The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-15
NEW YORK VESSEL
WITH 1000 BURNS
Continued from First Page.

from an explosion, setting fire to the
clothing of the women and children
who were grouped about the engine
room watching the machinery.
Ihere was the most terrible panic
as the burning women and children
rushed out among those surrounding
the Ice cream and soda water tables,
screaming with pain.
In the terrific scramble my mother
and little brother were swept from
me and carried toward the side, where
the children and women with their
clothes burning had begun to jump
into the water.
Flames Spread in Bursts.
'The flames spread in bursts that
soon had the entire deck enveloped.
THE crew were helpless to render
| any assistance or make efforts to
check the advance of the fire. We
were just passing out thru He'll Gate
| when the fire started. The captain
| headed the boat toward North Brother
| island and the pilots who were with
| him yelled frantically to us to stay
on board until they beached the boat.
But In a moment after the flames
had burst from the engine-room great
numbers began to jump overheard.
The women were wild with fright, and
snatching their children to them,
leaped into the whirlpools that car
rfed them toward the rocks on both
shores.
Il endeavored for few minutes to
break thru the mad crush and get to
my mother and little brother, but
was swept into q corner and held
| there, unable to move.
AS the boat kept on her way the
breeze drove the flames toward the
after part of the ship, where those
who had not Jumped overheard were
few seconds before the flames had
swept down upon the children, who
were struggling about the ice-cream
tables, and set their clothing ablaze.
Children in Stampede.
"They all rushed to the after part
Of the ship in a stampede that
overheard against their will.
''At one time it seemed to me as If
the women and children were pour
ing over the sides like a waterfall. AS
we made for the shore the captain
blew his whistle in one continuous
blast and soon boats of all descrip-
lions were making for us from every
side Of the river.
II was rescued by a launch just as
the boat was settled close to the
shore.
when the Slocum was grounded
| the flames had spread over the entire
upper and lower decks. There were
touched by the flames and in these
were piled up men and women who
had tainted, and, falling, had pinned
others to the deck.
1.-The men from the tugs who could
get near the steamboat shouted for
those on board to jump, and then the
small boats picked them up by the
score"
When police headquarters received
the first vague report Of the disaster
| every source Of succOr and aid was
utilized. The hospitals were notified
by telephone and each sent all avail
| able surgeons, nurses and ambulances
| to the scene.
The police reserves of half a dozen
stations were hurried out and more
than fifty patrol wagons were sent
for ambulance purposes.
North Brother island, where the
Slocum was beached, Is occupied by
municipal charity hospitals and a con-
siderable number Of physicians and
No Alarm Sounded.
From all that can be gathered no
alarm was sounded when the fire was
discovered, but the crew tried to ex-
tinguish the flames without alarming
the passengers. Those in the after
portion of the boat did not know it
was on fire until the flames had swept
back on them. Then there was moth
ing to do but jump overheard or be
! burned TO death.
Persons on the shore say there We're
scores huddled in an apparently safe
position on the hurricane deck, with
the breeze blowing the smoke and
flames away from them when sud-
denly the deck fell In.
After the cloud Of smoke had drifted
away, the observers looked back to
where the crowd had been standing
The space was vacant. Many Of the
children picked up by small boats were
dashed to camp stools and other light
boat furnishings, showing that some
adult had tried to make the little ones
safe These precautions proved in
efficient in the whirlpools.
Very few. of the children picked UP
had on life preservers. Children can
not get at the life preservers on ex-
cursion boats in this harbor. They
are dashed to the ceilings over the
decks and can only be reached by a
tall person.
Ferryboats Needless.
Paul Lebenow, one of the pas.
sengers, says a ferryboat passed near
the burning steamer but offered no as.
Stance. Two policemen, who had
. been assigned to accompany the ex.
cursion, Jumped from the burning
steamer and reached the shore ir
safety. One Of them was slightly
burned.
. No identification was possible as the
v first bodies were recovered, as they
s were picked up at so many differen
= places, many being found along thu
shores and on the islands in the Eas
= river. They were brought togethe,
in the most convenient places, all be
ing carefully numbered and everythin,
possible for later identification bein,
done.
The tugs and other boats which res
cued many from the burning steame
and from the water, landed them a
the nearest points and returned to tn
scene of the disaster in the hope o
E rescuing others. This made it almos
impossible to learn who had been res
cued and added to the fears of thos
= seeking to learn the fate Of friend
: or relatives.
Seventeen bodies, eleven unidentifie,
women and six unidentified children
: all under S years of age, were take1
4 to the Alexander avenue station with
in less than an hour after the fire ha
first broken out.
= Piled High With Bodies,
& The docks at One Hundred an
s. Thirty-second and One Hundred an
J Thirty-eighth streets are piled hig
( with the bodies of the dead.