Chicago, IL Excursion Steamer FAVORITE Capsizes, Jul 1927

Chicago Boat Sinks In Squall -- 27 Drown

Passengers, Seeking Shelter From Storm on Leeward Side, Help Capsize Vessel – Over 50 Rescued.

Chicago, July 29 -- (A.P.) -- A sudden off-shore squall that soon passed, capsized a small excursion steamer late yesterday carrying 27 passengers, mostly women and children, to death.

The tragedy came almost twelve years to a day after the sinking of the Eastland with 813 deaths. Both were caused by the rush of passengers to the port side.

SIXTEEN CHILDREN.
Sixteen of the victims were children -- ten boys and six girls. Ten were women and one a man. Some 75 women and children and half a dozen men were thrown into the water when the vessel " The Favorite" toppled over, but 50 or more were saved, some in a thrilling rescue by WILLIAM HOFNAUER, millionaire yachtman, who chanced to be cruising near in his large yacht, the "Doris."

While divers searched for more victims derricks lifted the craft seven hours after the sinking. The last five bodies were found as the ship came up.

It was a gay crowd of excursionists that left Lincoln Park for the two mile run to the Municipal Pier.

A two piece negro orchestra -- banjo and mandolin -- strummed "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" as suddenly, when a mile out, a rainstorm broke under a gust of wind from the northwest. As Captain ARTHUR OLSON, a lake seaman for 18 years, sought to head his boat into the wind, passengers rushed to the port side away from the rain. The boat dipped and as water rushed over the decks, turned over.

FOUGHT FOR LIVES.
Children, candy and pop-corn still clutched in their hands, fought to free themselves. Some were thrown free of the boat and many grabbed belts and rafts as the steamer righted and sank until all but the canopy was submerged.

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