Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-18

Gen. DumOnt said that Lundberg was
then appearing before Coroner Berry,
but would be produced later as VII
ness.
When Inspector Lundberg appeared
before Cononer Berry he was accom-
panied by counsel. The coroner askes
him several questions about his work.
which he answered.
when did you last inspect the $40
cum" asked Coroner Berry.
Il decline to answer that question:
by advice of counsel"
ION what grounds" asked the coro-
| ner.
"On the grounds that it might tend TO
incriminate me-" responded the inspec-
| tor.
That ended the preliminary inquiry.
The district attorney has subpoeneaed
representatives of the knickerbocker
Steamboat Co., it's counsel, Judge Dit
tenhoefer, the president and ofncers,
Capt. Scraick, and the crew and others
| to appear at his office. tomorrow.
B. F. COnklin, chief engineer OF the
Gen. Slocum, is at his home in Cats
kill. N. Y. ill from the effects OF his
terrible experience in the disaster. but,
today. he had SO far recovered that ne
| was able to talk about it.
He did not know how the fire started,
but said that while he was talking
with his assistant. Everett BRANDON,
when opposite 13Sth street, the fist
mate reported the fire. Mr.. Conklin con-
| tinued.
| Il at once ordered him to lay the
hose while 1 went to the pumps, first
| notifying the captain, who was In the
pilot house, by calling to him through
the speaking tube. I told BRANDON to
stand near the engine and not to
| leave it. and he obeyed.
| LESS than a minute water was being
poured on the flames. but 1t didn't
seem to check them in the least. Two
| minutes or so later the fire alarm
sounded and some one on deck cried
| Fire
Christianity there was a roar as the
terrified passengers aroused like one
perosn and made n rush for the stern.
Never shall 1 forget the horror of that
| scene and the terrible confusion that
| followed. There was no checking that
frenzied crowd. Most of the crew were
busy fighting the fire. and those who
| were on deck were unable to calm the
| fears of the women and children. The
captain rang the bell for a full head Of
| steam and the boat shot forward like
Il race horse.
| "A thick volume of smoke rolled
of the boat. was compelled to cover
my mouth and nose with my arm in Or
der to breathe. Mingled with the
smell of burning paint and wood was
| the sickening oddOr of burning flesh.
The women and children rushed about
as though bereft Of their senses.
Mothers Srasped their children and
rushed to the sides of the steamer and
| jumped into the water only to drown.
/ I saw several children with their cloth
| ing on fire and their mothers vainly
| trying to put out the flames with their
hands l never saw fire spread with
such rapidity, and in less time than it
has taken for me to tell you this, the
whole forward part OF the vessel was in
| flames.
| The boat had been newly painted.
| and this of course, made it burn more
| rapidly. Those who were on the lower
| deck rushed aft and many children
| were knocked down and trampled to
| death. Try as l can it is impossible to
erase that scene from memory. When
| / close my eyes at night I can see the
| struggling crowd, the dead up-turned
faces and floating bodies. 1 can yet
| hear those agonzing and piercing
! screams and feel the scorching flames.
| Il realized that our only safety was
to beach the boat and 1 knew that
| North Brother Island was the only
place to do il. We could not turn back
! and beach on the Meadows, for we
were above them. and I was fearful
| that we might strike on rock in He'll
Gate. Had this happened the loss of
life would have been greater, for not
| one Il good swimmer could have kept
ahoat in that swift water.
| I'VE had eight life boats and two
RATS aboard, but it was an utter I'M
| possibility to get near them, for the
| crowd was SO dense about them that
| it would have taken II hundred men TO
push the frenzicd persons aside and
launch the boats. 1t all happened so
suddenly and the fire spread with such
! rapidity that in less than Is minutes
after it was discovered the boat was
| in flames from stem to stern.
| AT intervals the captain called
| through the speaking tube asking how
the fire was progressing, and BRANDON
kept him Informed. l stayed at the
pumps, for | did not dare to leave
Them fearing that they might break
| down or stop. When the boat was
beachcd and I left the engine room.
they were still working. If the hose
was rotten and burst, as has been
stated. I knew nothing of it, for the
| pumps worked regularly.
1T has also been said that the life
| preservers were old and rotten. We
| carried a full complement of preser-
j vers. They were such as are required
by law, and if they were not sound and
in the condition they should have been.
| then it is up to the inspectors for the
boat had been inspected only n short
| time before the fire and everything was
| pronounced all right.
Just before the Slocum was beached.
the engine room was in flames, and
| the large mirrors in it fell with Il
crash. I looked for BRANDON and he
was still standing near the throttle.