Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-16
Death List of the Sunday School
Excursion Holocaust In
creases Every Hour
ORDERS INQUIRY
Secretary cortelyou, Of Department. Of
Commence and Labor, Takes Action
Terrible sc.nes Witnessed at the
Morsue-Many Bodies Not Yet Re-
covered.

crew were seen and that distress sig
nails from the burning boat were dis
regarded by the passing craft.
Miss Martha Weirk tells the story
that while she was struggling in the
water boat drew up alongside Of
her and the men. after stripping or
her rings and other jewelry. pushed her
back into the water. The body OF the
steward had been rifled, when found
Of several hundred dollars. There 10
open criticism Of the failure of the
Slocum's officers and crew to meet the
emergency. and as yet no formal action
has been taken either by municipal or.
federal authorities. Captain Van
Schaick and two pilots are under arr
rest, but are being held only as Wit
nesses. That there was a terrible fail-
ure to meet responsibilities is un-
doubted. No effort, as far as can be
learned, was made to launch life rats
or boats, and no concerted attempt
was made toward equipping helpless
women and children with life preserv-
ers. But few OF those rescued and
few Of the bodies recovered from the
river had on life preservers. Accord
Ing to several statements most Of these
supposed instruments Of safety were
practically worthless. There IL VERY
general criticism Of the captain and
pilots for their failure to turn tho
vessel ashore the moment they were
informed the fire had gained head-
way. Pilot Van Wart today said that
he could not dock the vessel because
all her hawsers were burned.
Hundreds Unidentifisd.
From midnight until long after SUM
rise today the work Of arranging tho
hundreds Of unidentified bodies which
were being brought down from North
Brother Island, all night progressed
uninterruptedly. Scenes about the
morgue and at docks where the relief
boats came in laden with their ghastly
freight, were heartrending beyond any
possibility Of description. Men and
women who had waited for hours,
swaying between fear and hope, gave
way to bitter grief. when at last the
bodies Of their loved ones were found
among the piles Of burned and mangled j
dead The scenes at the bureau OF in-
formation which had been established
In st. Marks Lutheran church today,
were pathetic in the extreme. A heavy
pail OF sorrow hung over the public
school on Fifth street near First ave-
nue., which is in the center OF the resi-s
dence district most affected by the slo-
cum disaster.
OF 1000 pupils, a large portion g
which were relatives OF excursiontstas
nearly 800 regular attendants did n0e
appear in their classes today. OF this
number 11o had obtained permission on
Tuesday to be absent yesterday for the
purpose of going on the excursion. Just
how many lost their lives or were In.
jured has not yet been learned.
All thru the night and today men in
diving suits and others with graphing
hooks stood on the decks Of the tugs
which were about the the sunken wreck
Of the General Slocum, as the bodice
brought up were transferred to other
tugs and taken ashore. How many
dead lie in the charred and sunken hull
can not be estimated until every nook
and corner shall have been gone oves
hv divers