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Step back to 1915 and witness how the Eastland disaster shook not just Chicago but the entire nation—thanks in part to New York’s relentless reporters.

Meet H. Percye Millar, a Chicago-based New York Times correspondent, who single-handedly transmitted 15,000 words about the catastrophe in a single night. His meticulous reporting, paired with John Fay’s gripping eyewitness accounts for the New York World, offers a fresh perspective on this devastating event.

Through long-preserved newspaper archives, we uncover haunting survivor stories—some buried in the pages of the New York Times for over a century. From dramatic rescues to heartbreaking losses, these accounts expose the raw human toll of the tragedy.

But how did these stories travel from Chicago to New York in an era before instant communication? Discover the behind-the-scenes world of early 20th-century journalism, where telegraph operators worked through the night and reporters raced the clock to break the biggest story of their careers.

Join us as we bridge past and present, revealing how America first learned about Chicago’s deadliest day—through the eyes of the East Coast press.

Sources:

•The Scoop, July 30, 1915

•The New York Times, various issues, 1915

•The Chicago Tribune, various issues, 1915

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