Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-16

New Ork, June lo."Op " S.oo' o-S
bodies had been recovered.
New York, June 16.-The loss OF life
by the burning of the steamer General
Slocum in East river yesterday Will ap-
proximate thousand. This estimate
is based on the opinion of the chief OF
the fire department, coroner's Office ana
police. At l o'clock this afternoon 504
bodies had been recovered. of which 155
had been identified. There are report
ed missing 467 persons. The hospitals
had III injured.
New York. June 16.-After an all
night search with the aid OF profes-
sional divers, at North Brother Island
for victims of the ill-fated General
Slocum Yesterday, 5O4 know dead had
been recovered up to noon today. OF
this number 116 have been identided
and. the number missing is estimated n
the vicinity OF $50. During the day
hospitals. After treatment 1t was
fonnd in many cases their injuries were
not serious and they were allowed to
depart. Some of those who remained
in the hospital are still IN critical
condition All night long crowds OF
people visited the morgue with entreat-
les for a chance to try to make identih-
cations. The estimates of the num-
her Of dead given by officials vary ex-
ceedingly. DR.. Darlington, president
of the board Of health, estimates the
total at 1900. Inspector Brooks places
the number at 1000.
crazed by Grief.
A particularly sad incident during
the night was an attempt at suicide OF
a grief stricken mother at the morgue.
The woman, Mrs. Lena Rekanski.
went there to try to find her little
daughter, Wanda, and found q body
which she identified as that OF her
child. Wandering from the morgue,
she walked down to the pier and at
tempted to throw herself into the river.
She had been watched and policeman
seized her in time to save her life.
Pastor Haas. of the ST. Mark Luz
theran church, is completely prostratea
and has been unconscious most OF
~. tow. b.
dition is critical. He lost, besides a
wife and daughter. his mother-in-la law:
Mrs. Carl Hanson, and his sister-in-
law, Mrs. William Tetimore. The lat
ter's daughter, Edith, years OF aga,
was also lost. Assistant District At
torney Garvan has placed under seal
a dozen life preservers taken from
the General Slocum. OF those only
three were intact, the rest had burst
their compartments from which the
cork was pouring. The canvas cover
inrs of the cork were so rotten thats
esarvan had no difficulty In ripping
them open with his finger nail.
Unlike the Iroquois theater and other
great catastrophes Of recent years.
where the woe OF the disaster was re-
ceived thruout the land, the blow Of the
slocum.s mortality falls practically
upon one little neighbOrh00d OF the
great city. ST. Marks parish, which
furnished nearly every victim, lies
within ten crowded blocks Of the mid
die east side. Therein today there is
hardly a house that is not one OF
mourning. The membership of the 1T
tie Lutheran church, practlcally
German or of German descent, is all
of a comparatively well-to-do class.
Raced With Death.
The race of the burning steamer
from the moment the fire was discov-
cred until her bows crashed on the
shelving beach of North Brother island
lasted little more than ten minutes, yet
that time sufficed for deeds of heroism
that make one bright chapter In the
heart-rending story. Brave men and
devoted mothers, even maidens and
youths of tender years, each contrib
uted their part to the roll of heroic
acts There were rescues in the face of
almost certain death and useless but
exalted self sacrifice. Credit for the
greatest saving of life is due to the
hardy tugboat men and other followers
Of the river, who braved the flames and
held the noses of their boats against
the fire-wraped steamer until driven off
bv the awful heat. scorched and chok-
ing. The dead bodies Of women We're
found with their burned arms clasping
close the pitiful forms of little children.
Not All Heroes.
But there is a darker side limited at
along the river front, where are told
stories that seem to be the inevitable
of all great calamities.
There has been no evidence of char
acter specific enough to fasten it upon
individuals and permit of punishment,
but survivors and eye-witnesses say
some brutal acts of selfishness and
cowardice on the part of the Slocum's