the Dubuque Iowa Telegraph-Herald, I am delighted to say. The early filing, the completeness and the accuracy with which the AP covered the Eastland disaster left nothing to be desired. The worldwide interest in this calamity was ministered in a manner worthy of the size of the news story From the Calumet Michigan News. Your service in connection with the Eastland disaster was all that could be desired For a running story. It was remarkably vivid, clear and complete. No afternoon paper we observed with our limitations, was able to present a more detailed, better connected or more satisfactory story. Many thanks From the Fargo North Dakota Forum and Daily Republican.

Natalie Zett:

The Forum found the service on the Eastland disaster to be very satisfactory. We put out a noon extra which was one of the best-selling extras ever published by the Forum and beat all opposition several hours in this territory, positioned several hours in this territory, from the Aberdeen South Dakota Daily American. We were highly pleased with the service on the Eastland tragedy For accuracy and amount. I believe I can say that the AP service overshadowed everything in sight. From George W Rowell Jr, managing Editor, the Menominee Michigan Herald Leader, I wish to thank you and compliment you on the news of the Eastland disaster. The Associated Press was full of facts and human interest, a combination which cannot be beaten. Many of these newspapers that were cited in this article from the Service Bulletin were those that I could not find online. But I did find one, though, from Virginia, minnesota, and it has a story that, once again, has never been shared any place other than this publication. So this is from a newspaper called the Virginia Enterprise, virginia, st Louis County, minnesota, friday, july 30th 1915. So we're talking six days after the Eastland disaster and this article was on the front page of the paper, headline Eastland Ship Sites Told by Luke F Burns, Virginia attorney and bride witnessed gruesome views following disaster Saw woman swimmer killed by barrel.

Natalie Zett:

Talked with survivors and widows left childless Brother helped injured Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters crying and moaning and making efforts to reach the Eastland and rescue work by lifesavers and others. Were the scenes witnessed by attorney and Mrs Luke F Burns, who were in Chicago on their wedding trip. Saturday afternoon they were visiting with Attorney Burns' brother Dr PT Burns and wife. Attorney and Mrs Burns were staying at the Great Northern Hotel a short distance from the scene of the catastrophe. When informed by telephone by Dr Burns, one of the doctors at the scene of the catastrophe. When informed by telephone by Dr Burns, one of the doctors at the scene of the disaster, they hurried to the Clark Street Bridge, then taking positions in the six-story of the Reed and Woolworth Building I think they mean the Reed-Murdock Building'll continue.

Natalie Zett:

Witnessed the scenes incident to the rescue work. Sees woman killed. From where we stood I saw a woman swimmer killed by a barrel which had been thrown from the overturned ship, said Attorney Burns this morning. She was trying to swim ashore from the ship when struck. I talked with a Polish survivor of the disaster and he told me he saved 20 women and five men from drowning by shoving them through a porthole. He had been in the lower deck drinking coffee when he felt a tear give way. He grasped an iron bar and managed to reach a dry place. He saw the porthole and started his rescue work. He made a human chain. He weighs about 200 pounds and was thoroughly exhausted when rescued.

Natalie Zett:

At his brother's medical office, attorney Burns met many survivors of the wreck. One widow who had lost three daughters was interviewed by Mr Burns, while another visitor to the office was a widow who had lost her only children, two daughters on the ship. Criminal Negligence. It was criminal negligence, said Attorney Burns. The ship was not seaworthy. It had a capacity of 1,000, and 3,000 were allowed to sail on it. It was narrow at the bottom and top-heavy. The officials on the boat must have known it was not seaworthy, for they arranged to leave immediately before the disaster. The sight at the lake is one that beggars description, he continued. It is one that I do not want to see again. Ten thousand people watched the rescue work and parents, brothers and sisters of the ship victims were kept back by policemen with clubs.

Natalie Zett:

The Clark Street Bridge was overcrowded and started to give way. It was ordered, cleared. No sailings Tuesday. The sailing of the Roosevelt on Lake Michigan was canceled from Saturday to Tuesday but there were no passengers Tuesday, declared Mr Burns. We had planned a wedding trip on the lakes but after witnessing the Eastland rescue scene we decided to abandon it. Attorney and Mrs Burns were married at Wapaka, wisconsin, july 20th and returned to this city last night. They will make their home in Attorney Burns' residence at 514 Locust Street. 514 Locust Street.

Natalie Zett:

Before we go further, I'll share the additional information that I found out about the Burns brothers. First of all, Luke F Burns. This is from the Wausau Daily Herald in Wausau, wisconsin, dated Tuesday August 28, 1956. Luke F Burns, 75, 122 Eau Claire Boulevard, a local attorney, died yesterday morning at 6.30 o'clock in a local hospital buried in Rest Lawn Memorial Park.

Natalie Zett:

Mr Burns was born in Osmond, wisconsin, may 16, 1881, the son of the late Mr and Mrs Patrick Burns, and was married in 1915 at and Northwestern University Law School in Evanston, illinois. As a senior he attended the University of years in Virginia, minnesota, where he was city attorney and also served as attorney for the Board of Education. He was an attorney for a number of mining towns in the vicinity of Virginia. While he served as city attorney he was instrumental in establishing what is now the Virginia Community Hospital. As a member of the Minnesota State Legislature from 1942 to 1944, he was successful in getting a half-million-dollar appropriation toward the RR Project for the Virginia community. Having been a schoolte teacher in his early years, he was instrumental as a state legislator later in passing educational legislation. Following the death of John P Ford, he purchased the latter's law practice 12 years ago with offices in the first American state building in Virginia. He had served as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus. That's the obituary.

Natalie Zett:

Many people might not have heard of Virginia, minnesota, and I want to share a little bit about it, because it has a fascinating industrial history and it's rooted in the iron ore boom of the early 20th century. It was founded in 1892 and incorporated in 1895, and it was named after the Virginia Mine and became a central hub of the Mesabi Iron Range. During 1900 to 1950, virginia was defined by its iron mining industry the massive Hull-Rust-Mahoning mine, often called the Grand Canyon of the North, dominated the local economy and landscape. This open-pit mine became one of the world's largest, producing millions of tons of iron ore that fueled American steel production, particularly during both world wars. The city's population swelled with waves of immigrants. Finns, italians, slavs and Scandinavians all came to work the mines. This created a rich, multicultural community with distinct neighborhoods and cultural institutions. The mining companies built company housing and infrastructure, shaping the city's layout around industrial needs.

Natalie Zett:

I won't go on about this, but I wanted to give you a taste of what life was like for Luke and his family, of what life was like for Luke and his family. The second obituary unfortunately doesn't have very much information, which is curious. This is for Luke's brother, peter T Burns. As we learned, peter was a physician living in Chicago and he assisted during the Eastland disaster. He was born October 5, 1864, in Meem, manawak County, wisconsin, and died May 10, 1932, in Chicago. He's buried in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, cook County, illinois, in Hillside, cook County, illinois. That's all we have for him for now and I'll keep trying to locate additional information about both of the brothers, but the article you just heard is yet another compelling example of the nearly lost history surrounding so very many people who were involved in one way or another with the Eastland disaster.

Natalie Zett:

Here we have an incredible and invaluable firsthand account featuring two brothers, one a physician who responded as a helper during the Eastland disaster, and the other an attorney, who was also summoned by his brother to help out. The brothers' subsequent lives diverged in interesting ways, as we just heard. The brothers' subsequent lives diverged in interesting ways, as we just heard. What's most puzzling, though, is how easily these stories can be found and yet how most of them remain absent from established Eastland disaster accounts. This represents an ongoing pattern that I've encountered over the last couple of years. These many firsthand stories and the people who live them would likely remain undocumented and unshared were it not for the efforts of independent researchers, genealogists, podcasters like myself and dedicated volunteers on Find a Grave, as well as various bloggers who have taken up this cause for no other reason than it seems to be the right thing to do. It raises the important questions about how historical narratives are preserved and who takes responsibility for ensuring these human stories aren't lost to time.

Natalie Zett:

One thing I'm discovering now is how other countries handle public history. At the moment, I'm taking a public history course through the University of London. That would be London, england, by the way, and it's so encouraging to see how they involve established academics, established historians, with the various communities they serve. They invite the public to contribute their stories, their artifacts, to be part of the history of, say, a local county. Some of them have these collections called red boxes for different counties, and some of the contents are just incredible, like a musket ball from the time of Oliver Cromwell. Who wouldn't want to see that? And I've also gotten to know some of the people at the University of London and I've shared my research and some of the challenges I've had in researching the people of the Eastland, and they find what I'm doing equally fascinating as well. So I guess we fascinate each other.

Natalie Zett:

That's pretty good, and I can't help but observe that what is happening in regards to the Eastland disaster history is that the public has stepped up. Folks like the many volunteers on Find a Grave, podcasters like myself and various bloggers have risen to the occasion, perhaps because, as we know, this is one of those time-worn truths that nature abhors a vacuum. This is not the first time I've seen that it's not just the Eastland disaster, but way earlier in my graduate school studies, where I studied ancient literature, ancient sites and antiquities. What has happened throughout the years is that a lot of the accepted stories that we heard, that were repeated over and over again, were proven to be untrue by a lot of things actually, for example, new archaeological digs that reveal new information. It's difficult for some people to pivot, especially if they spend years and years building their career around a certain idea or concept and it turns out to not be true, and I do think the truth is one of those eternal things that eventually well, if it were an entity, it would say I've had enough of this. You need to learn the truth, and it does come to the surface. So, as often as people try to rewrite history, we've seen the truth win out, and I think that's what's happening with the history of the Eastland disaster, with so many of us from the public taking it on, and that part is super encouraging.

Natalie Zett:

So I will close for this week. I hope you enjoyed learning about some new people who are involved in the Eastland disaster history and I will talk to you next week. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. Goodbye for now. 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 wwwflowerintherivercom. 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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