Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-18
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE
CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE GEN.
sI.oCUM TELLS STORY.
Frenzy Of the Crowd Prevented Efforts
to Save Them-Says Pumps
Were Worked.

A dispatch from New York last night
says: B. +. Conklin, chief engineer Of the
General Slocum, is at his home in Catskill
N. Y, i'll from the effects OF his terrible ex-
perience, but today he had SO far recovered
that he was able to talk about'it. He did
not know how the fire started. but said that
while he was talking to his assistant Ever
EFT BRANDON. when opposite 13sth street,
the fret matc reported the fire. Mr.. Conk-
lin continued:
Il at once ordered him to lay the hose,
while l went to the pumps, first notifying
the captain, who was in the pilot house, by
| calling to him through the speaking tube.
I told Brandow to stand near the engine
and not to leave it, and he obeyed me-
I'm less than a minute water was being
poured on the flames, but it did not seem to
check them in the least. Two minutes or
so later the fire alarm sounded, and some
one on deck cried Fire!
Stampede for the Stern.
Instantly there was roar as the ter
rified passengers arose like one person and
made a rush for the stern. Never shall l
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 full head
OF steam, and the boat shot forward like
a race horse.
"A thick volume of smoke rose from for
ward and filled the lower part of the boat.
l was compelled to cover my mouth and
nose with my arm in order to breathe. Min
gled with the smell of burning paint and
wood was the sickening odor of burning
flesh. The women and children rushed about
though bereft of their Mothers
grasped their children and rushed to the
side of the steamer and jumped into the
water. only to drown.
Il 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 front part of the
vessel in flames.
Many Children Trampled to Death.
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 1 can, it is
impossible to erase that scene from men,
cry. When 1 close my eyes at night 1 can
see the struggling crowd, the dead upturned
faces. and floating bodies. 1 yet hear
those aSonizing and piercing screams and
feel the ScorchfnS flames.
Il realized that our only safety was to
beach the boat. and l knew that North
Brother Island was the only place to do
it. We could not turn back and beach on
the meadows. for we were above them. and
Iwas fearful that we might strike rock in
Hell Gate. Had this happened the loss of
life would have been greater, for no one.
not excepting good swimmer, could have
kept afioat in that swift water.
I'VE had eight lfeboats and two RATS
aboard. but it was utter impossibility to
get near them. for the crowd was SO dense
a MINT hn 40 to lyar,
dred men to push the frenzed persons
as!de and launch the boats. 1t all happened
so suddenly and the fire spread with such
rapidity. that in less than fifteen minutes
after 1t was discovered the boat was in
flames from stem to stern.
The Pumps Worked Regularly.
'At intervals the captain called through
the speaking tube asking how the fire was
progressing, and BRANDON kept him in
formed. I stayed at the pumps, for did
not dare to leave them. fearing that they
might break down or stop. When the boat
was beached and 1 left the engine room,
they were still working If the hose was
rotten and burst. as has been stated, l
knew nothing of it, for the pumps worked
regularly.
1T has also been said that the life-pre-
servers were old and rotten. We carried
a full complement of preservers. They
were such as are required by law, and II
they were not sound and in the condition
they should have been then 1t Is up to the
inspectors, for the boat had been inspected
only short time before the fire. and every
thing was pronounced all right.
Just before the Slocum was beached the
engine room was in flames, and the large
mirrors In it fell with crash. l looked
for Brandow and he was still standing near
the throttle, with the flames all about him.
The heat was intense but l did not seem
to feel 1t much.
Women Begged Piteously for Help.
when the boat grounded there was a
terrible crash as the upper decks gave
way, and for moment 1 felt sick, for l
knew that many people were caught be-
meath 1t. BRANDON stopped his engines,
and we made our way aft with difficulty.
Here there wee number of women and
children who beseeched US piteously to aid
them. l did my best to calm them, and
told them they must jump overheard Just
then a tug came alongside and rush was
made for 1t.
II was carried over with the rest and fell
underneath the struggling mass 1 rose.
and when l reached the shore l saw Capt.
Van Schaick and Pilot Van Wart standing
In the water taking out bodies which were
floating all around l assisted in the work
as long as l could BRANDON was badly
burned about the head and neck, but he
escaped. He and l were the last of the
crew to leave the boat