Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-06-24
DEAD WILL NUMBER A THOUSAND.
Horror of SOCum Disaster Grows as Details OF
Awful Tragedy Come to Light
NEW YORK STUNNED BY THE TERRIBLE BLOW.


nize her. The girl was burned about
the head and limbs, but she leaped
from the bed at the sight of her
mother, and the two descended to
the lower hall, where they sat side
by side in fearful embrace. "My
name is Mrs. Iden, and | had five
children this morning; now | have
only this one, my dear love-" said
the woman, holding the girl as if
she feared she might yet be taken
from her.
In the same hospital were little
boys. "My mother gave me a life
preserver; that's how | got saved"
said one. "I guess she didn't have
none herself, cause they can't fiud
her."
81 didn't have no life preserver at
all, +" said his bed fellow, "I went
down twice, and | swallowed ii whole
lot of water, but pretty soon | caught
hold of a dead woman and then
somebody grabbed me with q hook. If
it hadn't been for that dead woman
I'd a drowned, sure"
SCENES OF HORROR.
Survivors of the disaster tell thrill
Ing stories of the scenes of terror and
panic on board.
The Rev. George q. +. Haas, the
pastor of the church, was saved, but
his wife Gertrude, and his daughter
Anna are amongthe dead. The Rev.
Haas told this story of the disaster:
"The fire started in the kitchen in
the forward part, when we were off
134th street. | understood that
some fat that boiled over started the
blaze, aud that the men in the
kitchen, instead of fighting it, ran
for their lives.
cat that time most of the women
and children were jammed in the
rear of the boat where the band was
playing.
"Why the captain did not point
the boat for the meadows do not
understand. He kept on and the
fresh wind from the sound drove the
fire back through the different decks
with lightning rapidity.
''ln three minutes from the time
the fire started all the decks we're
ablaze.
"Such scenes as followed | don't
think were ever witnessed before. |
was in the rear of the boat with my
wife and daughter. Women were
shrieking and oissping their children
IN their arms. Some mothers had
as many as three or four with them.
Our case seemed hopeless. Death
from fire was to be escaped only to
die in the water.
"When the fire shot up to the top
deck and drove the crowd back the
panic was terrible to witness. The
crush from the forward part of the
boat swept those in the rear along.
The women and children clung to
the ratings and stanchions, but
could not keep their holds. / with
my wife. and daughter were swept
along with the rest.
"l believe that the first that fell
into the water were crushed over.
When they went there seemed to be
a general inclination to Jump. The
women and children went over the
railing like flies. They preferred to
take a chance in the water rather
than wait sure death in fire.
"ln the great crush many women
tainted and fell to the deck, to be
trampled upon. Little children
were knocked down. Mothers, with
their little boys and girls in their
arms, would give wild screams and
then leap into the water. We could
see boats pulling out from the shore
by this time, and faint ray of hope
came to us.
"With my wife and daughter i
had been swept to the rail. The fire
then looked as if it would devour
us the next instant. i got my wife
and daughter out on the rail and
then we went overheard. / was in
such an excited state that / don't re-
member whether we were pushed
over or jumped.
"When | struck the water / sank,
and when / rose there were scores
about me fighting to keep afioat,
One by one / saw them sink around
me. But l was powerless to do any
thing.
81 was holding my wife and
daughter up in the water as best !
could, almost under the side of the
boat, when some one, jumping from
the rail directly above me, landed on
top of us. My hold was broken and
we all went under together. When
L came up my wife and child were
gone."
"With great effort / managed to
keep adoat, but my strength was
about gone when man on one of the
tugs picked me up"
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE RESPONSIBLE
Capt. Van Schaik and his two
pilots, Edward Van Wart and 4. M.
Weaver, have been arrested.
There is little doubt now that
criminal negligence was responsible
for this appalling disaster. Just
who is to shoulder the blame will not
be known for many days, but search
lug Investigations are already under
way and the authorities promise that
neither wealth nor station will be
permitted to interfere with the ends
of justice.
Some one is to blame for fitting
this big steamer, which carried
hundreds of unsuspecting passengers,
with hose that were worse than worth
less. The life preservers were in most
caSesalso worthless. Many were so old
that the straps had rotted while the
canvas ripped at the touch. Instead
of being cork, they were what is
known as compressed cork" other.
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