Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-06-24

and great numbers began TO jump over
board.
Women, wild with fright. snatching
their children 10 them, leaped into the
wi1iripoois that carried them toward
the rocks on both shores. ] cridesssofsd
10 break through the mad crush and
get TO my mother and brother bur was
swept into a corner and held there,
unable to move.
"As the boat kept on her way the
breeze drove the flames toward the
afterpart OF the ship, where those who
In their panic had not jumped over
board were huddled together.
ut seemed but a few seconds before
the flames had swept down upon the
children who We're struggling about
the fee cream tables and set their
clothing ablaze. They all rushed to the
afterpart OF the ship IN a stampede
that carried those who were near the
rail overheard, against their viii.
A HUMAN CATARACT.
'tAt one time 1t seemed to me as *
women and children were pouring over
the sides like a waterfall.
when we drew near the shore the
| captain blew his whistle in n con-
tinuous blast. and soon boats OF all de-
scriptions were making for us from
| every side of tho river.
II was rescued by a launch just as
the boat settled close TO shore. When
she grounded the flames had spread
over the entire rpper and lower decks.
There were only a few spots on the boat
untouched by the flames, and In these
were piled up men and women who had
tainted, fallen and pinned others 10 the
deck. The men from the tugs who
could get near the steamboat shouted
for those on board 10 Jump, n then
the small boats picked them up by a
score"
DETAILS or THE HORROR.
When the Slocum left her dock she
is said to have had 1000 wornen ana
| children aboard. Nearly all belonged
to st. Marks German Lutheran sunday
school. The pastor. Rev. George G. Il.
Haas and family, are reported lost.
Frightful scenes OF panic followed
the breaking u Of the fire. The flames
had complete control before any move
| could be made to check them. 1t was
Impossible to run the teamer ashore
| because of the Hell Gate rock on either
side. The captain headed her for North
Brother island. where she was heached
and burned 70 the waters edge.
Nothing could be done I'm the way OF
launching boats. and as the flames ad-
vanced the passengers began TO jump
overheard by hundreds.
The latest report Is that at least 500
have been burned.
HUNDREDS or BODIES Ashore.
Many We're rescued by tugs and other
vessels. Several hundred bodies have
been washed ashore or picked up by
boats. Almost every other omar who
was rescued Was calling Tor her child.
The disaster WAS Witnessed by thou
sands OF people on both shores Of the
river, and as rapidly as possible husl-
dreds OF small boats and launches set
Off TO render assistance.
with the boat burning at their feet
the captain and engineer remained Mt
their posts until the boat was beached.
GREATEST LOSS or LIFE.
An v witness said the greatest loss
of life was due TO the ~cOllapsing OF the
heavy upper deck. which fell oon after
the fire started, crushing hundreds OF
persons OH the lower deck. IL was
then the greatest panic eilsued, living
streams OF persons going over the rail
into the water. A large part or n
crowd on the steamer was children and
there was little hope for them after
Jumping overheard.
The current in the East river Is very
| strong and scores Of the little ones
were sucked I'm by the whirlpoors at
| HelTgate. One man who went out In q
| row boat said he saw at least fifty
children perish IN the whlrlpools before
he could reach them.
HOLD FULL or DEAD.
AT the Office of the United States
steamboat inspection bureau 1t was
said the Slocum was inspected May 5.
and reported to be In thoroughly good
condition and ready for the excursion
season. Aboard the steamer was all
| the life saving apparatus required by
law for steamers of her capacity. The
Slocum's licensed captain Is Captain w.
III. Van Setback. one of the oldest ex-
cursion captains In New York harbor
waters.
Many Of the bodies recovered were
horribly burned. Wreckers say ii will
be hours before the fire IN the hold Of
the boat is burned out, when h bodies
can be recovered. Both firemen and
wreckers say the greatest loss OF life.
extending into hundreds, viii be found
In the hold.
From all that can be gathered no
alarm was sounded when the fire was
discovered, but the crew tried 10 ex-
tinguish the flames without alarming
fha oapaA tTiaaGa In al after.
portion Of the boat did not know 1t
was on fire until the flames had swept
back on them. Then there was nothing
TO DO III jump overheard or be burned
TO death.
Persons on shore say there were
scores huddled in apparently safe posi-
tions on the hurricane deck with the
| breeze blowing the flames and smoke
away from them, when suddenly the
deck fell In. After the cloud Of smoke
had blown away the observers looked
back to where the crowd had been
| standing, The space was vacant.
CHILDREN LAsHED TO FLOATS.
Many children picked up by small
boats were dashed to amp stools and
other light BOAT furnishings, showing
that some adult had tried to make the
little ones safe These precautions
proved inadequate In the terrific cur
rent and the whirlp0ols.
Very few of the children picked up
had on life preservers. Children cam
not get at the life preserverg on the ex-
| cursion boats In this harbor. They are
dashed TO the ceilings over the decks,
and can only be reached by a tall per-
son
Paul LeDenow. one OF the passengers,
says a ferry boat passed near the burn
ing steamer but offered no assistance.
Two policemen who had been assigned
to the excursion jumped
from the burning steamer and cached
the shore in safety. One OF them was
slightly burned.
1t is impossible to more than esti-
mate the loss OF life, but 1t is believed
anywhere from 800 to 500 persons per-
ished. As fast as the bodies are re-