The copper era., 1904-06-23
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
An Excursion Steamer Burns-One
 Thousand Lives Lost.

persons mostly women and children,
 peri9hed by the burning of the ex- cursion steamer. General Slocum, near
 Hell Gate in East river.
 [ The General Sloc-m, with the an- nual Sunday school excursion oi St. | Marks German Lutheran Church, Of | New York, on board was pulling up the river 10 one of the many resorts of Long Island Sound.
 When the steamer was near l25tn street, persons on shore saw smoke and flames spring up from the upper part of the crowded steamer.
 A panic ensued on the boat almost instantly. The crowds on the forward deck began to spring overheard to their death or to crowd to other parts of the boat.
 Screams Of the terrified passengers could be heard on shore, and hundreds of small boats immediately put of to the rescue.
 Owing to the rocks on the other side of the channel at thls point it was inn possible To beach the vessel. The cap tain stuck to his post at the wheel and headed the vessel straig Int up the river Tor North Brother $ island, when she was put aground in shallow water.
 Several hundred feet Of open water still lay between the steamer and the shore and many persons perished 4; C [, ;,, he. hnrui n vessel after she had been beached.
 IL is said that the fire started in the
 lunch counter in the forward pact of tbe boat When the alarm spread among the passengers the hurricane deck was crowded. and when off l38th street this deck collapsed.
 Many persons were thrown into the water, but hundreds were precip; ted ! into the lower deck, which was self d mass of women and children.
 A tug of the New York Central rail- | road saved nearly q score, through the | heroism of an unknown man. This 1 man stood on the paddle wheel box of the General Slocum and passed women and children to the tug until driven back by the flames. He then jumped into the tug himselN.
 From all that can be learned no alarm was sounded when the fire was discovered, but the crew tried to ex- tinguish 1t without alarming the pas Those in the boat did not know of the fire until the flames swept them back. Then there was nothing to do but to jump overheard or be burned to death.
 Many children picked up by small boats were lashed to camp stools and other light furnishings. showing tha; some adult had tried To make the { little ones safe. but in most cases these precautions proved of no avail.
 Captain William Van Schlack. who the General Slocum, has ( been arrested. Pilots Van Wart and Weave" have also been arrested.
 The smaller children on the boa ; were t.ampied to death by the rush ( when the fire broke out. (
  nave controlled, that the fire might have been cXtiu2u!>hed. but at the first cry of fire. there was stampede. , md even the experienced sailors and lcck hands were carried away in the excitement. and those who were try Y, ng to fight the fire were knocked down ,r swept overheard, thu, leaving the boat and it's precious load of human rcight to the mercy Of the fiery James. The General Sloeum i> one Of the a~gest excursion boats in the vicinity , 'f New York. IL is a mammoth three , ieck side-wheeler. and holds large , number ef people. There was a great | ieal of woodwork about the steamer $ md she burned like tinder.