Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-06-15

Nsw York, June 15.-Five hundred persons. mostly children. perished to- day by the burning of the excursion steamer General Slocum near Hell Gate in the East river
 A panic ensued on board almost in stantly. The crowds on the forward deck, panic stricken. began to spring overheard or to crowd to the after part of the boat.
 The General slocum had on board inc annual Sunday school excursion of the St, Marks German Lutheran church, which iE located in Twenty sixth street. The pastor of the church. Rev George Cephass. was on hoard with all of his family. The boat caught fire in Hell Gate and the flames had complete control before any move could be made to check them. Frightful scenes of panic followed It was impossible to run the boat ashore because of the Hell Gate rocks on either side, and the captain kept her headed for North Brother island. Nothing could be done in the way of launching boats and as the flames ad- vanced the passengers began to jump overheard. They went into the river by hundreds.
 The General Slocum was bound for Locust Grove, beyond Flushing, L. l., and had over 1000 people on board, mostly children The latest report is that at least 500 have been lost.
 Many were saved by tugs and other vessels which promptly came to the rescue when the flames broke out.
 The disaster was witnessed by thou sands of people from both shores of the river and as rapidly as possible hundreds of small boats and launches set off to render assistance.
 STUCK TO HIS POST.
 With the boat burning under his feet the captain stuck to nis post in the pilot house, and the engineer remained at his post below deck until the boat was beached at the lower end of North Brothers Island off Port Morris. Even then the passengers were not in a sare position for they were some distance from shore and the boat was fur mace. Hundreds of small boats were scattered about and picked up those who jumped oYerbroad as rapidly as possible It is estimated that between 400 and 800 persons sprang into the water
 An eye witness said that the greatest loss of life was due to the collapse of the heavy upper deck. It fell with a crash soon after the fire started. crush ing hundreds of persons who had gath cred on the lower deck
 1t was then that the greatest panic ensued amidst the living stream of persons going over the rail into the water. As far as eye witnesses can de ternine the flames originated on the forward part of the boat Persons who saw the accident from the shore say that almost instantly persons who Oc' cupied places on the forward deck be gan to jump overheard. Policemen in the Bronx and Harlem saw the blazing boat steaming up the river and imme diately began to turn in alarms fol ambulances and fire boats All the boats at North Brother Island were sent to the assistance of the people ir the water and as fast as they were brought ashore were cared for in the pavilions there.
 HOSPITAL PATIENTS EXCITED.
 The patients in the hospitals on the island became almost insane from fright at the terrible scenes they ha6 witnessed.
 A large part of the crowd on the doomed steamer were children, anC there was little hope for them after they were in the water. The curren in the East river at this point is very strong and scores of little ones were sucked in by the whirlpools at Hel Gate. One man who went out in row boat said that he saw at least fifty children perish in these rapid waters before he could reach them.
 BODIES WASHED ASHORE.
 Persons on the boat say that severa hundred bodies have been wasnel ashore or carried in boats to Nor-t Brothers Islapd. Several tugs whicl happened to be in the neighborhooc hurried to tle burning boat and tht boatmen pulled many persons out o Nhe river, but many others must have sunk. The islands in the neighborhooC all hold bodies of women and children The board of health sent 100 doctor. and 300 policemen to the scene of tn, disaster
 The excursion was In charge of tn, social committee. one of whom was tn, pastors daughter Gertrude. BOAT INSPECTED RECENTLY. The General Slocum was inspected Nfay ana was reported to be in excel lent condition and ready for the excur sion season The captain was " H Scnatck. one of the oldest excursion captains tn New York harbor. Tn,