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Adventures in Cemetery Hopping

~ A blog by Traci Rylands

Adventures in Cemetery Hopping

Monthly Archives: July 2015

Only the River Remains: Remembering the S.S. Eastland

31 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by adventuresincemeteryhopping in General

≈ 3 Comments

“People were struggling in the water, clustered so thickly that they literally covered the surface of the river. A few were swimming; the rest were floundering about, some clinging to a little raft…others clutching at anything they could reach – at bits of wood, at each other, grabbing each other, pulling each other down, and screaming! The screaming was the most horrible of all.” — Helen Repa, Western Electric nurse

Everything else fades away, all of our losses and all of our gains. And only the river remains… — Eastland: A New Musical

July 24, 1915 doesn’t mean much outside the city of Chicago. Until I married Chris, it was just another date on the calendar. But I soon learned it was a tragic day in the Rylands family.

On that Saturday, 844 Chicagoans lost their lives when the excursion ship S.S. Eastland rolled onto its side. Chris’ great-grandmother, Minnie Miller Rylands, drowned in the Chicago River. Her husband, James Stephen Rylands, and their little son, John Joseph, survived. So did James’ brother, William. John Joseph Rylands was Chris’ grandfather.

This is a postcard that was re-issued by the now defunct Cicero Historical Society of the Eastland.

This is a postcard re-issued by the now defunct Cicero Historical Society of the Eastland.

The Eastland, known as the “Speed Queen of the Great Lakes,” was part of a fleet of five excursion boats scheduled to ferry Western Electric employees, families and friends across Lake Michigan to Michigan City, Ind., for a rare day of fun amid the usual six-day work week.

The daughter of German immigrants, Minnie was only 28 at the time of her death.

The daughter of German immigrants, Minnie was only 28 at the time of her death. Photo courtesy of Joan Rylands Schroeder.

Minnie's husband, James, had to make a decision no husband and father should ever make. To save his wife or his son first. Photo courtesy of Joan Rylands Schroeder

Minnie’s husband, James, had to make a decision no husband and father should ever make. To save his wife or his son first. Photo courtesy of Joan Rylands Schroeder.

The Eastland, docked at the Clark Street Bridge, never left the Chicago River. Picnickers laughed amid the music and dancing as they boarded. When the crowded ship began listing back and forth from port to starboard, many thought it was a joke. But when the boat listed over so far that the people began sliding across the floor, panic set in.

The Eastland’s captain, Harry Pedersen, sounded the alarm, but only after it was too late. Witnesses say he (and some lucky others) climbed over the starboard railing and walked across the exposed hull to safety, never even getting his feet wet.

Passengers on the main deck rushed to the staircases leading upstairs, which proved to be the worst single death trap for those passengers within the interior decks of the ship.

 157 The Second Regiment Armory, on Washington Boulevard, served as a temporary morgue for victims of the S.S. Eastland steamship disaster on July 24, 1915. Some people were never identified. Photo from the Chicago Tribune Archives.

The Second Regiment Armory, on Washington Boulevard, served as a temporary morgue for victims of the Eastland disaster. Some people were never identified. Photo from the Chicago Tribune Archives.

More than 2,500 passengers and crew members were on board that day – and 844 people lost their lives, including 22 entire families. Why the Eastland rolled over that day is complicated but you can read about it on the Eastland Disaster Historical Society website. After the Eastland was raised in August, she was sold to the Illinois U.S. Navy Reserve and recommissioned as the U.S.S. Wilmette, then converted to a gunboat

This past July, my family spent a week in Chicago as our summer vacation. One reason was to celebrate the wedding of Chris’ cousin, Brett. But the other was to be part of the 100th anniversary events surrounding the sinking of the Eastland.

A view of the Eastland after she rolled over from the south side of the Chicago River. The Clark Street Bridge is in the background.

A view of the Eastland after she rolled over from the south side of the Chicago River. The Clark Street Bridge is in the background.

People still puzzle over the fact that today so few know about this maritime disaster, but the biggest reason may be the very status of the passengers.

Unlike many of the Titanic victims who were wealthy and notable, just about all of the Eastland passengers were working-class immigrants with little money to their names. Most were of Czech background and worked at the Hawthorne Works factory of Western Electric in the Berwyn/Cicero area of Chicago.

Minnie was of German background and her husband James was British born. Neither worked for Western Electric but a number of people attending that day were not either, having been invited by friends.

According to family lore, James had to decide whom to save first. His wife or his child. Because John Joseph was so young, James pulled him to the water’s edge first. When he went to save Minnie, it was too late.

Employees of the Hawthorne Works of Western Electric were ordinary people without much money so when they had a chance to have some fun, they were eager to take it. Photo courtesy of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society website.

Employees of the Hawthorne Works of Western Electric were ordinary people without much money so when they had a chance to have some fun, they were eager to take it. Photo courtesy of the Eastland Disaster Historical Society website.

In 2012, Eastland: A New Musical premiered in Chicago. One of the main characters is a responder. Reggie Bowles, a young man who sped to the scene on his motorcycle, jumped in the river hoping to save lives. But all he found were dead bodies. Because of his ability to hold his breath for long periods of time, Reggie earned the nickname the Human Frog. It’s reported that he brought over 40 bodies to the surface that day.

Reggie Bowles, who became known as the Human Frog for his diving ability, brought over 40 bodies to the surface. He later contracted typhoid as a result of his time in the contaminated water.

Reggie Bowles, who became known as the Human Frog for his diving ability, brought over 40 bodies to the surface. He later contracted typhoid as a result of his time in the contaminated water.

I had the pleasure of meeting the grandson of Reggie Bowles, David Bowles, at the Saturday luncheon. Many firemen, policemen and ordinary people like Reggie risked their own lives to pull passengers to safety or to recover victims so that their families could later identify them.

David Bowles is the grandson of Reggie Bowles, a young man who rode his motorcycle at top speed to the Eastland disaster in hopes of saving passengers. He ended up salvaging bodies instead.

David Bowles is the grandson of Reggie Bowles, a young man who rode his motorcycle at top speed to the Eastland in hopes of saving passengers. He took on the grim task of salvaging bodies instead.

A majority of Eastland victims are buried at Bohemian Cemetery (which I will write about next week). But I knew Minnie’s grave was at Forest Home Cemetery. I contacted Chris’ Aunt Joan, who is the genealogist in the family. Nobody had visited her grave before because it’s unmarked and Forest Home is huge.

Fortunately, she located a map the cemetery had sent her a few years ago showing exactly where Minnie, James and their granddaughter Paula (who died in infancy) are buried.

Forest Home Cemetery is so vast, you can see it from the Interstate. Located off Des Plaines Avenue in the Berwyn/Cicero area, Forest Home Cemetery is actually the merging of two cemeteries (in 1969), Forest Home and Waldheim. Waldheim Cemetery opened in 1873 when the land was sold to a group of German Masonic lodges. Forest Home opened a few years later on land south of Waldheim.

Unlike other cemeteries of the time, Waldheim and Forest Home were open to all, regardless of ethnicity or religion. As a result, it became very popular with immigrants.

Commuters on Chicago's I-290 can get a view of Forest Home Cemetery. Photo from the website diversostudio.wordpress.com.

Commuters on Chicago’s I-290 (the Eisenhower Expressway) can get a view of Forest Home Cemetery. Photo from the website www.diversostudio.wordpress.com.

Along with Chris’ parents and his Aunt Beth, we (Chris, Sean and I) set out to find Minnie. With only 20 minutes until the gates closed, we drove through the winding roads to the back of the cemetery and found where Minnie, James and Paula were buried.

The empty space to the left of the Faber marker and in front of the Anderson marker is where Minnie, James and Paula are buried.

The empty space to the left of the Faber marker and in front of the Anderson marker is where Minnie, James and Paula are buried. Photo by Chris Rylands.

So why are there no markers for Minnie, James and Paula? I don’t have a good answer for that. Although James was a plumber, he was by no means wealthy. He remarried twice after Minnie died. According to my father-in-law, Craig, his father (John Joseph) never spoke about the Eastland. The few memories shared about that day came through Craig’s mother, Florence.

After visiting the grave sites, we talked about how we can remedy this situation soon. Minnie’s memory deserves that much.

Minnie's grandson (and my father-in-law) Craig Rylands stands beside the memorial marker commemorating the 1915 Eastland disaster.

Minnie’s grandson (and my father-in-law) Craig Rylands stands beside the memorial marker commemorating the 1915 Eastland disaster.

On Saturday evening, the families of the survivors/victims/responders gathered at the edge of the Chicago River by the Clark Street Bridge. At precisely 8:44 p.m., we all turned on little battery-powered votives in memory of the 844 lives that were lost that day. Amid the bustle of the city, we observed a moment of silence.

Rest in peace, Minnie. You are not forgotten.

EastlandLights

Separating the Sheep From the Goats: Something to Chew on at Decatur Cemetery

10 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by adventuresincemeteryhopping in General

≈ 4 Comments

First, I’d like to apologize for being absent from the blog for over a month. Due to a move into a new home across town, I had to put my cemetery hopping and blog writing activities on hold for a while. I’m still unpacking boxes but for the most part, we’re settled in.

To stay sane, I did continue my volunteer duties over at Decatur Cemetery. I’ve been helping out in their office since the fall, trying to be there at least one morning a week. As a result, I’ve grown even more affectionate toward the place and feel quite at home there.

The cemetery boasts a variety of wildlife, from birds to squirrels to rabbits. I’ve not seen a deer yet. The Canada geese leave their “deposits” here and there. But the birds that always get my attention are the large raptors that hover over the grounds. One day I witnessed a hawk almost carry off a tiny puppy but thankfully, the dog’s owner pulled it to safety in time.

This is typical of what you'll find me doing out at Decatur Cemetery on any given Tuesday. I check what's on the grave markers with what's on the old index cards and in the computer records.

This is typical of what you’ll find me doing out at Decatur Cemetery on any given Tuesday. I check what’s on the grave markers with what’s on the old index cards and in the computer records.

But it wasn’t until recently that I actually saw sheep on the premises.

Before you start thinking that Decatur Cemetery has become a farm, let me explain. They’ve been dealing with some overgrown vegetation on the far side of the cemetery that was fairly entrenched. We’re talking a mini wilderness. To hire workmen to get rid of it would have been costly and actually risky since much of it is on a steep hillside. Operating mowers on ground that’s so uneven is not a great idea.

So they decided to hire cheap labor that would work outrageous overtime and for very low pay. Dirt cheap, in fact. They tried it first in 2013 and the sheep did so well that they again contacted a company called Ewe-niversally Green to bring them back.

This may seem like a novel concept, but hiring someone with sheep or goats to clear large swaths of overgrown lots or acreage is not a new concept. Other cemeteries have been doing it for a while. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport used the same sheep to take care of brush along their fifth runway.

The most recent example that got media attention was in 2013 when Congressional Cemetery hired a flock of goats to remove the thick growth of poison ivy that was wrapped around many of its trees. According to the cemetery staff, the more ivy smothers the trees, the heavier the trees get and the more susceptible they are to crashing down, which could damage gravestones. The ivy’s leaves also can interfere with the trees’ photosynthesis, killing them.

Maryland-based company Eco-Goats brought over some hungry goats to take care of the tenacious ivy choking trees at Washington's Congressional Cemetery. Photo by Linda Davidson/the Washington Post.

Maryland-based company Eco-Goats brought over some hungry workers to take care of the tenacious ivy choking trees at Washington’s Congressional Cemetery. Photo by Linda Davidson/The Washington Post.

According to a Washington Post article, the cost of hiring the 50 or so goats to take care of the problem was around $4,000. That may seem like a lot but it’s actually a better option than using machinery. The goats require no fossil fuels and their waste provides fertilizer for the grounds. The gravestones and monuments are also left undisturbed. This graphic from USAToday does a good job at explaining it.

I was curious to find out what the difference is between sheep and goats in terms of efficiency. Which is better? Are they different in what they eat? Here’s what I found out.

Goats are natural browsers that like to eat leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs. They are quite agile and will stand on their hind legs to reach vegetation. So they were an apt choice to eat the ivy at Congressional Cemetery. Sheep, on the other hand, are grazers. They prefer to eat short, tender grasses and clover.

These sheep are taking care of the grass at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in SoHo. They're brought in from a farm in upstate New York. Photo by WABC-TV.

These sheep are taking care of the grass at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in SoHo in New York City. They’re brought in from a farm in upstate New York. Photo by WABC-TV.

In both situations, these plant-loving animals are kept within a low-current electric fence and watched over by a trained dog of some sort. Both are used as a means of protecting the animals from predators and keeping them focused on their task. Goats, I read, can be more curious than sheep and are more apt to seek an escape.

So when my partner in crime, Jenny, and I were working a few weeks ago, we decided to check up on the sheep to see what they were doing. With the heat and humidity being so instense, they weren’t really doing much of anything at the time.

This is not the first time Decatur Cemetery hired sheep to take care of overgrown acreage. They did it in 2013 with successful results.

This is not the first time Decatur Cemetery hired sheep to take care of overgrown acreage. They did it in 2013 with successful results.

On the day I visited the sheep, it was a typically hot and humid one. They seemed uninclined to do much and I can't blame them for it.

On the day I visited the sheep, it was a typically hot and humid one. They seemed disinclined to do much and I can’t blame them for it.

As you can see, the sheep are quite close to the gravestones and monuments. A graveside service took place close by that day but the sheep were respectfully quiet.

As you can see, the sheep are quite close to the gravestones and monuments. A graveside service took place nearby that day but the sheep were respectfully quiet.

A low current electric fence surrounds the sheep to protect them from predators. It looks like these two are trying to say, “Nothing to see here, folks. Move along!”

It might surprise you to learn that even you and I can affordably hire sheep or goats to clear unwanted brush from property. Someone in my old neighborhood did it earlier in the year for a few days. Just be prepared for some spectators because they seem to bring out the inner animal lover in many people, including me.

I only saw one of the dogs from a distance at Decatur during my second visit the following week. Three of the dogs are featured on Ewe-niversally Green’s website.

Pete, Big Boy Clyde and Maestro are three of Ewe-niversally Green's shepherd dogs in charge of guarding the sheep.

Pete, Big Boy Clyde and Maestro are three of Ewe-niversally Green’s shepherd dogs in charge of guarding the sheep. They are serious about their work. Photo borrowed from the Ewe-niversally Green website.

So if you happen to hear some odd sounds coming from a cemetery the next time you visit, don’t worry. It’s not zombies or ghosts. It just might be some local livestock hungrily taking care of the landscaping.

Photo by Decatur Metro.

Photo by Decatur Metro.

 

 

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