Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-23
GREAT GERMAN LUTHERAN SUNDAY
SCHOOL PICNIC ENGULFED IN
HOLOCAUST

anu smoke LnaC were constantly IN
creasing. Policemen and deck hands
aboard the boat struggled to quiet the
panic, but their efforts were vain.
WILD PANIC OF DEATH.
The wild disorder increased, as
frantic mothers sought their children,
who had been at play about the
decks. The first sweep of the flames
cut off escape from the hurricane
deck, where a great many women and
children were crowded together, and
soon burned away the light wooden
Uprights which came down with a
crash on those below. 1t is thought
that most of those on the hurricane
deck were burned.
STREAM OF HUMAN SACRIFICE.
AS the fire increased the struggle to
gain the point of vantage at the stern
became frightful. Women and chill
dren crowded against the after rail
until it gave way and hundreds were
pushed off into the river After this
there was steady stream of persons
who jumped or were thrown into the
water.
BOATS RESCUE SOME
Tugs and other vessels came to the
rescue. The boats rescued all they
could reach but many persons strug
gled and sank before help could reach
them. In the wake of the Slocum as
she hurried up the stream was line
of little black spots, marking the
heads and bodies of those who had
sought to escape the roaring furnace
on the ship by throwing themselves
overheard.
FEW LIFE PRESERVERS.
A few of those saved by small boats
had on life preservers. At no time
during the progress of the fire was
there any opportunity to either lower
the life boats or get the life preserv-
ers out from under the seats. This.
perhaps, gives an idea of the rapdity
with which the flames swept the
decks.
OFFICERS PoWERlESS.
Through all the wild panic, during
all that inferno, with fire and smoke
surrounding them, the officers and
men of the doomed boat remained at
their posts, but they were powerless
to avert the catastrophe.
DECKS CAVE IN.
The Slocum got within so feet of
North Brother island, when she stop
ped in the shallow water 1t was
just before she beached that the hur-
ricane deck fell with its load of wo-
men and children, adding to the panic
and horror of those on the deck be-
low. Very soon after parts of the
second and third decks also caved in.
BRAVE WORK OF TUG.
But before this happened the tug
Walter Tracey had come alongside
the burning steamer and was dashed
to it. Many of the passengers were
taken off by the crew of the Tracey,
which remained alongside until the
tugs pilothouse took fire.
GREAT ROW OF BODIES.
The scene on the island was pitt
full one. Body after body was washed
ashore or brought in by boats and
added to long row on the beach.
Fifty-three persons died while doctors
from hospitals on the island were at
tending them.
WAVES BRING IN DEAD.
For hours bodies burned and
drowned drifted ashore. Some came
ashore alive Many of these died
Others will recover.
HEART-BREAKING SCENE.
The row of bodies was stretched
along the beach and hysterical women
and frantic men went along looking al
one after another, searching for chill
dren and friends. Women with dis
figured faces, their clothes partially
stripped from them. were carried to
an improyised emergency hospital.