Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1904-06-16

Of flame from the forward deck. The
fresh north wind swept 1t aft like a
blast from a furnace. and on the in
stant the agony and the horror began.
Mother love turned to madness, and the
lust of life. cruellest OF an, made still
more pitiless by fear for the life Of
those nearest and dearest, turned the
whole ship into a pandemonium OF
fighting Scorched by the flames
mothers with infants in arms leaped
overheard, only to be sucked down by
the greedy rush OF the tide. AS the
steamer surged on past lSoth street,
blazing like a funeral pyre, the foam in
her wake was dark with dots that
struggled for moment and then dis
appeared.
Avalanche Of Humanity over Side.
stln the fire grew hotter and the
press toward the stern became appall-
ing. Scores were swept overheard, and
when the rail gave way under the
weight of hundreds the ships side was
an avalanche OF humanity. Scores OF
boats followed behind. picking up
whom they could. but death was work.
ing too fast for the hands Of men 70
keep pace with him. Then the upper
deck caved in, dropping hundreds more
to their doom. and only when the Slo-
cum touched bottom could the work of
rescue at last begin I'm earnest.
The entire staff OF the hospital serv-
ice on North Brother Island was set
to the task Of helping the sufferers
and doctors and nurses did yeoman
service during that first terrible houI
after the elimination of the horror
Ambulances from every part of the city
came pouring in Every hospital was
called on TO contribute doctors and
nurses. and 600 policemen were seni
to help save life and preserve order
4 AS the afternoon wore on North Brothei
Island presented a scene that none VIII,
saw 1t win ever forget. In one minute
fifty dead bodies were brought ashore
and by nightfall the lawns were covered
with long lines In which more than 25
. dead were ranged. The morgue lon
since had been glutted, and a tempo
J rary morgue was arranged on the sDoi
. but the dead were brought IN so thic
and fast they could not be numbere
quickly enough TO be carried away AM
laid in order
Seeking Their Dead.
sureing about the city morgue al yes
terday afternoon and night. reatlves an
friends of the victims of the burned Ger
eral Slocum represented a spectacle novs
before seen in this city. Theirs was tn
depth Of human woe. Men and womei
anxious 10 learn the fate OF their love
ones. beat against the tightly drawn polio
lines until they no longer could stay IN
pent-up tide of frenzied humanity, and b'
fore the bodies Of the women and childre
, which were brought by the first boat wei
fairly unloaded the police lines were sweI
, aside and the crowd forced its way int
, the morguo.
! Fully 10000 persons passed the rows
bodies which were lined both I'm II
/ morgue and on the pier Of the depar
E ment Of charities at the foot of Ea
v Twenty-sixth street. II was a never-enl
e ing line. and an night the procession
e distracted friends and relatives kept i
y the march BY midnight 226 bodies he
= been brought TO the morgue. many
S whom were identified But the number
= missing was still large. and the frien'
. Of those who as yet were unaccounted 4
S remained about the place. fearing tn
with the arrival Of each batch OF bodi
the ones whom They we're seeking wou
be found.
n In the morgue there was a Longtime
a men. women and children passing slow
v along the row Of mutilated bodies. 4
s heads were barred and feeling Of dee
}. silent sorrow prevailed. Suddenly the
!, came a loud shrek. man or woman kn'
n beside one OF the victims. Hysterical so
Z followed and then came a rush of sever
e policemen to the spot. Those In the roo
II then knew that another body had be-
# Identified. Many times in the course of 4
g afternoon and night this scene was 7
l. peateJ and after each repetition no
e name appeared on the list Of those who
e bodies had been claimed by relatives.
Head Turned Aside.
n At the sight Of the long rows OF bodi'
~ many Of them burned or muulated beyo
m recognition. others looking as calm a.
m composed as If they had simply gone
,e sleep for the night, the nerves OF D
ri strongest became unstrung. Even t
IS morgue attendants. accustomed as IN
Or were TO the sight of death in its most t,
10 rible forms turned their heads as tn
81 passed some of the cofhns. 1t was {