Something that makes the Eastland quite horrifying is that it didn't take place far out at sea: it took place in the Chicago River. I don't know if you've spent

Something that makes the Eastland quite horrifying is that it didn't take place far out at sea: it took place in the Chicago River. I don't know if you've spent any time in Chicago, but the river goes through the heart of the city. You're walking to the market and you hear some hubbub by the river. You turn the corner, and boom, suddenly you see a few thousand people get flipped into the water and start drowning. Even if "only" 800 of them actually drown, it's still a horrifying thing to see.